Tuesday, October 14, 2008

october 14th

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.

Monday, October 13, 2008

training day - Suffolk

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.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

october 11th

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.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

october 9

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

Friday, March 21, 2008


Giverset Forest

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Catja vom Junkenhof


Catja's first 'outing' was to the GWP Spring pointing test at Moundsmere. This just happens to be the estate we dog in for and beat on in the winter. Two very nice runs from her but no birds were found, unless you count the dried carcase she found in the rape and brought back to hand:-)

Friday, February 1, 2008

KC Novice Field Trial

We were forecast rain and snow later - but in the end we had a bright sunny windy day.

I entered this a long time back and meant to withdraw after our efforts at Mordiford - where himself ran in and after his bird. A quick end to a four hour drive and a four hour walk around saturated fields! Anyway the draw came and we were fifth reserve so the decision was made for me - until Wednesday when a phone call said there was a run available would I like to take it. All that resolve to have a rest went in a fraction of a second.

With only a couple of days notice I had no time to 'prepare' only one trip to a local wood for some hunting and retrieving, and a blast across winter wheat to sharpen up his pattern.

The first run was along a hedge and in a small cover strip. We were running 5th and it was obvious, it being Feb 1st the birds were not sitting around politely awaiting the visit of an HPR. Topaz worked the hedge fast and nailed a bird, it was flushed and he SAT. worked on he got a little too far ahead and we were called back to work the cover crop; his guardian angel had her eye out for him as he came back down a wheeling and then spun on point, the bird flushing very soon after - he did not move save to sit and look to see if he could see the bird away. no retrieves. We were still in by the skin of our teeth His drive and that he produced the birds outweighed his poor in places ground treatment.

Second run - in a piece of waste ground with a very strong tail wind. i suggested to the judge I would start down the leeward corner - but he said the host did not want the ground worked to the boundary behind us so I cast him off differently. He initially ignored the whistle (something he is prone to do when in competitions) and ran off to the end of the patch and started working there. I felt it best to keep quiet - my best move as the dog then worked up to us into the wind. A few more bits of ground - the dog now much sharper on the whistle - so it is more obvious he was under control. Again through by the skin of our teeth - his drive, speed and determination outweighing his distant working. The judge said I would have been better 'starting the dog down into the far corner' - I said I thought that is the question I had asked - he thought I had said I had wanted to go down there to work the dog back myself. Nice to have clarified that.

So we just needed some retrieves. Luck again held out as our first was about 40 feet across woodland to a hedge for a dead hen. This was a hard close hit bird with a shattered rib cage and broken legs. We were given the benefit of any doubt (he had done a lot of 'arranging' as he picked it up. We still needed another retrieve - and fortunately there were two birds down at the end of the wood - in front of the gallery. One in open grass and the other in the wood behind a wood pile - they thought. We were given the woodpile bird. Concerned he might wish to go hunting in any direction but the right one I used the little anticlockwise reverse (turn on the spot with the dog at heel so it has to focus on me) and set him up. He exploded towards the gap behind the woodpile - about 50 yards away, running as if there was a line on the ground to follow (bear in mind there was a cheek wind) at the same moment I blew the stop (as I wanted to then give the 'hunt there') he spun on scent ran in and picked the bird up, by the shoulder and brought it back. Penny Simpson was there taking photos so I have something to really remember that by.

We made the water. Topaz does water.

3rd Nick Lamberts HV b Archenfield Wigeon
CoM Guy Bagshaw Britt d Tailliside Water Chestnut of Tresallier

Judges John Naylor, Ray Butler.

I have to admit I was in a daze, the retrieve had made my day but not until I was about half an hour away did the result really hit me. The warmth and sincerity of all the competitors congratulations was phenomenal - and very humbling.

It was nice to see two Brittanys running - Mick Young on his first FT; was unlucky to have a difficult piece of ground for his second run - very wide and with a strong tail wind. Ruby worked a good solid performance, responsive to Mick; her style gives her a nice tight pattern so Mick chose to work the last quarter of the field - I think before coming back to work the other. In hindsight if the guns and judges had stayed still-- - a bird was kicked up from ground he had not worked so he was out for missed game.

That was our first Certificate of Merit - ever! a really nice way to end the season.

Sunday, January 20, 2008


Early days in the New Forest.