Pup plays on point

[Henk ten Klooster]

Pup Kells enjoys her first field day

Full of surprise she stands still when her halfsister Giulla points pheasant

But hey ain't that hare much more fun

The hare outruns pup Kells

Returned, hey must be something fascinating there

Can't see what the point is but it is a mighty chance to bite her in the neck!!!!

[Carmel Murphy]

Thanks for new photos of Kells!! Looks like a great fun run for her!!;o)

[colette tuite]

Henk,would you not have thought of slipping a lead on Kells and taken her up behind Giulla to see if she would point and you would have then had the opportunity of making her drop to wing when the bird rose up.It seems like a wasted opportunity .Your photo of Kells chasing the hare fairly near the main road would completely freak me out unless i knew that it was well fenced and they could not get on to the road.

Do you think that Kells stood still because she too scented the pheasant? I would be pleased with that in her first outing.

[Henk ten Klooster]

Yes Colette next was Kells on lead behind Giulla on point. You are right this seems a wasted opportunity. But I could not photograph throwing a lead over Kells which was done next. I've never seen a pup biting the pointer instead of backing, thats why a pic.
Indeed the road may seem nearby in the picture, in reality it is faraway way out of a puppyrun and yes fenced. I let them chase hares in this phase without comments. What is your opinion?
Difficult to say wether or not she scented the pheasant. It may come from mimicking Giulla, it may be both. In each case she was interested in the place where the pheasant had been sitting.

[colette tuite]

Well for me personally i would prefer it if they did'nt chase hare or rabbits in case they prefer them to birds.They seem to get a lot more fun chasing them! Then you have to train them off .I prefer to let them encounter fur when i have the drop command firmly established so i can drop them if fur gets up and thus avoid a chase hopefully! One could argue that you are drawing attention to the rabbit/hare by dropping the dog it all depends if the dog has seen it.I have sometimes cut short the beat i have been working to direct the dog in the opposite direction rather than allow the dog to encounter our furry friends!!

How do you deal with encounters with fur?

[Henk ten Klooster]

The Old School here says bring them on fields where there is fur and feather. They will chase hares and find out for themselves they fail, but learn with feathers they can do something.

For a first outing in fields, I prefer let them search things out for themselves, no comment. Neglecting "mistakes", but stimulating and praising them into heaven when theres an ok moment for feathers.

Elder ones should point hares and/or drop on departure stay. Any other opinion very welcome!

[Henk ten Klooster]

She reacts on smell of a couple of partridge that had been sitting there. So I guess it starts, though Kells is still very playful. A few leaves in the wind will distract her.... She met common snipe for the first time, pointed and blocked by Clancy. As well partridge (all coupled now-a sure sign of Spring), pheasant and hares. While Giulla was on point, she did not bite her in the neck this time. Fields were filled with tons of running hares. The elder dogs pointed or dropped, I did not let her chase this time, thinking of Collettes advice. Though when she discovers them while running free subsequently chasing I will not comment. You may....

[Henk ten Klooster]