The weather here has been vile. I don't know about anyone else, but I am now thoroughly sick of winter. It fulfilled its purpose when the shooting season ended - it now has no purpose, and needs to begone!
As a result, the field where training classes take place is somewhat soggy. I taught a puppy class today (exciting!) and almost went A.O.T. (that's arse over tip) several times... fortunately I kept my feet, I feel landing on the aforementioned A. would have reduced what little authority I had to begin with.
So, when Henry came out of the car, there was a lot of skidding around behind him until he chilled out. This was the first class we had been to since Christmas, so he was very happy to be back, and very keen to get over to Sophia to say hello!
We were doing just fine until he had to sit for a while - he was so keen to get to the treat in my hand that he leapt up to try and pinch it (naughty naughty). As he landed I felt a splash on my face, and the next handler along did say, 'He got you!', but I thought I'd wiped it all off and was confident that my normal, glamorous (hah!) appearance had been restored.
Until I got into the car to drive home, that is.
Because I caught sight of myself in the rear-view mirror.
Can you imagine a sort of human Dalmatian?
That was me. Covered in lumps and splotches of mud, as though I had just ridden round Aintree in the rain.
I did wonder why people kept grinning at me... I suppose at least I noticed before I went into the supermarket!
Hey ho. Spaniels, eh? Bet I wouldn't have had all this bother with a Lab...
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Saturday, 19 February 2011
Whoops!
If you're going to teach your dog to sit, then leap up and speed off when you say 'Ready...... steady.......... GO GO GO!'...
And you go dog walking with a friend who has taught their dog something very similar.....
And you end up both doing this trick at the same time....
It's a good idea for one of you to look and make sure the dogs are not facing each other.....
Because if both dogs are spaniels, they will be far too excited to look where they are going when they charge off......
SPLAT!
Bless their little pea brains!
Read a very good book the other day - The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson. Very interesting look at the way dogs think and learn. Well worth a read!
And you go dog walking with a friend who has taught their dog something very similar.....
And you end up both doing this trick at the same time....
It's a good idea for one of you to look and make sure the dogs are not facing each other.....
Because if both dogs are spaniels, they will be far too excited to look where they are going when they charge off......
SPLAT!
Bless their little pea brains!
Read a very good book the other day - The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson. Very interesting look at the way dogs think and learn. Well worth a read!
Saturday, 5 February 2011
Shopping
Been shopping for a bridesmaid dress today. Sadly, posh dress shops do not generally welcome smelly spaniels, so as soon as this trip was planned it was clear that Henry was going to have to have a duvet day. Arrangements would have to be made, and Henry would be having a day in with the TV. All that was required was to get past the Spaniel Guilt Trip and out of the door.
So:
Step one: arrange shopping trip. Realise that the venue chosen (Bicester Outlet Village) is a 3 hour drive away. Contact Henry's official biographer (no really, Henry is in Tom's latest book!) to see if he is up for a bit of light dog walking, and receive positive response.
Step two: make special effort to purchase dog's favourite chew bone at supermarket, taking care to select largest one. Ignore woman giving strange look as you weigh one bone in each hand to decide which is the best.
Step three: get up on shopping trip morning, and have bath and select clean and relatively nice clothes instead of putting old clothes on and going for a walk. Try to ignore dog giving disapproving look.
Step four: put on non-dogwalking coat and boots. Suddenly find steps being dogged by dog. Try to explain why he is going to have to stay at home, then realise that a: you are explaining yourself to a dog and b: there is a distinct tone of pleading entering your voice.
Step five: present dog with carefully selected bone. Dog will then bring bone to you and drop it at your feet, then give you a look of disdain at this attempted bribery. Begin explaining self again.
Step six: leave house, attempting to ignore dog's look of complete incredulity that you would do such a thing.
Step seven: spend much of trip switching between wondering whether or not your house is being eaten by vengeful dog, and berating self for allowing life to be run by a creature that rolls in poo for fun.
Apparently, Henry has been on a nine mile walk today. He is not tired, but is having some pretty vivid dreams based on the amount of yipping and twitching going on. The house has not been eaten.
But I am still dress-less...
So:
Step one: arrange shopping trip. Realise that the venue chosen (Bicester Outlet Village) is a 3 hour drive away. Contact Henry's official biographer (no really, Henry is in Tom's latest book!) to see if he is up for a bit of light dog walking, and receive positive response.
