Charlie has had me in a bit of a dilemma lately. He’s coming to the end of his chemical castration and there is no real need to top it up as Breeze is now spayed. He can’t have the full operation due to his heart and lungs.
I’ve been busy with both Floss and Breeze on courses and training and he’s got a bit left out on the brain work which is starting to show in his behaviour 🤪
So I have a bored 7 and a half yr old springer who’s going through a testosterone surge 🤯😱.
I struggle to hold him to mantrail him due to my hands and he can only do short ball searches due to his heart and lungs.
I then had a brainwave based on all I learnt and saw at the conference in Dumfries and have experienced with Floss and a couple of other dogs - I’ll teach him tracking. So this is his first tentative attempt and he loved it. I don’t think he could believe he was finding treats.
He did a second one and didn’t look at me once - and was slow enough for me to hold him comfortably.
The plan is to work hard on the tracking with the goal being that it will slow him down enough and make him more accurate when mantrailing so that I can hold him and we can trail again. (Plus he was shattered afterwards using his brain and nose 😴)
#springerspaniel #rescuedogsofinstagram #dogtrainingisfun
This morning was all about the fun of just running. No training, no wildlife, just pure fun
#cockerspanielsofinstagram #springerspanielsofinstagram #dogsrunning #dogshavingfun🐶 #happydogshappylife
Stage 1 - indicating on food in my hand at different levels.
Miss Floss has been working really hard at the first stage of her indication training. She has struggled with the different heights and what indication she was going to offer me but she has settled on a sit which is nice. I haven’t taught her the sit, she has chosen it herself over stand and down. I feel it’s so much better if the dog decides on what they will offer than teaching something they may find difficult due to confirmation or generally being uncomfortable in the position.
She doesn’t find it easy to focus on one thing as she loves putting her own spin on things and offering me alternatives but I am so pleased for her
#indicationtraining #cockerspanielsofinstagram #dogtrainingisfun
Where is that tennis ball 🎾
#spaniels #dogssearching #tennisball #dogsofinstagram #cockerspanielsofinstagram #springerspanielsofinstagram #spaniellife
Happy sunny Thursday
#sunshine #cockerspaniel #happydoghappylife #justchillin #dogsofinstagram
Breeze got to practise her ball searches in a beautiful private bluebell woodland this morning. I was there to do some “secret training” that I will be rolling out to everyone at the beginning of June so watch this space 🤫
I’ve done a lot of talking about the moment the dog hits proximity scent and the “whiplash” moment where they turn into the find, be it mantrailing or detection work. Sometimes it’s very subtle but Breeze completed a great demo today at the end of her tennis ball search.
She had already narrowed the area down and indicated she was in proximity scent and started to home in. Look for the moment when she really pin points where the ball is.
It was a blind search for her - she hadn’t seen where I had thrown the ball and I left it 10 mins before we started searching the area.
I love watching her work the areas. She goes so fast but with analysing the areas, the weather, and the wind direction, I now understand how she works her searches, often going out of the area and coming back into the scent pool to try and pin point exactly where the ball is.
This is just the end clip of a much longer search.
#workingspringerspaniel #tennisballsearch #proximityscent #scentpools, #scentdetection #dogtraining #springerspanielsofinstagram
Miss Floss is showing Breeze how to search 😂😂😂
#spanielsofinstagram #dogssearching #tennisballsearch #spaniellife #spanielfun #muddydogs
I am often asked why a dog has forgotten some of its training and isn’t following its normal behaviour. There can be so many reasons such as adolescence, pain, hormonal changes, high prey drive, increased reactivity.
My three lost their loose lead walking when we moved house. They came from a quiet village where we often didn’t see anyone or cars on our morning walk - we did see pheasants and sheep as well as cats that ran.
They are now in a small town, that has some semi rural/ rural areas with a very busy main road. Lots of dog walkers, runners, paper delivery teenagers, delivery vans to shops, Wednesday market plus so many totally different smells.
The first week was awful. Charlie pulling and lunging, the girls were getting their leads tangled and me holding on for my life! Plus comments and looks from people as to how untrained they were and what an unruly handful. But I pressed on each morning with a 45 min circuit exposing them to everything continually.
Fast forward to this morning. My best buy at crufts was the biothane double lead that allows the girls to change places and stops the risk of me dropping one of their leads near the main road. Charlie still has his moments but manages about 80% of the walk nicely. The over arousal at all the new smells and distractions has died down plus the cats here appear to be dog savvy and just sit still as we walk past them. 😸
It’s an example of how solid foundations always return after whatever the dog has gone through, it is so important to get those foundations in place, it’s not a quick fix as promoted on social media, it’s working daily, short quick regular sessions that long term will become rock solid.
This morning was my big win and proud dog mum.
#dogtrainingtips #foundationsareimportant #looseleadwalking #spanielsrock #biothaneleash #distractions
Oh Miss Floss, you have never managed to catch one over the last 9 years we have lived here.
Pheasant ✅
Pigeon ✅
But the bunnies, mice and hedgehogs were always safe from you.
Our new garden is slightly more urban and smaller, BUT is a sun trap (we worked that out when we measured for curtain poles) so you can enjoy spending your time just chilling out in the sun ☀️ which I know is your favourite pastime 😎
All three dogs are getting a bit twitchy as they have seen all the boxes, bags and cases I have been packing but I am keeping their routines the same but on Friday they will sadly have their last walk with our amazing dog walker Tina, who we really will miss so much.
Charlie and Breeze are going to @derringsdoggieaccommodation (they love it there) for a couple of nights while the big furniture is moved. This is to keep Charlie calm and chilled. Miss Floss will be assisting me and getting things organised. 🙈
I have my last Mantrailing session tonight for 10 days but I really would like to give a massive thank you to my wonderful Mantrailers who have been so supportive and empathetic over the last few months. You have really kept me smiling watching all your amazing dogs and the chit chat at our sessions. I really would have struggled without your kindness and the tips to help me with my health.
It’s a real wrench leaving here but I am sure we will have lots of new adventures, find new walks and settle in nicely. We will see you soon with lots of new training ideas and fun tips.
Miss Floss, Charlie, Breeze and our mum x
#readytomove #spanielsofinstagram #bigchanges #newlife #newadventures
Miss Floss worked on perfecting her indication during our mantrailing session with York Mantrailing. So pleased with her, she had so much fun and worked well checking out all possibilities. 🥰
Today has to be given over to Floss and her favourite sit on Christmas Eve
#flosscharliebreezeadventchallenge #christmaseve #sableroancocker
Sitting nicely at the back door (eventually)
#flosscharliebreezeadventchallenge
This one is Miss Flossies choice 😂
#flosscharliebreezeadventchallenge
Breeze is starting her board work - it’s great for so many things - exercise and fitness, controlling her excitement, a wait at the beginning of indication and many others. Today we just focused on a nice sit
#flosscharliebreezeadventchallenge
The face says it all 😂😂 #flosscharliebreezeadventchallenge #dogparkour #spaniel #sablecocketspaniel
More of a challenge for Miss Floss than Breeze but they completed it while pheasants were clucking and flying around. Well done 👏 #flosscharliebreezeadventchallenge #challengethespaniels #spanielsofinstagram
“I’ll sit still and hold tight so Breeze can’t steal it off me”
#flosscharliebreezeadventchallenge
Breeze hasn’t been use to grooming or hands on physio so she is learning to sit nicely on the table #flosscharliebreezeadventchallenge
Work in progress today - sit to stop whistle. Floss gets it, Breeze runs in and sits and Charlie thinks he is exempt 😂. Something to go on the training plan
#flosscharliebreezeadventchallenge
