RubyStar Posted April 16, 2012 Author Share Posted April 16, 2012 Well, I took the plunge myself today. After faffing about for too long, I decided to enter Ruby in her first Novice Retrieving trial Great stuff RS! So glad you got so many positives out of the day too :D See, it's not that scary after all!! Well, it's still scary, but a heck of a lot of fun, too!! :) Give it a go, MG I will do once we are both more comfy with birds and the gun. Mason hasn't had the gun fired over him before he has just heard the rifles on the farm which he wasn't happy with but they were very loud! You'll get your chance with the gun on the 29th Ruby hadn't heard the gun nor been shot over for about a year, and she was all good. The first time Ruby heard the gun close up, someone was shooting it for me behind us. She took off prematurely as she was startled by the gun, but from the second shot on, no worries :) Millie actually did the same thing, but a) she is scared of loud noises and b) she tends to break anyway :laugh: I am going to bring both girls to the training day and try Millie with the gun again. Not that she needs it for the RATG, but I don't want to be training her any differently to Ruby just because she doesn't have the right kind of papers! :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Well, I took the plunge myself today. After faffing about for too long, I decided to enter Ruby in her first Novice Retrieving trial Great stuff RS! So glad you got so many positives out of the day too :D See, it's not that scary after all!! Well, it's still scary, but a heck of a lot of fun, too!! :) Give it a go, MG I will do once we are both more comfy with birds and the gun. Mason hasn't had the gun fired over him before he has just heard the rifles on the farm which he wasn't happy with but they were very loud! You'll get your chance with the gun on the 29th Ruby hadn't heard the gun nor been shot over for about a year, and she was all good. The first time Ruby heard the gun close up, someone was shooting it for me behind us. She took off prematurely as she was startled by the gun, but from the second shot on, no worries :) Millie actually did the same thing, but a) she is scared of loud noises and b) she tends to break anyway :laugh: I am going to bring both girls to the training day and try Millie with the gun again. Not that she needs it for the RATG, but I don't want to be training her any differently to Ruby just because she doesn't have the right kind of papers! :p Yeah for sure, I'm hoping Gibbs has the all clear as I would like him to come along on the 29th to hear the gun but it is a very steep hill to walk down so I'm not sure if he will be attending or not and hubby is working so can't just carry him down lol. Not too worried about going up but down could be an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubyroo Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Yep it certainly was fun! Wasn't fun with lack of liquids, though I ended up dehydrated and with a pounding headache by lunchtime. I must remember to keep the fluids up next time! Oh RS, this happens to us every trial, I really feel for you. I can never sleep the first night away, and have a filthy headache the next day. I get a decent nights sleep the next and then feel pretty bad the next day, recovering from the first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayreovi Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Well done RS on your first trial!!! I did enjoy myself, everyone was friendly, encouraging and helpful, :laugh: we got a few people clapping afterwards for giving it a try so it wasn't all bad, I will be back just need a lot of training as I want HER to have fun and she didn't yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lablover Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Pink, the dam of my avatar was confirmed pregnant via ultrasound this morning. Yo is the sire. Should be "sweet" high desire pups. Oh congrats!!!!! Lab puppies Cluck cluck!!! Thanks, More puppy news TODAY. Funkie (labrador in my Avatar) had her ultrasound this afternoon and pronounced pregnant. American and Canadian Field Champion BUCK being the sire. (Semen I imported) Woooooo hoooooooooooooooo. PS Kicked another couple of goals today. Prince tickets purchased. And lastly saw oncologist.....75% of my type of cancer relapse within 2 years. I remain CURED. Wooo hoo Now am I serious????. Two litters only two weeks apart. Am I mad!!!??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lablover Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Fetchindawgs, Cannot find in thread, so have to brag for you and CONGRATE!!! Excellent news on your latest ALL AGE WIN during Easter!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubyroo Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Fantastic news LL!!! You must be thrilled! You can never get enough puppy breath! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Congrsts on the all clear LL you must be pretty happy :) and congrats on the babies too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptolomy Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Where is Livertreats??? About time she turned up here to share her news from the weekend and her first run in restricted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fetchindawgs Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Fetchindawgs, Cannot find in thread, so have to brag for you and CONGRATE!!! Excellent news on your latest ALL AGE WIN during Easter!!!!! Thanks LL, I am thrilled with his win & as it was only the second trial ever for us, it was pretty special. Looking forward to the year ahead that's for sure, with 3 All Age dogs all looking good. Re the two litters in two weeks that you are having: I know the feeling, I had two litters 6 days apart last year. Really though, only the first two weeks were the toughest, then we got into a routine. And, it meant that they all went to new homes only a week apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fetchindawgs Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Had one of our puppies (now 5 months old) brought along to the trial last weekend for the first time. She wasn't worried about the guns, the dogs, the people, so now her owners want to train her for retrieving. Yay !!! Great that now three Goldens and one Labrador puppy at this stage are being trained for the field. MG you want to come along on Anzac Day to the trials at Brookleigh, as the ground up the top is flatter for Gibbs and he will still hear the gunshot from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Livertreats Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Here I am Ptolomy. As you may have guessed we had a wonderful morning at our first Novice trial of the season, run by the Labrador Club. I was very pleased with Rebel's 3 runs, well except for the pee's but did great line out to the birds and judge the distance very well. I am very proud to say he placed 1st and that was his 3rd win for his NRD title. