Young setters are preparing to hunting tests

Last weekend we had the great pleasure with Jessi and Cindy to host at the kennel All Irish Gold FCI, where we could enjoy a training with 5 monthly Irish Setters (2 dogs and 1 bitch). Each of These dogs came from different breeding houses, which could be observed in the way of their work on the upper wind or retrieving training .Organizing a training, we focused in on a few issues that are essential for learning to young setters attempts to field work and hunting tests to manage its strong hunting instinct.

Irish Setters, like all dogs from Group VII FCI, have a natural need to look for wild birds during walks with a guide. Their strong of setters temperament inclines them to move quickly from left to right, Which May be the result of rousing birds or other wildlife. Lack of appriopriate patient trainig may cause undesirable chases, especially for deer or rabbits. If you want to avoid this, it is necessery to teach young setters how should behave if they find any desirable smell. During the practice we worked with :

– Drako, Aristocrat of Crystal Sword All Irish Gold FCI (Jessi brother of the same parents)
– Puzzel, Oakdene FCI Puzzles’N Crisps
– Prince, Irish Future FCI Daimond River

Retrieving never enough

The dominant majority of hunting dogs loves to fetch. It is the accumulation of cooperation between dog and his human partner. In the ideal conception of fetching – dog should always wait for the appropriate „fetch” command before the retrieving the object. Practicing with a 5-month puppy enough that we are focus on the same raising of fetch 🙂 Both Draco and Puzzelka were doing great, fetching dummies and special foam apport in shape of partridge with feathers, duck or pigeon. What’s more important, none of the young dogs showed fatigue during activity (the guide shouold always end a practice before the dog’s getting tired).

Drako as well Puzzelka are worked great but they needed to wear a training rope to help them with retrieving to guide (after first round without it, Drako ran away with fetch to the forest an hide it to the snow, only Cindy can find it :D). Prince, in turn, showed a lesser willingness to raise a fetch  but he had dealt with great passion in searching for thrown objects. His greater composure and caution against a new task has proved extremely useful in training on high wind near after. Some young pointers needs a few training sessions with fetching to open their mind for new experience, but mostly it is just a matter of time.

Basics training on the upper wind

In training for the upper wind, we focused on finding wild pheasant ,in which helped experienced colleague Jessi and Cindy. Due to the very young age of setters and the fact that this was their first experience of work on the upper wind, dogs were secured with training rope, becasue they could cause a rousing of the birds. The key issue is  leading a young setter against the wind and reduce the interference of the guide to a minimum.

As far as possible, our four-legged puppies have had to be creative in finding a smell of phesant. If the young dog lost a scent or reversed from the blow of wind the guide helped him to change direction for the accurate place still walking againt of wind. This time with the exercise perfectly coped Prince, who has sneak to a hidden pheasant with slow pace, in the crucial moment he showed off his first conscious point 🙂 Draco and Puzzel coped well, systematically searching the field, but when they perceive birds they could not master the tension, pulling hard on the training rope. Similar behavior is often characteristic of young dogs with many talents (pointing, retrieving, water works) because the ability to raise and bring the apport requires  considerable strong will and obedience, to return with him to guide. To dogs with more cautious personality needs more trening to build-up their self-confidance but on the other hand, they learn faster to be patient in the field which is very important in hunting tests.

Summary

It was a wonderful weekend, during which we could admire how well grows a new generation of smart setters, which have a special talent not only to coax people theirs love, but also uncommon gift for work use. In addition, for us it was very important opportunity to vaccinate in these young furries knowledge of their hunting passion. It is also worth noticing that Jessi’s brother, Drako is still looking for his beloved home, where it will be both a great companion dog because of his personable and eager  of human warmth nature. And for people with active lifestyles can be a great companion for everyday play fetch, running or retrieving hidden objects. More information about it can be obtained in the kennel All Irish Gold FCI