Training clinic

Today was another AHDC training clinic.  Lots of people at this one. We got to see some nice pups.  Worked Zoe on 2 seperate birds with the blank gun. Dad planted the birds up in the pines.  Had just about a perfect breeze coming off the water and blowing into the pines.  I decided to try to take the step out of zoe by working her on a pc and cord on addition to her normal collars.  We worked the first bird and she must have pointed it from 25 feet away easy. The wind was blowing right into her nose and she was smoking the bird scent.  When she got soft from the wind lightening up I moved her up.  She pointed again and I flushed and shot.  The bird did not fly well and she was stopped with the cord on the shot.  The bird flew to the top of the hill and we continued on away from that bird.  She pointed the next bird quite well. See the picture.   She held steady with a small step at the shot but did not need a correction.   Yeah!! I decided to take the pc off her and run her back toward where the first bird landed.  Unfortunately she tried to circle around and chase the recently flushed bird. Fortunately for me I got her stopped using the collar before she got to the bird.  Collecting the dog I heeled her back up the hill a little way before turning her loose.  Once turned loose she worked nicely forward finding the first bird and sticking it hard.  She remained steady with no movement at the shot without any corrections.  No delayed chase and we all went home happy.

               Bruce was nice enough to ask me to plant a bird for his new pup, Lexi.  Planting the bird where Zoe's second bird was proved just about perfect.  Lexi hit the scent hard and pointed strongly allowing Bruce and I to walk 10 yards to her even allowing Bruce to cause the bird to move before taking the bird for a ride.  She then over ran the bird but found it a second tome where the scent was not as abrupt such that she flash pointed the bird before taking it out on her own.  Exactly what Bruce was looking for.  She should develop into a nice pup. We'll have to see if her range and pattern improve as she gets older.

Ladies Range Day

For the 15th year now we have had a demo as part of the ladies range day activities at the rockville rod and gun club.  Unlike previous years the weather was excellent this year.  The ladies are introduced to a nimber of things including rifle and pistol, black powder, archery, trap and skeet, as well as fishing and demo dog work.  This year seemed to be well recieved with a number of interesting questions.  A few of the ladies had sporting dogs and many went away wanting one.

The training clinic held the next day was sparsely attended.  However I was able to work Zoe on a few birds. The first of which she took out on her own.  Unfortunately it was shot but we chose to leave it.  Big mistake.  When working back Zoe went to the bird and picked it up retrieving it to hand.  The next bird was worked alright with some big moves at the flush and shot but I caught her before she could get to the bird.  All in all not to bad...