A Beattie - Gundog Training

03/03/2025

On this day last year we collected the very tiny Ghillie-Gillespie and he came to join us.
He's one in a million.

02/03/2025

The "bolting rabbit" is designed to simulate the sudden, rapid movement of a rabbit, providing a fun and fairly useful training tool for our gundogs.

* Steadiness:
The primary goal is to teach the dog to remain steady and controlled, even when faced with a high-distraction, fast-moving target.

* Control and Obedience:
Reinforcing commands like "stay," "sit," and "heel" in the presence of the bolting rabbit.

* Retrieving:
Once steadiness is established, the rabbit can be used to practice controlled retrieves.

* Distraction Training:
Helps the dog learn to focus on the handlers commands, despite exciting distractions behind them in front of them or dartingbout of the hedges.

* Initial Steadiness Training:
Introduce the equipment in a controlled environment.

* Position and Distraction:
Place the dog in the position that you require
Have an assistant (or use a remote system/trip wire) activate the bolting rabbit.
Focus on maintaining the dog's position command, rewarding them for remaining still.
Chance the location & Gradually increase the distance and speed of the bolting rabbit.

* "Sit to Flush":
This exercise trains the dog to sit when the rabbit bolts.
The bolting rabbit is released, and the handler gives the sit command.
This is designed to stop the dog from chasing.

* Controlled Retrieves:
Marked Retrieves - Once the dog is steady, use the bolting rabbit to simulate a 'running retrieve' as opposed to retrieves always being placed or thrown through the air.
After the dummy stops, send the dog to retrieve it with a controlled return.

* Distraction Retrieves:
Introduce distractions while the dog is retrieving, such as other dummies or sounds... Or let the rabbit be the distraction, crossing his path as your dog retrieves his usual dummies.. outgoings to pick up and incoming to present it to you.
This helps to reinforce focus on the task and prevent the dog from being distracted during a retrieve.

* Advanced Training:
Combining with Shot:
Introduce the sound of a starter pistol or blank shot in conjunction with the bolting rabbit.
This simulates the sound of a gunshot during a hunt and helps the dog to remain steady.

28/02/2025

A cold but otherwise lovely morning spent with Cody young Lab who is just starting out with Gundog training to allow him a life that suits both him and his owners.
Here he is having worked on a 360° focus exercise and made a start to some general Steadiness.

27/02/2025

He's missed his water retrieving over the Winter

27/02/2025

Soon as the water temperature raises, Ghillie will be out doing some serious water work ..

27/02/2025

What a day 🌞

26/02/2025

This boy has the ability, the instincts are still not quite matched with trained responses, but the gap is getting smaller now.

26/02/2025

Gorgeous little Coda has a massive aversion to any restraint ..self restraint is not his favourite thing to do, with good reason, Coda likes to be in control of his actions - using the things he loves helps to reinforce his commitment to learning the skills needed.

19/02/2025

Family pets of gundog breed may not be where you want them to be in terms of their ability - your life involves work (that isn't gundog training) and can take up most of your time and energy, children's needs, other family commitments and health, daylight hours.
Its stacked against you & your dog.
Training may take longer and some things will feel like shoving a genie back inside the bottle if you have:

Not worked on lead walking until the pup is able to go outside.

Allowed them to chase the fallen leaves, blossom, twigs, bubbles in the puddles...

Not worked on little mini puppy retrieves if you need a retrieving dog

Allowed your dog to sniff at everything it likes for as long as it likes.

Grabbing access to anything it wants.

Allowed unlimited, unrestricted uninstructed and unearned, play with others.. (children and dogs)

Let the importance of other dogs become more important than you and the tasks.

Not practiced returning your dog away from access to good things.

Allowed uninstructed, unearned freedom.

Let them practice ripping apart and ragging of 'pretend' prey.

Chased your dog around when he has something in hold.

Played repetitive fetch (after the mini puppy retrieves are understood)

Encouraged a little too much focus on a ball, a food treat or similar (your dog will and should focus on you)

Rushed in too fast on retrieves, directionals, cover, gunshot and shootday experiences.

& For older dogs, in your enthusiasm, you have done too much - other dog sports and experiences that are not always compatible or so natural to your dog.

🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶

Here's some key advice for a new puppy owner aiming for shootday readiness, broken down into essential points:

Early Foundations are Key:

* Socialisation and Basic Obedience:
* Prioritise early socialisation. Expose your puppy to various environments, people, and other dogs. This builds confidence and adaptability.
Exposure is not the same as interaction.

* Focus on fundamental obedience: "sit," "stay," "come," and "heel." These are the building blocks for all future gundog training.
* Begin these lessons in short, positive sessions, using rewards and praise.
* Building a Strong Bond:
* Develop a strong, positive, parental relationship with your puppy. This trust is crucial for effective training.
* Make training fun and engaging. Avoid harsh punishments, which can damage your bond and hinder progress.

Gundog Specific Considerations:
* Introducing Retrieving:
* Introduce retrieving gently and gradually. Start with soft dummies and keep sessions short and fun.
* Avoid overdoing it; excessive retrieving can lead to obsessive behaviour.
* Do not allow the puppy to play with retrieving items as common toys. this helps to keep those items of high value for training.

* Whistle and Lead Training:
* Introduce whistle commands early on.
* Get your puppy accustomed to wearing a lead and practice heelwork in various settings.

* Exposure to Sounds and Environments:
* Gradually expose your puppy to the sounds of gunfire, starting with quiet noises and gradually increasing the volume. Either use Conditioning or Desensitisation
* Familiarise your puppy with different terrains and cover, preparing them for the varied conditions of shoot days.

Crucial "Do Nots":
* Don't Rush:
* Avoid pushing your puppy too quickly. Gundog training takes time and patience.
* Focus on building a solid foundation before advancing to more complex tasks.

* Don't Over-Train:
* Keep training sessions short and have some fun
Over-training can lead to burnout and frustration.

* Don't Allow Bad Habits:
* Address any unwanted behaviours immediately. Consistent correction is essential.

* Do not allow the puppy to chase livestock, or wild game outside of a controlled training environment.

By following these guidelines, you'll be well on your way to developing a well-behaved and capable gundog.

But do just remember, whatever you do with your pet dog together, is time well invested.. no one has to be the best at anything, except maybe the best at having fun 😊 and being the best pet & best friend.

18/02/2025

"Spring fever" in hunting dogs is a term used to describe a noticeable increase in energy and excitement as the weather warms and days lengthen.

This is due to a combination of factors, including increased exposure to sunlight, the release of hormones, and the abundance of new scents and sights in the environment.
While not a clinical diagnosis, Spring Fever can manifest in several ways, such as increased restlessness (increased nonsense) barking, and a stronger prey drive.

As your dog's trainer, it's important to recognise the signs of spring fever and adjust training accordingly.
While the extra energy can be channelled into productive training sessions, training the dog ability in & responses to such high arousal - it's also crucial to maintain control and reinforce commands to prevent bad habits from forming.

Consider increasing exercise and mental stimulation to help your dog manage their springtime enthusiasm.
(Remember - "you can have excuses or results" - Spring Fever is a reason not an excuse)

18/02/2025

A significant moment - a photo that won't mean anything to anyone else, but we know you were brilliant here Max, walking through your 'temptation alley' with a heel means heel into a steady position and heeling away.
Well done little fella 😄

17/02/2025

Please tell me Spring is around the corner.

16/02/2025

Lots of new things to take on board for little Amber this morning.

15/02/2025

Despite winter insisting on hanging around, Training practice continues.
Holding mark, sitting at the point of flush and waiting to be sent out to pick-up

13/02/2025

.. still practicing

13/02/2025

At 13mths he still has a lot of practicing to do.. As people pass by the driveway gates, it is our preference that he can be asked to sit.
An ideal opportunity to practice his steadiness to the throw and fall at the same time.

13/02/2025

Not fully steady to shot.. I used his steady tab briefly just to prevent him from running-in.

This exercise is a progression from the 'heel - throw dummy out - heel away' one ..we now add the shot ...Ghillie finds this challenging so we'll be staying at this level for a while and walking him through it as a drill, he picks things up well when he's given a drill to rehearse.

13/02/2025