Gundog training

Last night's training session was..err..eventful shall we say! In a good way mind, we just got through quite a few exercises and did a lot of new things so we were both pooped afterwards!

Jet was introduced to cold game for the first time (cold game = fancy term for pigeon that's been taken out of the freezer....how lovely). Jet was hilarious to watch - he was absolutely fascinated when he was shown the bird and was very excited about it, however, he was more than a little reluctant to hold it in his mouth! When it was cast out on the ground, I sent him out to retrieve it. He ran to get it and then did everything but pick it up! He danced around it, reared up at it and pulled faces at it (Rach (E), if you're reading this, I mean the sort of faces he used to pull at a piece of apple in our office..!). Long story short there was much bounding about, but all the while he made sure he didn't actually touch the bird! I am assured his first response is nothing to be concerned about; more often than not dogs have to be gradually introduced to feathers before they'll confidently pick up a bird, so we'll have to work on that one.

Later on in the session we worked on the dogs' steadiness to fur. One of the instructors had a dummy covered in rabbit skin on the end of a long line which she dragged around where the dogs were sitting (all sounds a bit gruesome really doesn't it. Sorry.). You should have seen their faces! All eyes were on stalks! To begin with Jet could barely contain himself and although he remained in a sit (very good), he was squeeking with excitement (the great Jessie!). As the exercise was repeted he became more relaxed and while he remained intrigued, he bore less resemblance to a coiled spring than he had done intially.

What else did we have to do...ah yes, we had to work on recalls from a fair distance across the field with the dogs positioned so that they were running past one another to return to their respective handlers. Again we completed this task without any problems. Another exercise was to leave the dogs in a sit, spaced out around the top end of the field. We then left the dogs and walked away to a different part of the field and were instruced, one by one, to recall our dogs (using the whistle) whilst the remaining dogs had to stay where they were. First time around Jet gave a text book performance, keeping his eyes on me and not repsonding to any of the other whisltes, just mine (isn't it amazing that they can differentiate between all those whistles?). On the second attempt, Jet looked to run to me when someone else blew their whistle to recall their labrador....so I used the stop whistle that we've been working on over the past few weeks and he responded immediately - (brilliant!), staying where he was until it was his turn to be recalled (but when I finally blew the whistle he hesitated first to make sure it really was his turn, bless him)!!

Th other dogs in our class are: Kougar the English Springer, Billy the working cocker spaniel, Maizie and Porsche - both yellow labs. The grey beastie is the youngest but our instructors have both said how well we're doing and that it's excellent to see a 10 month old weimaraner under such good control (lol!!!). Training is a full time job in itself, but it's definitely worth it. Once again he's done us proud ;-)

The Wall of Fame

Well...the pinboard actually...

Obviously bits of card and ribbon aren't the be-all and end-all, but as we're new to the show world we're really proud of his prizes and just thought you'd like to see! The shield is the one he won at the Mid Herts Gundog Club open show a few months back.

Leeds Championship Show

I am grinning like the Cheshire cat - we left Leeds show ground with a really good result - a 2nd in Puppy Dog (9 entries) and a 2nd in Novice Dog (6 entries) under judge Margaret Holmes. We were also congratulated by some of our fellow exhibitors as we left the ring which was nice. It's been a brilliant day - I feel as though my hard work and determination is starting to pay off. As I'm often reminded, for a beginner such as myself handling their first show dog, to get placed at Championship level at all is quite an achievement..getting two 2nd's in classes of that size is brill :0) V happy indeed.

Here are the internet links to results from some of the Championship shows we've been to this year:

Southern Counties (MPD - minor puppy dog) http://www.highampress.co.uk/scca/weimaran.htm

Windsor (PD - puppy dog)
http://www.highampress.co.uk/windsor/weimaran.htm

Paignton (PD)
http://www.highampress.co.uk/paignton/weimaran.htm

Leeds (PD; ND - novice dog)
ttp://www.highampress.co.uk/leeds/weimaran.htm

Update

Hi Folks,

This is an update of the revamping variety. As Jet's blog was set up a fair old while ago now I decided it was time for a bit of an overhaul, starting with the colour scheme. Originally it was black ('Jet') but I felt this new one gave more of an outdoorsy feel - and outdoors is where the grey beastie loves to be best (shame there isn't a water colour scheme - that would've been perfect)!

