Search found 1916 matches

by Trekmoor
Wed Oct 16, 2019 6:15 am
Forum: Training
Topic: question for Trekmoor
Replies: 3
Views: 2591

Re: question for Trekmoor

I googled this book and I think the author may have been a man called Michael Brander ? He is dead now but I knew him quite well and liked him a lot …..but was not very impressed with his dogs ! We went out pheasant shooting over two of his dogs one day and he shot a pheasant which came down as a ve...
by Trekmoor
Wed Oct 16, 2019 3:59 am
Forum: Training
Topic: question for Trekmoor
Replies: 3
Views: 2591

Re: question for Trekmoor

I can't remember ever reading that book. What sort of "issues" are we talking about here ? I should maybe explain that although I love reading I am not a big fan of most dog training books. All too often I disagree with their authors ! :lol: The gundog training book I got the most from was one I rea...
by Trekmoor
Wed Oct 16, 2019 3:40 am
Forum: Training
Topic: FF or wait?
Replies: 62
Views: 45308

Re: FF or wait?

Dunno either?!? :lol: That is Scottish for "I don't know either." Scotland is a country with several languages at least two of which are spoken by just about everybody. One is English, one is Gaelic, one is Doric and just to make things even more confusing we are in the habit of mixing all of them ...
by Trekmoor
Tue Oct 15, 2019 5:26 am
Forum: Training
Topic: English Setter I need your advice
Replies: 7
Views: 4121

Re: English Setter I need your advice

I have trained quite a number of show bred gundogs. This applies to retrievers, spaniels, the versatile breeds and to pointers and setters. Their owners wanted them to work as gundogs , they liked the idea of turning up to shoot with a "beautiful" dog but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Almost...
by Trekmoor
Sun Oct 13, 2019 4:13 am
Forum: Training
Topic: FF or wait?
Replies: 62
Views: 45308

Re: FF or wait?

Robert , I've never been very sure of what the "whoa" command is supposed to accomplish ? I don't use it or have one ….unless it serves the same purpose as a "stop whistle ?" I do use that during some retrieves or if a dog is starting to chase sheep or deer or rabbits but never to keep a dog steady ...
by Trekmoor
Fri Oct 11, 2019 6:44 am
Forum: Training
Topic: FF or wait?
Replies: 62
Views: 45308

Re: FF or wait?

I have never needed to train F.F. to any member of any of the gundog breeds. It is possible to work with whatever a pup shows me it has got in the way of a "retrieve instinct" in order to first boost that instinct and then do all the fancy stuff with it like steadiness, deliveries and directional tr...
by Trekmoor
Thu Sep 12, 2019 10:11 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Running 2 Pointing Dogs at Once
Replies: 27
Views: 10403

Re: Running 2 Pointing Dogs at Once

I preferred to hunt just one dog at a time. I used to take small parties of guns out onto the grouse moors (think hills) and usually started the hunts between 9 .30 a.m. and 10 a.m then finished at about 4 p.m. I also trialed my dogs and I did not want them to think they would have all day to hunt a...
by Trekmoor
Sun Sep 01, 2019 4:17 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Young dog to hunt with older dog
Replies: 15
Views: 5535

Re: Young dog to hunt with older dog

I'd let the pup play with the older dog but would not let it hunt with it for a good while yet. I don't like to see what I call "ghosting." This is when one dog just moves along with a hunting dog instead of going in search of it's own birds. I prefer to work my pups on their own until they are expe...
by Trekmoor
Thu Aug 29, 2019 7:47 am
Forum: Polls
Topic: clicker training, who is doing it?
Replies: 37
Views: 49605

Re: clicker training, who is doing it?

