Unfortunately I missed out on one of the big hunting days in December due to a terrible flu. Kindly I was offered a rain check and off me and the girls went on a mild January morning. Lotte has shown a really nice presence when hunting this season and I decided to introduce her to goose hunting. Having Rumi and Lotte at the same time in the field takes some focus as the two ladies are keen and very attentive. Goose hunting is special in the way that one has to be still and out of sight. It requires of the dogs that they can sit and wait for a longer period of time.
Working on the steadyness and calm behavior is an ongoing proces – especially with highly driven dogs and having two to deal with while paying attention to overflying geese can be a bit challenging but the three of us managed fairly well and we even got to practice heelwork too. The geese were flying a bit high due to the wind but one goose was picked up.
After drinking a cup of coffee we continued hunting on ducks and both ladies were put at work in demanding terrein.
Thank you Lieuwe for the great day in your field!
At Christmas time most gundog trainers are enjoying the holidays and I thought it would be a good idea to present a challenge for the youngsters of our Aura litter. On the above photo you can see what the challenge is. A flatcoated retriever is a clever working dog who uses his sight a lot. He will by nature scan the environment and run the easiest and quickest way in and out – avoiding obstacles. Therefore one needs to train this specifically in order to fulfill field trial requirements of going back and forth in a straight line. Today is the final date to send in the videos of the execution – tomorrow we will announce the winner. This year Yvonne Scheltens from Jachthondenschool Kaya will judge the videos. The videos will be shared on our fb page for you to enjoy.
Flatastic flatcoated retrievers 