I've decided having a dog is a lot like having children - there is always some know all expert around ready to "help" when you are perfectly happy with things
After viewing the pics you put on page three, I can inaquivably say your dog CONFORMATIONALLY has a high tail set. Its not sky high, but where his tail is held, in those pics, is where another dog with a lower tail 'set' would hold theirs horizontally or there abouts. He cannot hold it anywhere else. Not on the move when relaxed.
Mystery solved. Nothing to do with anything mental, purely physical.
Di
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The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
Ok to your other text. This is purely MY opinion as was the comments made by your trainer THEIRS, so its not a case of 'poppycock!' But the things they speak of ARE very widespread commonly held beliefs and they will not be shaken from them so chew over, consider and then move forward one way or another.
" The first instance Harley was sent for a blind that he proceeded to pick at the third attempt, the delivery is fantastic with a soft mouth and a sit on delivery, 90% of the time I don't even need to tell him give. But from here, Harley decided to walk about 2 yards away and relieve himself which the trainer then said was sent marking and again another strong sign of domination! Throughout the hour training session the trainer had an 18 month old Labrador with them at all times, at NO point did Harley show any signs of interest let alone dominance to this other male dog (although that is not always the case when just out walking) he was focused on the retrieves and training. "
OK. Takes a breath. Your very novice dog, which you can see from the pics in the way he is and holds the dummy, has areas of confusion in his mind. As a trainer myself the sentence 'he was sent for a blind which he picked on the third attempt' shouts at me. Why persist with a young novice dog trying to get it to pick a blind when he is failing? Why not keep the dog 'in the game with you' and turn it into a mark, or a memory then return to it being a blind? This instantly gives me a bit of a clue about your trainer, and that they have some pretty traditional views ('he WILL bloody do it, I'm not babying it down for him....') etc.
" Again whilst talking Harley decided to relieve himself, this was the nail in his coffin so to speak at which point they said if I don't sort this out this could be a real problem in the future! "
OK, now, to be fair, he is RIGHT here. Its a very common problem with dogs late to gundog work or ones who are not really 'with' their handler or properly concetraing, p*ssing. Yes occasionally switched on dogs do it if they have a full bladder but all this 'quick wee here' quick wee there whilst hunting' etc DOES present a problem but NOT in terms of anything to do with dominance, but to do with the fact if he does it in a competition he will instantly get a zero or be put out. HOWEVER in terms of every day life all it is saying is he isn't in the frame of mind which says 'must get this back to mum/dad as fast as possible, might get another one!!!' He is going a bit 'self employed' and 'vague' more than 'dominant! I hate to see it because its showing the dog is not really concentrating on what we are doing. But sometimes a session is too LONG for a young dog and they switch off and that is how they show that. It means 'stop' in that case, not have concerns he is going to smother you with a pillow in your sleep.
" I have never had a problem with delivery of the retrieve or him giving it up. He will sit and hold until it take it from him. He sometimes has a look if I have cast another dummy out whilst he is coming in but I presume that this is instinct to mark? "
Absolutely. Ideally if something comes down or a shot is fired whilst the dog is returning he DOES what we call 'honour it' and take a glance over his shoulder, giving him a better chance of picking it when he is back and sent for it. OK he may NOT be sent for it but at least its 'clocked'. This 'marking' is a skill some would kill for and their dogs are SO focused they won't look left or right once on a retrieve and sometimes they NEED to ideally
" I have seen him with other dogs (again a previous post) where he would go as to what I would say was puppy mode, crouching when seeing another dog approaching then getting excited and sniffing around, I have also seen on a couple of occasion's when his hackles are raised in the presence of another dog. "
Hackles, in the main only equal a rush of a drenaline through the dog. Not aggression. They can signal fear, dopey total excitement, confusion and of course aggression, but real aggression is a calm controlled thing which is NOT hearalded by hackles as the dog is fully in control and knows just what it is doing. That is the dog to seriously worry about not the one who gives every bell and whistle to warn you and the oncomer first...
99.9% of dogs (and bitches) raise their hackles in the presence of a strange dog at some point, even a puppy from time to time as they are just getting a 'serge' of adrenaline.
Phew.... well.... I respectfully completely disagree with everything your trainer has urged you to worry about, and feel your boy sounds a nice steady sociable lad who enjoys his work. I WOULD definately get onto the weeing thing, but its a very hard habit to break as they are often not within 'reach' when they do it, but certainly constantly throughout a session, do an exercise, then walk him off and vocally encourage him to wee like a puppy, take him to a bush etc etc. Praise if he does, then a little tug, and 'ok, heel now'... and no more. he's been given his chance. THEN if he does you can get angry, instantly angry, angry whilst he is still wee'ing, because hes HAD his chance and his bladder would not be bursting so there is no need to cut him any slack on that.
Dogs that stop and sniff whilst hunting, spit the dummy and wander to a sniff on the way back, stop and wee etc are not trying to dominante the situation, or you, they just are not particualrly motivated by what they are doing and dare, I say it, lack any respect or fear of the consequences of just 'forgetting what YOU asked them to do and do their own thing...' The owner who's dog does that and they shout shout shout, shows that the dog has completely tuned them out and they really need to go back to ground zero, have a long hard think, and start all over again and make more of a partnership of things rather than practically 'begging' the dog to do it. But this is NOT you by the sounds of things at all, your dog sounds very switched on with just the occasional lapse of concentration.
Your delivery sounds fine. Your DOG sounds fine!!
Di
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The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
Thank you for all your posts on this, the support has been appreciated and I am glad you all don't see a dominant side in the dog !
Just a note for Di - I have sort of gathered from what you have said that the trainer is very old school and has strong views on persistance of the retrieve until right and also the submissive nature of thier dogs. I suppose views that are ingrained are hard to change!
With regards to the p*ssing (as you put it ), he has never done this when sent for a retrieve. It only seems to be when he has given the retrieve up. If he is sat he won't decide to get up and go to the toilet but I appreciate what your have said and will work on this aspect.
The last aspect is you noted about how he carries the dummy, the picture probably doesn't do him justice. He does know how to carry them correctly and has also picked game without a fuss. In your opinion though how would you correct the 1 in 5 / 10 retrievs that he brings back incorrectly? I use a number of different shaped dummies inc standard, rugby ball shaped and dead fowl trainers, should i just stick to one type?
Most of my training has been self taught with books and dvds etc as I found it quite difficult to find a trainer that offers groups classes aswel as 1-2-1's (cost issues ) in my area.
All these issues are my fault as I am very inexperienced and don't really know the signs but i am very willing to learn .
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) in my area.
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