Step two: make special effort to purchase dog's favourite chew bone at supermarket, taking care to select largest one. Ignore woman giving strange look as you weigh one bone in each hand to decide which is the best.
Step three: get up on shopping trip morning, and have bath and select clean and relatively nice clothes instead of putting old clothes on and going for a walk. Try to ignore dog giving disapproving look.
Step four: put on non-dogwalking coat and boots. Suddenly find steps being dogged by dog. Try to explain why he is going to have to stay at home, then realise that a: you are explaining yourself to a dog and b: there is a distinct tone of pleading entering your voice.
Step five: present dog with carefully selected bone. Dog will then bring bone to you and drop it at your feet, then give you a look of disdain at this attempted bribery. Begin explaining self again.
Step six: leave house, attempting to ignore dog's look of complete incredulity that you would do such a thing.
Step seven: spend much of trip switching between wondering whether or not your house is being eaten by vengeful dog, and berating self for allowing life to be run by a creature that rolls in poo for fun.
Apparently, Henry has been on a nine mile walk today. He is not tired, but is having some pretty vivid dreams based on the amount of yipping and twitching going on. The house has not been eaten.
But I am still dress-less...
Friday, 21 January 2011
And now.... a rant.
Every so often I end up browsing though various dog training sites. It's interesting to have a look at what information is out there, and how different people approach their training.
Sometimes this browsing leads me to sites from the good ole U.S. of A. Unfortunately, they seem to have a nasty little trick up their sleeves for teaching a dog to retrieve over there. It's called a force fetch on most of these sites. What they say is that it involves putting 'pressure' on a dog that is only released when the dog picks up the dummy - let's cut the bullshit though, what they mean is that they cause the dog discomfort, or out and out pain, which the dog only escapes by working out it needs to pick up the dummy. They might place a pencil or dowel between two of the dog's toes and then tighten a loop of string around the toes, twist or pull the dog's ear, attach a lead spring clip to the ear and pull, or go hi-tech and zap them with a shock collar. I try not to read these articles, but every so often I end up looking and I am always left feeling deeply saddened for their dogs.
Quite frankly, this 'training method' is completely alien to me. My approach has always been to use positive methods and to build on the instincts Henry has, teaching him rather than hurting him. Henry found the idea of a retrieve very odd at first, so we clicker trained it, breaking each step down and working up to a complete retrieve slowly and patiently. You can see the results at the end of this post. It may not be so macho or dramatic, but it's been bloody effective. And I have a dog that trusts me, and can still look myself in the eye in the mirror every morning. The idea of deliberately causing him pain is one that fills me with revulsion - as do the 'trainers' peddling this outdated crap. Shame on them, with their weasel words and their shiny smiles.
I am sure that there are people out there who would have had Henry being shocked from here to the middle of next week with battery powered collars, would have booted him from pillar to post and would have given up a long time ago. I hope that his continuing progress will serve in a small way to prove these people wrong, as he continues to learn his job, and carries it out with a wagging tail rather than a stressed expression. I hope that as he runs back to me to deliver a retrieve because he wants to bring the bird to me rather than because he's afraid of what will happen if he doesn't, it will be another demonstration that you don't have to be a bully to train a dog, and that discipline does not have to equal pain. And I hope that the 'trainers' out there twisting ears and shocking their dogs meet someone bigger and stronger than them, who decides to put some 'pressure' on them.
Annnnnnd - breathe...
Sometimes this browsing leads me to sites from the good ole U.S. of A. Unfortunately, they seem to have a nasty little trick up their sleeves for teaching a dog to retrieve over there. It's called a force fetch on most of these sites. What they say is that it involves putting 'pressure' on a dog that is only released when the dog picks up the dummy - let's cut the bullshit though, what they mean is that they cause the dog discomfort, or out and out pain, which the dog only escapes by working out it needs to pick up the dummy. They might place a pencil or dowel between two of the dog's toes and then tighten a loop of string around the toes, twist or pull the dog's ear, attach a lead spring clip to the ear and pull, or go hi-tech and zap them with a shock collar. I try not to read these articles, but every so often I end up looking and I am always left feeling deeply saddened for their dogs.
