Guest Michele Posted February 2, 2006 Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 Hi Amanda,the question I would like to ask is of your personal opinion. When you are starting your formal training on any of your young dogs,whatever the age, what would you hope to see in the first six months (or so) of training? What would be your general goal or tasks you would like them to have a good handle on after six months of working with you? What would discourage you from continuing with a youngster after working with it for six months? Six months is just a general time frame I picked, change the time frame if that was an incorrect assumption. Please note I was careful not to "....." in between my questions : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Amanda Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Michele Everything I write in this forum is my personal opinion. Maybe some people think that's a bad thing. I guess Heather has other places for them to vent. I like to see progress. If a dog has a poor ability to learn, given regular training, I dislike it. I hate taking a youngster out the next day and it behaves as though day before’s training, never happened. That dog is either stupid or stubborn. Either way, I don’t want it, a canine delinquent. I dislike a dog with which I must be too heavy handed. I do not want to start my day in a shooting match with a dog. No nasty attitudes allowed. I like them to accept training with glee, and beg for more. I would hope, that after working on a dog for six months, I could have it ready to run Pro-novice—a few hundred yards gather, pliability in its fetch, and good capacity for driving, holding lines. It had better be able to get qualified for the Nursery. After six months with me, I had better be able to be proud of it when I send it from my feet. I do not like to run wide runners—they are difficult with which to be precise. If they widen out in the course of their training, which they can do, I will not get along with them. Dogs that stop and sniff, nervously, are out. They had better not look back at me while they are driving or they’re gone. Excessive eye drives me crazy. If they are wrong outrunners—pulling up short or whatever, they should not be part of any serious handler’s breeding program. So why run them? There are too many points off your score before you even get started. I do not like a dog short on gas. I always like them to be able to take the extra step. I do not like dogs that I have to ask up. I like them to keep coming, pouring onto their sheep and I control the flow. I would be discouraged by a young one with which I would not have a crack at winning the National Finals. If I felt it could not get there with me, I would part company with it. I have been unsuccessful with my share of dogs. No hand will be exempt of failures. I have let one or two go that I really liked, because I was over dogged at the time. Having too many dogs diffuses training efforts. Concentrating on a few or a couple, is more constructive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Heather Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Amanda currently has in her possession a seven-month-old puppy that I bred. But hey--no pressure! :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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