guy
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Tresallier diaryThe training diaries seem to have gone a bit quiet so I thought i would fill the gap. I am not sure it will be anywhere near as interesting as Bucks Diary on another forum. Although a lot of what I do is 'more of the same' there are bits and pieces that should prove interesting to all.
I will concentrate on the two orange and white. Topaz now three ish has been running in competative events since he was a year old, Catja now 18 months has run a couple of spring pointing tests.
Topaz - has this summer really come on 'in his head' hunting very intelligently, checking 'hotspots' of his own volition, can hunt well down wind and will enter water on a blind and can be handled whilst in the water. His achilles heel is the sensitivity of his nose and his tendency to indicate game that has recently left. Also a weakness on retrieving where he will be distracted by a point in favour of a retrieve. He was awarded a Certificate of Merit at novice field trial last season.
Catja - still young; sits well to the whistle but sight points more than scent points. Has a tendency to run in on birds - something i have not heavily discouraged as I wish her develop some real passion. Her water retrieves are a work in progress. Her land retrieving is very good but she had a fright whilst swimming earlier this year that has made her wary of long swims particularly in weed. She also seems to resist getting her fur wet, however once she is wet she behaves more like a seal than a woosie dog
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guy
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First day on partridge for the Tango Two today. The last outing I had to go on my own as herself had her shortest skirt on and himself was suffering from meringue brain.
Anyway today was initially hard work - they are on a twin lead with swivel - but changes of speed on their part, position and many other things meant they got very well knotted. Topaz spent all morning on his lead so after lunch he stayed in the car - much to his  . Catja really upped her game when it came to 'interest'. She retrieved a runner and a rather easy seen, but managed to get up wind of four partridge on a bank we were beating so rather displayed her inexperience.
Tomorrow we are off to an HPR shot over day.
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guy
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A whole days training amongst Brittanys - what a delight. The focus was on unseen retrieves - initially 'visible' (but not thrown) and at the end unseen and hidden.
It was most interesting to see how all the dogs progressed during the day - thanks to the policy of 'zero tolerance' all were paying much more attention to their handlers although the retrieverholics were still having a little trouble believing that which they could not see. A blank saluted thrown 'seen' dummy was used as a distraction for a blind on partridge placed in the furrows of fresh plow. So not an easy retrieve - ignore the obvious dummy and then take a line off the stubble into the plow and then start to look. All dogs made a pretty fair job of it and some outstanding.
Catja - i wanted, and we did some hunting onto caged game. I ran her with her lunge line on so I had a means to control her at the end. I was very pleased to see how she was air scenting something half a field from the placed birds and then worked her ground very well, coming on to the birds and pointing quite strongly. Once I had hold of the lunge line I was able to praise and stroke her. Very good on her retrieves and on partridge although she did mouth them a lot (I believe this is a common occurrence with cold game and should not be worried about unduly).
Topaz - well he was a surprise. He actually performed as I know he can. After an intial 'conversation' he knuckled down :-) He usually ran last on each exercise - on the hunting exercise to the caged birds it was interesting to see his work methods change. He initially pointed a spot all other dogs had held long on but quickly moved on (I was pleased with this as he does have a tendency to point residual scent) Where dogs had already run he ran an erratic patern; now this may in hindsight be because the wind was different at ground level (we were near the end of a long field with trees just behind us - I did not get onto my knees to see if I could tell) or it may have been copious amounts of foot scent made him work more directly to where he had seen all other dogs run. But once beyond that he quartered nicely - flat, fast and fence to fence. Drew up the ditch, perhaps a little far, but to be fair to him that is where the birds were likely to be.
Last retrieve was a seen blind blind combo - thrown seen sent to that, stopped, recalled and sent for a blind dummy behind (he spent some time looking for that , but I think only because he had been on partridge all afternoon and this was s dummy. That to hand and then onto the last partridge in the plough. As no one now had any idea where the last one was it was a send away to a possible spot and a 'hunt there' command and let him get on with it. He worked it out well.
A very very good day, great company, great trainer, great bit of ground - thanks to all.
PS watch out for the bungee rabbit :-)
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highclare
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Hi all, I want to thank our hosts Alan and Patrica and our trainer Angie Lewis and of course the company for a really super day.
The weather was really foggy when I ventured into darkest Suffolk for a training day with the Mabeleen.
In the morning we did unseen retrieves well they did unseen retrieves while Mabeleen painted her nails. I was very impressed with the standard.
After that Angie made us do some obedence and Mabeleen decided to have a morning nap or Beauty sleep as she likes to call it.
Later we did distence whistle training with a runnung Rabbit dummy, that was great fun while Mabeleen said she would have a go at that as the weather was becoming sunny and she wouldn't get her coat dirty.
Before lunch we did some hunting, I really saw some fab hunting by the rest of the Brits it was lovely and it deminstrated how quick they really are. Mabeleen said " and why are we running around this empty field, I might get dirt on my feet".
We then all had lunch I have never had Frogs legs and Snails but if it was that it was lovely. After lunch I decided I had to go home as I was suffering from the flue but before I did I took the Mabeleen down to the bird pens and at last she decided she would maybe like this working stuff, but I think she is a townie at heart.
I hope we will be invited for another day in darkest Suffolf a day when I am feeling a lot like my self Thanks again for all the support I got and Mabeleem said she will come only if there is a support staff on hand so she dosn't get her coat and feet dirty. Only Kidding.
Gill and that Mabeleen.
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Patricia
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Guy,
These are fantastic " action shots" 
As always with Angie, things are never dull. She speaks as if she " was the dog" and we had fits of laughter. We all laughed at each other's misfortunes... well most, as I must say I was impressed with Topaz's training and level of obedience. He put many of us to shame 
We made fun of his German " orders" and hand signals, we won't go into this!
We certainly were made to " think" and get tougher on our beasts... We are too soft... One exercise we all had difficulty with was a simple recall with our back to the dogs. Not facing them and they remained puzzled and frozen... We had an " elasticated rabbit" and the dog had to recall without chasing the" rabbit". Then drop to recall, which was all successful.
Hunting, finding partridge( dead and alive) and Thanks to Guy for the "bodies". That makes things more interesting.
I loved the 5 dummies standing up like little people. We had to send the dogs to fetch one... and guess what? They all picked the " fluffy rabbit skin" dummy... had a good sniff, ignored the plain ones, and fetched the intersting ones.
Darkest Suffolk????  I prefer to call it Rural Suffolk, peace and fields instead of houses, crowds and noise 
We had 7 dogs in training, which was more than enough as we had individual attention. We all had "Bourguignon" not frogs legs!!! Next time Gill!
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guy
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photos not all mine - i can hardly take a pic when I am in the pic :-) Thanks to Andy and Gill i think?
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Victoria
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Thank you for sharing that with us, Guy...interesting what you say about Topaz as a three year old. Gaston this year on birds also three is now a very deliberate thorough hunter with a 'malicious' passion that sometimes almost scares me!!!!! He is an utter delight to work with; I love our trust in each other, our constant connection and his attention to detail.
I did miss a bird (very sticky cock pheasant that rose like a hornet jet and broke the sound barrier almost) and honestly, the contemptuous look I got from the dog was most humiliating...glad no one was watching me when I knelt beside him to apologise 
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Patricia
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Ok Guy, all round excellent photography!
Keen to do it again, one of the best training days with a lot of humour...
I might add we used to do quite a few of those training days before, even putting on " falconry days" for long and short wings.
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guy
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Put into practice some of the things learned on Sunday - and boy what a difference that made. I thought I should put a bit of time into whistle response when quartering (in anticipation of a run in Monday's Novice Ft) so spent lunch time out with himself.
Catja - coming back from the post office (remind me not to volunteer to send loads of people pictures on CD in the future) spotted a brace of hen pheasants in the verge; hasty stop and out with herself on a long lead for a bit of hedge bashing - she sharpened up her act now she has connected the idea of scent to bird. It is a pleasure to see. Afternoon tea-break saw her doing a mark and a blind. Need to put more time into the hand signals - I am not really sure she has got the idea yet. i think her version is 'hand signal is a release command to go in the direction she first thought of' which must be confusing to her as sometimes she can and sometimes she is corrected.
