FHRP Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 So....I didn't blow the whistle once today and, although we lost 15 points for needing a second command for delivery and a few points for unsteadiness on the first run, she finished on 145 points ( our first qualifying certificate) and 5th place from 9 starters which I think is very respectable. Most importantly she has improved so much at every trial. Our judge today also judged us at the last trial and commented that he couldn't believe it was the same dog. :cheer: Congratulations!!! Sounds like a fantastic weekend TSD and Em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayreovi Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Congrats TSD!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Thanks gals - had a lovely weekend. Of course Em's improvement left me over the moon but the also the support and encouragement of so many people made it even better. Lots of interesting discussions on dog training, a fair amount of good natured ribbing over the rabbit retrieve :laugh: and offers of help at the camp site (special thanks to my caravan neighbours for turning their outside light on to help me set up in the dark as I arrived a bit late, for rolling up my annexe when it got very windy and for inviting me over for a drink and a chat ). From fur and feather in the field to cat toys over the central heating vent at home.....at least she's versatile! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkyTansy Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Wow well done on your first qualify TSD! you must be so proud of your girl!! NORTY polo FHRP :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 Well done, TSD and Em!!!! Sounds like a great weekend!! FHRP, naughty Polo, but he finished and had fun doing it, that's the main thing, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FHRP Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 FHRP, naughty Polo, but he finished and had fun doing it, that's the main thing, right? Polo certainly thinks so anyway :) Did you trial this weekend?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 Did you trial this weekend?? Yes, if you could call it that We just call it "paid training" :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Did you trial this weekend?? Yes, if you could call it that We just call it "paid training" :p I like to call it a "donation to the club" :laugh: I'm still recovering from "the rabbit incident" :D Did you learn much RS? What's next on the training list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FHRP Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Did you trial this weekend?? Yes, if you could call it that We just call it "paid training" :p I like to call it a "donation to the club" :laugh: I'm still recovering from "the rabbit incident" :D I like to call it a nice day in the country :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 Oooh donation to the club, I like that one, too Next on the training list is, well, everything. So many areas to work on. The only thing this obedience dog has going for her is she is steady Distance and more cover and major priorities. Biggest priority however is more work with birds. While she didn't munch the one she found on her own last week, she took her frustration/excitement/whatever out on the birds I gave her help with yesterday and they went "crunch" She has a soft mouth with everything else, carries soft toys around like they are precious children, but birdies are a different story. She's doing some nice lines to the fall, except for one run yesterday where she majorly cheated the water (as did a few other dogs!) but the other two runs that had a bit of water to cross she did nice lines to. The first she just didn't hunt up the hill far enough, kept looking at the river bank, then decided to swim back the long way to me The other run was meant to include a swim and she took a nice line to it, it was just on the hill outside the water. She was heading towards it when she saw a black log sticking out of the water and thought that was it. Went to grab it with her mouth, realised it was a log, it threw her right off and off she kept swimming Had to call her back or she might have ended up in the ocean Judge was so lovely, let me take her closer to the bird and send her again. Sent her for this one on the opposite side of the bank it landed on, and I gave her some direction, sent her, and she took a lovely line to it, so pleased with that! So it looks like some of my direction work is slowly making progress with her I'm too scared to "test" any directional commands out in the field at the present time, which makes me look really silly as I just stand there like a twat when she's way off. Which of course shows we aren't ready to be trialling if I don't know how she will respond to directions out there, but as I said, paid training rounds to help her experience more cover and distance. Lots to work on so I can bring it altogether in a trial :) We're having fun, though, which is the main thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 Did you trial this weekend?? Yes, if you could call it that We just call it "paid training" :p I like to call it a "donation to the club" :laugh: I'm still recovering from "the rabbit incident" :D I like to call it a nice day in the country :D A tiring day in the country! I was placing blinds on the last restricted run and struggled not to nod off as I lay on the hill under a tree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 OMG nodding off when placing blinds is my worst nightmare Glad you got something out of the day, RS - there really is a lot to train for isn't there!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lablover Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Congratulations LL, fetchindawgs and Livertreats on all the fabulous news What she said Congrats to all on fantastic results, of all sorts! Thanks all. Lovely to read the weekend trial and training stories. I had to scratch - back pain. Gundogs are fun dogs!