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would have managed our novice title in a season and a half. Then we were entered in restricted, to say I was nervous would be an understatement. Frist run a mark double rise, and when it came to replacing the shot my hands were shaking so much I took what seamed like forever to get it in the gun.:laugh: Not sure why but Rebel was very distracted even though I had him lined up well for the double rise, and went off in the wrong direction as I dont think he really saw the mark, however he did managed to find his first bird, but he must have just about gone to Albany and back on the double rise. Ended up calling him in and I was about to go find him when he came around the bushes with the bird, given to him by the person on the thrower. Need heaps more practice on our control, ok on the oval with dummies but whole different story when it involves birds, he has a one track mind and thats to get the birds and not come back without one. We were not the only ones to not finish the first run, 8 entered and 1 finished and that dog ended up completing the trial. Off to train some more on control work this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Congratulations LL, fetchindawgs and Livertreats on all the fabulous news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FHRP Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Congratulations LL, fetchindawgs and Livertreats on all the fabulous news What she said Congrats to all on fantastic results, of all sorts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Had one of our puppies (now 5 months old) brought along to the trial last weekend for the first time. She wasn't worried about the guns, the dogs, the people, so now her owners want to train her for retrieving. Yay !!! Great that now three Goldens and one Labrador puppy at this stage are being trained for the field. MG you want to come along on Anzac Day to the trials at Brookleigh, as the ground up the top is flatter for Gibbs and he will still hear the gunshot from there. That's a good idea :) I will def bring Mason to the training day though :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted April 18, 2012 Author Share Posted April 18, 2012 Great news on your test results LL, and congrats on TWO litters!! Congrats again liverteats on your well deserved Novice win on the weekend! Way to go Rebel! Also congrats to fetchindawgs on your AA win - do tell us more about this new dog, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fetchindawgs Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 RS you will see him at a trial soon. Maybe Anzac Day if you are entered, or else on May 13th. He is black, so now you know what breed he is and is a 1/2 brother to Whiz. Had him almost 6 months now. Trained, but not trialed since 2007 and, was a restricted dog till his win at Easter. Nice boy, and has fitted in really well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Em and I survived all 3 runs up at Pittong today. Runs were nice, marks were clear although Em made it as difficult as possible on the first run by retrieving........ .......a dead rabbit! The look on my face must have been priceless :laugh: SHE thought it was bloody Christmas!!!! We had another run after the next dog but she had bunnies on her mind and over ran the mark. I ended up owing the judge points after handling her to the mark but she did pick it up. Pulled left on the second mark - I reckon she knew EXACTLY where it was but decided to hunt up another bunny. Again I didn't allow her and she picked up the bird in resignation. Third retrieve was in water - a novice channel swim......fortunately rabbits were scarce in the water and she picked that one up with little trouble. Need to run her on shorter marks and do a little distraction training!!! Spent some time placing blinds at AA to finish off a lovely day. Perfect weather although it might be a bit damp tomorrow. A big plate of penne bolognese and a glass of wine and I'm ready to crawl into my sleeping bag for an early night. New camp shower works a treat and camping feels quite luxurious :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FHRP Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 (edited) Sounds like a great day TSD, despite the dead bunny!! Good luck tomorrow! I ran the boys in our local RATG today and Polo did his best to fail!! He was absolutely busting out of his skin when he knew what was going on and just couldn't contain himself. He stood up on the stay (left in a sit), he gave a mighty yip then went on a detour in the water when something grabbed his attention on the easy walk up, broke on the 1st mark of the double (got him back fairly quick), tried to switch on the double and struggled on the second leg of the double!! I felt for sure we'd failed with that crappy effort but he scraped a 76 :laugh: Edited April 21, 2012 by FHRP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Oh norty Polo He and Em need to swap stories over cheese and (dog) biscuits. I'll have the wine We finished off our third weekend of retrieving by completing all 3 runs again today - in much better style than yesterday I might add :laugh: Weather was fairly cold and the wind really whipped up but the downpour we copped overnight (very loud in a tent!) stayed away despite the ominously dark clouds. First mark was a land run in moderate cover - she anticipated the send but pulled herself up very quickly and stopped arms length in front of me. I sent her, she took a nice straight line, over ran the mark slightly but pulled up and quickly hunted and brought it back. She came back with a real loop because at least one eye was covered with a wing. Her deliveries yesterday were just perfect but they fell apart today - I think she put it down to readjust the bird and that broke her stride so to speak. It took a second command on each run so clearly some more training required. Second run was a nicely sighted mark but it was on the opposite side of a decent gully (with water) that the dogs didn't see until they were on top of. I couldn't see a thing but the judge tells me that Em tackled it head on, straight down, through the mud and water and straight up the other side. Like most of the dogs the strong wind pushed her left of the mark and she hunted like a thing possessed. I thought she was going to cross the gully again but she realised she wasn't in the right area and headed back towards the thrower, springing in the air and trying to get a whiff of the game. Then I saw her head go down and she picked it up and belted back over the gully. Steady as a rock on this one so all in all a great outcome. The third run was a water retrieve but the dogs couldn't see or hear that the bird had landed in water so I thought she might hesitate. Very steady, took a nice line and then I lost sight of her completely and had to wait her out. A few deep breathes, felt like hours had passed but the next thing this little wet dog came flying out of the cover with the bird I had a look at the water close up after we'd finished and she did a much better job than I thought she had - it was very deceptive from the pegs. So....I didn't blow the whistle once today and, although we lost 15 points for needing a second command for delivery and a few points for unsteadiness on the first run, she finished on 145 points ( our first qualifying certificate) and 5th place from 9 starters which I think is very respectable. Most importantly she has improved so much at every trial. Our judge today also judged us at the last trial and commented that he couldn't believe it was the same dog. This is her prize find from yesterday...*warning* picture of dead rabbit! All I can think of when I look at this photo is: Bugs: Duck season! Daffy: Rabbit season! Bugs: Duck season! Daffy: Rabbit season! Bugs: Rabbit season! Daffy: Duck season! *bang* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now