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guy
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Took them all out at lunch time for a 10 min run each.
Topaz - I am already getting butterflies in the stomach about Monday's FT run - and I have not even heard if we have a place yet Hamptworth is quite wooded but also has some pumpkin fields ad a bit of yellow grass. So I thought I should give him a bit of hunting in woods, to see how far he ranged. He does keep hunting on even of out of sight, something which could be a problem in the rhododendrons at Hamptworth. On his last run he disappeared behind tall bracken and did not come back to the whistle - this means two things - either he is on point or he has buggered off big time. A quick dash through the ferns on my part put up a deer. On rewhistling him - he arrived from behind me and in his turn put up another; which ran past his nose only a few feet in front of him. He followed grrr - but did sit on command - phew. So that could be us out for chasing or we could still be in as it is only novice and he stopped.
Catja - she had a nice little hunt on short bracken and through brambles - that was indeed a surprise as she doesn't usually like brambles. The couple of sessions with caged game has really spiced up her desire to hunt. A couple of hand signal exercises.
Ellie - I gave her a run in a stubble field. She was not perhaps her usual self - as in she did not hare off as soon as she was told 'go play' but quartered really quite nicely even working a cheek wind in the text book manner. I am currently doing the 'walk in the other direction the dog is taking' school of improving contact. It goes like this - dog runs ahead so you turn 180 degrees from there, dog eventually realises you are not around and hares back and past - so you turn again. the theory is the oscillations reduce.
She got distracted by some smell or mouse hole so I was well across the field when I thought I would increase the 'pressure' so lay down. Now i could see her, but she could not see me - there was a bit of frenzied quartering of the field, a half hearted dash back to the filed gate and some more frenzied quartering. Finally she got wind of me and came in like the hound of hell - much foam at the mouth. Another run and return to the workshop at heel - such a mellow little dog 
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guy
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Well we have a run - number 8. A nice place to be, not to near the end but not number 1 (don't like that one).
Took Topaz a couple of times today. Both times he was running very well - wide and flat; but Hamptworth is not wide and flat but woods, set aside and pumpkin fields.
Anyway back to training - First run was on stubble - he worked it and the edges well and did a blind retrieve well with great enthusiasm. Second run also on stubble - ran very well but when working teh top edge went on point to some old scent, (well that is what I think) and as I wlaked up to him i put up four partridge - bugger that would have been us out. Topaz of course now came to his whistle and scented the haunt!
Catja - gave her a blind in the workshop (her toy duck) very well searched for :-)
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guy
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I thought i would give him a bit of a run in brambles, underwood and bracken. I have seen woodcock there before so thought it might be worth a look. Well to start with he hunted very well - for himelf; until we had a 'little chat' then it all went much better. He winded a pheasant but could not place it as his head kept moving - i could see it tucked really tight by a tree stump - it got up and flew off - he followed, another 'little chat'! Hunting on at great pace and a bit wide for woodland he came up on point by some brambles. this time he went in at a great pace and out lolloped a bunny - followed by himself, but htis time he sat when asked.
Now the bird could have been wounded as it was sitting rather funnily (and I should give him the benefit of the doubt and he could have been getting out of the briar patch to watch the rabbit away and mark it should it have been shot .... )
You need a bit of luck in a FT :-)
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guy
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There have been a lot of birds about today - This morning there were 6 in the field just outside the door - they all came on point to them - one of those times you wished you had a camera.
This morning took Topaz out on his own - e must have had about 10 points on pheasant and partridge but the birds were not sitting and all got up on my approach; at least he sat when told. On one occasion he was coming back across a field and went on point, that sort of unsteady point that indicates something ahead rather than something found; so whistled him to stop and walked around the field edge before calling him to me. Firmer indication made me send him into the undergrowth (on the side of a disused railway embankment. He hunted around a bit and then suddenly locked up. Contact I thought so after a few moments whistled him on, no movement; called him on; nothing. Called out my views on his parentage and he jumped forward and two birds burst into the air about 10 feet apart. I HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN.
Finished on a 200yard unseen across stubble. He ran a perfect line, but i had mis marked the site so some handling was needed. Home for breakfast contented.
Tomorrow we are meeting up with a cocker owner researching Brittanys - thanks to Patrica and the afternoon retriever classes start again..
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Patricia
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Well Guy, being in Hampshire( seems to be a lot of people living there! ..better than " darkest Suffolk" ...Thought I would send you another " customer!
A keen Cocker lady..and at least I know she will be able to see how the breed really runs
Have fun...
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Lin Dyke
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Good luck to Guy and Topaz for the FT tomorrow 
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guy
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A half hour 'demo' of Brittanys turned into a couple of hours. i took teh orange with me and we did some hunting both into and down wind. There are a lot of wild birds here so when Topaz was hunting we spent a lot of time walking up to his points. He did not run 'textbook' as we had only yesterday worked that field and i fear he was revisiting some of yesterdays haunts. However did ge a couple of nice blind retrieves one back past a hedgerow which had given a couple of sound points.
Afternoon saw Topaz and I at the retriever training class we go to. Today a couple of welshies, a flatcoat and a brittany. He did quite well - one retrieve was in a small compound so an 'over' to get in and another placed so he had to jump over two fences, not novice FT stuff but at least proved he was paying attention.
Weather forecast for tomorrow is not great.
Lin - thanks for the wishes - the dog is certainly capable, not sure about the handler :-) all dogs running need a bit of luck.
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guy
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Just back from the BCGB Novice FT. Probably had the best run we have ever had. The trial was held at Hamptworth - last visited on October 1st for a training day; not quite so many birds but still in the dozens at a time. Topaz ran very well and sat to flush and shot rather well. I even caught him doing it of his own volition. My reading of his movements was much better than last year as well. We had several points and two shot birds of our run, but to give you an idea of the density of game two sometimes three birds were shot at one flush.
The first retrieve was marked and he did a nice job of getting to it and bringing it back to hand with a sit present, all very controlled. Picked up the dog and returned to the top of the field where we ran on, a point and a good flush but none shot followed by another point and a bird down (but not off the point). This bird had folded and landed in a patch of green thistle like weed; he just did not find it despite being sent to the fall downwind. We were allowed three attempts before being called up. The next dog similarly failed to find the bird; however when the judges walked in they did - exactly where they said it had fallen - so both dogs were out. A shame as we had a very stylish run and those who know about these things said we would have been high up the awards with such.
Extremely testing conditions for all the dogs with so many birds - we worked the same field four times, the same beat twice and they were still rising.
So despite nothing to take home I was extremely pleased with our effort.
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guy
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Topaz - a quick ten mins on stubble at lunch time with concentration on the whistle - the stop whistle.
Catja - a couple of blinds put out in the yard at work and the instruction to find given with no indication of where to look. She loves these. Again at home Kermit was hidden in one of the bedrooms, and a sniff of my hand before being sent to look for him. in desperation she brought me one of my shoes from near the back door :-)
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guy
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As Mystic Gnome has said elsewhere we have a run on Monday. Mystic Internet tells me the drive there is over four hours - must check the Tom Tom as that is usually more accurate and last time i went that way i manged to take half an hour off the prediction. What is spooky is that last week (before the Hamptworth draw) I dreamt that we were running 3.
Training today was some blinds in very deep grass. I want to really encourage Catja into cover and hoped this sort of thing would help. So for Catja I placed the blind whilst she was inside the workshop. Let her out and gave her her 'seek' command without any indication where to look. She ran straight to it - something which involved a dogleg from the start. Repeated but this time put the dummy well downwind - again straight to it. Very pleased. Next tried two dummies out - she had the first and himself for the second. She picked up the scent straight away of the closest but in working into the grass got upwind of it, only to pick up scent of second which she then collected. Sent himself for the original and when i called 'there' (his verbal hunt command) Catja broke and beat him to the retrieve.
Topaz - went for a hunt during lunch - worked a double hedge really well and pointed a pheasant. The bird moved as i approached - away from us so rather than send him in i asked him to hunt on withtheintention of him pointing again further up. But no bird, hmm. we worked to the end of the hedge and here i put into the middle and we worked back to where we came from. As he was out of sight I whistled 'stop' every so often until I cold catch up and view him through a gap. Finally when near the end I cold not see him or hear him so whistled the 'get in' and out popped a pheasant with him close behind. Sat on command and watched the bird away. That amount of following I understand is allowed as the dog needs to get into a position to see where the bird goes for a 'hopefully' subsequent retrieve. Most interesting - it was a wild bird and I had definitely seen it walk left, so it must have doubled back.