Can I make a heart felt plea?? Please leave us a message!! We have a grand total of three, the first of which was from a complete stranger who happened to come across the blog! We are feeling very unloved! Just pick your favourite pic (!) and say hi :-)

We are off to another show tomorrow - in Leeds, so keep your fingers crossed for a good result.

x

East of England Championship Show

At last, another red rosette can be added to our collection as Jet won the Novice class at the show today. Unfortunately he wasn't placed in the puppy class but we'll chalk that one up to experience and move on. He was a good boy for me in the ring and that's the main thing (as he can be a wriggly little so-and-so at times)!

Beach Boy

We've just spent a lovely weekend in Cornwall visiting our family. It was beautiful weather so it seemed rude not to give Jet a proper introduction to the seaside! Here are some pictures taken at Kennack Sands on the south coast.

"Can we go over there to play? Pleeease? Can we, huh? huh?"

What a view....(sigh)....we miss Cornwall!

"Corrr, just look at all that water!"

"Whoopeeeeeee!"

"Catch me if you can!"

Paignton Championship Show

Yesterday was a good start to our holiday weekend - Jet was placed 3rd in Puppy. Lets hope this upward trend continues - we could do with a bit more red on the rosette board!

Clowning around!

I don't think there's really a great deal I can say about these pics, the boy is a natural comedian, the blummin' great loon! (It's hard to choose, but I think the third pic is my personal favourite).

Perhaps this Jet's little reminder to us all not to take life to seriously!

10 months old today

Good Lord! Will you just look at how much this great lump has grown in the past 8 months! Just to recap, here's what he looked like at 7 weeks and 6 days...



..compared with now..! We've used the sofa for scale as unfortunately poor old Ratty didn't make it.

Peterborough & District Canine Society Open Show

Just thought I'd post a wee bit of good news. Jet came second in the junior class today and was awarded his third Best Puppy in Breed at open show level :-) The judge said she was delighted to award BPIB to our boy and told me how lovely she thought he was!

On Friday we're off to Paignton to our next Championship show so keep those fingers crossed for a good result!

Until next time....

x

Suffolk Open Show - Critique

The judge's write up from Suffolk Agricultural Association open show, where Jet won his second Best Puppy in Breed, has been printed in the dog press (Our Dogs, 7th July 2006). Here's what judge Ray Strudwick had to say about Jet:

"1. Vincent's Hollieseast Polarkreis - BP. Good size male, balanced in head, lengthy neck into good lay of shoulder, well angulated quarters, just needs to steady on the move"

..yeah, and don't I know it! Trying to get him to move nicely around the ring is certainly proving to be a challenge!

Windsor Championship Show

Hmm..there seems to be a rather regal theme to our weekend - yesterday Sandringham, today Windsor - the venue of a championship show we had entered. Jet was awarded VHC (very highly commended; 5th) in the puppy class out of an entry of 11 dogs. Considering how hot it was (38 degrees on the show field!!) he was pretty good. Stood nicely but unfortunately he moved like an old goat :-( Still, like the old saying goes.."you win some, you lose some". On the way home we took him swimming at the river near our home so he's happy (and a lot cooler) now.

If you go down to the woods today...

You're sure of a big surprise....

Like running into your half sister!

We went for a walk and a picnic today at Sandringham. We decided it'd be better to walk in the woods as it was so hot (30 degrees) . The grounds at Sandringham cover acres and acres of land and there was hardly anyone about...yet who should we see walking along the path towards us but a couple walking a beautiful pale weimaraner bitch that turned out to be Jet's half sister! She looks just like their mum, Klara. Very pretty. We had a chat with her owners whilst Jet and Amber played chase. It was really lovely to meet them. Small world eh!