Pre Training Assessment Booking Form

Thursday, 28 October 2010

Gundog Training at Ashby Folville Manor


Workinggundogs.co.uk have been providing home visits for gundog owners with puppies under 6 months of age for many months, this service offers clients best advice on the early stages of gundog training and any other issues relating to kenneling, health, nutrition and exercise requirements. They also establish a point of contact for any advice a client may require during those early stages of a gundogs development.

It is always a pleasure to visit our clients home's, when young pups are comfortable and confident in their normal surroundings and today was one of those special occasions, when our resident gundog trainer Stewart North was invited to help Mike Rimmington and his two young Labrador Retriever pups Sky & Beeby

Mike acquired his two young pups from a local breeder having seen both parents being worked on a nearby shoot.

After receiving a brief history lesson on Ashby Folville Manor, we spent some time on the lawns analysing the strengths and weakness of both pups, although both pups were shy, Beeby was particular nervous about coming in close to a stranger, Sky had no concern about introducing herself.

Its worth mentioning that although this Country House and Estate is a great place to train a working gundog, with undulating ground, natural obstacles, water, reed beds, live stock, woodland etc.... for me a trainers paradise!

A young dog still needs socialising with lots of people and other dogs, and yes the dreaded traffic noise, something the Manor cannot provide!

As always on any training assessment, we target a gundog's weakness, so started Beeby on some basic slip lead work, rewarding the dog to remain in the "comfort zone" and correcting the dog with the slip lead outside the "comfort zone".

Beeby resisted both reward and punishment in the early stages of this training exercise, but after a period of 15 minutes started to conform to the trainer's wishes and received just reward for doing so, albeit reluctantly received. As with most dogs under pressure to conform they are always looking for an escape opportunity and each time we walked back to the owner the dog made a decision to take flight, then realised it was attached to the lead!

After appropriate correction and reward the exercise was resumed until the dog showed little resistance to take flight.

We then tested Beeby's sit and stay tolerance at distance, occasionally returning to the dog to reward the stay. Quite remarkably the dog which had previous backed off from an approaching stranger suddenly had the confidence to stay and receive her reward.

After any obedience training session, its important to relax the dog and enjoy some constructive play, which we tried to encourage with a retrieve, both dogs did not show an immediate natural ability to pick up a retrieve, so we started to experiment with a number of different toys to stimulate a retrieve, Beeby despite being the nervous one of the 2, was the first one, to pick up a ball and bring it back half way, Sky was content to run out with Beeby and just investigate the retrieving object. She showed no ambition to retrieve it?

It is important to note that young gundogs should be trained individually, we have a number of clients who purchase 2 dogs from the same litter, presumably for the companionship, this makes training issues more difficult because inevitably comparisons are drawn, weaknesses are deferred or overlooked, because its easier to concentrate on strengths of the other dog, if its better?

There is no substitute for good foundation training on an individual basis.e

In this instance the weaker retrieving dog, will never gain confidence if the other dog is always first to the retrieve!

Both dogs are kenneled together, ideal for companionship and warmth in winter months, but the dogs are not learning to be on their own, try separating them for short periods, such that the one who remains at home does not become a noise nuisance every time one disappears.

Conclusion:

More work required on the lead individually, its so easy to walk dogs off lead on such an estate, without fear of traffic, but heelwork becomes sloppy, competitive and lazy. Good heelwork needs to be achieved on the lead!

Although obedience is very important too much in a young dog, reduces its ambition to hunt with self confidence, both dogs should be encouraged individually to hunt away from handler and investigate its surroundings.

Obedience will not be a problem with these dogs, under the right supervision?. I would prefer to see them retrieving more enthusiastically and showing a willingness to hunt and investigate their surroundings. There's plenty of time for obedience later!

Grade 1 Group Training would introduce them to other dogs and create a more tolerant and steady environment, we can also experiment with the retrieving.

Good luck with the training.

Tuesday, 19 October 2010

Gundog Walked Up Sugar Beet Training




We currently have availability on Friday 22nd October & Saturday 23rd October for individuals or small groups of 2 Spaniels & 2 Retrievers or 4 Spaniels or 4 Retrievers in Sugar Beet near Stamford Lincolnshire.

Training can be arrange on dummies, cold or live game.

Gundog Training for Owner or Gundog ?

Most gun dog training courses aren’t really for training dogs at all, they’re for training people, so you want to find one that is easy for you to understand.

Look for a course that focuses on training the owner first, because ultimately it is owner who is going to be training your dog, not the course itself!

http://workinggundogs.co.uk/GroupTraining.aspx




Good Gun Dog Training Courses

Good gun dog training courses will focus on teaching you how your gundog thinks.