Catja - after work we went to a stubble field for a run and some whistle work. And what a run. She worked the field hard but not particularly well running off once. as we had arrived at the far end I walked her back up the road to heel and part way along threw a seen over the hedge i wanted to see how her memory for these was coming on. The tree I had marked as the field entrance was not that one; so the retrieve was rather further than I had intended. about 50 yards out on her run she stopped and started hunting around and then brought back an empty pop bottle. Sent again this time from closer she did find the correct one after a little handling.
A good day.
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Lin Dyke
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A somewhat belated congrats for your run in Monday's FT. The boy did well It's no wonder you feel proud of him.
Good luck for Bunwell next Monday.
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guy
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Lin - thanks - I called in to work to pick up the girls and told them about the day - next day they said it was if I had drunk to much coffee I was that hyped :-)
Looking forward to Bunwell two other Brittanys running who have not Ft's before so that is good. Let us hope we put on a reasonable display :-)
Went out this morning with Topaz to work the stubble field opposite the house - but it is no more - they drilled it yesterday so we had to be content with working the hedge. A little to much self hunting for his own good.
Catja - at coffee did some blinds in the deep grass with her - I have recently only been concentrating on her marking and steadiness to fall. Really pleased how her desire to find the dummy makes her so frustrated she squeaks in excitement - or is that frustration? Anyway she relative to how she was she really gets 'stuck in'.
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Patricia
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Whatever happens Guy, at least those 3 Brits will be there
And you'll have fun ( well in a way). Alan also feels very stressed . what do I put him through? 
I really enjoyed running Taz 2 years ago, she was reliable and a keen retriever, a joy to work. Sadly she fell ill. I went to see how she would do and enjoyed seeing her work and never letting me down.
I think a biddable and trainable little dog like her is worth their weight in gold.
Now hoping her half sister will have the same temperament and wish to carry whatever she can find on route..and find it 
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guy
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You learn a lot in a very short time :-)
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guy
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This morning went back to the site of yesterday's 'shortcomings' it had just stopped raining and the light was only just coming up but today he hunted well and 'cautiously' pinned two hens before muggins' big feet got them up. There is hope. but perhaps not for the handler?
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guy
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What a beautiful evening - well here it was the sun stayed out.
Took Topaz into a set aside field we occasionally use. not much wind so i just let him hunt it how he would - time for me to learn from him. We entered from the upwind end, his patterns were not very 'pretty' but he effectively covered all areas - by doing the hedges and then the 'hotspots' (small patches of cover). He then ran down wind along the hedge to the far side of the field and then quartered back into the wind. Several points on rabbit in the hedges, pleased with his steadiness - proven because I could see the rabbits move away.
My interpretation of this was - the wind at the upwind end of the field was not very obvious in direction, sheltered as this area was by a high hedge and some trees in the field, whilst the other end there was a distinct breeze. Left a dummy in the middle of the field so at the end sent him back on a blind. nicely retrieved.
Left the dummy in the field and took Topaz back and brought Catja out.
I wanted to try something out with her - so I just gave her her 'seek' command. (which sounds a bit like 'sooch' ) and let her have the field. Her patterns wer very similar to Topaz's - but where his had his nose in the air she was looking for something down. She to worked the lee end of teh field in a relatively unstructured (to my eye) pattern but once the downwind end quartered with style back towards me and found the dummy. Very pleased with her perseverance as although i had moved around the field she had not been given a second command or any hand directions after the initial instruction.
I then took her into the next stubble field for a run, not much wind now so i just let her hunt to see what she did.
A very useful exercise just to watch them both with no intervention. I would recommend it.
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Lin Dyke
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These dogs are very clever. Watch and learn
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guy
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| Lin Dyke wrote: | | Watch and learn |
One just has to get used to the idea a dog can teach you something. :-) When I did leader training for the Scout Association i had a session on Beaver Scout skills to run - so I took my 8year old to demonstrate - THAT was an eyeopener to the adults - to be taught something by an 8 year old
Today - back to basics - the absolute basic! The Stop Whistle.
Topaz - we went to a field that is managed as a grassland pasture - the grass is cut and removed to reduce the fertility of the soil and encourage certain plants - anyway that is rather bye the bye - it is a great piece of ground to use as it is very safe (despite being next to the road) as it is fully stock fenced. Along the top edge is a strip of woodland that was holding about half a dozen pheasant. Sufficient to keep himself 'engaged'
Anyway the trick today was to walk along the edge of the field by the wood and make him quarter the rest. Stopping, sitting and turning when he was told. A very worthwhile exercise as by the end he was doing spaniel fast stops and sits (nearly)
Catja - took her into the field later in the day on her own. Started badly with her hunting ahead and ignoring completely any entreaties to sit. A couple of ignominious returns to where the stop was first blown soon made her remember her lessons and the fact the birds she could smell were the other side of the stock fence stopped her being able to run in and try and catch them.
Tomorrow we are up with the sparrows to go to a HPR training day in Dorset and Monday will have to be up well before those same sparrows to get up to Norwich for half 8. Ho hum
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guy
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We had a great day in Dorset.
Topaz ran beautifully, still some areas to refine - not quite got the sit 'nailed' as well as i had thought. It would be useful if he could be pulled off point by the whistle - but that is never going to happen. But wide fast and flat.
Catja - she had a down wind run that was close to textbook - just where does that ability come from?? Wow Also a bit of hunting in sme cover crop that would have left a spaniel in shame for 'passion'
Very pleasing day.
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Ghilliegumdrop
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Good luck to you three tomorrow
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guy
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yes - good luck to Alan and Andy.
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Lin Dyke
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You're probably in bed by now  but good luck from us. : Look forward to hearing how you all faired.
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guy
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Bunwell Novice Ft.
Lin - thanks for your wishes - but luck was not with us.
Conditions were cool and breezy with very very poor scent. The first run was on sugar beet and this one field took out 8 of the 12 dogs running. The first dog to run was out within a minute.
Topaz ran third. Beet is a very 'crunchy' noisy crop to work. The birds were inclined to run ahead. So the dogs had a real problem - to catch the birds they had to run hard up wind, if they failed to find them then the return could easily put up birds on the ground that had not been worked. Although Topaz pointed several times think it was on rabbit scent ( I saw at least half a dozen on our run). He ran well with good head carriage but got hotter and hotter. Called in to sit and 'gather his thoughts' on one occasion. He almost 'surfed' the crop. Sometimes you could not see him as he was hidden by it at others he burst up through the leaves; on one occasion running for several yards with his head covered by dislodged leaves.
After lunch we had a second run - initialliy in a wood, although disturbing a couple of birds failed to get a point. More time in beet produced a point - but yours truly did not believe it was a bird that was pinned so did not follow it up but tried to call him in. A cock bird got up but well out of range - he sat to watch it away. This had been a difficult run as we were having to work the field 'downwind' - Topaz was downwind working his way back to me.
So not eliminated but had not done enough to go to water. No retrieves, only a pointed rabbit pointed had been shot at but missed.
I am beginning to get more confident about his sitting to flush in 'hot' situations. He also did not run after any of the rabbits / hare that were around that day and the undoing of a couple.
A nice ground and a good day for peoples perceptions of Brittanys.
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Lin Dyke
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He's a good dog, but you know that already If the rabbit had been shot, he'd have brought it to you. At the end of the day you'd have had something for the pot... fur or feather, you'd have not gone hungry, he was working for you
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doganjo
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Were there any awards, Guy?
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guy
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Result - only one a 4th.
Reflecting on the last few days of dog activities - because it is more pleasurable than working out my VAT return :-)
Saturday - saw a marked improvement in his sit to whistle -BUT it was in a relatively 'cool' environment - not a lot of scent. It is obvious the command is well in place so now up to me to rally polish it by not letting him slide into sloppy habits - easier said than done.
