Pointer training – 5th May 2008

With the inconvenience of a 15 mile round trip to fill up with fuel I decided to combine the trip with an exercise session (for Grace not me!) on an old racecourse. This racecource closed in 1849 but had been used from the early 18th century, with new turf laid at the begining of the 19th century.  It provides, quite unsurprisingly, some good hard, well drained running.  It is also a very popular spot for dog walkers so is a useful place to test control with distractions.

When Grace spots another dog she always drops comletely flat, chin to the ground.  This is often followed by a spring when the dog is close, followed by a game, or a rather sheepish sit up if the other dog looks like it doesn’t want to play.  She drops like a stone.  If only I could get the same reaction when we flush a bird I would be laughing.

Anyway, the first belly drop was for a German Shepherd.  He was up for a run, chasing Grace at high speed as she circled me like a greyhound.  I carried on walking.  The same happened with a springer that we came across a few minutes later.  The point of me mentioning this is that both owners of the other dogs couldn’t call their dogs back, or get them to stop.  It took me, walking back to the owners, dropping Grace on the whistle, and allowing them to pick up their dogs in order to introduce any calm into the situation.  Grace was great, and to drop her whilst being chased, albeit in fun, is quite an achievement I think.