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Pigeonshooter22

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Everything posted by Pigeonshooter22

  1. A friend looks up to a well known gundog trainer, who apparently says to use the stop whistle around feed time as well. He'll put their feed down and stop them on the way to the bowl, then stop them while eating etc. I tried it on my young spaniel for the first time this morning to see how he got on.. and he sat each time.. his stop whistle is honestly 99% perfect, yet he'll still try and chase if he can or it flies low. Its just training that 1% when excitement is so high, its so difficult to proof commands in all these situations to make them 100%... A old fashioned picker upper told me all his have just learnt as they get older if they fly theres no point chasing so stop or turn themselves, if only.. Excellent about his mum!
  2. Was he out all day? Thats quite a long, tiring day for a young dog around 16 months old now (I guess) Maybe he started to get tired. I find that effects my spaniel a lot, if he gets tired it all goes to pot. Maybe worth trying just doing a couple of drives until hes more established. I don't think he done bad, especially for his age!
  3. Thanks Douburr, We have reduced it to £450, for a quick sale.. they're great bits of kit.
  4. This unit was bought as a birthday present, it was literally used once , so is virtually new. Range of 500m, brilliant bit of kit RTEC eagle allows you to record with wifi which is optional extra. It also has a scope mountable range finder included These retail at £1099 plus the wifi but open to offers in the region of £599 Located in Bristol or can post
  5. Have you found the RAV4 reliable? Not sure if to go for a 2010 Outlander or a similar age Rav 4 but will have to be the 175bhp version as occasionally tow 1.6 ton. Currently own a Freelander 2 but the reliably stinks.
  6. Do you find them highly strung or chilled? Our cocker is 22 months now. He very chilled around the house, around the horses and very well behaved. Doesn't run off and stays close even when riding across big open fields. Yet when it comes to work he comes alive, completely different dog. Once that whistle is blown, hes in work mode and is highly strung, but thats what you want! He is intelligent, has a ace nose and that drive he has is lovely. He is head strong at times, but thats just his personality. You can't be too soft with them, they need rules but sure your be fine with that if you have your young spaniel already. I have heard they can be very affectionate. He is VERY affectionate. Perfect dog for your other half because they love cuddles and affection. A cocker and springer would go well together. Plus you could trial a cocker if its a pedigree. Or maybe your other half will get into gundog work and want to do it herself. We nearly bought a sprocker or a springer, even went to view some sprockers.. but glad I went with a cocker. Hes very loyal and has his own ace personality which is great and makes working him so much fun even if he can be a challenge sometimes. I think they can be more switched on than Springers and as my old trainer said, they have their own little clever brains and every day is different with a cocker (he trials both springers and cockers) so they can be difficult with some aspects of training such as pulling on but as hes got older he has improved daily and said once they've got what they've gotta do - they've got it. I bet any money if you go for a cocker Lloyd your be getting another in the future. Highly recommended breed
  7. Wagg foods tend to be full of cereal and barely any meat. Posted a above website that is worth a look.
  8. Millies Wolfheart is closeto raw, excellent food. Wouldn't feed ours anything else unless we ever get the freezer space to go raw. We often get asked if ours are fed raw. I personally feed ours the best I can afford, I pay £47 a sack which feeds a 16kg and 20kg dog for a month. Look on allaboutdogfood.co.uk for a unbiased rating on all dog foods, its very interesting. Can't imagine Aldi working food has any meat in, probably pure maize and full of ****. Specially at £5 per 20kg. To add, I've just looked, is it branded 'EARLS' sold by Aldi? if so its rated 0.8/5 and has a few red listed ingredients, and they will not disclose where its made.. Ingredients listed are: Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives (17%, Including 4% Chicken), Oils and Fats, Various Sugars, Derivatives of Vegetable Origin, Minerals, Seeds (Linseed 0.06%), Vegetables(4% Vegetables in the Vegetable Kibbles), Hydrolysed Yeast and Chicory Extracts (0.003%), Antioxidants, Preservatives.