Quite frankly, this 'training method' is completely alien to me. My approach has always been to use positive methods and to build on the instincts Henry has, teaching him rather than hurting him. Henry found the idea of a retrieve very odd at first, so we clicker trained it, breaking each step down and working up to a complete retrieve slowly and patiently. You can see the results at the end of this post. It may not be so macho or dramatic, but it's been bloody effective. And I have a dog that trusts me, and can still look myself in the eye in the mirror every morning. The idea of deliberately causing him pain is one that fills me with revulsion - as do the 'trainers' peddling this outdated crap. Shame on them, with their weasel words and their shiny smiles.
I am sure that there are people out there who would have had Henry being shocked from here to the middle of next week with battery powered collars, would have booted him from pillar to post and would have given up a long time ago. I hope that his continuing progress will serve in a small way to prove these people wrong, as he continues to learn his job, and carries it out with a wagging tail rather than a stressed expression. I hope that as he runs back to me to deliver a retrieve because he wants to bring the bird to me rather than because he's afraid of what will happen if he doesn't, it will be another demonstration that you don't have to be a bully to train a dog, and that discipline does not have to equal pain. And I hope that the 'trainers' out there twisting ears and shocking their dogs meet someone bigger and stronger than them, who decides to put some 'pressure' on them.
Annnnnnd - breathe...
Thursday, 13 January 2011
FLOOD!
I'm not saying it's been rainy here, but today's walk might have been easier if undertaken by boat...
Saturday, 8 January 2011
Henry does it at last
Yes, Henry can now really call himself a working gundog, as since last posting he has been out on not just one, but two shoot days. What a little star he is.
On his first day, he stayed mostly on the lead (which he greatly disliked, being a dog who likes to be in on the action) but was allowed off on a couple of drives in the afternoon. He immediately attached himself to two more experienced dogs and did what they did - not ideal from my point of view, since he wasn't actually with me (!) but he was learning the ropes and doing it well. We can work on the rest - what mattered to me was that he was doing what he was supposed to, and was totally unphased by all the noise, gunshots, other dogs and so on.
On his second day he was off the lead for most of the day. He isn't too great at stopping (he tends to complain - loudly) but he is hugely enthusiastic (common comment - 'He's keen, isn't he!' as I am towed from drive to drive). He also paid a bit more attention to me (well, a little bit more attention): indeed, at one point my friend and I took our dogs (she has a gorgeous 12 month old Springer named Purdey) to work along a hedge and both of them really were fantastic - listening, going where they were directed, coming back on the whistle. If only we had a video to prove it!
The best thing about this shoot is how relaxed and friendly it is. None of the dogs are perfect (Henry was not the worst behaved!) but it really doesn't matter. I think many people can feel intimidated about taking their dogs out (I know I did!) and worried about their dogs misbehaving. Well, of course you should train your dog, and of course different shoots have different standards, but they don't necessarily have to be pod puppies, perfect in every way. If you can find the right shoot, then go for it. I'm so glad I did.
On his first day, he stayed mostly on the lead (which he greatly disliked, being a dog who likes to be in on the action) but was allowed off on a couple of drives in the afternoon. He immediately attached himself to two more experienced dogs and did what they did - not ideal from my point of view, since he wasn't actually with me (!) but he was learning the ropes and doing it well. We can work on the rest - what mattered to me was that he was doing what he was supposed to, and was totally unphased by all the noise, gunshots, other dogs and so on.
On his second day he was off the lead for most of the day. He isn't too great at stopping (he tends to complain - loudly) but he is hugely enthusiastic (common comment - 'He's keen, isn't he!' as I am towed from drive to drive). He also paid a bit more attention to me (well, a little bit more attention): indeed, at one point my friend and I took our dogs (she has a gorgeous 12 month old Springer named Purdey) to work along a hedge and both of them really were fantastic - listening, going where they were directed, coming back on the whistle. If only we had a video to prove it!
The best thing about this shoot is how relaxed and friendly it is. None of the dogs are perfect (Henry was not the worst behaved!) but it really doesn't matter. I think many people can feel intimidated about taking their dogs out (I know I did!) and worried about their dogs misbehaving. Well, of course you should train your dog, and of course different shoots have different standards, but they don't necessarily have to be pod puppies, perfect in every way. If you can find the right shoot, then go for it. I'm so glad I did.
Sunday, 28 November 2010
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