After what could only be called 'a long vacation' from his formal education, the would-be gundog, Gunner, returned this week for his first session with Rory-the-trainer.
Rory was complimentary about his appearance: "He's grown into a very handsome young dog". (With hindsight, I should have been alerted at that; in dressage, if the judge comments 'Nice horse' it's often because s/he cannot comment very favourably on its performance!)
When asked about progress during our absence, I was naturally keen to start on a positive note. I duly listed all his good points, which are many - and which are offset by only two noticeable 'minus points' with which I ended.
"In summary" said I "He's absolutely perfect 95% of the time!!"
"Right" said The Trainer, giving me what I now recognise as a wry look. "Let's go down to the (training) paddock and have a look at him".
We started the session with some basic 'sit' and 'stay'. Perfect. Moved on to 'sit on command at a distance'. Almost always - at home! Here - "Can only sit if I come to you first"=failed. "You need to help him learn to 'sit' wherever he is, whenever you tell him". "Right" I say.
Next: "How is he with birds?" asks The Trainer. "Excitable" I reply (thinking: "Chases them whenever he gets the chance")
So we move to the pigeon pen. Imagine a 'fruit cage' type of construction. About 40 x 15 ft. With maybe 20-30 pigeons inside and a perch at one end (by the way, this cage also holds some semi-feral rabbits --- doesn't get much more exciting than that for a hunting dog!).
The task is to 'sit' the dog whenever the pigeons fly - which they do, from one end to the other, over the dog's head, because He the Trainer is making them do so.
I thought Gunner did very well. He sat each time I told him, sometimes quite promptly; sometimes only eventually after several instructions. But he sat in the midst of this great excitement. About 5 minutes later I hear "That was pretty terrible" from The Trainer. "Oh" I exclaimed. "I thought he was quite good under the circumstances." "Quite good" replied he "is No good. His bum should hit the ground and stay there as if glued, no matter what the birds do." "Oh" said I, slightly despondently. "Something to practice then?" I added.
"Let's move on to the rabbits" said he moving to the small paddock alongside the 'cage'.
Same thing: each time a rabbit springs up from the ground, tell the dog to sit - which he must do instantly and until told he can move.
Well that was better. But in fairness there were only two rabbits who obliged and after the pigeons they were not so exciting. Even so, Gunner sat neither promptly nor firmly enough to satisfy our Trainer.
"Must work on making him 'sit' as if he were a lump of lead dropped from the sky" --- "Right" said I.
Next: (don't know about dog but owner is getting pretty tired by now) We move on to some retrieving - cos he's good at that. And, since I've not yet taught him left from right, "We'll start some directional training".
Well - after the 'sitting' and 'birding' this really was a lot easier. Fetched each retrieve, whether sent 'back', 'left' or 'right' and even went for them in the order directed. Not overly enthusiastically, but steadily and correctly. "Full marks but increase the difficulty each time to raise his enthusiasm" says Rory.
We finish with a few 'sit' at heel instructions to get the hang of 'sit IMMEDIATELY I say it' and, much to my relief, the hour (and a half) ends.
Back in a fortnight. Meanwhile we have more than enough to work on.
He is such a lovely dog.........................
Rory was complimentary about his appearance: "He's grown into a very handsome young dog". (With hindsight, I should have been alerted at that; in dressage, if the judge comments 'Nice horse' it's often because s/he cannot comment very favourably on its performance!)
When asked about progress during our absence, I was naturally keen to start on a positive note. I duly listed all his good points, which are many - and which are offset by only two noticeable 'minus points' with which I ended.
"In summary" said I "He's absolutely perfect 95% of the time!!"
"Right" said The Trainer, giving me what I now recognise as a wry look. "Let's go down to the (training) paddock and have a look at him".
We started the session with some basic 'sit' and 'stay'. Perfect. Moved on to 'sit on command at a distance'. Almost always - at home! Here - "Can only sit if I come to you first"=failed. "You need to help him learn to 'sit' wherever he is, whenever you tell him". "Right" I say.
Next: "How is he with birds?" asks The Trainer. "Excitable" I reply (thinking: "Chases them whenever he gets the chance")
So we move to the pigeon pen. Imagine a 'fruit cage' type of construction. About 40 x 15 ft. With maybe 20-30 pigeons inside and a perch at one end (by the way, this cage also holds some semi-feral rabbits --- doesn't get much more exciting than that for a hunting dog!).
The task is to 'sit' the dog whenever the pigeons fly - which they do, from one end to the other, over the dog's head, because He the Trainer is making them do so.
I thought Gunner did very well. He sat each time I told him, sometimes quite promptly; sometimes only eventually after several instructions. But he sat in the midst of this great excitement. About 5 minutes later I hear "That was pretty terrible" from The Trainer. "Oh" I exclaimed. "I thought he was quite good under the circumstances." "Quite good" replied he "is No good. His bum should hit the ground and stay there as if glued, no matter what the birds do." "Oh" said I, slightly despondently. "Something to practice then?" I added.
"Let's move on to the rabbits" said he moving to the small paddock alongside the 'cage'.
Same thing: each time a rabbit springs up from the ground, tell the dog to sit - which he must do instantly and until told he can move.
Well that was better. But in fairness there were only two rabbits who obliged and after the pigeons they were not so exciting. Even so, Gunner sat neither promptly nor firmly enough to satisfy our Trainer.
"Must work on making him 'sit' as if he were a lump of lead dropped from the sky" --- "Right" said I.
Next: (don't know about dog but owner is getting pretty tired by now) We move on to some retrieving - cos he's good at that. And, since I've not yet taught him left from right, "We'll start some directional training".
Well - after the 'sitting' and 'birding' this really was a lot easier. Fetched each retrieve, whether sent 'back', 'left' or 'right' and even went for them in the order directed. Not overly enthusiastically, but steadily and correctly. "Full marks but increase the difficulty each time to raise his enthusiasm" says Rory.
We finish with a few 'sit' at heel instructions to get the hang of 'sit IMMEDIATELY I say it' and, much to my relief, the hour (and a half) ends.
Back in a fortnight. Meanwhile we have more than enough to work on.
He is such a lovely dog.........................
But he was certainly very tired when he got home and he told Lancer all about it before collapsing beside him and falling asleep on the kitchen sofa whilst waiting for dinner........
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