I have used clickers on a few pups of my own and on adult dogs belonging to other people. As a training method it can work very well. I found it especially useful when trying to correct the mistakes dog owners had already made when trying to train their dogs retrieve deliveries. Somehow though, I do...
by Trekmoor
Sat Aug 24, 2019 3:47 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Force fetch with positive and negative reinforcement
Replies: 12
Views: 6036

Re: Force fetch with positive and negative reinforcement

Along with most other British trainers, probably including Polmaise, I have never really understood the compulsion so many American trainers seem to have to F.F. gundogs. Like Robert (Polmaise) I rely on using a pups inclination to pick items up and move around with them in order to "build" a retrie...
by Trekmoor
Tue Aug 06, 2019 5:20 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Great competition always makes you better.
Replies: 12
Views: 4296

Re: Great competition always makes you better.

I hadn't thought I was a competitive type until I competed in dog events of various kinds. I got lucky first time out in an obedience arena competition and won, then I won the 2nd and 3rd obedience competitions too and got a swollen head that was very quickly reduced in size when I entered my first ...
by Trekmoor
Mon Aug 05, 2019 6:54 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Setters Perspective
Replies: 11
Views: 4363

Re: Setters Perspective

Featherfinder, I shot fewer than 5 grouse in my entire life. I could not afford to shoot them ….but I could work my dogs to find and point them while more wealthy men than me did the shooting. I trained my dogs very thoroughly to retrieve and they retrieved the grouse those guns shot . The pups/dogs...
by Trekmoor
Sun Aug 04, 2019 4:18 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Setters Perspective
Replies: 11
Views: 4363

Re: Setters Perspective

Hi Shags, I'd have loved to see American pointing dogs in action in real time and in real life. I can't even ride a horse but I'd give it a go just to spectate at the trials you have over there ! America has the land to do that on and we do not. Your "culture" of working setters and pointers is far ...
by Trekmoor
Sat Aug 03, 2019 4:29 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Setters Perspective
Replies: 11
Views: 4363

Re: Setters Perspective

Thanks Featherfinder, that was an interesting read. I.M.O. our K.C. has not done our setter breeds OR any of our other working breeds any favours ! For example, when I was about 8 -9 years old I once took a show winning Yorkshire Terrier belonging to one of my fathers friends out rat hunting in some...
by Trekmoor
Tue Jul 30, 2019 3:37 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: GSP Training Progress questions.
Replies: 8
Views: 3007

Re: GSP Training Progress questions.

This may not be of much use to you as I don't use American training methods. By 16 months old I expected the GSP's I trained to be working just about well enough to win a field trial. I have had a GSP and a Brittany that had won trials by 14 months old. I train dogs in a slow way compared to what I'...
by Trekmoor
Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:40 am
Forum: Training
Topic: training a pointing breed to sit on command
Replies: 51
Views: 28521

Re: training a pointing breed to sit on command

Thanks Trekmoor. Interesting how the pointing breeds evolved or in some cases devolved. I was once told setters "set" or laid down because nets were thrown over them many years ago before the advent of the firearm. This would align itself with your offering. Your informant was correct, I think sett...
by Trekmoor
Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:34 am
Forum: Training
Topic: training a pointing breed to sit on command
Replies: 51
Views: 28521

Re: training a pointing breed to sit on command

I have never fully trained a setter myself but did, I hope, help others to train theirs. I saw a good number of all the setter breeds working and the best running dog among them all was a Gordon Setter named "Bruce." His owner was a very experienced pointer and setter field trailer and he was also a...
by Trekmoor
Tue Jul 23, 2019 3:32 am
Forum: Training
Topic: training a pointing breed to sit on command
Replies: 51
Views: 28521

Re: training a pointing breed to sit on command

0% you say Polmaise. I see. So do British pointing dogs sit on the flush/shot? If they do, "we" call this sitting on point. So, if a dog transitions from pointing/standing to sitting on the flush/shot, it can no longer be standing/pointing, no? Could one also say, "You aspire to have 100% of your d...
by Trekmoor
Mon Jul 22, 2019 5:20 am
Forum: Training
Topic: VIDEO: Cazzie Gets a Second Chance
Replies: 2
Views: 2513

Re: VIDEO: Cazzie Gets a Second Chance

I agree... well done Brad. The way you re-conditioned the dog is what I do from the start with all pups ….no pressure ! I didn't have to do it with a dog that had already been "pressured" though. There is , I.M.O. , seldom any need for check cords..... I think it has been about 6 years since I last ...
by Trekmoor
Fri Jul 19, 2019 12:15 pm
Forum: Training
Topic: training a pointing breed to sit on command
Replies: 51
Views: 28521

