Arnie's Progress

[walshie]

9 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

They are best buds these days  

Those last two are from some time ago ... we are getting our place boards delivered tomorrow, started a bit of sit and wait training tonight, he tried to move a few times but was getting the hang of it pretty quick, only did 2-3 minutes and lots of playing and fun cuddles thrown in  

They're both crackers.

[Lloyd90]

Thanks Walshie  

 

Little Arnie is a tight character I do find him very funny. He is very different from Ted although he has had Ted to grow up with and I have been a lot more relaxed. 
 

He is great running up the woods and loves to run in and out of light cover having the time of his life. 
 

He is just over 5 months now. I have trained him to sit but have done almost no steadiness or similar with him. We have just started to make him wait until being told to move after sitting, which he seems to find a right bother and he thinks doesn’t apply to him 🤣🤣. 
 

He will sit and wait well now for his dinner, and I can send either him or Ted one at a time. 

 

We have done small bits of retrieving with a place board. He was initially running around me but with the board he had a pretty decent delivery , sitting at my feet with his head up. He will do this in the Garden now, but out in the field can easily lose interest so we don’t do a lot. 

 

I am still holding off doing much with him. He’s only 5 months and really trying to take my time. With mention of the retrieving, that might only be 5 mins every 2 days or something. 
 

He is a very jolly puppy but doesn’t seem as quick to pick things up as Ted. He is keener to get into cover though at the moment. Perhaps he is a bit thicker 🤔🤣... many have said Ted is a bit too smart, only wants to go into thick cover when he knows there’s a bird inside. 

[B725]

Love the picture how they are both laid down the same. 👍

[Lloyd90]

Oh they do get along well now  

[Lloyd90]

Had the little *** out tonight, used the place board starting against the wall, 4-5 retrieves and he came right back to the board. He was messing about a little bit on one or two before getting on but he is getting better and better and overall was very good  

 

I then moved the board and hid two balls on the grass front and gave him a hunt command... he found the ball and came over and sat on the board, holding it until I told him to give it to me! 
 

 

The game is afoot  will take it easy for the next few months still. 

[Lloyd90]

Still done very little with the little one. I am holding off any steadiness still. He sits and waits for his dinner, and sits and waits before going out the front door or out the car.

 

He will hunt up ground where I have hidden a couple balls, find the balls, and now come back and sit at my feed holding them presenting head up. That work on the place board has worked wonders for this. 

 

If I throw a retrieve for him however, he will get excited and still try to run around a bit before coming back. 

 

 

Aside from little bits I have just been taking him up the woods with Ted the older dog. Ted has had a few flushes recently but the pup hasn't clocked what's going on. Ted is limping today so I left him at home and took the pup to feed the duck pond. We walked towards a bit of cover and we flushed a woodcock, which is the first one I have seen all season, and then two pheasants shortly afterwards. The pup ran away from the flush and came to me for reassurance, think they spooked him lol. I let him have hunt around on the scent afterwards and then off we went. He is still a very jolly and playful character that cracks us up daily.

 

Just the other day I felt him come in (I was on a work call). I thought he was fidgeting around under my desk, before I clocked what was going on, he had taken my shoe off my foot, and ran off to give it to my Mrs... he then came back and stole my other one off my other foot  ... a real character he is. 

[Lloyd90]

Here’s the boys the other day when I took them down to feed the woods and pond 
 

 

Edited November 9, 2020 by Lloyd90

[B725]

The pups looking well 👍

[Lloyd90]

 

 

Starting to get him hunting out and about now  still using the place boards, doing bit of retrieving, and also not using them at times and he still brings it back. 

Just taking it bery easy at the moment. 

[bigbird]

On 23/11/2020 at 20:52, Lloyd90 said:

 

 

Starting to get him hunting out and about now  still using the place boards, doing bit of retrieving, and also not using them at times and he still brings it back. 

Just taking it bery easy at the moment. 

Lovely style to him Lloyd!

