Cassie's Gundog training log

[Stacia]

I am so happy that all is going so well and Cassie loves the gun dog work, you will have so many interesting years ahead of you x

 

[Cath]

Great work

 

[Selina27]

I've managed to get help once a week for longer retrieves, she did very well last weekend when my son was helping me. But it's really important for us to be better at using the wind to help her at a distance, the one time she started searching for the dummy at about the halfway point, clearly she had "marked" it as it fell below what would have been the skyline from her level, but the wind was in the wrong direction for her. She tried really hard though, quartering the ground, but needed help to go further. As soon as my son started throwing the dummy to his other side she was having no problem.
I haven't done much on sending away/stop whistle. Maybe I will venture out later and try outside of my garden

 

[FayRose]

Well done, she's doing so well. It's more fun reading her log now @Selina27 , having met Cassie, I can just see her working, quartering the ground, concentrating. Beautiful girl

 

[Selina27]

Well done, she's doing so well. It's more fun reading her log now @Selina27 , having met Cassie, I can just see her working, quartering the ground, concentrating. Beautiful girl

Thanks Fay, it's lovely to be able to share

 

[kateincornwall]

This is a lovely read , bless her x

 

[MellowYellow]

If your son kindly throws the dummy for you, and Cassie hasn't gone out far enough, he can help her by making a noise by the dummy (preferably the same noise he makes when throwing it, a brrrrrrrpp! noise is common).

 

[Selina27]

If your son kindly throws the dummy for you, and Cassie hasn't gone out far enough, he can help her by making a noise by the dummy (preferably the same noise he makes when throwing it, a brrrrrrrpp! noise is common).

Thank you Karen, that's really helpful. Neither he nor I were quite sure what to do, in the end he took the intiative by working towards the dummy with his arm outstretched.
I have educated both him and his sister with regards to the necessary noise, it was quite funny because a moorhen on the nearby lake made the identical sound while she was searching!

 

[MellowYellow]

Delighted to help!!!

If she's only used to you throwing the dummy, then the longer distance might be quite difficult for her to realize at first. Work up to it slowly - if you have been throwing dummies at 25 meters away, then slowly get your son to increase the distance to 30, then 35, then 40 meters and so on, rather than a sudden jump from 25 to 50 meters.

Also, once Cassie has got the idea that a longer retrieve is possible (she'll get that really quickly, I'm sure), then don't help her too much with finding the dummy. It's a balance between bolstering her self-confidence by helping her to find the dummy, and not having her look to you (or your helper) for assistance too quickly.

 

[Selina27]

Yes, absolutely this is what we are working on, following on from our last group training session. As my post from 23rd March. I'm using ordinary dummies (are they bumpers?) on shorter grass to help build up the distance, but also helping her by using the wind direction.
She has as you say quickly worked out that a longer retrieve is possible, it's a question of making it challenging enough for her without knocking her confidence, I think.

 

[Selina27]

Regarding the Gundog Graded scheme, has anyone done this? @Peartree? I am thinking of doing it, when I first got Cassie I thought that is what I would do, but some how things went a bit pearshaped for one reason and another, and it didn't happen. In the last six months we've really turned a corner and I fancy doing the scheme so that I can put it all together and have something to show for our efforts.
But, it is quite expensive, and I wondered what, if any, thoughts others may have.

 

[snowbunny]

I think it's worth doing, and I know a few people who have done it. It gives you something to aim for, if that's the sort of thing that helps with your motivation.

 

[Peartree]

I have done the first two tests. They cost around £40 each to do, so not a huge outlay. If you join the Gundog club which costs £14 to register your dog, then you get a copy of all the test grade requirements sent on joining. The first test is really easy and as long as you have a dog thats calm and a stay, you should be good for a pass at least.

 

[MellowYellow]

I did Grade 3 with Poppy, and would probably do more if we lived in the UK. I agree with @snowbunny, it gives you something to aim for.

 

[Selina27]

Sitting in bed reflecting on our training session last night for the Grade 2 test.

What I'm pleased with -

Heelwork -- 30 metres off lead. She did this very well, I don't know how it's happened, but her heelwork is quite good.
Positioning on place board - we really only started this last night and she quickly picked it up.
Steadiness - we did an exercise with 4 of us taking it in turns to throw the dummy into the field and randomly picking another handler to send their dog into pick it up. This was a new thing for us. She was very steady by my side but initially when it was her turn, as I suspected, the other dogs were much more attractive than a dummy a few yards away from her. BUT we got through this and the last 2 throws she was very good. Someone threw a rabbit dummy -- another dog ran to her, for the first time in her life she ignored him and picked up the dummy, returning it to me. Then 2 other dogs ran in on the last throw and started playing around , for the first time Cassie ran in , did a neat retrieve. She got praise for this from the trainer who said that Cass had got fed up with the faffing and just gone and done the job, so to be pleased. So I'll take that!

To work on -- stopping at heel while I walk on. I think she'll pick this up quite quickly, we only did it for the first time last night.
More consistent delivery to hand.

And really I need to work with more distractions.

 

[Selina27]

Thanks all for your replies, I did decide to go ahead with the training for Grade 2. I think it will help me see what we can do and help me tighten up in some areas. It's a challenge to be working off lead in proximity to other dogs. It is good to have some focus really.

 

[Beanwood]

Good for you! Looking forward to following your progress. Are you going to the graded classes with SWMBO?

 

[Selina27]

Are you going to the graded classes with SWMBO?

Yep. I sat on the fence about it for a while, but decided to go in the end.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Looking forward to hearing more about your classes! You had the second one yesterday, right?

 

[FayRose]

Well done Cassie. Sounds like she's really maturing with her retrieves and her work in general @Selina27 . You're doing a cracking job with her.
Puts my efforts to shame, I must be more methodical with Molly's training, I'm more easily side-tracked than she is !