Vinnie’s First Shoot

I’ve been training Vinnie the Working Cocker Spaniel for a year now. When he came to me, he was 18 months old and unresponsive to the whistle. His owners, Grace and Adam, had no control over him. As always, we started with the basics. Using the Tessleymoor Way of inner circle training, Vinnie made good progress.

The original intention was not to work Vinnie but his owners are outdoor people and thought they would give it a try. In the last few lessons, I’ve commented on what a good dog Vinnie is and the potential he has as a working dog. Grace has always struggled to see what I could see in her dog and perhaps not realised what he could achieve.

Vinnie’s first shoot was at Harewood House in Yorkshire. Grace and Adam went as beaters and there were opportunities for a few pick ups. Vinnie worked really well. He was responsive, hunted, stopped and retrieved. It was such a success that they have been invited back for future shoots.

The lesson here is to believe in yourself and your dog. Put the work in and you will achieve. The commitment of his owners has turned Vinnie into a great working dog and they should be proud of what they have accomplished.

Posted: November 18, 2019