Sunday - most interesting being on the same ground with the same trainer, a year on. Oh how my handling has changed, much much less whistle and it would appear a much more controlled dog - which perhaps should be read I understand my dog more. Very fast and very flat in the open, but I knew that; his handling of woodland is much improved. It is such a balance to strike between the dog working the ground to find the birds and staying in 'touch' with the handler. Let us say that is a work in progress. Catja I was truly amazed how she treated the back wind in such a text book manner. I didn't realise she could read.
Monday - all is not always as it seems. We thought we had a good scenting day but that was not the case. Although I have to say himself was pointing birds in the wood as we awaited our run such that other handlers commented on it.
Protocol, politeness and even KC regs don't let one publicly impugn the actions of a judge - which really only allows one to vote with ones feet if unhappy. I will not be voting this way and much look forward to a chance to run under Sylvia Cox again. The same i will say about Tony Robinson and Bill Pearson at Hamptworth. There was mutterings in the gallery about one handler's time in line but their decision at the end of the day was absolutely perfect. (I only wish I had thought of it as a solution) (Please accept that I will not elaborate on this except with those who were there and then only by private email) I flag it up to make people aware that they are good judges IMHO.
What training do I need to do to take us forward from this weekend?
1. more work in deep covering crops - rape, beet young maize. I am still afraid to let himself loose in standing maize.
2. more on the whistle - I am reading Hutchinson (published 1860) at the moment and he points out that one should command a dog when close with the quietest of whistles otherwise when it is at a distance and only hears a quiet whistle it will not understand or ignore it - now isn't that obvious - but is that what we do?
3. Some more time in woodland with a view to slowing him down a bit - Toscane proved admirably that a brittany can hunt at other than a breakneck speed when conditions require it.
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Patricia
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Thank you for that, Guy...Really gave us a good insight as to the day in Bunwell.
It would not be through choice that Alan would trial as a hobby. He is more the type to go out on a friendly shooting day with friends or family
But Toscane is his dog! So...he blames himself in the way he should have handled her and have been ready to stop her  She is a reliable bitch who is totally devoted to him and gives him immense pleasure shooting. Never mind, she will be entered in another trial( not that he knows that yet!!! )
That will probably be with the N&Suffolk club as they are quite active in our part of the country. For now, going out with one of their members and exercising Toscane" brakes" and a shoot Saturday.
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guy
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yesterday -
Topaz - whistle. He lived up to the ' is that dog radio controlled' monika.
Catja - blind retrieve and some hand signals.
Today - nothing save 11 hours driving to and from North Wales. Could have been in central France with that mileage
the only other doggy thing today was a KC letter to say I had not made enough mistakes on my exam paper. (FT judges seminar ) So i had passed
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johnhod
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Congrats on the FT judging seminar result
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Ghilliegumdrop
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Well done Guy......where are you judging then
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guy
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have judged GWT - but FT is not on my horizon just yet. I need / want more experience and get a dog to FtCh before I do - otherwise how will I be able to know what it really needs?
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barbara
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Congratulations Guy on passing the FT Judge's Seminar 
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guy
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Very little training today - the girls stayed at home and Topaz came to site with me. So lunch time we did a bit of hedgerow hunting, some work on 'very quiet whistle' a long blind and a mark from a blind 'back'. (T was sent across plough blind and when about 3/4 way across stopped. Dummy thrown and T sent from mid field.
Not much, but useful to use a new site to do standard things.
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guy
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Thanks to all for comments on the FT seminar.
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guy
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out on site all day again - Julia had the girls as she had another 'holiday' day.
Two sessions - one down the clients drive, himself went over the fence (estate fence with anti rabbit wire) and hunted the field headland - on point to a tussock produced a bunny.
Lunchtime worked him around the garden leaving a dummy in the end of the haha for a blind later. no problem with that - I had thought that the wind may have 'skipped' the haha so making the dummy invisible. A few more whistle stops and another blind.
Last outing back at the workshop just as the light was failing - in the adjacent horse field. Quartered nicely and went on point, moved on and pointed again. Fur disappeared into the gloom.
Just learned we are only 3rd reserve for tomorrows FT - really must join that club! However we are going as 'picking up dog'. Every FT needs a designated picking up dog who is not competing to make sure shot game that is not to be retrieved by the competitors can be collected as soon as possible to minimise any suffering.
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guy
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We had a great day - being picking up dog we were able to stay up close with the steward so could see how all the dogs ran. Some very good dog work - I learned a lot.
We had two retrieves a water where the dog refused to enter and then the best cold blind unhandled retrieve he has ever done. A bird shot to fall mid field as a strong runner; which it did soon disappearing into a deep hedge on ground the next dog was about to work, but in the event didn't. We were therefore sent to look for it about half an hour after it had come down. The hedge was impenetrable by me, the only way into the field was about 100 yards from the marked last sighting, and we had to be in there as it was the downwind side of the hedge. A couple of points and fruitless entrances into the hedge before i lost touch with himself (I had been keeping up by listening to the breaking branches that marked his progress) Now not wishing to have a dog disappear on me and go off self hunting and then to appear on the trail ground I decided to retrace my steps to the windward side of the hedge. On coming into the ride who did I see but himself about 80 yards ahead moving at full trot from the plantation / pond area. By the time I got my whistle back into my mouth he had disappeared in to the hedge en route to where I wasn't. A rather faster than usual run by me and a few whistle pips were answered by a reassuring breaking of twigs. My dog and the hen bird.
It must have been a good 80 yards from where he started to where I saw him first plus however much further before he had found the bird, a hedgeline, grass ride and plantation with undergrowth - so three changes of ground.
I was pleased to say the least.
Next highlight of the day was Karen Saynor - lagopus on here who took 1st with her LM. a third went to Jo Izzard and her GSP and three CoMs
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guy
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Two sessions today. Took the two orange to a local wood, mature fir with a ground cover of bramble and bracken. Found a small dell with surrounded by bracken so thought it would make a good area to try Catja with some marks. Being on a slope accurate marking is not usual, and so it was she miss marked but easily found it with her nose. A second for Topaz was intercepted by herself as she ran in; still not pin point accuracy but better. Another thrown with Catja on a lead this time, heel away and send T back about 50 mtrs away. A big block of bramble blocked the way to an easy retrieve so some handling was necessary. In my attempt to keep Catja in check I had not marked teh spot well myself so we all went forward and I also sent Catja in to add a bit of competition. Neither dog could find it and a good ten minutes was spent in close hunting by all three of us. Catja getting more and more frustrated with ever 'find him'. Finally i spotted it and hunted her to it. It had dropped like a pencil into some tight bramble. She pulled it out and came back with it jumping at me with it in her enthusiasm, after delivery she was jumping up squeaking such was her pleasure in finding it. Some more hunting in undergrowth and a few more blinds and we went home.
Afternoon should have been retriever class but this was canceled so a trip to another spot I know that usually holds a number of wild pheasant. We were not disappointed. The topic for the session was 'quiet whistle' and tight hunting. Worked pretty well; but still more work needed.
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The Plum
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Your mention of "close hunting" made me think Guy. So often nowadays the type of dog that will get out there and hunt the next county is the opposite of what is needed. My present G.S.P. is that type, if he is within about 200 yards of me he thinks he's polishing my boots !
A novice trial was held yesterday on the estate I often pick up on. The keeper there is a good friend, I helped him a little with his first H.P.R.'s . He has now had several awards in trials for those breeds. He told me over the phone how the trial went.
Apparently the morning was spent on fairly open ground but few birds were found. In the afternoon the trial moved into gamecrops. I often go looking for fallen birds in them and I know that one of those fields has a crop taller than a G.S.P. male. Both crops are stuffed with birds, pheasants and partridge. At the very first shot fired up there about 200 birds left the field - but left a lot more behind.
Some handlers more or less just let their dogs rip for they had never taught close handling skills. The keepers comment was that no way would he have let his dogs run hard in there ! As the dogs worked birds went in all directions on the ground and in the air. I know the crop in the top field. Buck disappears within 30 yards in it and Charlie the cocker vanishes within a few feet ! A very awkward place to hunt a dog. The fact that the dog is a pointing breed doesn't help a lot for with so many birds on the move a mistake is easy to make and a bird is easy to miss.
