PERCE Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 I don't think he's bored, I think you've over cooked it and put too much pressure on a young and possibly soft (?) dog and now he's confused? If he was bored he wouldn't have picked the tennis ball. Forget game, you can't train with game all the time and the dog will need training through the summer. A rabbit skin dummy or the like MIGHT help break a psychological barrier, but it should only unlock a situation and allow you to build from there, you have already done that with a tennis ball and IMO a dog should retrieve what it is asked to, not what it chooses to. What you do need to do is switch him back on or enjoying retrieving. If that is chucking a tennis ball and letting him run, and building that to running in for a dummy before reintroducing steadiness then so be it. Go back a good bit, 14 months is fine for some dogs to progress, others are not much more than pups in their behaviour and mindset. :good: Dog is confused, you've most likely been pushing him too much, go back a few steps with him & let him have some fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michufc Posted February 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Hi all thanks again for your comments I have been trying to get a chance to bag a few pigeons on my perm (which are few and far between )but I have been so busy with work it's been hard to get out. But I have got to drop a transformer of at a small holding tomorrow and the owner said that that the farm next to him has problems with pigeons and if I name drop this owner it should hopefully get the trust and a foot in the door. So hopefully I will get some pigeons. Would it be a good idea to take my spaniel out in the hide with me if all goes to plan or is it to soon Cheers mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 (edited) Hi all thanks again for your comments I have been trying to get a chance to bag a few pigeons on my perm (which are few and far between )but I have been so busy with work it's been hard to get out. But I have got to drop a transformer of at a small holding tomorrow and the owner said that that the farm next to him has problems with pigeons and if I name drop this owner it should hopefully get the trust and a foot in the door. So hopefully I will get some pigeons. Would it be a good idea to take my spaniel out in the hide with me if all goes to plan or is it to soon Cheers mike Well michufc, all the comments and you are talking about taking your springer in a hide! Dogs should be fully trained before they go hide shooting, and by what you are saying your is not and lacks confidence. If i was you take a step back and get the dog out threw the summer months and finish your training. Taking a dog in a hide before it is confident picking up and around a gun is a disaster waiting to happen Edited February 14, 2014 by Actionpigeons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Completely agree with Actionpigeons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Completely agree with Actionpigeons+1Please heed the advice you have been given by some incredibly good dog men For the sake of a month why mess up a dog ? All the best Of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michufc Posted February 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Advise taken on board and he will left at home for now I didn't no if it might do him good to be with me all day. But advise taken on board and he will be left at home until he is completely ready. This is why I ask first to get quality advise as you can't undo it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 For what it is worth I used to take the dog and gun sit under the trees and shoot one pigeon sit the dog up and pick it up myself.I did this a fair few times so when it was time to put the dog in the hide he just thourght it was normal to sit and only fetch what he was told. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpentermark Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Slightly off the subject but thought id share with you guys. Out on the farm on monday sat watching some pigeons flighting into a line of trees bordering a field of osr. It was 2pm so i thought i would walk them off then spend a couple of hours waiting under the trees for them to come back to roost. Got out of the car with the dog (4yr old ess dog) and walked up the edge of the field, dog was doing his own thing, in and out of hedges, ditches, hunting up rough etc. just before i got to trees he ran into a hedge bottom, he was in there for a few seconds then i heard a load of squeaking and out he came with a full grown rabbit in his mouth.... Couldn't believe it! He calmly walked over and dropped it at my feet, i was laughing that much i forgot to take it and it ran off!!! Brilliant. Good luck with your training mate, keep it simple, keep it fun and don't overwork a young dog. Im sure your dog will come good but just remember, a dog should work because he wants to please you and he enjoys it, if he sees it as a chore and is constantly berated for mishaps he wont bother! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michufc Posted February 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 This week I have concentrated on pure fun for my spaniel no pressure what's so ever and I will try to ease him back into training slowly this week coming and see how he reacts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michufc Posted February 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 Just to keep you all updated I took my ess out this morning to a new ground and success he is back on the retrieving I am really chuffed just not being to hard on him just slowly easing him back in with a couple of retrieves and that's it. But just when I thought all was back to normal he ran off for the first time ever I blew the stop whistle at around 100 yards and he stopped looked at me so I recalled him and he thought sod that and ran again so I stopped him again at around 200 yards and tried to recall and he went to run again so had to run him down over a muddy field I was knackered. So I put him back on the lead walked off that field and tried again round the corner and he was fine. So you think you sort one problem and gain another again any advise welcome Cheers mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plugster Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 don't you just love spaniels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Practice stopping him and recalling him. It's a fairly common problem particularly for spaniels used to hearing a turn whistle. They stop ok but think the next peep from the whistle means carry on with what you were doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michufc Posted February 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 I will practice that for a week or so mate I was knackered after chasing him lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 I would concentrate on one thing at a time mate, get you're retrieving sorted first and don't give him the opportunity to ignore you. Keep focused on him or keep him on the lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Get thee to a trainer! I guess the dog is now adolescent? Cant be bothered running down a dog personally and achieves little, generally I run the other way- if you can catch a dog in the act of running away across a muddy field you should be in the Olympics. But hey they can all play up mine ran a hare the other day and ignored the stop, getting three sessions a day now on stop means stop and in a few days its back onto a field full of hares. Seems to think he can catch stuff now he has pegged his first un-shot pheasant in thick cover, well I have some news for him. My last dog was like that hunting cover 100% drop on the whistle but then on a hair trigger, if it was anything but a re-direct I trust you marked the exact spot and took him back to it for a "bit of a discussion" on the matter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michufc Posted February 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Just a update firstly thanks for the comments I have just done lots of lead work with him and lots of close quarter work. I took my older dog out and she is a really keen retriever and I sent her for them not my ess and he seamed keen as mustard to retreve. I am also meeting a trainer tomorrow to see where I am going wrong which should be good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie69 Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Just a update firstly thanks for the comments I have just done lots of lead work with him and lots of close quarter work. I took my older dog out and she is a really keen retriever and I sent her for them not my ess and he seamed keen as mustard to retreve. I am also meeting a trainer tomorrow to see where I am going wrong which should be good good luck mate I have my next lesson booked for 7th march, im hoping for some retrieve tips because mine still spits it early or goes walkabout with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michufc Posted March 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 good luck mate I have my next lesson booked for 7th march, im hoping for some retrieve tips because mine still spits it early or goes walkabout with it I will let you know how I get on mate as it's a first for me and one of my dogs has the same problem as yours mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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