Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 1:09 pm Post subject: Total novice with questions about starting gundog training
Hi everyone,
I have a 6 and 1/2 month old bitch and I have just started doing gundog training with her. Well, when I say started I mean I have just read John W's book , which inspired me to start, thanks John , and I have just received gundog training basics part one from the gundog club.
I have been training her myself, probably wrongly, before the books arrived, things like sit and stays, whistle training etc. I didn't realise there was a certain way trainers teach the stop whistle. When she is off lead she will stop and wait if I blow the whistle but does not sit as I havent taught that bit, she just waits for me to tell her to go on, she recalls lovely to a few pips of the whistle, and she will sit and stay while I walk a circle round her from a distance of say 15-20 feet with distractions i.e. flock of noisy crows on the ground.
Having read through the training book, I think I may have been doing some of the stuff too early, especially the stop whistle. Will this confuse her later on in her training? Is it best to follow the book religiously?
I don't know how far I want to take the training, she just enjoys it, but she needs to do something as she is very highly motivated, has a lot of drive I think is the right expression
She absolutely loves training. I walk her in the rough fields before we train and give her retrieves of a tennis ball. I train her on the unused football pitch on the way back home and if I walk on past the place we usually train, she plonks herself down and won't move until we have done some sit and stays
Also, sorry for the long post, a friend who beats with his spaniels has said when she is old enough we should take her beating as they are always looking for beaters on the local shoots. Do any of you have any opinions on this? I read somewhere that you could ruin a lab by taking it beating, but wasn't really sure what they meant
Hi,
Have you looked to see if there's a Gundog Club training class near you?
This is what I have done with Zorro and would recomend it 100%. Also, it's good fun to train with other people and it will help with Sweep's 'steadiness' as she'll have to wait her turn whilst other dogs do retreives.
Zorro is 7 years old and already had a set of commands for non-gundog-training commands, including whistle commands. In some ways it has made things a little trickier but as most of gundog work is training your dog to be obedient and steady, it's not a big problem if you use the commands that your dog already knows if they already work well (at least this is what I've found) and then just introduce the new commands as you learn them.
My thoughts (with non gundog training pups) is that you can't teach them too much in the first 6 months when they are pups as they act like sponges and learn so quickly. From 6 months to around 18 months, they are likely to become a little more challenging anyway as they find their confidence and start thinking that they'd prefer to do things 'their way', so you'll have your work cut out reinforcing the training that they were doing beautifully as pups! Others may say differently.
I would say that the most important thing is to keep your dog enjoying the training, always do your best to ensure that the pup has every chance of succeeding at what you ask him to do, and always end on a good note. And find a good class too!
Karen, from what you have described it sounds like you've made an excellent start and sound like you have been bitten by the bug!
What I would recommend now is that you find a trainer, either to have 1-2-1 lessons with, or preferably lessons in a group setting etc. This will give you extra confidence with what you've both learnt already and also give you new focus on new things to increase your skill level.
The gundog club runs courses that accompany the books - these are a great place to start for newbies and novice handlers, alternatively you could try contacting your local gundog club to see whether they have any training classes planned or can put you in touch with someone.
Hi Karen - I've just spent a very happy morning with Kaya, 11 months, (even with the bit of snow and freezing temperature) at our first URC (United Retriever Club) training session.
The novice puppy class was great fun - all you do is join the URC, find out when your local group has their training session (it seems to be monthly on a Sunday) and turn up! I contacted the club first and spoke to someone, who I happened to meet at the end, but the trainer didn't seem to mind me pitching up unannounced! There were lots of other grades going on around the place too (it was huge area so they didn't distract), and it looks like being a great way to meet people of like-mind!
We are going to start the training course (such as Becs mentioned) in a couple of weeks and that is an 8 week course. The URC club I went to today is going to be great for keeping her training ongoing I think.
I've just spent a very happy morning with Kaya, 11 months, (even with the bit of snow and freezing temperature) at our first URC (United Retriever Club) training session.
I've just spent a very happy morning with Kaya, 11 months, (even with the bit of snow and freezing temperature) at our first URC (United Retriever Club) training session.
Were you at Bears Rails? - Wasn't it cold!
Yes I was - which class were you in? Shame we didn't know we had LF in common. I'm lanning to go next month so if you are too we'll have to say hello!
Yes, I was in Marilyn's - upper puppy I think. Which class were you in? I can't remember seeing a choccie there (I assume choccie from your avatar) - although it was busy... our class ended up being split in two.
- all you do is join the URC, find out when your local group has their training session (it seems to be monthly on a Sunday) and turn up! I contacted the club first and spoke to someone, who I happened to meet at the end, but the trainer didn't seem to mind me pitching up unannounced!
Please bear in mind however, that not all the URC organistions run their training in the same way - for example mine isn't exactly like as described here... be sure to speak to the relevant secretary for your specific area.
- all you do is join the URC, find out when your local group has their training session (it seems to be monthly on a Sunday) and turn up! I contacted the club first and spoke to someone, who I happened to meet at the end, but the trainer didn't seem to mind me pitching up unannounced!
Please bear in mind however, that not all the URC organistions run their training in the same way - for example mine isn't exactly like as described here... be sure to speak to the relevant secretary for your specific area.
Yes thanks Rach I don't want to be responsible for every class being over-run!
I had exchanged emails with the secretary, but hadn't spoken to the trainer. Perhaps she had been told to look out for me.
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, which inspired me to start, thanks John 
, and I have just received gundog training basics part one from the gundog club.
