A full day steadying Sam to the anglers on Mill meadow and frying the family breakfast before driving to David Winser at Wistow and doing some trial exercises with Sam before heading for the GSP Club at Harlow.
A busy training session with 30 other dogs went quite well and then back to go with Di to Debbie's Kimbolton school parents evening
I was woken early this morning by a river duck quacking inanely and then rose on my own as it was the morning for the family to lay in. A good walk with Sam, brushing up on his obedience training for the afternoon and walked him off the lead at heel past a whole row of anglers on Mill Meadow for good measure. Then back to cook the family fried breakfast which was quite an event with the results well appreciated. Diana made me a packed lunch so that I could get out early with Sam for the trip to see the other HPR enthusiasts.
** "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **
I drove first to Wistow Toll where I met David Winser and his purposely-set out grounds for training and keeping HPR's. We let Sam have the run of a large paddock and I showed that I had him under good control in the presence of another older dog which came as something of a nice surprise. He then showed me one of his own dogs quartering a nearby field and I was fascinated to see her point and then flush a pheasant cock so near to us. Inside for a chat and then we put another of his dogs and Sam into the back of his car and set off for Harlow. Sam was quite well-controlled in the purpose-built cage and settled down reasonably well with his kennel companion for the journey.
At the Harlow Eastern Counties German Pointer Club training ground, we joined about thirty other dogs and handlers and were split into groups, with Sam and I entering the lowest particular puppy class section for those to be used for shooting. It was a big education for Sam to be with so many people and dogs, but he was not the worst there, though certainly by far the youngest. He had to sit and stay, to walk to heel and then was set loose to be guided around a field by body language. I was to find that these trainers use slightly different commands and whistles and so had to buy the right stop whistle and need to adapt Sam's behaviour accordingly.
The journey back and then a rush to join Diana at Kimbolton School for Debbie's important IIIrd form parent's evening. We heard from each subject teacher in turn that Debbie was trying hard and doing well in that subject so that they each agreed with me that she should not have to give any of them up which is contrary to the general idea these days, supported by the headmaster, that children should decide what they want to do and then specialise as early as possible. Poor Sam had sat in the car all that time but was very good until I took him outside and gave him a run at home. I think that by feeding him first and last thing that this will do the trick from now on. Debbie was still awake and eager to hear all about how she had been getting on at school and we made both complementary and reassuring noises to her before she went to bed.