# Venting on Field Training



## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

We just went and visited our trainer who has been working with our newest girl since early January (she spent 2 months with him in 213). She is a field bred Golden with strong field lines and our trainer who is highly respected Golden trainer, says she is a fine field dog. Our goal is to take her through MH and maybe into the Master Nationals for Golden's. 

We had hoped she would be ready for SH testing in September, but our breeder feels she will not be quite ready. Their program takes a dog up to SH in a vary 'step, by step' way, getting all the basics set in. Therefore, once a pup is ready for SH the move to MH is relatively quick, as the fundamentals are well in place.

In watching her work, She is in transition, and probably could pass a SH now, but she did demonstrate a few areas that are still signs of being 'in transition'. So looks like now she will be ready for hunting this season, but no hunt tests until Spring....****! I miss that dog, but I know we are dong what is best....and let's be honest, we are spending a lot of money to get her trained up!

Am I loony, or is this pretty normal with those of us that are not good trainers but want well trained field dogs? 

Just venting and needing some perspective from those who do this every day...


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Each dog is an individual and learns at it's own pace. If there are some rough spots yet, you will be much further ahead smoothing them out before you undertake running events with her. I don't know that I would even do much hunting with her until the rough spots are more polished.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

I cannot be of help. I rather learn to handle my dog myself than have someone else train and handle the dog. I am selfish and I want my dog to sleep in my bed from day one in my house and be my buddy forever. 
I may be clumsy or nervous at a test but that is a lesson we learn together. In the end I may spend more money in training and tests but the journey we take together is priceless.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

It is nice to know how to train your own dog.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Maybe you want to skip hunting and keep training instead. Especially if you feel that you have a timetable in mind.


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

What is nice about having dogs, you get to train them however you want! 

Just curious, Claudia M...see those nice ribbons, what were they for? By the way, I already know how to 'handle' my girl, and I will continue to handle her in hunt tests, WCX, etc... she is just not fully trained yet! 

As I said, just venting.....


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

goldlover68

Good luck and I hope you do well. 
I also have my share of frustrations. 
Have you posted a pic of your girl?


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## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

Swampcollie said:


> Each dog is an individual and learns at it's own pace. If there are some rough spots yet, you will be much further ahead smoothing them out before you undertake running events with her. I don't know that I would even do much hunting with her until the rough spots are more polished.


What *HE* said.

EvanG


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

EvanG said:


> What *HE* said.
> 
> EvanG


Evan,
Thanks, always good to hear from you. Although we have never met, I feel like I know you as I have most all of your DVD's and your Smartworks books.

I am also in your 'neighborhood', hope to see you some time...


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I'm a bit confused as to how your breeder fits into this, unless your trainer was also the breeder? I know they do sometimes breed. But if it was a different breeder, I would certainly go with the opinion of the trainer, not the breeder.

Since I know who your trainer is, while I understand your disappointment, they are very highly thought of and they don't run dogs who are not ready. As you know, it can cause a lot of problems in the long run if you have high hopes for the dog. If your goal were just a JH, that would be different. 

I *might* disagree about skipping hunting. Sometimes it's the best thing for the dog, depending on the dog. Upland hunting is the best thing for my boy, it has given him a whole new skill set that is quite valuable for hunt tests. 



goldlover68 said:


> We just went and visited our trainer who has been working with our newest girl since early January (she spent 2 months with him in 213). She is a field bred Golden with strong field lines and our trainer who is highly respected Golden trainer, says she is a fine field dog. Our goal is to take her through MH and maybe into the Master Nationals for Golden's.
> 
> We had hoped she would be ready for SH testing in September, but our breeder feels she will not be quite ready. Their program takes a dog up to SH in a vary 'step, by step' way, getting all the basics set in. Therefore, once a pup is ready for SH the move to MH is relatively quick, as the fundamentals are well in place.
> 
> ...


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

hotel4dogs said:


> I'm a bit confused as to how your breeder fits into this, unless your trainer was also the breeder? I know they do sometimes breed. But if it was a different breeder, I would certainly go with the opinion of the trainer, not the breeder.
> 
> Since I know who your trainer is, while I understand your disappointment, they are very highly thought of and they don't run dogs who are not ready. As you know, it can cause a lot of problems in the long run if you have high hopes for the dog. If your goal were just a JH, that would be different.
> 
> I *might* disagree about skipping hunting. Sometimes it's the best thing for the dog, depending on the dog. Upland hunting is the best thing for my boy, it has given him a whole new skill set that is quite valuable for hunt tests.


I can see by your titles that you know what you are talking about, thanks for the feedback. When I mentioned 'breeder' I meant 'trainer' a bit of a brain fart, sorry....also our trainer also recommended we hunt with her. He thought it would be a good break for her....so your thoughts are 'right on'...as I said, I was just venting.....!


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## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

goldlover68 said:


> Evan,
> Thanks, always good to hear from you. Although we have never met, I feel like I know you as I have most all of your DVD's and your Smartworks books.
> 
> I am also in your 'neighborhood', hope to see you some time...


Let's make a point of that sometime soon!

EvanG


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

goldlover68 said:


> What is nice about having dogs, you get to train them however you want!
> 
> Just curious, Claudia M...see those nice ribbons, what were they for? By the way, I already know how to 'handle' my girl, and I will continue to handle her in hunt tests, WCX, etc... she is just not fully trained yet!
> 
> As I said, just venting.....


Not much! I have attended my first JH test with both my girls. For some reason the profile pic which shows Darcy with her two ribbons does not show up. I guess some tech problem.