[Lloyd90]

38 minutes ago, bigbird said:

Lovely style to him Lloyd!

 

He's very swanky isn't he. He's a right character but is being a little ****** at the moment. 

Doesn't like that he's started training, thinks its ok if he suddenly ******* off to do what he wants 🙄, more discipline coming lol 

 

[Lloyd90]

Since my last update the pup has been really good. 

 

All training has been through play and dinner time so far. He learned to sit and wait through waiting for dinner but is often left to run in, his retrieve training so far is just simple out and back seen retrieves and he has been left to hunt and enjoy himself aside from that. 

 

A few small hunts about for a tennis ball, and some running around in the woods. I think I had Ted almost 'fully trained' (or so I thought) by this age, where as this pup has barely covered lesson 1: sit and stay. 

 

Much more relaxed so far, I am hoping it will pay off. I also take him down to feed the duck pond now and then. He saw a bird flush the other day and ran away from it unsure what it was  perhaps not as chase driven as Ted was either then, we shall see over the coming months.

 

I have all spring and summer to start training him properly and will then start hunting and shooting over him next season should all go to plan, then we will really see what he is made of  

[Agriv8]

Lloyd Arnie and Pip separated at birth head down bum up and tail going like the clappers. 
 

I recon Arnie will be one hell of a beaters dog may not have the steadiness of you other dog but like pip has the drive to get in and get there quarry. Pip picked a runner on her second outing under hard cover 2 well trained seasoned labs were going mental trying to find a way in to get under but logs and bushes held them back as they kept looking for entry point 

Was asked to join in - pip looked  up gave her the ‘get on’ which is my encouragement word and she bulldozed her way in - a bit of flapping and she dragged it out ! 

by no means a text book pick up but shoot masters wife who had marked the runner made sure she came and found pip at the end of the day and was given a bit of left over pie and a tickle of her ear. 
 

This maybe explains why she ripped herself to shreds. But when you start getting asked to ‘ can you come and let pip have a run over here ‘  I was a very proud dad ! 
 

either way at 5 months Arnie a very promising keep up the good work 

 

Agriv8 

[Lloyd90]

3 hours ago, Agriv8 said:

Lloyd Arnie and Pip separated at birth head down bum up and tail going like the clappers. 
 

I recon Arnie will be one hell of a beaters dog may not have the steadiness of you other dog but like pip has the drive to get in and get there quarry. Pip picked a runner on her second outing under hard cover 2 well trained seasoned labs were going mental trying to find a way in to get under but logs and bushes held them back as they kept looking for entry point 

Was asked to join in - pip looked  up gave her the ‘get on’ which is my encouragement word and she bulldozed her way in - a bit of flapping and she dragged it out ! 

by no means a text book pick up but shoot masters wife who had marked the runner made sure she came and found pip at the end of the day and was given a bit of left over pie and a tickle of her ear. 
 

This maybe explains why she ripped herself to shreds. But when you start getting asked to ‘ can you come and let pip have a run over here ‘  I was a very proud dad ! 
 

either way at 5 months Arnie a very promising keep up the good work 

 

Agriv8 

 

I think I trained the other one too soon mate, so I had to get him chasing to get him into cover more and then steady him up again after. 
 

Teds still not the out and out cover basher I wish he was but he is what he is. He’s a very good shooting dog. 
 

 

I am hoping Arnie will have that extra gear I am looking for, hence holding back on training and trying to bring the drive on. 
 

He will still need the steadiness if we are going to do well in trials and I am hoping one of them will bring me a win one day. 
 

He’s a lot better than Ted cover wise when compared for their ages. But it is difficult to find a dog that can do it all. 
 

This time next year we might see what his chances are  

How old is pip mate? She sounds a good dog  

 

[Agriv8]

50 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:

 

I think I trained the other one too soon mate, so I had to get him chasing to get him into cover more and then steady him up again after. 
 

Teds still not the out and out cover basher I wish he was but he is what he is. He’s a very good shooting dog. 
 

