Summer Training

[Llewellin01]

Well i have been running my two Llewellin Setters all summer long,3-4 times a week. And all this hard work is paying off. I ran them both last night on some quail and it was perfect. The pup is doing better than i could ever ask for, holding point for as long as i feel like waiting, she's retrieving and backing is coming along also. Im ready for those trials to start up here and the end of the month . Im think about maybe running her in NSTRA amateur class, becuase she isnt backing consistently yet. Any tips on how to improve this? Here is a couple pics of them on quail.

[JakeDD]

I love that dark dog - beautiful!

[bean1031]

great pics! I love to see a setter on point! They have so much style!

[highcotton]

Good looking Llewellins...what breeding are they? What NSTRA region do you run in?

Charles

[Llewellin01]

The white one my male is mostly Dashing Bondu and the female is a Straight Creek dog out of Iron Mikie. I would be running the the Ohio region of NSTRA if i decide to start running trials.

[hustonmc]

Why would you be running your dogs in trials allready? You have absolutley no control at the trial so your dogs will get away with every mistake they make. The only reason I mention this is that you said you have been working them all summer, so I would assume they are young dogs without alot of expirience under their belt. It seems to me that people push to hard to fast to get into a trial, then they end up yelling and screaming at their dog as he takes out a bird. I would put him through a season of wild birds with absolutel control to establish good habits under all situations. Your dogs look gorgeous, they should score well on their points. I still wouldn't risk it until you knew you could go out trial after trial with little to no mistakes, or you'll just end with a renegade meat dog.

[ezzy333]

The white one my male is mostly Dashing Bondu and the female is a Straight Creek dog out of Iron Mikie. I would be running the the Ohio region of NSTRA if i decide to start running trials.

Hustonmc, Sure sounds to me like he isn't running trials but if and when he does he will be in the Ohio region.

Ezzy

[Llewellin01]

Not to come off as a jerk and i know i didnt state this early but the male is 7 years old so he has plenty of experience and wont be running in any trials he is a hunting dog only. The female is 18 months old and competed in trials last year not NSTRA but local trials at the clubs around NE ohio. And she did fine placing everytime she ran with 3 first 2 seconds and a 3rd. Thanks ezzy for stating i said "if i decide to start running". And jsut beucase i want to make my dogs better and run them all summer doesnt mean there out of control and have no experience. I dont mean to come off as a jerk but you act like becuase i train all summer long my dogs are no good.

[wems2371]

I think HustonMC meant to be pretty helpful actually, but just didn't have all the details about you or your dogs. I thought it was pretty good advice considering the info given........, but maybe not the type of advice you were seeking. I am considering the same things HustonMC brought up, only relating the the JH test of the AKC--where I've been told bracemates are not required to back each other. Therefore, another dogs antics could help to screw my young dog up. I love the darker dogs looks too! Denise

[hustonmc]

Not to come off as a jerk and i know i didnt state this early but the male is 7 years old so he has plenty of experience and wont be running in any trials he is a hunting dog only. The female is 18 months old and competed in trials last year not NSTRA but local trials at the clubs around NE ohio. And she did fine placing everytime she ran with 3 first 2 seconds and a 3rd. Thanks ezzy for stating i said "if i decide to start running". And jsut beucase i want to make my dogs better and run them all summer doesnt mean there out of control and have no experience. I dont mean to come off as a jerk but you act like becuase i train all summer long my dogs are no good.

That's not what I meant at all, I'll be the last person to criticize a dog or their handler. From your first message it appeared that your dogs were young dogs and you has just finished up a good summer in training and ready to prove it. In that case I stick to my first comment. Other then that I think keeping a dog tuned all summer is good, I work with trainers that have multiple champion dogs and I take them out at least once a week all summer long to keep the rust off. I also didn't state that your dog did or didn't have the ability to palce, I'm sure they do or you wouldn't have thought about it in the first place. The only point I was trying to make was that I have seen some fine dogs put in a field trial to young and because of no e-collar or check chord, got caught up in the pressure and made huge mistakes that took the handler months to correct. I appologize if I offened you or your pretty dogs, I was just trying to be helpful.

[ezzy333]

only relating the the JH test of the AKC--where I've been told bracemates are not required to back each other. Therefore, another dogs antics could help to screw my young dog up

Sure is a lot more to worry about than a dog not backing and screwing up your dog. I am sure it would take a lot more than that to screw any dog up. I have seen a lot not back in the tests as well as trials and many times its older broke dogs. Some people even run their pointers with Labs so the labs can flush the birds.

Ezzy

[Llewellin01]

Im sorry foo the defensive comment. After re-reading your post I jump to conclusion. It was jsut the first sentence of your post that got me going. lol I see your points about people pushing young dogs and you are correct many good dogs are ruined becuase of lack or patience. I didnt mean to sounds mean or get that defensive i jsut jmped the gun and didnt understand your post at first. Sorry for the "vent" and you were right. lol I didnt post my dogs age so i understand where you were coming from.