Re: training a pointing breed to sit on command

Robert, dinnae involve me in yer ain personal wee tulzies…. I can pick my ain fechts ! :lol:
(a translation of the above is available at a very reasonable cost. - - Well , I am a Scot for aw that !) :lol:

Bill T.
by Trekmoor
Fri Jul 19, 2019 11:14 am
Forum: Training
Topic: training a pointing breed to sit on command
Replies: 51
Views: 28521

Re: training a pointing breed to sit on command

In addition to training my own dogs I spent more than 20 years helping other people to train theirs at once per month training classes. Most of those people came from the show and pet world and they had bought their dogs accordingly. Those dogs pedigrees may have featured show champions galore but f...
by Trekmoor
Thu Jul 18, 2019 4:57 am
Forum: Training
Topic: training a pointing breed to sit on command
Replies: 51
Views: 28521

Re: training a pointing breed to sit on command

I find it really quite odd that some American pointing dog folk are so worried that training a dog to sit might cause it to sit when it should be pointing. All of my pointing dogs were trained to sit to numerous sit commands. They sat to voice, they sat to whistle, they sat to arm or hand signal, th...
by Trekmoor
Wed Jul 17, 2019 12:56 pm
Forum: Training
Topic: training a pointing breed to sit on command
Replies: 51
Views: 28521

Re: training a pointing breed to sit on command

No dog of mine and no dog I have seen has sat while on point. The training must have gone wrong for a dog to do that. Bill T. Must be a 'merican' thing :lol: and NOT something that is This side of the pond :roll: I have been wondering if sitting on point is perhaps a possible result of "The 'merica...
by Trekmoor
Wed Jul 17, 2019 4:59 am
Forum: Training
Topic: training a pointing breed to sit on command
Replies: 51
Views: 28521

Re: training a pointing breed to sit on command

No dog of mine and no dog I have seen has sat while on point. The training must have gone wrong for a dog to do that. I think a dog that did sit on point must be expecting what it perceives to be a correction of some kind ? I do train my dogs to sit after they have flushed the bird, mainly because i...
by Trekmoor
Sat Jul 13, 2019 4:30 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Worried I picked the wallflower pup
Replies: 17
Views: 7039

Re: Worried I picked the wallflower pup

Until I read the part of your post that Sharon underlined I had been going to say to stick with your pup. I've had one or two shy pups that developed into good gundogs ….but the bit Sharon underlined got me worried. Like Sharon I'd probably play safe and take one of the other pups.

Bill T.
by Trekmoor
Wed Jul 10, 2019 7:22 am
Forum: Training
Topic: VIDEO: The Art of Wingshooting Over Dogs
Replies: 7
Views: 3570

Re: VIDEO: The Art of Wingshooting Over Dogs

I think that where Brad and I (and many other British trainers) maybe part company, is on the subject of "reward." I let my pups hunt, flush and chase every bird they can find until the point part of things is taught to the pups by the birds. To my pups just finding a bird is a reward in itself. I w...
by Trekmoor
Wed Jul 10, 2019 4:04 am
Forum: Training
Topic: VIDEO: The Art of Wingshooting Over Dogs
Replies: 7
Views: 3570

Re: VIDEO: The Art of Wingshooting Over Dogs

I enjoyed your video Brad. It did show good work by both the dog and the handler but like Robert (Polmaise) said it is not unique. The only differences between what was done in the video and what British field trial standard dogs do was that we want the dog to do the flush and following the flush ma...
by Trekmoor
Tue Jul 09, 2019 7:56 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Dog points, but won't point pheasants
Replies: 9
Views: 4736

Re: Dog points, but won't point pheasants

I.M.O. artificial bird scents are just a waste of money.