 

I am hoping Arnie will have that extra gear I am looking for, hence holding back on training and trying to bring the drive on. 
 

He will still need the steadiness if we are going to do well in trials and I am hoping one of them will bring me a win one day. 
 

He’s a lot better than Ted cover wise when compared for their ages. But it is difficult to find a dog that can do it all. 
 

This time next year we might see what his chances are  

How old is pip mate? She sounds a good dog  

 

Pip 13 months parents both worked 3 times a week during the shooting season. I am not an expert but I don’t believe there is a dog that can do it all. One of our shooters / beaters runs 4 dogs and will send / use the best one they all work really well but have there specials watching his lab retrieve a goose on water from voice alone  ! I will say that as long as pip and I are safe working well and under my control I have got what I wanted. My pip always been quite a nervous dog not of loud noises she just not hugely confident - does that make sense . The first proper day working I was worried about her messing about ,  playing with other dogs or quivering in a corner if one of the labs challenged her. But from the first drive ( asked to be allowed to be back gun ) 30 yards behind the line it was as if she saw the dogs working and some deep switch clicked and we were off by no means perfect but certainly did not embarrass herself or me on her first working day. 
 

I guess what I am trying to say is build on the strengths of each of your dogs. 
 

will get a proper write up done next time I am out with Pip. Happy hunting Lloyd, Archie and Ted 

ATB Agriv8

Edited December 18, 2020 by Agriv8

[Lloyd90]

 

 

Out this morning giving little Arnie a bit of training. 

He is a different kettle of fish to old Ted. Different dog, different problems. Just a few weeks ago he would get over excited and just start charging around messing about. 

If you tried to stop him or run at him for not listening Arnie would just think "you can't catch me!!" and enjoy a little game of keep away, which was a right ****** to put up with. I just ignored it and walked off eventually and he comes looking for me ... it's no fun playing keep away on your solo! 

 

Due to this, over recent weeks we have been doing a lot more control. Walking on the lead at heal, sit and recall, lots of repetition, and he is finally starting to come out of that mess about phase and is listening nicely now thankfully. 

 

I will have to watch him carefully the next few months and get a solid stop and recall into him now. So far it has just been done for fun, and he will stop at a distance when hunting around because he knows he will get a retrieve once sat. He has not had the sit to whistle forced onto him so far, the "run after the dog and put him back if he doesn't stop" training method will have to be tried, previously when he was very puppyish and messing about this would just result in the keep away game, so that's no good, but recently with more control he isn't doing that. How he responds when this does finally come about will be interesting and could be a hurdle for us to consider and overcome. 

 

I think once onto game he will hunt no problem at all, his retireving is starting to get very good now coming back to me every time and sitting holding onto the ball or dummy no problem. 

 

At this moment in time he makes no noise in the field, showing a good mouth, will retrieve to hand and he doesn't seem to have any fear or going into cover now and then. I am sure with game this will come on no bother.

Holding onto him and keeping him under control might be another issue  ... but I did want something very different from Ted to give him a go. 

We will see what position we are in 12 months from now.

[JDog]

'Old Ted' being what, three or four?

[Lloyd90]

30 minutes ago, JDog said:

'Old Ted' being what, three or four?

 

I only call him that cos he is older  

 

He is still coming into his prime. He will be 3 this summer coming up. He will get shot over plenty next season should everything be back to normal, with opportunity to just start the pup off should he be ready. 

[JDog]

9 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:

 

I only call him that cos he is older  

 

He is still coming into his prime. He will be 3 this summer coming up. He will get shot over plenty next season should everything be back to normal, with opportunity to just start the pup off should he be ready. 

Good luck with them both.

[Lloyd90]

28 minutes ago, JDog said:

Good luck with them both.

 

Thank you  how are your two spaniels?  

[JDog]

10 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:

 

Thank you  how are your two spaniels?  

Absolutely fantastic thank you. I have good understandings with both of them.

[Lloyd90]

Starting to retrieve lovely now as well as hunt around my feet. 
 