People and dogs have been living together for thousands of years, but your dog’s way of thinking is completely different than yours.

That’s why most people fail in training their gundog on their own and need help in the first place.

Look for a gundog training course that will teach you how your dog’s mind responds to things, and how to recognize certain gundog behavior and what it means.

That’s the mark of a winning gundog training course.

http://workinggundogs.co.uk/GradedGroupGundogTraining.aspx

Saturday, 16 October 2010

Houghton Shoot Hollies Farm 161010



Another Excellent and Record Day at Hollies Farm

Guns

Stewart North
Tony Lee
Mike Rimmington
Bryn Aldridge
John Goodman
Andrew Branton
Paul Toseland
Neil Head

By Kind permission of Mr & Mrs. W Brookes

Wednesday, 13 October 2010

Irish Water Spaniel Receives Gundog Training Award


Congratulations to Carole Jackson and Irish Water Spaniel Aoife, who have been gundog training with Stewart North at http://workinggundogs.co.uk over a period of several months.
Each training session was organised every 2 weeks to give Aoife the time to practise with carole who is new to Gundogs and the breed.
Grade 1 pass was presented by Mr David Field, who has considerable experience in training IWS.

Northamptonshire Gundog Training Students pass Grade 3

Congratulations to both Mr. Luke Bettridge & ESS Joe and Mr. Adrian Phillips & ESS Raffy who passed Grade 3 Gundog Training Assessment at http://workinggundogs.co.uk.

Luke narrowly missed a Distinction by 1 point and Adrian missed a Merit by 1 point.

Both students have been attending gundog training classess with Professional Gundog Trainer Stewart North for the past 12 months. Both Springers have made such progress that they were invited to Creaton Grange Shoot and now from part of the beating team.


Gundog Training Distinction for Oakham Vet Catriona Laird & ESS Monty

Congratulations to Catriona Laird & English Springer Spaniel Monty who has been gundog training with Professional Gundog Trainer Stewart North at Launde near Oakham in Rutland for the past 12 months.

Catriona & Monty pictured with her partner Mr. John Peacock received distinction honors for grade 3 level at http://workinggundogs.co.uk. This award was presented by Mr. David Field, who is a kennel club registered judge on the B panel.

Also in the picture is Mr. Huw Smith with Tally who's ESS was not deem ready on the day of assessment.



Monday, 11 October 2010

More Success with Working Gundogs Graded Training Assessments



Sunday 10th October saw the completion of 8 weeks structured gundog training for 18 students from the East Midlands. Our resident gundog trainer Stewart North managed to encourage 14 Students to take an independent assessment of their gundog handling skills, under the eyes of our Assessor Mr. David Field.
David has many years experience training a variety of gundog breeds, he is also a kennel club B Panel Retriever Judge, who enjoy's helping others develope a well balanced gundog.

We achieved a 100% pass rate for Grade 1, 100% for Grade 2 and 75% for Grade 3 each student received a certificate of achievement, acknowledging all their hard work over recent weeks.
Overall we had a 92% success rate.

We had an excellent turn out with a number of different gundog breeds and for the first time an Irish Water Spaniel passed our grade 1 level.

Structured Training is proving very popular with our clients, it gives them a set number of tasks to complete in a set time period, which does not suit everyone, but the majority of clients see progress towards a more obedient gundog, for purpose the dog was bred for..

Congratulations to


  • Grade 1 Gundog Training
MERIT ~ Deborah Kirk & Chocolate Labrador Retriever Harvey


PASS ~ Carole Jackson & Irish Water Spaniel Aiofe


PASS ~ Sandra Jones & English Springer Spaniel Skie


PASS ~ Steven Marks & English Springer Spaniel Purdy


PASS ~ Deborah Kirk & Chocolate Labrador Retriever Holly


  • Grade 2 Gundog Training
MERIT ~ Ian Marshall & Cocker Spaniel Sky


PASS ~ Craig Grabowski & English Springer Spaniel Bella


PASS ~ Caroline Matthew & Cocker Spaniel Blue


PASS ~ Claire Thomas & English Springer Spaniel Lottie


PASS ~ Ian Marshall & English Springer Spaniel Meg


  • Grade 3 Gundog Training
DISTINCTION ~ Catriona Laird & English Springer Spaniel Monty


MERIT ~ Luke Bettridge & English Springer Spaniel Joe


MERIT ~ Adrian Phillips & English Springer Spaniel Raffy


NOT READY ~ Huw Smith & English Springer Spaniel Tally