Training in Scotland - Charlie

[Joy]

Terrific recall! When you remember how Charlie used to take off and ignore your recall you have done an amzing job.

 

[Charlie]

Aww thanks Joy, oh YES I do remember those days VIVIDLY! x

 

[Charlie]

Time to update Charlie's thread as we have been here twice since January.

Charlie is doing extremely well in his new exciting surroundings. He checks in regularly for C&T and keeps within an acceptable distance most of the time! One game that they both love is one @Beanwood video'd a while back. So David holds Hattie & Charlie whilst I run on some distance up a track and hide behind a tree. David releases them and yes the excitement when they find me is wonderful, bouncing around then a scattering of treats. Great!

I have been working so hard for so long to get Charlie to retrieve on a walk and YES he is doing it. I had him sat up in the forest with Hattie, I walked away around 25 meters for a marked retrieve, I walked back he looked at him, I said "go" holding my hand out, he found the ball and delivered it to hand. I repeated twice more and left it at that. He did some lovely just for fun ball retrieves on the forest track. All bouncy and happy. His water retrieves are great but he is too keen on delivering the ball but instead running off and dropping it. Any ideas how to solve this would be appreciated?

Today was the best training I have EVER had with Charlie. (I have a video when I have figured out how to post it! ) We went on a lovely walk, he had some off lead to burn that energy before down to some training. The countryside here is absolutely wonderful for training, there's millions of trees, long grassed and reed areas for hunting retrieves and lots of water it's perfect for Charlie. So I had him in a sit/stay on my left, off I went with my trusty helper Hattie whilst Charlie stayed with David sitting quietly not having his collar held as he's a big grown up boy now! I walked about 50 meters threw the ball in amongst the trees in some deep grass for a marked retrieve. I walked back to Charlie who didn't move a muscle and sent him "go". I didn't give him verbal cue's, no 'hunt' whistle I just left him to do his thing and he did, he hunted from left to right nose to the ground and came bombing back to me almost delivering the ball to hand if Hattie hadn't got in the way but he did second time, he was so proud tail wagging. I was bursting with pride I. We did another one and left it at that. I can hardly believe that he did it as in those surroundings, 1000's of acres of pure excitement. Once upon a time he would have been gone in a flash but he didn't he just wanted to train. I have dreamt of this day and it finally arrived albeit it a 7 year wait it was well worth the wait, the buzz it gave me is priceless and I thank you Charlie. Now I'm not saying he's perfect, oh no, he is not by any stretch of the imagination but I take what I can when I can. xx

Video to follow x

 

[Stacia]

`Helen, I am so delighted to read this (I don't know how I missed your January's posts until now!). You would never have believed this day would come when you first had Charlie and now he sounds to be very well trained and responsive and such fun to be with. A real relationship, which both of you find such a pleasure.

 

[Charlie]

Thank you @Jelinga I didn't give up so hoped this day would come and as my lovely Mum used to say to us "everything comes to those who wait" so thank you Mum xxx Very well trained and Charlie don't quite go together but he is fun to be with especially when he is engaged. I find great pleasure in being with and training Charlie. What a lot I have learned too. If you ever want to learn a lot about dogs get the craziest rescue you can find, that'll do it xx

 

[Plum's mum]

Fantastic @Charlie, you’ve worked so hard and reaped the rewards.

 

[Stacia]

Thank you @Jelinga I find great pleasure in being with and training Charlie. What a lot I have learned too. If you ever want to learn a lot about dogs get the craziest rescue you can find, that'll do it xx

The best dog I ever owned and the one I learnt the most from, was an absolute terror when young

 

[edzbird]

Helen that was a delightful read. Charlie is blooming he really is.

 

[MellowYellow]

Brilliant!!! What a fantastic read, your happiness shines through!! Good boy Charlie!!!!!

 

[Charlie]

Thank you ladies so much. Charlie is doing well and I can't believe how brilliant it makes me feel. It makes me want to learn more for Charlie and me. It's also one in the eye for all the trainers that said he could never go off lead or be trained

Any suggestions on how to get a delivery to hand from water please? Charlie retrieves brilliantly but then runs off with the ball. x

 

[edzbird]

Any suggestions on how to get a delivery to hand from water please? Charlie retrieves brilliantly but then runs off with the ball.

Is it worth trying a water dummy instead of a ball? Keeping the dummy for this specific use only. Having said that, Coco doesn't deliver a water dummy to hand but he does drop it at the water's edge. I haven't tried training further.

 

[kateincornwall]

When I think back , its amazing how far you have come on this journey , and thats both of you ! xx

 

[Charlie]

Good idea Sue, a shame I didn't bring one with me, next time! Come to think of it Charlie treats a dummy differently to a ball. Thanks for the help Sue. x

Thanks Kate, and what a journey, a very L O N GGGGGGGG journey xx

 

[Charlie]

Charlie has done well this week with some dogs. We were up a very long track where we don't usually meet anyone. Charlie was off lead when I saw a young lad with his dog. Too late to do anything so I let it play out and remained calm. Charlie was so good he went up to the dog they had a nose to nose sniff, I didn't allow a prolonged greeting, recalled him and we went on our way. Very proud. Coming back our neighbours two awful Collies were out one blocked our driveway growling with all teeth on show and their other one was approaching. Charlie had a little whine but no barking or lunging, he got lovely treats as we walked past as very proud owners. Also a Staffie growled at him this morning not a single reaction from Charlie at all. xx

 

[Stacia]

Well done Charlie and @Charlie, that sounded as if it could have been a very difficult situation.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

He ran down the side of a steep hill and went out of sight, I clambered up saw the herd of deer running followed by Charlie, I decided to blow my 'recall' whistle as to me this was an emergency. To my surprise he did an immediate left hand turn heading back to me, he didn't hesitate to clamber back up the hill as I called him verbally, he came straight back to me to masses of praise.

I'm late to the game here, but just wanted to say 'Wow!". That's an amazing recall and gives me hope with Carbon, who goes completely deaf to the whistle if he's running after something he really wants (in his case usually another dog or a ball). I hope he can do as well as Charlie some day.

 

[Charlie]

Thanks Emily. I'm sure you will get there much quicker with Carbon. It has taken over 7 years to get Charlie to that point, but then he did start from zero recall. I was really proud of him in that situation, that exciting environment to have recalled so well. xx

 

[Charlie]

Day 1 back up in Scotland. David and I took Hattie & Charlie out this morning and what a good boy Charlie was. We played lots of ping pong between us not recalling him so that he had to keep an eye on us. I would run away and he would run after me then back to David. He did some lovely off lead heel work looking up at me constantly whilst I threw treats to him. Hide 'n seek a favourite of Charlie's so he really had to watch us. He stayed closer than normal constantly checking back at us coming in for treats from both of us. We then went to the Loch for some retrieving. I used a ball chucker which is the only time I use it. Wow he was amazing swimming out far for the ball but he still won't drop it for me but he will when we retrieve on land. Any help or ideas to would be appreciated. He is doing really well in such a LONG space of time He is now flat out xx

 

[Charlie]

I sorted out Charlie's ball delivery from the Loch. I took him down today for some practise. All I did was on his return with the ball as he got nearer I held a treat in the air, he came straight back dropped the ball in my hand for his treat. No running off and losing it! Repeated 6 times, he LOVED it!! Not a conventional way of training but what the heck I got the same result so I'm happy! xx

 

[Stacia]

@Charlie, doesn't have to be conventional, whatever works, works . Very well done. Rourke is seven and I still haven't found a way to stop him putting the dummy down out of water! I don't have much opportunity to find water though. You should be thrilled with yourself and Charlie.