Bill T.
by Trekmoor
Sun Jul 07, 2019 11:11 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Dog points, but won't point pheasants
Replies: 9
Views: 4736

Re: Dog points, but won't point pheasants

Seems to me like some dogs don't recognize "new-to-them" species as game. So you have some 'splainin' to do with your dog. My first ever pointing dog was a Brittany. She would point and hold point on wild partridge by 5 months old and on red grouse by 7 months old …..because she'd been out among th...
by Trekmoor
Sun Jul 07, 2019 5:25 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Not holding Birds
Replies: 30
Views: 10610

Re: Not holding Birds

polmaise wrote:
Sat Jul 06, 2019 10:45 am
,(Do steal the retrieve this side of the pond in training)
+ 1.

Bill T.
by Trekmoor
Thu Jun 27, 2019 7:12 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: GSP with a thick coat?
Replies: 15
Views: 7009

Re: GSP with a thick coat?

Like Jonov I'd be inclined to think a "husky breed" got in there somehow.
I like the look of the dogs though. Looks like they could withstand our Scottish weather a bit better than most GSP's !

Bill T.
by Trekmoor
Mon Jun 24, 2019 12:11 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: GSP with a thick coat?
Replies: 15
Views: 7009

Re: GSP with a thick coat?

It is not just the coat that is different, the general build of the dog is too.

Bill T.
by Trekmoor
Mon Jun 24, 2019 11:22 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Pickiness with dummies
Replies: 18
Views: 7875

Re: Pickiness with dummies

I don't think I've ever owned or seen a dog behave as you describe with dummies. I start pups on retrieves from the moment I first get them and I vary the dummies a lot in texture, weight, colour and size. Most of the pups will have a preference for one type of dummy over another but they will retri...
by Trekmoor
Mon Jun 24, 2019 6:03 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Pickiness with dummies
Replies: 18
Views: 7875

Re: Pickiness with dummies

Does it really matter ? The dog is only doing what most dogs would do. For instance if I put out a canvas dummy and a rabbit skin dummy it is very probable that my dogs would choose the rabbit skin dummy if the dogs were just being "sent to a pile." But if I put a dummy out to left and to right and ...
by Trekmoor
Sat Jun 15, 2019 5:05 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Organizing a training day
Replies: 10
Views: 4689

Re: Organizing a training day

I will add only this. I have been a learner handler at training days and I have been a trainer at them too and this is the thing that can make or break a training day. People and dogs get bored just standing around while waiting for their turn with the class trainer. Keep the class numbers down to w...
by Trekmoor
Sat Jun 08, 2019 6:01 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Other Hunting, are You Done.......
Replies: 17
Views: 7778

Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

I was and I still am a keen angler. I fly fished for trout and loved dry fly fishing on the rivers. I did a bit of competitive fly fishing on the lochs from a boat but wasn't often in among the prizes. I also did and still do a lot of sea fishing, mainly from the shore. I did win a few prizes when I...
by Trekmoor
Wed Jun 05, 2019 2:57 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: GSP with a thick coat?
Replies: 15
Views: 7009

Re: GSP with a thick coat?

GSP coats can be a bit variable. My daughter has one with a slightly longer coat of very stiff and thick hair. He is very much a water lover and always has been. He went in for a swim of his own accord at just 3 months old.
I wonder if the coat has anything to do with that ?

Bill T.
by Trekmoor
Thu May 30, 2019 4:13 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: GSP attacking ducks
Replies: 12
Views: 5374

Re: GSP attacking ducks

My daughter has a man living about 200 yards away from her house and he keeps chickens in his backyard which faces onto hilly moorland with lots of cover. He let his hens out to range over the land outside his yard and my daughters 6 months old GSP hunted for them. He caught and brought her back one...
by Trekmoor
Thu May 23, 2019 8:45 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Training method comparison
Replies: 15
Views: 5673

Re: Training method comparison

It seems the British style geared more towards a hunting dog and the American style more focused on preparing for hunt test and trialing as the goal. Now that puzzles me quite a lot. Here in Britain a "British style" lab is taught to walk to heel and to retrieve. It is not taught or permitted to hu...
by Trekmoor
Thu May 23, 2019 6:30 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Training method comparison
Replies: 15
Views: 5673