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lablover Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 (edited) Duplicate. Edited April 23, 2012 by Lablover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fetchindawgs Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Oooh donation to the club, I like that one, too Next on the training list is, well, everything. So many areas to work on. The only thing this obedience dog has going for her is she is steady Distance and more cover and major priorities. Biggest priority however is more work with birds. While she didn't munch the one she found on her own last week, she took her frustration/excitement/whatever out on the birds I gave her help with yesterday and they went "crunch" She has a soft mouth with everything else, carries soft toys around like they are precious children, but birdies are a different story. She's doing some nice lines to the fall, except for one run yesterday where she majorly cheated the water (as did a few other dogs!) but the other two runs that had a bit of water to cross she did nice lines to. The first she just didn't hunt up the hill far enough, kept looking at the river bank, then decided to swim back the long way to me The other run was meant to include a swim and she took a nice line to it, it was just on the hill outside the water. She was heading towards it when she saw a black log sticking out of the water and thought that was it. Went to grab it with her mouth, realised it was a log, it threw her right off and off she kept swimming Had to call her back or she might have ended up in the ocean Judge was so lovely, let me take her closer to the bird and send her again. Sent her for this one on the opposite side of the bank it landed on, and I gave her some direction, sent her, and she took a lovely line to it, so pleased with that! So it looks like some of my direction work is slowly making progress with her I'm too scared to "test" any directional commands out in the field at the present time, which makes me look really silly as I just stand there like a twat when she's way off. Which of course shows we aren't ready to be trialling if I don't know how she will respond to directions out there, but as I said, paid training rounds to help her experience more cover and distance. Lots to work on so I can bring it altogether in a trial :) We're having fun, though, which is the main thing! As I said to you on Sunday RS, ruby has all the makings there, she just lacks confidence in her own judgement, and experience. She was one of only a few dogs to take the line to two of the marks, so that in itself is something to be proud of. She is steady (tick), she is keen (tick), so you are halfway there. A couple of exercises in having her hunt out an area might help Ruby to persevere, so will have a chat to you tomorrow and give you some hints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 Thanks, fetchindawgs :) I got a frozen pigeon out last night and worked on some holds. Stationary, and while heeling next to me holding the bird. The backyard needs a mow and half the yard is in darkness, so I put the pigeon out to get her to sniff it out which she enjoyed (she loves find it games). Not ideal, but it's a start until I can get out to practice in proper cover and get her to hunt it out with her nose if she loses sight of where it landed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted April 25, 2012 Author Share Posted April 25, 2012 (edited) Sitting here waiting for the third run of restricted waiting to gun steward so thought I'd pop in briefly with my news!!! Ruby got ALL THREE BIRDIES in the novice stake - WOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!! :happydance2: I've had some happy tears already. I'm so over the moon!!!! :D :D Edited April 25, 2012 by RubyStar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 RS that's awesome Enjoy the rest of your day and look forward to more details later. We've had 60mm of rain in 24 hours so it's not been easy fitting some training in!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted April 25, 2012 Author Share Posted April 25, 2012 What a long day! I'm thrilled to bits with Ruby. The first run was on some flat ground with some shrubs/trees that the dogs had to go through, before reaching the bird that landed in a clear patch on the other side. Couldn't see where it fell from where we stood, but nice sight of it in the air. Ruby nailed this one. I was actually in disbelief when I saw something dark in her mouth and thought no it couldn't be, that was too quick! But nope, it was the birdie, which she ran off to show off to the thrower before heading back. Turns out we top scored on this run! Second run was again on flat ground but this time a clear path, but it landed on the other side of some bushes. I am not sure Ruby really saw this one, as she took off in the opposite direction, but hunted it out and finally made her way over to where it was and found it. We had to go from run to run at this trial instead of all competitors finishing and then heading to the next run together, so I had no time to toilet her properly (she will do a #2 at a certain time of the morning, but refused to go before we started the trial), so on her way back with this bird, she stopped for a poo, bird still in mouth :laugh: The third run was a water run. At this point I would like to eat my previous words about my obedience dog being steady Turns out once you've discovered how truly awesome it is to be able to find 2 birdies on your own in a trial atmosphere, the excitement levels go through the roof and we just couldn't contain ourselves on the last one, having a partial break The bird landed on the bank downstream, but Ruby's had rolled down and into the water. I didn't think she'd get this one as it appeared a bit harder, but she surprised me and hunted it out where it had initially landed until she found it in the water and swam back. I was certain she had just picked up a bit of rubbish in the water and not the bird, but thankfully it was the bird! I'm thrilled to say that today, Ruby not only finished her first trial, but she also scored her first pretty retrieving sash! We walked away with 2nd place Lots of happy tears were shed today :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Oh ye of little faith :laugh: Congratulations RS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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