  9. Landrover Freelander 2 manual diesel I have.. love it. A cross between a 4x4 and a car so went for that. I only do 2 mile journeys 3 times a day and never had a problem. As B725 said no DPF and about £260 tax a year. It goes for a decent drive a couple of times a week though. Lots of space for the dogs, I have back seats down and dog guard up. Paid £5000 for mine 16 months ago, 2008 plate with 83,000 on at the time. On the short 2 mile journeys she does 31 mpg and longer journeys 36mpg but motorways usually around 39mpg depending how you drive it, pleased with that on a 10yr old car. She is not bad off road, has new all-terrain tyres and never got stuck. Also can tow up to 2t with it. The other day after 2 days heavy rain the farmer only left a couple of foot strip that wasn't ploughed around the edge of the field we had to drive through, the half the car was on the ploughed field the other half muddy, wet field with a stream going through it and surprisingly she done a nice job. They also have a nice bit of power to them, 160bhp a nice drive and a 6 speed gearbox. I nearly bought a TD5 Landrover or a pick up, but after driving both they aren't as nice to drive as my FL2, they only get about 20/25mpg and wanted something a bit better on fuel really.
  10. I thought about a Springer but went for a Cocker for my first working dog i'd be training myself, everyone said I was mad and they were hard work so fancied the task. Hes 14 months old, came 3rd in his second ever BASC scurry 2 weeks ago and doing pretty well considering i'm a novice too. Same with all dogs though - A dog is only as good as its trainer.. and its so true. If your dog runs in, doesn't do things as it 'should' its only doing what is been taught by you. If my Cocker goes 'wrong' its my fault for not training him correctly and you get out of it what you put into them. Cockers can be head strong but hes so willing and very clever and once they're on your side, they'll do anything for you. Hes full of drive when out working, but calm in the house. My friends springers will hunt a empty car park for him, where as my cocker would look at me like. are you stupid? A trainer I met at a show said a Cocker is a Springer with a brain but really (opens can of worms) all spaniels are from similar lines way back when a spaniel was a spaniel. We have a lab as well, shes just pet lines but a excellent worker too but I do love my spaniels energy. Our labs calm and collected, my spaniels fast and furious. I've trained him for picking up, he can quarter but wanted a spaniel to pick up along side our lab as shes not great in cover. If you want something chilled yet willing in the field, a lab.. if you want something full of beans and a challenge, a spaniel!
  11. I think you're thinking to much of it, I'd just give your sister a call and have a chat about the food situation casually, see what they' like so they aren't uncomfortable or don't want to come. Similar to what Chrisjpainter said. I know some vegans can be w***ers (mainly as we instantly think of sabs) but not all are, I do have some really good friends who are veggies and vegans (some for the healthy side of it, yeah i know, they say so) but there can be all different reasons why they may be, I'd just cater for them and try and get on with him on the day.. even if you do have different views and opinions. Your wedding is suppose to be one of the happiest days of your life.
  12. Go for it. Spaniels are a lot different to labs mind (as I realized!) but I love how much enthusiasm they have where as our lab is more laid back and occasionally gives the 'do I have too?' look. Getting a spaniel has even started to convince my other half (lab man) to possibly get a spaniel next..
  13. I have a FL2 2.2 diesel, great truck but with only 90k its not been cheap to maintain (could be as its just turned 10yrs old) but still love it. Tows nicely, good off road and a better fuel consumption, about 34mpg on short 3 mile trips and about 40mpg on longer trips. Agree with using small local garages, was quoted over £1000 for a part inc. labour and a local garage done it for £350. Every garage I've been too has told me to stay away from Disco 3's..
  14. Interesting you didn't like the TD5. I don't think there is a best 4x4 they all have their problems. Had a L200 warrior a few years back, and the head went at 80k cost a fortune to fix and sold it and noticed not even a year later it was sorn at 90k on the clock. I have a Freelander 2 and its been far from reliable but a lot of the family (farmers) have Disco TD5's and have been so reliable, one has nearly 200k on the clock and dooes crazy off roading in winter to get to the lifestock and tows trailers full of feed across bogged out fields, trailer full of fence posts, they pull diggers etc no problem. We had a TD5 for towing the horses, use to tow about 3t in it and it towed lovely but now have a 3.2 Shogun and that manages just as well but don't notice much difference, the Shogun is also good off road considering but doesn't have the ground clearance like the TD5..
  15. What did you decide on? I looked at getting a Rav 4 and the reliably was said to be ****.. My Freelander 2 is in 4x4 all the time, well 60% front wheels 40% back daily and I get 34mpg on 3 mile trips, 45mpg on longer trips very good fuel economy. It isn't cheap to keep up together but a nice car and blimey for a SUV it can shift when it wants!
