Training "honesty" with the young dog
yesterday at 16:26: One of the obedience disciplines for the retrieving gundog is what we call "honesty". It means that the dog must focus on the job it is presented with, and shouldn't be opportunistic in selecting other things it considers right. The dog should trust the handler to stop and handle given the the job at hand changes.Probably the best example of honesty is the retriever that spontaneously picks up a bird, and immediately takes a very fast return to its handler, without considering whatever other game it sees on its way. And the dog should not even consider - once it has picked up a bird - to continue sneaking around for other game. To us, training of "honesty" is a completely integrated part of the training of the young retriever. Too often we see handlers, who as soon as the dog has picked up a bird they, make bells and whistles in order to recall the dog. It can develop into training in disobedience, as the dog gets so used to the recall that it will continue searching once the recall is not given. In trails and tests recalling the dog to make the dog come home will be very expensive.
We have made a youtube playlist, where we show some examples of how you may train the young dog towards being honest. Again it should be said, that these are a few examples, and each drill must be trained several times and proofed separately to reach a firm and honest dog.
Click here to see the playlist.. Thanks to Ms. Pia Christensen and Mr. Mikkel Lyndrup for assisting with both the training and the recording of videos. The dog on the video is Ravensbank Carrie (Carrie), who on the latest videos have just turned 12 months of age.
Carrie has been x-rayed for hip- and elbow dysplasia
Nessie has whelped
Monday at 13:55: On Saturday Squareclose Wendy (Nessie) gave birth to a litter of eight puppies. Six black bitches – one yellow dog and one black dog. The average weight at birth is 399 gr. The whelping took less than five hours. All puppies and Nessie herself is doing splendid. She is such a lovely mum – enjoying her last litter. All puppies are reserved for new homes.Ms. Christensen and Lee becomes 5WT at a great Easter test
17-04-2025: Today Ms. Pia Christensen with her lovely Ravensbank Lee (Lee) became 5th winner at a large Working Test in Novice Class. A very warm congratulations to Ms. Christensen with an excellent result on one of her three dogs from us.
Nessie has been ultrasound scanned
05-04-2025: ....and with a positive result - She is indeed in pups - how many we do not know!
New training gadget
The young dog on the video is Ravensbank Carrie (Carrie), 11 months old.
What is an "aptitude test"?
Aptitude test passed by Chuck and Carrie
The Danish Retriever Club Aptitude Test is a very simple test, and does not contain anything you should not expect from a welle trained youngster. Yet still we count it as a milestone. First of all the test provides admission to the entire DRK-test system, and with that starts the career as a working dog. Secondly - this is our first test to see the dog in an environment with a load of other dogs, peope and new external factors. For some dogs this can be a stressful thing, making them insecure. Not here. Both Chuck and Carrie were completely relaxed in the test area, and waited calmly until it became their turn. By these means the aptitude test passed is really good news. Congratulations to Ms. Christensen, who already owns and competently handles Ravensbank Lee (Lee) and Ravensbank Bruce (Bruce) from us.