Sometimes pricked birds swing back and fall into there. My job as picker up is to go find them. The field has already been gone through by a team of beaters and their dogs yet still my dogs come across unshot, unflushed birds. This poses no problem to Charlie who just flushes them - or more accurately ,tries to catch them ! Buck is a different story. In less than 10 seconds he could be 100 yards out into it and hard on point where I have no hope of seeing him !
Anyway , to cut a long story a wee bit shorter I am now having to make an effort to train Buck to hunt close ! I still fancy a satnav locator for that dog !!!
Bill T.
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guy
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By hunt close I am really thinking 'hunt spaniel fashion' Having been put out of a trial by a bird that fell with closed wings into a strong smelling clump with no wind to drive out a scent cone I want to close that loophole. I had got Topaz to drop his nose to a 'hunt there' command; but in situations like this a bit of beating about with the paws will find that which the best nose will miss.
Forgot to post that yesterday we had a trip to water - Catja went straight in for her first retrieve which was pleasing but the next one thrown further out made her hesitant, she was a bit cold but after being being tipped in by my toe she swam out well. Finally i had left her sat one side of the pond and walked around to the other with the intention of directing the direction she took back to me. She would not budge at all so my next thought was to throw a dummy and try and get her to retrieve that. Amazingly she just ran in for it; rather than running down the bank to the closest swim distance she ran to the first easy entrance and jumped in. Once retrieved she swam back the way she came rather than across the pond (which was the shortest distance to me) and ran all the way around to present. i was pleased with this as there was weed between the dummy and me and I am glad she did not go through that and reinforce her worries.
A blind entrance for himself with the dummy thrown in once he was part way across. An easy retrieve for him but with the added distraction of some walkers and their dog - which for once he ignored.
Today
Topaz more work on his whistle - i am really reducing the volume of sound I am using and am getting a better and better response. He appears more attentive and certainly more responsive. Did this both in woodland and on open ground. After a conversation with my retriever training mentor I am no longer giving him seen retrieves - so three blinds including one the other side of a fence downwind.
Catja
Some work on her 'sit' to whistle and her 'turn'
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guy
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15Topaz more quiet whistle in what i thought would be an empty field. Good point at a holly bush and when sent in flushed a nice cock bird. When i got to the hedge and looked over himself was 'keeping in touch' with it. Hmm just when I thought i had the sit to flush without a whistle nailed.
Hunted on this time down wind; but he veered off and when whistled in went on staunch point again. As i walked up to him he was slowly stalking closer and studying the hedge i could see a tight sitting hen. And then about 3ft away another. A couple of minutes point and i sent him in. Six birds erupted and his little bottom met the deck.
A blind retrieve and then back to work.
Catja - just a blind on her toy duck. Ringcraft later for the first time in some weeks. Will try out my new secret weapon - a mouse shaped pike lure.
Have to go and pick something up later so if light still available will work him through a bit of woodland nearby.
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guy
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on site today so very little training.
First thing worked a hedge on the upwind side. He pointed several birds - put up by my approach.
coffee time session T - a bit of whistle work (not very slick) a couple of good points; one on rabbit and one produced several hens at once.
Not pretty work, not a good day.
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guy
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Thursday - a quick trip around the field with one rabbit put out from under a fallen tree, then on site so only a spell around the clients garden at dusk, blind retrieve - but took a poor line.
Friday - topaz 'helped'. Walked about 3 tons of wood down a path (about 75mtrs) took 50 trips so i reckon that relates to carrying a 1cwt bag of potatoes for about a 5 mile walk. By dusk himself got into pointing things in the hedge where he had only been piddling before so he ended up back in the cab! The wood is for a lych gate at West Haddon - just up the road from the club show venue. The last time we did any work in a graveyard was in Wandsworth, London. Topaz was a lot younger and spotted some squirrels a Brittany can get lost in a large graveyard quicker than you can blink your eye! Barley was alive at the time and they had a habit of going in opposite directions at the same time.
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guy
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Did it rain or did it rain today - and who was out with a dog at the time??
Topaz - a session in a new bit of woodland, he seemed to be hunting reasonably close. Managed to loose sight of him about 20 yards away; nothing. So tramped in to find him on point in the middle of some brambles. Needless to say by the time i got there the rabbit had gone. Moved from there to a set aside field; with a view to working on whistle, quartering and downwind patterns. Not very pretty as he kept going on point at the sheep wire on the edge of the wood. Some quite good blind retrieves of 100 metres plus.
Catja - on a bit of disused railway line - she really hunted well and tirelessly - up embankment, down embankment time after time. I think the rain spurred her on. A couple of blinds - which she worked well with minimal direction. I think old railway lines are good places for a 'walk' but not sure they don't teach 'running ahead' rather than working the wind. There are also two deer who can usually be seen in this place - I think she chased (not sure as hidden by a curve in the path) .
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guy
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This morning we all went out together to a local piece of common ground - used for many years as a source of wood for a charcoal burning operation the wood has very little understorey. Gave Catja a good chance to hunt - which she did with quite a vengeance. I am not sure however if she would not have run in if something was there. Ellie too had a spell hunting much to her delight. Topaz hunted quite well if a little wide for the conditions.
Catja has several blind retrieves - which she accomplished well, Ellie had a couple of goes but finished by running off with the dummy and dropping it somewhere - a good blind retrieve for Catja.
Topaz - some retrieves in the morning but his major effort was in the afternoon when we went to retriever class. Today it was only us so a good one to one session focusing on 'hunt there' type exercises; getting nose down to whistle and also staying within a small area if told to. About 25 retrieves in all, mostly down wind including a couple needing to break fence. A very pleasing session.
dogs all now snoring gently by the fire.
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guy
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no training today - out on site all day (next village to yelvertoft) and the dogs had to stay at home as there was not enough in the car. 
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guy
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Tuesday - nothing as dogs had again to stay at home.
Wednesday - nothing - a whole day in the car with only a couple of wee stops. BUT when they arrived in Montfand they were on 1001 miles per hour around the garden. They definitely know where they are as no sound was heard until we turned off the main road towards the village and then much 'conversation'
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guy
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Thursday
Wwe all went to a local wood in Giverzet. Some blinds were set up which Topaz and Catja executed well. Followed by a walk; alternate walk close with spells of hunting one at at time. a good outing. Particularly pleased with the hunting up of the blinds. Even Ellie worked well - when told to 'go play' she ran lovely quartering patterns. If only I had more time....
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guy
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Friday
We had a bit of shopping therapy so dogs had a spell at home alone. But then they helping in the garden for a bit - not that they are great gardeners but they are after the mice they believe are buried in the mound of soil that we need levelled. A win win situation.
Saturday
Went back to Giverzet but this time there was a 'chasse' in progress. Grand Gibier (Boar or Deer) that involved much movement of cars up and down the road. Plus hunting horns and hounds of the Baskerville's baying. (Bleu de Gasgoine - lovely looking dogs) We did a few blinds and Catja really got stuck in to the brambles - she is really coming on in cover. T worked to find his retrieve with passion, above his usual - there is hope!
On the way home we stopped at a piece of fallow ground and hunted Topaz and Catja through it. Himself was on rocket fuel. He did stop quite well to his whistle but ignored the turn. Missed a hare. Catja worked well and did a good blind.
This picture I think sums up hunting with a Brittany - this is an untouched picture captured on a 'sports' setting.
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guy
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Sunday - a quick pre breakfast trip to the piece of fallow ground. Perhpas I should not have bothered. Whilst T did well what he did, it was not what I asked - if you see what I mean.
Monday, catching up in the office so no exercise for them, gosh arn't the days so short now.
Tuesday - on site all day so apart from apotter around a graveyard a oor dog day.
Today - managed to get out to the local wood; T did some good directional stuff and went from hunting nose up to hunting nose down on the whistle - so quite pleasing. The dummy a knobbly rubber thing had been under the heater in the car so was particularly easy to find.
Catja - she is getting is really enjoying the brambles it seems. little stoped her progress of elegant bounds across the ground. When hunting bracken it was if she had some sort of maglev system in place. Getting her to hunt on 'the spot' was hilarious - she would literally dive into bracken clumps as if they were waves. Several good blinds, hand signals a bit better; I am not convinced that she does not use th esignal as a release to go where she first thought - as opposed to going in that direction because it was indicated.