Very little pressure put on the young dog. I started sitting him up and throwing a ball past him or dummy past him just the last 2 days. 
 

If he moved I didn’t bother chasing after him and all this shouting stuff, i simple put him back on the stop and made the exercise slightly easier. 
 

Tonight I took him out, blew the stop and threw a dummy over his head, so nothing between him and the dummy. 
 

I recall him to me and sent him from my side, he never moved and done exactly as told. Then sent from the spot on the second one. 
 

You can see he is really enjoying the training  and I am when he is listening. 
 

 

Just 2-3 weeks ago he was a complete hooligan as I had done so little with him 🤣 

 

It will be months and months of basics before I get him out onto game. 
 

I am not looking to rush and get him ready for next season... I am aiming for the season after. I might shoot a few over him next season if I think he’s ready. 

[Lloyd90]

Took the Hooligan out today to a spot that we went to a few weeks ago. A few weeks ago before starting training the ****** took off and done half the field.

 

He has clearly been responding to the training as today he hunted around me in range at all times. We hunted up through white grass and reeds where he found a few tennis balls, and had 2 or 3 stop whistles with a ball thrown past him, all of which he sat for lovely. A good hunt around, then we walked to a different area and did some marked retrieves. 

 

He struggled a bit to get out to the further ones, need a bit of confidence building and bit more experience. He has almost no directional handling, haven't over done all that stuff as yet. 

 

Making slow and steady progress forwards. Might make a half decent dog yet  On top of this, he is a pleasure to have around, unlikely Ted who likes to sleep at your feet, Arnie likes to sleep either on your lap or as close to sat on top of your head as he can, my Mrs called him the parrot dog. He curls up next to me now with his head rested on my leg and has a nice nap. 

 

Spaniel's really are cracking dogs! 

[Lloyd90]

Just being doing bird and piece with the young one. 
 

He is coming up 10 months now. 
 

Last week I hunted him up the farm whilst feeding the duck pond. I ran him through some cover crop and threw a ball out and fired the shotgun over him, he sat to the whistle and retrieved the ball when told.

 

He has also been sitting to the whistle good. We went up the farm again a few days later and he flushed two pheasants out of some cover, sitting immediately on my whistle before recalling back to me. 
 

 

Today I took him in the rabbit pen. He wasn’t off the lead for more than 60 seconds but in that time managed to have 3 contact flushes, first two rabbits at once almost off his nose tucked under a log, sat to whistle and recalled. 
 

Second a rabbit from inside a bit of cover, sat inside the cover on whistle and recalled. 
 

Third a rabbit out of another stick pile, sat and recalled. 
Put the lead on and got out of there on a high note. 

 

 

Have done very minimal handling, he just knows a straight forward retrieve, hunts a lot better then the older one as a lot less training so far and he picks and delivers to hand when told. 
 

Got all summer to relax will give him a very limited introduction to the game next season when he will be around 18 months. 

[Lloyd90]

Wow time really has flown: 

 

Big Arnie is about 2 and 1/2 now and has matured into a stocky powerful dog. 
 

He’s been out a few times recently on a commercial shoot beating. 

He will smash the hardest of bramble and is absolutely flying about now. 

Last week we pushed down a cover crop, he worked it nice and close flushing the birds, sitting and waiting to be told to carry on… doing this we were able to trickle the birds out in small batches and over the guns so they had plenty of shooting, instead of a wild dog flushing them all at once and the guns only getting 2 shots. 

 

I was aware there was a film crew on site, but I didn’t know they had caught that bit on camera, until the camera man came running over saying he’d never seen anything as brilliant as that! 
 

Apparently Countryfile may do a feature on how good shots are for the countrywide so keep an eye out, I think they said it’s on Jan 8th. 
 

Being towniefile however I can’t imagine we made the cut but let’s see  

 

 

Aside from that, we have put an entry in for his first novice trial coming the end of Jan, so fingers crossed we get a run 🤞🏻🤞🏻

Cover crop was a bit cold!