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## FTGoldens (Dec 20, 2012)

goldlover68 said:


> We just went and visited our trainer who has been working with our newest girl since early January (she spent 2 months with him in 213). She is a field bred Golden with strong field lines and our trainer who is highly respected Golden trainer, says she is a fine field dog. Our goal is to take her through MH and maybe into the Master Nationals for Golden's.
> 
> We had hoped she would be ready for SH testing in September, but our breeder feels she will not be quite ready. Their program takes a dog up to SH in a vary 'step, by step' way, getting all the basics set in. Therefore, once a pup is ready for SH the move to MH is relatively quick, as the fundamentals are well in place.
> 
> ...


I have a few thoughts on this stuff.
As for your pro's recommendations, bear in mind that the pro works for you, you pay them, and it is your dog ... frankly, some pros seem to forget the foregoing. So if you want to run your dog, tell them that you are going to run you dog, period. The strong odds are that nothing will mess up the training if you do this, ... and what the heck if it does, the pro ought to be able to fix it! Plus, running an event will give you and the pro a "read" on the dog as to where it is in training, if it comes "up" for tests, and will give you some "line time."
If you can, take the dog home for a few days and train with some folks in your area, then get THEIR opinion as to whether the dog is ready. (Frankly, at that age, and with that much training, the pup ought to be ready to run Seniors this fall. If it's not, it's time for a heart to heart with that trainer.)
And yes, you and the rest of us on this board ARE loony.  
FTGoldens

PS: I don't know what you are referring to by "Master Nationals for Goldens."


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

While I'm not familiar with his dog, I am very familiar with his trainer. I would take their advice.


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

FTGoldens said:


> I have a few thoughts on this stuff.
> As for your pro's recommendations, bear in mind that the pro works for you, you pay them, and it is your dog ... frankly, some pros seem to forget the foregoing. So if you want to run your dog, tell them that you are going to run you dog, period. The strong odds are that nothing will mess up the training if you do this, ... and what the heck if it does, the pro ought to be able to fix it! Plus, running an event will give you and the pro a "read" on the dog as to where it is in training, if it comes "up" for tests, and will give you some "line time."
> If you can, take the dog home for a few days and train with some folks in your area, then get THEIR opinion as to whether the dog is ready. (Frankly, at that age, and with that much training, the pup ought to be ready to run Seniors this fall. If it's not, it's time for a heart to heart with that trainer.)
> And yes, you and the rest of us on this board ARE loony.
> ...


Thanks for your comments, I appreciate the thoughts....as for the Master Nationals....I had 'Goldens' on my mind....the are 'Masters Nationals' for all retrievers.....not just Goldens...


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

goldlover68 said:


> Thanks for your comments, I appreciate the thoughts....as for the Master Nationals....I had 'Goldens' on my mind....the are 'Masters Nationals' for all retrievers.....not just Goldens...


Thanks for your comments, I agree that our trainer is top notch...not disappointed at all...but we are frustrated....

We will stay with the program, but that doesn't make it easier....

Again, just venting....if I were at a hunt test or with our local training group I would be doing the same thing, just to get different viewpoints....

Again, thanks for the thoughts....


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

goldlover68

For the record, I hunt my dog and I hunt her hard. Then in the Spring I fix what needs fixing.

There are trialers and hunt testers who will not hunt their dogs. I know them, I talk to them. I was just presenting another POV that one may want to consider. I feel that it is always good to get the complete picture. I know that I like to have all the facts before I decide on something.

As for your post #11---"OUCH" from the rest of us.


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## FTGoldens (Dec 20, 2012)

gdgli said:


> goldlover68
> 
> For the record, I hunt my dog and I hunt her hard. Then in the Spring I fix what needs fixing.
> 
> ...


I, too, hunt my dogs ... probably not as much as gdgli, but I get out with them at least once a week during duck season. Plus, I take them to tower shoots ... now THAT'S a wild event for the retrievers. In a single day, there will be over 600 pheasants shot, with some of them landing no more that a few feet in front of the dog. 
Indeed, the standards are not quite as strictly enforced during hunting trips or the tower shoots. But my dogs (and those of the other folks who are enjoying the festive event) are apparently not ruined from participating.
I guess that my point to all this is that we CAN enjoy our dogs and not destroy their training. [Kind of like when computers first came out, ... I was scared to mess up my "486" at first so I barely used it ... then I used it a little more and figured out that I wasn't going to cause it to blow up or otherwise ruin it. (That example kind of shows my age ....)] Anyway, just exactly what is the harm ... unless you think that you have the next Golden National Field Champion under your grip (and if you do, I'd love to talk with you ... I want one of those!!!).
Have fun with your dog and it will have fun with you.
FTGoldens


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

gdgli said:


> goldlover68
> 
> For the record, I hunt my dog and I hunt her hard. Then in the Spring I fix what needs fixing.
> 
> ...


Thanks for taking time to comment....

By the way, the pictures on my post are of my 'new girl'...

Good Luck...


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

goldlover68


I looked at your avatar. Cute girl. I think our girls are cousins.


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

gdgli said:


> goldlover68
> 
> 
> I looked at your avatar. Cute girl. I think our girls are cousins.


Thanks....here is her registered name...you can look at her pedigree on K9 Data.....if you think she really is tied to your pup....*Sugar River Yukon's Golden Fox JH *

Her mom was one of Jackie Mertens - her mothers name is HR Topbrass Foxy Roxy of Sugar River and her dad is Choctaw's Yukon Copper Penny. She is a real crackerjack and has more drive than any dog I have ever had! I cannot wait to take her hunting, I will work her and my two adult son's will shoot the birds.....fun for all!


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