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guy
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Thursday
Managed to get a bit of time today - had a meeting in Marlborough so took them all for a blast in the Savenake Forest. Mind you i thought that was not such a good idea when on one occasion they all went in separate directions and were out of sight within seconds.
Topaz just a few blinds. i am working on the principal that the first thing he may have to do at a trail is a blind (for an eyewipe on the previous dog) so i want him used to coming off the lead and straight into a blind retrieve without going into hunt mode.
Catja - she is becoming a dog possessed, OK she will find a path through brambles rather than spanielise them but they don't seem to phase her any more. They were those nice thin low ones rather than the heaving mass of impenetrable thorns. Some work on sit to fall and hand directions.
Must get out to day and do some refreshing to 'stop' as we are off to a shot over day tomorrow with Steve Kimberley training. Looking forward to that.
Ellie had a good run.
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guy
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Managed to get out this morning with every intention to 'get on' Topaz's case - but he just would not do anything wrong. Turned on his whistle as if he was on eh end of a stringI take that to mean tomorrow will be awful. Sent him back on a line which he followed implicitly - but guess who had not aimed correctly! when called back i cast him across upwind a bit and he winded it nicely.
Left a dummy in the middle of the field. Catja was on rocket fuel this morning, bounce bounce woof; bounce bounce woof. But she was in touch and came to heel when called - really strange. At the entrance to the field i just told her to seek. and started to walk across the path. She ran like the wind and turned naturally quite well - not pretty paterns as the wind was behind us. She winded the dummy about 40 yards out and like a bluebottle worked her way up the scent cone - nose in the air. Lovely to watch.
Ellie - she had a good thrash around the field next to the workshop - she does love to run
Weather forecast for tomorrow - 'real feel' minus 7 .
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guy
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Well it was not -7 but quite a mild (for this time of year) day. A little rain at the end.
A lovely day with five runners - so we all had four 'goes'. Really interesting running under a man of Steve's calibre - it was interesting to see how everyone developed over the day; particularly how those dogs that dod not 'run' in the morning were doing so by the end of the afternoon.
Topaz had three runs and Catja one. My choice.
Topaz was running well and fast, answered his whistle well, pointed well and produced bunnies and birds. Very pleased with him; lost him once - but when we approached his last sighting and rounded a large tree - there he was on point.
Catja - she had a run in woods without much wind - went on a hard point complete with paw up and quivering - very pleased with that. Stayed on point until sent in on command, flushed a cock pheasant which was shot. Catja did not sit to flush or shot but went off to retrieve the bird. I thought I had the sit to flush sorted - but that was without 'shot' in the equation.
A very pleasing day.
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guy
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Another good dog day.
This morning we all went to Calshot beach as I had an appointment to look at some work on a beach hut - so they all had a thrash along the strand.
After lunch it was retriever class - but again only Chris the trainer and myself there. A whole session on casting at a distance. One of Topaz's problems is he comes forward when directed left or right at a distance. We tried all sorts of things - a semi cast back, an underarm directing, with the dog one side of a fence and me the other, a white something in my hand to improve its visibility; all to no real avail. The best was when stood directly in front of him and casting him in the direction left or right - in the manner I would cast him forward from my side. I think the way forward is to repeat those close left and rights and then work myself away from him until I am again at a distance. I need - no MUST be able to send him square from where he is sitting out.
Catja -I wanted to work on her 'sit to shot' so had her hunting close, blew the stop and had Chris fire a blank. Then sent her for a blind retrieve on some cold game - so she gets to know the idea of high value retrieves after a gun shot. The gun kept misfiring so we did not get as far as we had hoped. Her final retrieve was a long seen. I had her sitting on the bonnet of the landrover (so it made it harder for her to break) and threw a small hen about 40 yards out from her. Returned to her and then sent her for the retrieve; she had mis-marked it and started to hunt for it at about 25yards but kept up her search for a good four or five mins before we started to walk into the field to extend her envelope of search. I was really quite pleased as she is still young and held her ground and stayed on task very well.
We were donated the hen for later use so on the way home made a detour to the local pond. As she had entered cold water freely yesterday I thought i would give her a go in the pond. The first retrieve she tip-toed in and then once the ground dropped away and she had to swim she returned to the shore and sat down. Hmm. Topaz retrieved it and it was thrown again, again she refused to enter. Topaz picked it again and i started to drive home. About half a mile away I suddenly thought all I had taught her was she could refuse so I turned around and we went back for another go. This time a very close one water hardly up to her chest. She lunged at the bird to avoid getting wet. Much praise and as second and further go, this time about one paw stroke and back to hand. Gambling I threw another at the original distance and she went in and swam for it, back to hand by the neck.
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guy
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Monday - following some further advice on Topaz's handling errors on the HPR Forum I made a start. The suggestion was to try using a 'visible blind' i now that sounds like an oxymoron but the logic seemed sound. Basically two dummies are put out (white ones to make them easy to see) and the dog is placed between them. Thus when he is cast to one side or another he can immediately see a dummy. The dummy is placed rather than thrown so the dog is not 'marking the fall'. Catja a couple of dummies hidden in the grass around the yard before she is let out and given her seek command and left to work it out.
Tuesday - Another few sessions on the directed retrieve. Today i have decided to modify my hand signal - so in effect i am teaching a new command rather than trying to retrain an existing one. The dummies are on concrete about 20 metres apart, placed over a joint in two slabs so there is a thin line of grass to also reinforce the line to the dummy. Catja had ringcraft for the first time in many weeks; she does get bored, the pheasant wing was not of great interest but a spent 9mm blank was. We were working on walking into a stand. Once outside she was back on her toes and much more animated. Ho hum.
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guy
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Wednesday
Out on site today - again. Only took Topaz with me as there was no room in the car for any more. (Girls stayed at the workshop). Once finished took advantage of the clients nice flat lawn to do some more of these newfangled 'visible blinds'; i may be kidding myself but I think a bit over 50% were run correctly. Did a little hunting along a stream bank when himself decided to do a bit more self hunting than I thought he should have. Tried a new 'recall' method - went back to the car and started the engine. Instant Brittany!
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Lin Dyke
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That method worked at the boatyard with my Irish boys
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guy
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The week has slipped by.
Thursday - more work on the hand signals for himself, Catja a couple of unseens.
Then late afternoon we had to 'demonstrate' being a Brittany for someone interested in the breed. I run them separately so i can talk about th edifferent styles they present. Catja was 'on fire' I have never seen her hunt hedge to hedge in that particular field before, she was a dog possessed. Topaz did 'hunting dog' and Ellie i'm a pet and i love to run. I fear i failed to put them off; but having said that i think they would make good Brittany owners.
Friday - I had lent my workshop key to one of the lads on Thursday and for some reason I got in early - or rather didn't. so a little detour to a local wood for some pure hunting; half an hour of pure dog heaven.
Saturday - Les Orange were picking up on a new 'to us' shoot. Topaz's first bird was one that glided in with wing damage. Landed and ran - he had to run some to catch up and it was several minutes before he came back with it. Catja had six or seven retrieves, a couple were marked and i was pleased how well she marked them. Still a bit mouthy on them, maybe their size relative to her mouth; she just needs to learn to get a good grip to start with.
We had more than our fair share. A good day.
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guy
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Thinking back on yesterday it was interesting how people split into various catgories - genuine - 'what sort of dogs are those' ; I havee'nt seen brittanys working for a long time - the last were ..... ; They're nice Welsh Springers.
Sunday - no training as we went off to South of England Gundogs - open show. Catja took 1st in her class and BoB but then there were only three other dogs entered in the breed classes. Topaz took second in AV gundog field trial. Pleased with that.
Because we had had to hang around for Topaz's class we then waited a little more for the BiS. Catja took BiS4 against 28 so very pleased with that. Catja seemed to 'enjoy' herself in the ring much more than she has done before.
So a good weekend - Saturday standing around in the mist and rain getting cold, but the dog doing very well; Sunday standing around in a cold agricultural building; but the dogs doing well.
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Ghilliegumdrop
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That's life Guy......
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johnhod
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Well done guy and the gang
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eddieh
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Well done Catja, Topaz and Guy.
