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A Kipper brag today! Kipper had his regular medication review this morning, and needed a blood sample taken to check liver function. The vet (who is fab) said "I'll just take him out the back", I said I'd like to go too so she asked the vet nurse to come into the consulting room instead. They...

Oh Good Boy Hunter!! This is epic, you should be proud - what great concentration amongst phenomenal distractions. I hope the snacks were of the highest value!

One more idea that might be of interest is along the same lines of verbally giving notice - I say ‘ready, steady, off we go’ in a lot of situations now - particularly when setting off somewhere in the car (I do an adaptation of this actually for the car - ‘and, on!’ before I start the ignition...

My mum’s dog Jambo lost most of his sight in his last year and adapted amazingly well, we did the things already mentioned - kept his home set up very stable and predictable, went on walks he knew - and he did really well. We also introduced a little mouth click - like a gentle horse ‘giddy up’...

Darling Joy - you sound characteristically stoic, Candy; and whatever the outcome, you will definitely find the best way forward for your GGJ. But it’s always going to be a bit of a worry until you know what’s what - I’m glad you’ve found a specialist, and I hope you get some clear answers to...

oof! Do you feel fully armed?? With Stilton he was a million times worse when he was tired but every time I forgot this was the reason (probably because I was knackered too). So if in doubt, it might be worse because he’s tired…

I’m really sorry you’re all going through this Anne, I hope dear Finn feels better very soon x

I’ve started to think of you as a migratory bird, like a swallow - when you arrive it’s a sign of spring and the world reawakening, then when you go again it’s time for dormancy - but like the swallows, you really belong here, it’s just a temporary exile.

That looks like Barbuda or somewhere Pacific

I’ve adored these photos, senõr - thank you! I’d only ever heard of Salamanca from the siege as part of the Peninsula Wars, we recently discovered one of my relatives fought in it (on the British side). It’s so lovely to see these beautiful places we didn’t lay waste to…

He will grow out of it - there’s lots of good evolutionary reasons they eat their poo when they’re puppies, such as recycling nutrients and hiding evidence of their existence from predators. Just keep picking it up once he’s gone, try not to make a big deal if he does eat it (I know, easier said...

Oh what fun! Not long now - then those magical few days when he’ll sleep like a log before he adjusts to all the new smells and sensations!

The thing I’d struggle with most is the owners! I hugely admire people who go into training, I don’t think I have the temperament :facepalm:

This is so lovely, exactly what we need. Fingers crossed! The area is ripe for the plucking, there are wall to wall companion gun dogs round here. Or maybe we need to move nearer to an established site? 🤔

It’s an idea, thanks for thinking of it - but it’s more that it’s indicative of their whole ethos. I’m not looking to run a crusade, just find a trainer who fits my needs. Loose lead walking is one of the things I’m less fussed about (ours is good enough!), I’m more interested in fun gun dog...

great news! long may it continue

I recognise I’m very particular - they talk about teaching loose lead walking by simply not moving forward until the dog learns to stop pulling, which (these days!) isn’t for me.

I didn't know about this, thanks Helen! Having checked it, there's only one trainer in my county and looking at their website, they don't fit my criteria for R+. The search continues... :)

Nellinelli, I haff heard of you to all the way up here in Devin! You’re proper famous and also verry brave. An pretty 🤩 Stilton the Wonderhorse

I haven't been able to find any R+ gun doggers round us, they generally seem to take a v old fashioned (i.e. punitive) approach. If anyone knows of an R+ register for gundog training anywhere, I'd love to know about it.