  16. Amazon for all my engine oil.. great prices delivered next day. Wow 1.40 a litre! We are currently at 1.34 a litre here for diesel.
  17. It sounds like they're very well looked after, so must be a unfortunate luck. ☹️ Skinners isn't great food, its ok compared to some, but rated 3.6/5 on allaboutdogfood.com if you fanced a look at whats in it.. however doubt that would of had much affect. Mind I don't think those hip scores mean anything sometimes. A friend has a spaniel that both parents had brilliant scores and she knew the parents. Pup is just over a year and needs operation on both hips as they're so bad. I have a Cocker who's quite well bred, by a keeper on a big estate shoot, no hip scores on any parents as typical old keeper etc. He needed a MRI and I was nervous he may have bad hips as of this, but the orthopedic vet said hes got the best hips they've seen for a while. All the best - some luck will come your way soon!
  18. So sorry to hear, you must be gutted. Mind you cancer isn't breed related, although flat coat retrievers are said to get it more than any other breed I wouldn't let that put you off getting another spaniel, very unlucky to have cancer at 5. I also wouldn't let your bad luck put you off another lab, it seems you've been very unlucky with all your dogs. Our labs a slim working build and now 5, had quite a hard life working considering, parents weren't hip scored and she has nice joints the vet said, so been lucky. Do agree with Scotslad though.. we are always over careful with ours and by no means meaning to cause any upset to you. Having 6 dogs with the arthritis their may be more too it. Is there anything you can think of you have done with them? To much to young, do they jump from the car? Are they kenneled and possibly get cold as that can cause joint problems over time - this was mentioned by a vet to me. What do you feed them? I believe in feeding the best you can afford, most good foods have supplements which aid the joints.
  19. Devastating for them, they look top dogs. A black Cocker dog got stolen in Frome the same day. With so much theft going on you'd of thought security is a must, a friend said this chap had the dogs in his dog trailer which was left unlocked and the Cocker that was stolen the same day, the chap didn't lock his truck either. I guess maybe they just forgot, I always double check mines locked if they're in the truck.
  20. Wouldn't feed Chappie to mine permanently, full of cereals and additives, only 18% is 'meat derivatives'. Facts from allaboutdogfood.co.uk which rates it 0.7/5. Its a great site and rates each food, also telling you what is in the food which some companies try to hide. However a vet did recommend it for a couple of days for a dog with upset stomach or sick dog but said not a 'decent food' for permanent use. I feed the best I can afford, Millies Wolfheart, premium compared to some (well £40 a sack which i don't thinks bad) but great food with no cereals or rubbish in it. Constantly get comments on their shiny healthy coats and muscle tone etc. You get what you pay for.
  21. Hes obviously sat there bored.. so ******* off off. Obviously never been taught sit/stay for long periods and knows he can get away with it.. can't really blame him. I'd get him on a long rope and tie him to the truck or a stake in the ground. My other halfs lab (as a pup) started to do similar, he worked doing land management and she disappeared for miles and was picked up several times. She was so obedient but one minute she'd be gone, only occasionally. He was lucky to get her back so he started to use a stake.. gradually weaned her off it. Shes 5 now and hasn't wondered off for years but hes a bit older so may never cure it. Don't let him keep self rewarding by letting him do it.
  22. I agree Lloyd, A spaniel can do a labs job if trained right.. maybe it will be more difficult to train to sit on peg but is possible, seen a few nice spaniels as peg dogs who sit off lead quickly all day so can be done. To be honest in a office environment my spaniel is better than our lab as hes quiet, as lab barks and its the same with directors working lab, barks a lot. Depends on training and individual dog. All dogs should have a off switch and a office environment is good for that, and getting them socialized. It all depends on your own opinion, I would rather have my dog under my desk in a cage with wee breaks often than at home all day on their own in a kennel - specially a young pup. Each to their own again, as my family and friends play with toys all the time with ours, throw them, play with them.. they definitely know the difference between playing and training/work.. it has never affected any of ours. All dogs should have some down time specially a 8 week old pup, but again, some will disagree with me so we'll have to agree to disagree lol. Your always get tons of opinions on here, its best to do what you feel is right and only you know your current situation. Remember a dogs for life. Best of luck.
  23. Hate hearing dogs refereed too as 'it' Your dog must be incredibility fit. I'd still worry about the effect on his/her joints.
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