H&C

"A great start to the shooting and trialling season saw Chyknell Eagle of Mullenscote (Link) and Shallowoak West Sydnie of Mullenscote (Sid) both come home from trials with awards. I’m really pleased with Link's performance, as this was his first ever trial and he was just brilliant. I will continue to work hard chasing that 'oh so elusive' win but both dogs show the potential to do just that, so fingers crossed!

So many commitments

In fact crossing my fingers will simply not be good enough. Training a dog requires commitment, dedication and attention to detail. Training a dog to the standard of obedience, game-finding ability and fitness required to be competitive in a trial can become all-consuming. Trying to balance the day job, whilst fulfilling all those commitments - and making time to visit my girlfriend (who might just be next me as I write this) - can be really demanding on your time. Make no mistake, I’m not complaining, dog trainers all over the world spend their lives racing around to make time to indulge themselves in this all consuming pastime. And I’m in the privileged position of being able to combine both - lucky, lucky, lucky me.

When dog training is like eventing

Field trialling dogs is very similar to eventing horses, sometimes very frustrating as you are often all dressed up with nowhere to go. When entering a horse to run in an event, you know that your entry is one of the many going into the ballot system when the event is oversubscribed. The same is true when sending in an entry to run in a trial - most trials are run with sixteen dogs and handlers, more often than not the Field Trial Secretary receives as many as fifty entries.

A draw is then held and you hope and pray that you will be one of the first sixteen out of the draw. With two dogs absolutely on the boil I’m as frustrated as a very frustrated person having just had the results of two draws - when you see the stamp addressed envelope amongst your daily post you open the envelope with excitement and anticipation. In the last two draws I have been drawn number 41 and 43, grr! 

Don’t rush the basics

We are midway through our latest six-week gundog training course; the courses are structured with a Bronze, Silver and Gold level allowing handlers to work their way up through the required elements, acquiring the skills and knowledge that they will need to train their dogs. True to form at this halfway point some handlers are looking a little stressed; today’s session saw really great dog work though.

Group training sessions require a delicate balance. Some young dogs are easily excited when around other people and dogs, and this overexcited behaviour can be difficult to mange. The great news is that with the right approach to training owners are able to take control and gradually teach these youngsters to calm down and learn how to relax and behave in the company of others. These early basic self-control lessons (dogs and handlers) are essential stages that - if neglected - will often result in restricting your dog's ability to grasp more advanced levels of training. It’s so easy to get carried away and rush early training, sometimes neglecting the basics.

Until next time..."

Howard

"I’m writing this blog on Sunday evening while watching the X Factor. I have to confess I love this programme - all the naff auditions are hilarious to watch but I also love it when someone really talented turns up on stage.

It fascinates me that some people are amazingly talented and they're just out there, going about their normal lives, waiting for someone to notice them. I also wonder, is talent genetic or borne through dedication and hard work? It’s probably a bit of both.

One to watch

Either way, we are currently working with a young man called James Thatcher who would easily win The X Factor if they were looking to find the next star gundog handler.

James lives and breathes the countryside and his dogs, and he is fresh back from the Sandringham Game and Country Fair with an armful of trophies won in partnership with his Cocker bitch Boots.

James’s efforts and hard work are really paying dividends. All he needs to do is keep up the good work, keep training, and keep his mind on the dogs and not on the ladies, and he'll be a big success. Having said that, it never did me any harm...!

Model pupils

Still on the subject of success, congratulations to Tessa, Tracey and Lynda, who all presented themselves and their dogs for assessment at the
end of our latest training course. Ladies - you were fabulous. It's always scary for me when pupils are being assessed, but they have been model pupils, hard-working, determined a little tempermental at times but it all came good. 

We’re still on the road with three more shows to do, which makes for a busy September/October. The Shooting School is busy, Mullenscote Dog Training Centre is full on, with days out game shooting, beating, picking up and trialing. Bring it on!"

