Darcey
(Rhiwlas Witchcraft at
Lyndongraey) took part
in a training session
with the Mid-Sussex Working
Spaniel Club in the Summer
of 2003. We signed her
up for six sessions of
training and an assessment
course, this was aimed
at young or novice dogs.
The aim of the course
is to produce a dog that
can hunt and retrieve
under control. Here she
is having a few moments
to herself.
Each
sessions consists of the
following, under each
heading is her progress
report :
SESSION
1
Introduction to dog
behaviour. What do we
want from our gundog?
Basic obedience, walking
on lead, sit / stay with
verbal and hand signals
and socialisation.
We had great weather although
trying to get to the venue
was a challenge. If you
did not have a 4x4 you
and your dog were dirty
before you even started.
We all introduced ourselves
and our dogs to one another
and got on with the day,
which proved quite frustrating
to one owner whose dog
Bella, jumped out of the
car and ran about for
the whole morning, no-one
could catch her.
The day progress well
and Darcey surprised me,
she knew more than she
was letting on and we
had a good day. Roll on
session 2.
SESSION
2
Building on basic skills,
walking to heel off the
lead, use of the whistle,
stop command, recall,
sit / stay off the lead.
Learn to hunt.
Remember Bella, well today
she was on a 10ft lead,
no chance of her escaping
today. The second session
was a fun day, dogs off
the lead, owners blowing
whistles and some dogs
doing their own thing!!
Darcey was good for most
of it, but the feather
on the fishing line was
too much of a distraction,
and she got it. Good retrieve
but not what I wanted.
Her sit and stays off
the lead were reasonable,
stop command - forget
it, suddenly she has gone
deaf, something we will
have to work on. As for
hunting, well spaniels
are suppose to work in
front to the handler,
Darcey was great but she
decided to work behind
me.
SESSION
3
Introduction to retrieving,
introduction to shot and
hunting.
Unfortunately we were
not able to attend today's
session due to Darcey
being in season, but we
can practice!!
SESSION
4
Building on retrieving
skills with multiple and
unseen dummies and using
hand signals. Sit to shot.
Hunting.
Today's session was a
challenge to most of us.
Darcey's retrieving skills
were good, although she
would not pick up a dummy
- only tennis balls and
brightly coloured ones
at that. So I suppose
I am hoping for brightly
coloured 'round' birds!!
Darcey was excellent when
placed in the middle of
4 handlers and their dogs
and dummies and balls
thrown all around her
- my hand signals to keep
her still were working
well. The next challenge
was to sit to shot, this
is when the dog must sit
or stay still when gunfire
is heard - not a chance,
Darcey has gone deaf again
along with some of the
other dogs.
The final challenge of
the day was hunting -
this should come natural
to some dogs. I am glad
it did to Darcey, she
quartered the ground well
but she really should
be in front of me and
not behind me. Barry,
our instructor, took all
the handlers and dogs
into the woods to try
a beating line, this is
where all handlers must
stay in a line with one
another and the dogs working
in front to flush any
birds. The line only moves
as fast as the slowest
handler - well I am sure
you can image what our
line must have looked
like - need I say more!!
We came across an empty
pheasant pen and in groups
of 4 beat a line. I am
very glad to say Darcey
did really well and was
congratulated on her success
for the day. I certainly
left the training session
with a smile on my face
- Darcey looked pleased
with herself as well.
SESSION
5
Retrieving with a distraction
and water work.
Session 5, I was looking
forward to this one as
it introduced dogs to
water, something Darcey
had not encountered before.
The lake we were using
was absolutely beautiful,
large with an island and
plenty of easy access.
Field Spaniels are notorious
for liking water, they
can usually get wet in
a puddle. NOT Darcey -
she ran a mile when I
asked her to get in. All
the other dogs were in
and enjoying themselves,
retrieving dummies, balls,
lily leafs - you name
it they had got it. I
was still persuading Darcey
to come to the waters
edge.
Good old Barry, he had
brought his waders and
in he went, I passed (or
should I say dragged)
Darcey to the waters edge,
Barry carried her and
slowly lowered her into
the water - all I can
say is I wished I had
had a camera with me,
the look of panic on her
face was a picture, I
think most of the water
had left the lake by the
time she had got to the
bank. That was almost
the last I saw of Darcey
- she was going back to
the car. All the training
in the other 4 sessions
had gone out the window
- she ignored me.
Darcey finally came back
but sat about 10 feet
from me and the waters
edge, so I decided to
go back to basics and
do some training away
from the water and the
other dogs. She had not
forgotten everything,
we had some great retrieves,
she listened to the whistle
and we did some hunting.
I think the water work
is going to take some
time before she is confident
to try it again.
SESSION
6
Evaluation and assessment
with certificates.
The
evaluation and assessment
day started well, we all
had to complete certain
exercises that were already
laid out in the field,
this was very daunting
but all the dogs completed
every exercise and we
all passed the test but
all had homework to carry
out, as training your
dog never ends. Most dogs
are always willing to
try and eager to please,
although sometimes not
in the right order!!
We
still attend our training
sessions although I do
not think Darcey will
ever
like water!!!
The Mid-Sussex Working
Spaniel Club is a very
friendly club that is
often asked to events
throughout the year, which
include Game and Country
Fairs and BASC events.
They are asked to do demonstrations,
organise scurries and
other activities. Hopefully
this year Darcey and I
will be taking an active
part in these events.
Look out for us!!!
