Ashleygrove Gundogs

Breeding and Handling Labradors and Spaniels

Weekly News from Ashleygrove Gundogs (I try to update this page every week to show you what we are up to)

 

Cockers just wanna have fun! So they asked their pals to come round 

     

 Training

PLEASE NOTE:

 I WILL NO LONGER BE RUNNING CLASSES FOR THE GUNDOG CLUB

Latest training information

 10th October 2010 Paul Harper will be teaching 2 cold game days for those who are ready to take their dogs out into the shooting field.

(check out the links page to find out more about our invited trainers)

 

Working with different trainers will always be useful to you when building your training schedule. They each have a different regime to show you and you will definately pick up something new to try.

If you think you would be interested in one of these days training let me know, by email, as I am currently building a waiting list for Invited Training Days and will book more for next year. (if you have already mentioned to me that you would like to come along please back this up with email so I can keep you all together)

1-2-1 Training

1-2-1 training can fit into your life with a gundog, around family and work commitments. Times are very flexible and as you have such intensive learning you need only book a lesson every 3 or 4 weeks. Some clients just need to problem solve and find a couple of sessions is enough. Others want to go through the whole training routine with a pup or young dog and may come back to me monthly at first, and then 3 monthly as they move into more advanced work. Most 1-2-1 clients also enjoy the invited trainer days we run as this gives another view to their progress and gets the dogs working alongside each other in a group situation.

Out and About with Dogs in the countryside

Esther, our new labrador girl is a very small fine black lab and needs to put on lots of weight before we can do any training with her. She is also a year old and has a sweet nature so I hope we can make a gundog of her. Her new name is Esther and she is now settled into our routine nicely. She has gained a couple of kilos and needs to put on about another 3 or 4. She is now picking tennis balls and delivering to hand in a very puppy way. She loves the water and swims well, which will be great for building muscles.

4th August 2010

Esther has now gain 5 kilo's and is looking like a proper labrador. She will always be a small dog but she has a proper shape now and is full of beans. She loves the company of my nutty spaniels and is kennelled with 3 other dogs. She has got over all, but one, of her fears and is happily retrieving dummies like a proper gundog. The biggest issue now is the lead. Esther is terrified of the lead in my hand or round her neck. If I make her wear it she will eventually walk a few steps to heel but spends most of the time with the brakes on refusing to walk and trying to get it off. She will wear a collar happily now but we still have a way to go with the lead.

If she can get over the lead issues we will try shot next and if that goes well she can come out on shoot days with us to see what goes on. I don't want to leave her behind all through the season.

Break through with Esther 9th august 2010

Last night we took Esther and three others to the river for a run and splash session. We were parked near a road so she just had to go on the lead. She allowed me to put it on for her and managed to walk reasonably well for a short distance. The best thing was when it was time to go she came to have the lead put back on without the usual shying away. I think she is truely starting to trust me and also learn that the lead can mean she has fun. Home life is great for her and she has fitted in fine, her retrieving continues to improve and soon I will be able to re-steady her. Once the puppies go and I can concentrate we will start to introduce shot. Wish me luck!

23rd August

Esther went back on the scales and has hit target at 20kilo's. Within 24 hours after this she came into season, so I am happy that her body is now fuctioning normally. She is a happy playful girl and gets on well with all our dogs. Retrieving is going ok but she shuts down if anything different happens so we have to go slowly. Her lead work is coming on amazingly well. She walked for over 1 mile last week with only a couple of moments hesitation. We have fired the starting pistol nearby and her reaction was good. I will have to find the right moment to associate the bang with a retrieve but I want to get her really keen on picking dummies first. Esther is kennelled with our 9 year old labrador Fly who is keeping her very settled, and during the daytime she is playing with my spaniels and coming indoors with me. When I have her indoors she just sits or lies down near my feet, she is no trouble and loves to be with me.

A new kennel has opened near Welwyn

Mimram Kennels has opened with brand new kennels and paddocks. They affer a great family service and will take all breeds of dogs and also rabbits and ferrets! Bruce and Esther Carley will take good care of your dog while you are away, even sending postcards to let you know how they are. There is a colletion and delivery service and a swimming pool. I have added the link to my links page so have a look, you never know when you might have an emergancy.

Ashleygrove sponsers a new event

Ashleygrove Gundogs have sponsered a new gundog event. I have challenged the Men of the Knebworth Park picking up team to a 'picking up' test against the Ladies team from Kimpton Hoo. We will have 4 picking up challenges and one fun challenge. Watch this space for the results next week..................