Howard

We took a seven hour drive to Westruther in Scotland last week to run Sid in a 16 dog 'Any Variety Spaniel' trial. A long way to go for a run, but I’ve been champing at the bit to get going and to be honest I love working my dogs on new ground. I was drawn number 10 and with the trial beingheld on the top of a heather and bracken covered Scottish hillside in full view of the action, Sid was wound up like a coiled spring by the time we were called forward.

Disappearing dog

I slipped off my coat and made myself known to the judge, who told me: “Take him off the lead, and I’d like you to just work this bit of bracken out please.” I clicked Sid off and he charged into the bracken like he’d been fired from a rocket launcher. I double pipped him on the whistle and the normally reliable Sid continued to thrash into the bracken with no intent of a response. ‘Flippin heck’, I thought, ‘We’re introuble here.’

A second more purposeful attempt on the whistle got a response, but unfortunately not the one I wanted. In his ten second burst of enthusiasm, he had lost his bearings, so when he flicked up his head and caught sight of a human being, he quartered straight back towards them... them being the judge and handler on the beat next to us.

I blasted the stop whistle, which brought Sid to a stop - at which point he realised his mistake and came thundering back to me. I saw the judges book come out of his pocket, and assumed we were in for an early bath, but the judge just made a small scribble in his book and pointed out that things would now need to be better! Some beautiful hunting with two perfect contact flushes followed by perfect retrieves meant that we stayed in and went on to put in a great second run. We were awarded a Certificate of Merit, which meant that we came home with a smile andraring to go again. Great Job, Sydnie.

Ruffling some feathers

On the way home we received an email asking us to do a demo at the International Bird of Prey Centre in Gloucestershire. The event was a Falconry Fair and, to be honest, I was a little nervous as the audience were really there to watch Falconry stuff not some motormouth Gun dog bloke. My nerves went through the roof when we arrived to discover that the Centre is owned and run by the internationally-renowned Jemima Parry-Jones, and that she was in the arena before me.

However, the audience were lovely and my dogs were ace, we did alright and we got some really great comments. Result!

We kept one of Ruby’s puppies back and Rush is now five months and, like all young Cocker pups, a bit mad. I took her out into some white grass yesterday and encouraged her to hunt for a ball - lovely, I like! A long way to go yet, but she looks very promising.

H&C's Howard Kirby explains why it's never to early start training puppies in the video below. Enjoy!

“The Glorious Twelfth has signified the start of 2011/2012 shooting season and to those of you lucky enough to be enjoying the excitement of the grouse moor, I am just so jealous! Trying to push my jealousy and coveting aside, I need to stay focussed as there is now only a few weeks to go before the partridge season begins.

Putting the dogs through their paces

We have managed to organise some dog training days in Devon and, along with a handful of fellow dog trainers, we are really looking forward to getting together and putting our dogs through their paces. It’s one thing to be pleased with training success at home but a whole different game once you get out there on the real thing. The company of other dogs, fellow handlers and all the entourage that accompanies a day’s shooting or trialling bring a whole raft of challenges that are only experienced on a full shoot day.  A well trained dog is more often than not oblivious to other dogs around it but for some the first time they hunt a beat alongside another it will distract them.

Extra work

Dogs that are steady at home will often get really hot with other dogs around so will need that extra work on the real thing.

New homes

Both the litter of Cocker and Labrador pups are now settled in their new homes so it’s much more peaceful here without the little devils but I do miss all the fun, games and trouble that they cause.

Stockmen and demos

Three days at Hatfield show this weekend and I’m really looking forward to it. Such great fun but hard work, we are doing two demos besides running a clinic. As always we are reliant on our dogs, Monty and Jake. Annie have all been on the road with Team Mullenscote for the first time this year and they have been fantastic. The Sprocker Jake has been a real crowd pleaser; it’s hard to put into words why but his attentive, focussed but energetic approach to his work mean that he has a flair about him that just draws your eye.

One of the highlights at Hatfield is the Stockmans Tent. Every evening, stockmen, traders and demonstrators gather in it for far too much alcohol and a sing along. I guess it’s kind of like a rave for country people. Believe me its brilliant, or perhaps I don’t get out enough?”