Re: Training method comparison

I do not think it is possible to assess the "British way" compared to the "American way" by using only two pups as the test subjects. I am told that American retrievers tend to be higher in prey drive than ours are and that may be true but I have also been told they are more prone to excitement whin...
by Trekmoor
Thu May 02, 2019 4:15 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Selling the concept
Replies: 16
Views: 5784

Re: Selling the concept

Quote - "Fortunately ,I teach mine to stop to a Flush First , So I just throw a Bird /dummy in the air and catch it myself . ..then I fire a shot , and then I blow the stop whistle ..when and or if it moves ...But It never does , because it was conditioned to Not ,when flushed first ,so the Stop whi...
by Trekmoor
Sun Apr 21, 2019 3:45 pm
Forum: Training
Topic: Selling the concept
Replies: 16
Views: 5784

Re: Selling the concept

I find it amusing to watch an 8 weeks to 10 weeks old pup "pointing" a wing on a string …. and to note whether the pup is inclined to move in quickly for a "catch" or if the pup is the more cautious type. Knowing that sometimes helps once the pup is actually pointing on game, but that is about the l...
by Trekmoor
Sun Apr 14, 2019 10:05 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Gun Dog Trainers/Mentors.
Replies: 19
Views: 6145

Re: Gun Dog Trainers/Mentors.

It wiznae a request ! I'm lucky I never got my heid chopped off ! :lol:

Bill T.
by Trekmoor
Sun Apr 14, 2019 4:37 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Retrieve Issues
Replies: 8
Views: 3826

Re: Retrieve Issues

Plus another 1 . All I would like to add is to maybe use old, smelly, woollen socks stuffed with rags to make a sausage or bumper shaped retrieve article. Sock bumpers are very soft and even teething pups seem to just love them.


Bill T.
by Trekmoor
Sun Apr 14, 2019 4:26 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Gun Dog Trainers/Mentors.
Replies: 19
Views: 6145

Re: Gun Dog Trainers/Mentors.

:lol: I'm enjoying this thread ! :lol: I got lucky while I was still young enough to make some use of the luck . I seemed to attract "mentors" from among the old guard of gundog trainers. I took all of their often forcefully given criticisms and came back for more but I did not always do as they had...
by Trekmoor
Wed Apr 03, 2019 4:21 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Won't hunt
Replies: 18
Views: 5947

Re: Won't hunt

It's a 4 months old puppy ! Give the pup a chance. I once had a 6 months old GSP pup that showed little interest in anything . One of my other dogs flushed a rabbit which ran within inches of the pup but even that did not interest him. I considered selling him as a pet but at 8 months old he suddenl...
by Trekmoor
Fri Mar 22, 2019 5:11 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Training GSP to retrieve w/out FF
Replies: 43
Views: 23839

Re: Training GSP to retrieve w/out FF

That's interesting Ezzy. I never had any trouble at all in getting the continental breeds to hunt and point , it just seemed to happen.

Bill T.
by Trekmoor
Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:20 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Training GSP to retrieve w/out FF
Replies: 43
Views: 23839

Re: Training GSP to retrieve w/out FF

I have often wondered just what people do to dogs that makes those dogs not want to retrieve. I used to train retriever classes and found that even the show bred labs wanted to retrieve but every now and then someone would turn up with a lab of work breeding that did not want to retrieve. This is so...
by Trekmoor
Tue Mar 19, 2019 7:16 am
Forum: Training
Topic: STEADY TO RELEASE
Replies: 15
Views: 5729

Re: STEADY TO RELEASE

This is very cool, how do you teach/ incorporate them to freeze in your training? Are there more links in your bio? Hi Jeff, there isn't really any "teach" involved in having a dog do as that dog did. Probably every pointing dog in Britain does exactly the same thing and for the same reason. Brad H...
by Trekmoor
Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:01 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: What am I?
Replies: 20
Views: 7114

Re: What am I?

I am not at all sure about the head but her neck and her stance make me think there is maybe a dose of greyhound in there ?

Bill T.