I think I'd have rather been in a cold agricultural building than the cramped sports hall we were in yesterday.
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Mugi
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Oh the joys of showing - I too was in a cramped and very cold hall - sports hall in fact and even the matting was slippy.
The dog I was showing was such a little gem, the whole aim was to show with four feet on the ground through movement and standing firm and apart from some wiggles for the judge it went to plan .
I now remember why showing WSS is easier than Brittany brats .
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Mugi
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Sounds like you had a great weekend Guy, well done to you all.
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guy
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Monday - just two retrieves each today
Tuesday - gave Topaz a spell on hand signals while the windscreen defrosted. Not as good as I had hoped, it was on green dummies on green grass rather than the recent white ones but the directions were not as crisp as recently. The finding and picking was good though. Later the oranges had a small hunting only session each in woodland. They both enjoyed that. Topaz also had a 'hedging session' just as the light failed.
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guy
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Wednesday
With a novice FT run tomorrow I thought i might slide out for a spell this afternoon. I had a small delivery to make so used the chance to make a little detour. I wanted to have a little go in woodland. I wish we hadn't gone. Himself was in supercharged mode with the ear flaps sewn down. Although the area doesn't hold pheasants - topaz managed to find one, by bumping it when returning over unworked ground. That would have put us out as i am sure he should have found it first time through. He had indicated game ahead - but I think I was not expecting it where he fell over it as i was reading the wind wrong.
Anyway i kept him running and running and running - after about an hour he did show signs of being tired, or at least had lost his 'edge'. Maybe, with luck, he will still be a little jaded tomorrow?? . We are running ten so at least a chance for the ground to warm up.
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doganjo
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Good luck, keep us posted
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Lin Dyke
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Good luck from us too.
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guy
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Well it went something like this -
The day started badly when i found the car door had not shut properly last night (seat belt clip had got jambed in it) so the foot well and drivers seat were awash with water  despite sitting on an old feed bag I still ended up wet.
Terrible weather all the way to Thatcham but then it picked up with some blue sky and sun and a swift little breeze.
The ground is lots of hedges, some river bits and strips of cover crop. Several dogs went out for running in. When our turn came we had a cover strip. I did not pay much attention to the variety apart from realising it was about 5 feet high, 30 odd feet wide and along the edge of the field. Beyond it was a cut strip and then a hedge. Wind was coming across the long axis. The only way to know where my dog was was to hear a rustle.
I said to the judge i thought I would run him down the downwind edge to start; waving my arm in that direction - off he went. Not quite what I intended but I managed to stop him and recall him a bit before he went into the stuff. A bird flew up, but no movement of grass stuff to indicate a dog. Called him back and he came (phew) He was obviously going to be hot before he went off, but a run and the sound and scent of birds in cover crop just took him up a notch. Anyway I called him in decided we would work into the wind and across the strip. He turned on his whistle, took short bights and ran nicely until we got to the hedge when he worked rapidly down it coming on point at the end. Not a rock solid point a bit to much looking around, the there has been something here point and I should go and have a look.
He stayed until we all caught up with him and when he was sent in - nothing; but then he tore through the hedge, came out ran forward about 10 feet and slammed on point; I could see a cock pheasant so claimed that and we were given it to flush. He watched it away and it was shot.
Starting to relax my breathing a bit - we were asked to put on the lead and take him to the corner of the cover crop for his bird that was down in the field. It took two goes to convince him to not run back into the wind (he was sure there was more feather in the hedge); Second run and he spotted the bird and ran out to it 'pouncing' on it triumphantly as he ran out; retrieved to hand.
A quick feel made me expect the worst - we were out - his pick up or the fall had been a bit heavy . I remain convinced the damage was in either of these as in nine trials we have never had such a thing.
Whilst I have to say I was most disappointed I am not despondent about all this. The judge David Windser was very positive and even apologetic about putting him out as he had worked so well. The gallery were impressed by the way he worked his ground so flat and came back when called. I have done so much work on getting him to retrieve enthusiastically i have to say i was pleased, he had turned from hunting in deep cover full of running birds to handling on to a retrieve as if a switch had been thrown.
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doganjo
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Well done, Guy. Maybe he is now just a tad TOO enthusiastic about the retrieve, you've doen your job too well Better luck next time - when's the next one? HAve you entered/do you have a run in the AA on the 8th
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guy
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Thanks -- the more I think about it the greater the achievement of my little lad for a Brittany to be so hot hunting and then go into such enthusiastic retrieve mode. Just proves it can be done.
We have a run at the AA. Also as there was a tight list and an expected withdrawal i entered Catja as well. Boxing above her weight i know but it has given her a run, ensures the card stays sufficient for any result to stand and helps the club bottom line; triple whammy in my book. Then Friday she is at LKA so a truly duel purpose dog.
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doganjo
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I want to put your post about Topaz in breed notes but can you check it first - I'll email it now.
Annie
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guy
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added a bit to it hopefully to help those who read it not having read the forum posts.
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doganjo
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| guy wrote: | | Then Friday she is at LKA so a truly duel purpose dog. |
That's next Friday - not today, and here was me looking on Highams site to see what went on.
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guy
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An interesting couple of days.
Friday - Julia was off work so the girls stayed at home with her. Topaz came with me but only had a couple of retrieves and a little hunting. Quite nice handling.
Saturday - I was crook so did not go beating despite the beautiful day; took the girls out first thing. Catja worked quite nicely but was developing her independence so had to re visit a few basics; she did find a bird nicely and pointed it and then watched it a way, on the way home did some sits to fall - a good start :-). Ellie had a blast. A couple of deer came out of the wood, but she didn't bother with them. The last one out came trotting down towards us and then turned tail - escorted by Ellie. However she was back quite quickly as I expect the deer went over the disused railway embankment via deep brambles and Ellie would have lost touch.
Returned home for a rest and sleep in front of the fire. Topaz didn't get a go until late in the afternoon. He 'couled' a whole hedge row spinning on point and moving on until he nailed the bird near the end of the field. Another point in brambles. Feeling idle I thought i would send him down th embankment into the rough we train in - expecting him to work along and then work the embankment edge. This he did but then when he moved out of sight I walked along the top to find him. No sign; but looking up he was on point in the middle. So I had to climb down to him. He put a bird up when I finally got there and sent him on. Another couple of points and birds produced. Final effort was to send him down wind and into a corner. He worked back into the wind well and very carefully. I was very pleased.
Saturday - a HP training day in Dorset. Julia came to watch. What happened to my dog??? The first two runs were atrocious. Ignoring all whistle except stop, no pattern, Hmm. I had words with him after the second one - involving blowing up his nose and lots of grrring on my part. This changed his attitude as his last run was again the dog I know and love.
Looking back he was exactly the same last year in Germany, I was ill and he chose to 'take over' as top dog. I then had to re state my authority.
Catja had a run in young rape and displayed her age and enthusiasm - skip bound bound. No birds on her run, but quite pleased with her treatment of the final hedge. Patterns in the field and depth of 'bite' were not so impressive.
5am start tomorrow.
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guy
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Monday - out of the house at 5am and arrived down the road from the trial ground at 8 so parked up and took them for a walk down the edge of a wood. I was looking for opportunities to keep on Topaz's case and had them so he was doing well. Catja pointed a partridge going on point with the bird only about 9" from her nose. In hind sight I should have put her lead on as when i sent her in it flushed slowly and flew off down the track with herself in hot pursuit. Hmm.
When we arrived there were four withdrawals so initially eight runners, but a couple of late entries made the card back up to 10.
There were four Brittany's running; my two, Tricky Micky and John Anderson.
Catja had two runs and i was very pleased with her. Her first ever FT and she had a lovely time, it was beginning to unravel a bit towards the end of her second run and i was accused of over handling, but she did more than I ever expected and i was giving her a lot of verbal praise as she went by - not what you should do at an All Age trial where quiet handling is the name of the game.
Topaz also had two runs but as one person said he was Hot hot hot. He was very much doing his won thing at 100 miles an hour. To say i was very disappointed in him is an understatement. The wheels just fell off.
Mick may not put a post on but his dog had the only HPR on the first round and her second run was also very good with another point that was shot; unluckily for him she moved forward more than the judges were allowing so she went out. A great run and I think he should have his user name changed to 'slick mick' it was that good.
