Barbet Training Day - 12 July 2015

I couldn't think of a better way to spend a Sunday than with some old and new friends on a Barbet Training Day, unfortunately the weather wasn't brilliant but you can't have everything.

Just to be different I took Malika, not a Barbet I know but Anouk thinks gun dog work is beneath her and Claude has been there done that and got the T-shirt. She wasn't the only Spinone there as Annette had taken Italia.

The morning session was spent at the lake retrieving the dummy from the water, which the Barbets did with ease and so did Italia, Malika although she enjoys the water does not yet like to go out of her depth but with a bit of practice and lots of fun play I think that will come.

Barbets doing what they love to do!!

I have to say a huge thank you to Mick Cleverley from Corunna Gundogs our trainer for the day, who was fantastic, I learned such a lot and will be carrying on with her training at home.

Mick showing Malika how it is done :)

Italia enjoying a swim

Malika escaping from the wet stuff

After the lake it was time for a well deserved lunch break and gossip and then back to training, unfortunately I haven't got any pictures of the next bit, I left the camera in the car :)

Malika definitely enjoyed the next session as this was the retrieve from land and she seems to have a natural instinct for it.  They all passed the gun shy test with flying colours and Malika retrieved the feather dummy each time she was asked to.  

I may be a little biased but at 5 months of age I thought she did really well on her first experience of gun dog training and more importantly she loved it.  I must just say she had plenty of rest and didn't do too much because of her age.

The Group Photo

Thanks Annette and Jimmy for letting me crash at your house again!!