Retrieving With Scent

[cantona 310]

Went to see a gun dog trainer for him to assess my 10 month sprocker , took her in his field and she wouldn't retrieve as there was a lot of scent about , he said unless she retrieves then she will have no reward then you couldn't train, I understand what he's saying but at home in the garden she will retrieve and in the house, in the field she will fetch a dummy back but not tennis balls, further out in the field she won't retrieve she just looks for things to chase, any one else had this and overcome it?

[jessdale 416]

Who was the trainer?

[cantona 310]

Who was the trainer?

Bob aldenton

[Flairball 141]

Sounds like she's learning to use her nose, and is enjoying exploring her surroundings. How many times did you try this? May just be over excited by the new environment and smells, and will settle in when it get normal.

[cantona 310]

Sounds like she's learning to use her nose, and is enjoying exploring her surroundings. How many times did you try this? May just be over excited by the new environment and smells, and will settle in when it get normal.

. Hopefully I can turn it round flairball, although when I take her in the field at the side of my house she's the same, I had her in the garden bouncing tennis balls of the wall and she was squealing with excitement took her in field and tried it and went back in to hunt mode again, am I missing something or is it a case of keep trying?

[jessdale 416]

You need to get yourself a good trainer and listen to everything he says. The trouble with these forums is the person asking a question only listens to the advice they want to hear which is not necessarily the correct advice. When you originally got the dog several of us told you we wouldn't get it but you listened to the ones that said they would get it because that is what you wanted to hear. Get yourself a good trainer, of dogs and owners, and listen to every word.

[cantona 310]

Do

You need to get yourself a good trainer and listen to everything he says. The trouble with these forums is the person asking a question only listens to the advice they want to hear which is not necessarily the correct advice. When you originally got the dog several of us told you we wouldn't get it but you listened to the ones that said they would get it because that is what you wanted to hear. Get yourself a good trainer, of dogs and owners, and listen to every word.

to be honest the learning curve that I am having I would have with any dog as I am a novice when it comes to gun dog training, I am enjoying training and seeing the progress that the dog has made, what I found out yesterday is that there is no fixed training schedule as I have been following joe irvings book which maybe is different to the way maybe Bob does it, I have concentrated on the basics as you and everybody else has said with a few retrieves over and over for months and will for months or years to come, she is getting very good in my opinion for 10 month pup, now I need to get her to retrieve with scent about all the time, have you any advice or do you recommend a trainer Leamington , Coventry , rugby area,

[jessdale 416]

I regularly travelled a 208 mile round trip to see the best trainer. Don't restict yourself too much. I would rather save for fees/fuel to see the best once rather than a cheaper one 3 times.

[cantona 310]

I regularly travelled a 208 mile round trip to see the best trainer. Don't restict yourself too much. I would rather save for fees/fuel to see the best once rather than a cheaper one 3 times.

point taken on board

[Flairball 141]

You need to get yourself a good trainer and listen to everything he says. The trouble with these forums is the person asking a question only listens to the advice they want to hear which is not necessarily the correct advice. When you originally got the dog several of us told you we wouldn't get it but you listened to the ones that said they would get it because that is what you wanted to hear. Get yourself a good trainer, of dogs and owners, and listen to every word.

Best advice given. No matter how much you get done, or how much you think you can get done with your dog it is inevitable that you will need helper, and/or helpers sooner or later. I joined a field trial club, and it is the best thing I've done. One of the members is a pro trainer, many have titled dogs, some of those are field trial judges. We meet, either formally or informally to train together. Because of the network of members we always have a place to train, gunners, birds, and a wealth of knowledge. Currently we are meeting every Sunday at the pro's place and working on what needs to be done. Find a decent club. You won't regret it. Don't worry about distance; I drive 180 miles round trip each week, and as the summer (if it ever gets here) draws to a close it'll be twice a week.

 

Only guy I know training spaniels and Labs over there is in Scotland. That might be a bit far for you.

[Mochastorm 68]

There are some very good dog trainers about. You don't have to travel miles. You can't trial your dog because it's a crossbreed, so you just need to get yourself a smart shooting/beating/retrieving dog. A dog trainer will be able to assess your dog, but more importantly assess you and your interactions with the dog. You have a dog which is 10 months old, just take it slowly. Don't be pressurised because there may be othes around who are more advanced. Maybe going back to the basics of control. If the dog is doing something you don't want it to do, let it know you're not happy but finish every training exercise on a positive.

[Mochastorm 68]

I've just seen one of your previous posts, and I assume that this is the dog you 'rescued' at 5 months old. Dogs like this can come with a whole heap of baggage. There is some misconception that if you rescue a dog it will forever reward you. A puppy's brain develops over a period, and it is important to assist and enhance this development at the relevant time. If you miss the opportunity at a certain age you can have issues forever. A dog left in a yard with little or no contact, and not even given a name until it is 5 months old may always have problems with bonding and being a team player. A problem dog still costs the same in feed and vets bills as the one with proven health tested pedigree. The only thing you have done is save the initial £500. I would urge you very strongly to seek the assistance of a professional gun dog trainer and highlight the dog's past if you intend to use it in the field.

[cantona 310]

Been place board training with my pup, started in garden then moved into field, the dog watches rabbits in field from my garden so I had to be carefull as there are quite a lot outside of the hedge about 70 yards away, started her on lead as she has run of before after birds and bunnys on 2 place boards, got her doing it of lead next with 2 boards, now I have her going on 4 boards with good focus waiting for a retrieve which she will now mark up to 3 dummy's and sent to get out and bring back then sent to another board back out retrieve with the rabbits in full view , things are looking up!

[slipper 116]

Cantona can you please in simple terms explain how to start training with place boards I'm interested but not sure what you mean cheers pal

[cantona 310]

Slipper, because I couldn't get her to focus on me I took her to Ian openshaw, it was his mate Iwho showed me how to get her started, if you google it you will find dimensions for boards etc, I started with 2 boards in garden about 1 meter apart with her on lead led her on to a board and said place, then told her to sit , keep lifting lead or tapping under chin until she looks, took ages with mine and still needs reminding, then place to next board, same again get focus , do it over and over then move on to next step slowly, you either need to see him or better get his dvd, I couldn't explain it myself and by a long way am not an expert, far from it but it's helping me get the basics in place a bit better, hope it helps mate