So where to now for my two. Catja - I was only intending one trial this winter just to giver her a feel for it. So now more work on stopping her running in and water work.
Topaz - a serious revisit to the basics. Starting tonight his regime is going to tighten. His place in the feed order went from first to last and he was NOT impressed spending the rest of the night sitting at my feet looking at me. Anyway no more trials until he gets over this do it for himself period.
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doganjo
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Any awards, Guy - or Mick, if you are on here - news for breed notes this week?
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guy
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A second and a fourth. second to a GSP and 4th Sharon Pinkerton with Freddy. Sue will have proper note of names.
The judges considered it a hard day, a combination of the physical depth of the cover and the temperature. The scent if any was low.
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Dave A
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Well done to the Britt owners/runners it was difficult ground in places due to the height of the game cover crop, at times you couldnt see the German breeds which gives you some clue, Giving the handlers an extra problem trying to keep in touch with the dogs who would pop up 100yrds away from were you had last seen it. Most cock birds ran on and then one would hold , flushing after the dog had passed. It was a good day chatting to like minded HPR owners ps it took me nearly 4hrs to get home but still worth the effort.
Dave A
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guy
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On thinking about it the phrase 'the wheels fell off' was the wrong one, as they didn't ; it would have slowed him down if they did!
Anyway what to do?
'Back to Basics' started at tea time last night when himself was demoted to third dog to be fed - the look of absolute shock and dare i say indignation and disbelief was quite hard to bear. After his meal he just came and sat at my feet and looked at me intently. Today a policy of 'zero tolerance' arrived in his life; but it was a good ten minutes before he even put a paw wrong - as if he sensed something was different. A small session in some sloping woodland allowed me to get to him more rapidly than he is used - so I could return him to the spot he first heard the whistle. Giving him a 'quiet' reminder. I do mean quiet as I feel there is no point in blasting a whistle in his ear to make a point when at 100 metres what he hears is very quiet. I want him straining to hear that whistle.
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doganjo
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I agree, Guy. I have never understood the logic in trying to blast your dog's very sensitive eardrums out by blowing the whistle loud in it's ear when it has ignored it at a distance.
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guy
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Wednesday. A small session on the field adjacent, but the horses arrived so that came to an early stop, ten mins in the woods on the way home at lunchtime was better. it was a very still day so i was experimenting with talking to him when he was about 40 yards away. He could hear quite easily.
Did not feel he was using the wind to best advantage, but then he was being 'sheep dogged' rather a lot.
Thursday. A quick run up the hedgerow opposite the house as the car windscreen defrosted then at work another session across the horse field (no horses today). He did try and pretend he had not heard some very quiet whistle blows. But after that was very sharp on his turns if not quite as sharp on his sit.
He will get nothing much tomorrow as we are out with Catja at LKA - wondering if i should keep up the work on gameless ground all weekend or go and find some heavy scented woods on Saturday morning, or should i take him beating?
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guy
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LKA all day. The results did not quite go the way I thought they would. Congratulations to Fiona and Sue for their CC's.
Arrived home just in the light so took himself out for a run in the gathering gloom. Went OK until i turned for home and he didn't. We had a conversation about his heritage and the ability of a Brittany to stop bird shot.
Tomorrow's another day as they say.
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doganjo
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| Quote: | | The results did not quite go the way I thought they would |
When you have shown as long as I have you will know that they rarely do! After 30 years showing I now know how to vote with my feet.
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guy
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| guy wrote: | | The results did not quite go the way I thought they would. |
I should perhaps qualify this - I like to 'understand' why a decision has been made.
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Patricia
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"I now know how to vote with my feet"
" I go along with that. It is too expensive too.
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guy
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Saturday - decided not to go beating but concentrate on some training. I have access to a large field with a disused railway cutting along one edge, a small square of rough grass at one end, a small wood separated from us by stock fence and a strip of woodland with a cross country course through it along the bottom edge. (the final edge is past a sheep paddock).
Topaz - he worked quite well, and found several pheasant, however he did develop cloth ears when he considered he 'was on the case'. Working the grass patch he turned on every pip of the whistle. A couple of blatant ignores of the whistle required more movement than I intended to display.
Catja - took her there as well after a small spell in a local wood. Just what is this dog on today?? I want some of it. (this would have the advantage of slowing her down and speeding me up). She was also choosing to ignore her whistle when running out. She spotted a bird and ran for it despite much verbal admonishment from me; when she got close to that one she saw another so by the time she stopped she must have easily been 80 yards away. It was a long drag back to where she should have stopped
She was 'hunting' very well and getting hotter and hotter. Good to see in some ways but i will need to get that lid back on.
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guy
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The dogs like days like today.
Catja - took her to the piece of seta side opposite the house. She was very busy hunting. Not overly good on her stop or any other whistle. Climbed a style and she went up the hedge - pheasant flew out closely followed by herself. A top speed chase ensued bird followed by Brittany followed by me. She ran the field and a small wood only stopping because the bird went over deep brambles and she couldn't. With a major road only yards away I was not impressed with her and told her in no uncertain terms. (as best i could through heavy breaths). We went back to teh style ans started again. This time much better and all of a sudden whistle commands seemed to mean something.
Topaz - took him back to yesterdays field and wood. The railway track which only held one bird yesterday surprised us both. He sight pointed a hen pheasant and worked along the hedge as she ran back to it. Going on point where she went into the undergrowth (he was upwind so this must have been foot scent) and was met by a cloud of 5 pheasant erupting into the air. Gosh - he sat. moved him on and then another 5 partridge got up. Not a muscle moved; but then I think the sheer number were in my favour as no particular bird could be singled out. We did the rest of the field and lower wood and only found one other bird. He behaved really quite well.
After lunch it is retriever class so off T and i went. A one to one lesson as everyone else must be involved in Christmas preparations. A new piece of ground to us and multiple blind retrieves on pheasant and duck wings. Set up so there was always a scent 'trap'. the boy did quite well (which is more than can be said for the handler who time after time is told not to give the dog so much benefit of the doubt). Chris commented on how Topaz was very much 'on his whistle' today.
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guy
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Monday - these short days are not conclusive of dog training. Les Orange had only a couple of retrieves at coffee time and Topaz a little bit of hunting.
Tuesday - not much better as I had a meeting in London. so only a bit of hunting for Topaz and that was it.
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guy
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A few retrieves at coffee time for both. Blinds planted in the yard and the dogs asked to find them. Catja is better at this game.
Lunchtime took Topaz for some woodland work. He was very much on his whistle but right at the end went out of vew and i believe went into doing his own thing - but as i couldn't see him I cannot be sure; just that he was not where I thought he should have been when I finally made it to where he had been - if you see what i mean. He arrived back with the ' you called' look on his face - which usually means he has been a 'little distracted' by his own efforts.
Knowing some of the grounds that are left for novice FT this would be OK - but it would be nicer if he checked back a bit more. Trouble is I have changed my attitude to all this and now need him to come into line. Not sure he is really aware he is not going how i want him to.
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guy
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Took some time out of the day and walked Topaz around some hedges and back across a field. Whilst nothing was to be found he did hunt quite nicely and was on his whistle very well.
I am a bit concerned that he is perhaps good when controlled with a whistle and bad without it.
The girls had a hard run at dusk - mind you it is hard to see a black and white dog in the twilight - I spent several minutes convinced she was in one place only to then hear thundering paws in a different one.
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guy
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Friday - Topaz a small session in the stubble field at dusk. The delay between whistle and result seemed to be slipping a bit; but improved after being returned to the correct spot a couple of times- i think he had forgotten or not really been listening hard enough rather than displaying any intention not to do it. By the attitude of his ears there is plenty of 'respect' now. Will try and find somewhere with a few birds so i can see how he is getting on. Only about three FT feel we could enter - distance and who i wish to run under deciding.
Catja - I seem to be choosing all the wrong spots and reinforcing her wish to catch a bird. One this morning on the drive to work - after which i thought she had got the message. Then this afternoon spotted some birds on the verge so stopped the car and walked her back, a nice point and then off like a rocket. Mind you she runs back as fast as she runs out. i feel i am making a rod for my own back here.
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