A successful first walked up!



Photo taken - www.purbeckpaws.co.uk

It has been a wonderful winter in all parts of Dorset  and a highly productive season for our gun dogs. So far for the beating and picking team it has been an enjoyable  and challenging season as most of the team are new to this domain. As I continue my  gun dog journey with Ivy I have realized that our training on a shoot day doesn’t always go according to plan. Fortunately on a small shoot like ours it is acceptable to be flexible when things don't go to plan and as a novice picker up it’s been a huge learning curve. Therefore I  try to make  a mental note on each shoot as to  what I can work on outside of shoot days. I’m a firm believer most faults come from the handler and I don’t want to put pressure on Ivy during a shoot as this can cause more problems so our training days are a perfect way to go back to the basics or work on a specific area.



 

 

One of the many key lessons I’ve learnt is to reinforce the straight line retrieves. In between shoots days I have been practising memory retrieves to build on Ivy taking straight lines through cover and over obstacles. This has increased her confidence and strengthened our trust in asking her to take the line when I give her the command.  

 

"Dogs have emotions and we need to learn how to read their body language more accurately to become better trainers." By Graham Cox (2014)

 

 



Several members of the team have spent the season working hard as beaters and pickers-up. Today they had a unique opportunity to join the guns and take part in a walked up...



 



 

Break time...there is nothing like a refreshing cuppa!

 



One particular aspect of Ivy’s training which I constantly work on is her steadiness to shot. I realize she is new to the field and being a young dog she tends to get excited in the first drive. As I become more confident at reading Ivy's body language and understand her intentions I can (hopefully) prevent her running in.



Margo

Sam enjoying the day with his dog Margo...Her first season picking up and transforming into a remarkable peg dog.








Murphy

 

Back in the summer Murphy had his first puppy class at Purbeck Gundog club. The Patterdale cross Spaniel was certainly the odd one out with all the usual accepted gundog breeds being present. Mark found it  very daunting and more than once he questioned whether he was doing the right thing. Would Murphy ever make it as a working dog? Today was Murphy's 6th successful shoot. He has been accepted by all and has become the flagship of the team. Mark is delighted with his progress and having him by his side in the walked up is a truly rewarding experience. Mark realizes there is plenty to work on but he is so proud of this little dog who he rescued from the Devon floods last year. The walked up is a special occasion for the pair....especially as they are both celebrating their birthday today!

 

 

The heart of the beating team, Dodger and Archie enjoyed quartering the ground today and being part of the walked up.

 

 




Jason and Sam...enjoying their first shooting experience.

You can almost hear the pheasant's knees knocking when these two top guns turn up!