oowee Posted December 3, 2018 Report Share Posted December 3, 2018 I am not a dog trainer but this weekend my two year old cocker was pretty awesome. This season he has started to flush and retrieve pheasant really well and take hand signals to the point where I would much rather take him than leave him at home. The level of excitement and alertness as soon as he gets to the field is incredible. This weekend I was on a little pheasant shoot and a bird was lost over a fence into thick cover. Another dog had been put into find it with no joy. I was asked to have a go and put the dog under the wire fence and with a couple of arm signals he was soon looking in the right area and came back with the bird (phew). Then a little later I was using him to search for another lost bird and walked about 75 m along a track to get to the other side of the fence from where the bird was lost. Soon he is circling the same area with head held high and will not return. People either side are looking but he will not leave the spot. I then glanced up and there was the bird hanging in a branch 10ft off the ground. 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted December 3, 2018 Report Share Posted December 3, 2018 Brilliant! There is nothing better on a shooting day than a days shooting with a dog which is a joy to be with. I miss my Border terrier immensely still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted December 3, 2018 Report Share Posted December 3, 2018 my dogs used to do stuff like that...................i usually got all choked up...i think they "taught me" rather than me teach them.........common fault i used to see was new owners pulling their dog off a retreive too soon ...due to impatience...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabery 3 Posted December 3, 2018 Report Share Posted December 3, 2018 23 minutes ago, ditchman said: my dogs used to do stuff like that...................i usually got all choked up...i think they "taught me" rather than me teach them.........common fault i used to see was new owners pulling their dog off a retreive too soon ...due to impatience...... Totally agree let the dog do the work, he knows best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapid .25 Posted December 3, 2018 Report Share Posted December 3, 2018 OOWEE , Sounds like your in for a very enjoyable season, there's nowt better than watching your own dog doing well, have a good one bud👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scutt Posted December 3, 2018 Report Share Posted December 3, 2018 nowt better 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbird Posted December 3, 2018 Report Share Posted December 3, 2018 Fantastic xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltings Posted December 3, 2018 Report Share Posted December 3, 2018 (edited) 5 hours ago, Mabery 3 said: Totally agree let the dog do the work, he knows best we are not field trialing when picking up or walked up shooting or wildfowling my old lab bonnie put many dead in the air birds in the bag after other dogs and handlers searched an area calling their dogs off scent to rework an area I work my dogs into an area when they go to scent their body language will let you know I leave them be and let them go to work and have been told your dog has ran off and out of control etc (I can stop and recall at any time) by said field trial trainers only to come back with a strong runner dogs in the hunting field job is to retrieve wounded game to be dispatched as quickly as possible if a bird is dead and you have a runner you must be able to work your dog retrieve the runner first to save suffering the best dogs in a shooting field nobody knows their name even if your dog embarrasses you on the next retrieve they can redeem themselves be patient good things come to those who wait Edited December 3, 2018 by Saltings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooops Posted December 4, 2018 Report Share Posted December 4, 2018 That's awesome OOWEE, he did you proud👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted December 4, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2018 Thanks for the comments guys. Inspired I have been doing some work on the whistle now, rather than having to use voice commands. It's interesting that he has changed so much in the last 6 months.It's like he suddenly knows what he is supposed to do. I can only imagine what he could have been with a half decent trainer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted December 4, 2018 Report Share Posted December 4, 2018 Sound's like you have a good un and it's good that you let the work it out the only bit I can add don't let him get to point that he thinks he don't need you as it's a fine line to cross, it's a nice feeling when it all comes together 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted December 6, 2018 Report Share Posted December 6, 2018 On 03/12/2018 at 16:39, oowee said: Soon he is circling the same area with head held high and will not return. People either side are looking but he will not leave the spot. I then glanced up and there was the bird hanging in a branch 10ft off the ground. 👍 My old dog once brought back a headless cock pheasant that others hadn't been able to find, whilst everyone else was happily ripping the urine out of me saying he had simply killed another bird the keeper walked up and said the bird must have been hanging in a tree, silence 😃 Dogs along with your children have the power to make you feel proud and ashamed all within minutes. sounds your going to be having fun oowee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted December 8, 2018 Report Share Posted December 8, 2018 Well done there is nothing better than the pleasure you get when your dog does you proud like that. That’s why I now work my dogs picking up more than I go out shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted December 10, 2018 Report Share Posted December 10, 2018 Well done Grant someone once said to me, birds make bird dogs. The more you get out and have successful trips like that the better the dog will become Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted December 10, 2018 Report Share Posted December 10, 2018 I love working my dogs and beat 3 or 4 times a week, the older I get the more I enjoy the dogs. On our syndicate I have shot only once this season as I prefer to run the beating line and work my dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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