Training Update 4

SOUTHPORT LIFEBOAT K9 UPDATE

June

Both I and William have been hard at work training.  We have both learnt a lot over the last few months.

In April we went up to the lakes to spend the weekend with the Lads and Lasses from SARDALAKES this was a big comeuppance for us both.  The first day was a disaster with William not sticking to the bodies and being reluctant to bark on command.

I had thought that William would have been better than he was. It was not a bad thing.  If all had gone to plan we would not have learned anything and progressed as much as we did.

So! After a very large dose of constructive criticism we started putting thing back together and by the end of the weekend we were back on the right track and I went home with a better dog.

One of the mistakes that I had been making was that I had been working William on the beach where there is no or very little distractional scent, and if William had come off the Body I had been using it as a stepping stone to the next step of his training the “Show Me” command.

We came home with a big TO DO list, and I have been working hard on it ever since.

Joanne Pritchard from Cheshire SAR team has been helping and our weekly training sections have been a big help to use both.   Joanne has a young collie bitch called Kim that she is hoping to grade as Lowland Hasty search dog very soon.

First of all we worked on Williams focus by going back to the runaway’s but in area where there was lot of distraction like other dogs, rabbits and lots of ground sent, we also brought in another incentive   “ FOOD”  He will now sell his soul for a grave bone.

This did not take long for William to grasp as being half Lab his stomach rules his brain sometimes.  He is now working well on the paths in the pine woods and on parkland where everyman and his dog has been and rabbits.

As a result he is sticking with the body better. Sometimes I cannot get him off, if William thinks that they might have his grave bone he isn’t going anywhere till he gets it, and the more he barks. This has been a great success, as now he does not get the reward from the body unless it looks like he is losing interest.

He will bark about 50% of the time without being prompted and 100% on being prompted this is improving day by day. 100% without a prompted is the goal.

He still gets to play will his favourite squeaky ball, but only when I reach him and the body this is when I give him the food treat as well. Game over.

So if you are out for a walk in the dunes or pinewood and you see a lifeboat man hiding in the bushes with a bag of dog biscuits. He is not some pervert with a fetish for gravy bones. He is one of the bodies. Watch out for William and Kim they are about. They will probably find you as well, and would both love to say HI!

I cannot thank everyone enough for helping me with Williams training. Sometimes I feel like banging my head against a wall. Then someone gets a phone call and puts me back on track again.

I don’t know where I would be without them.

Mike Hadwin and Mick Guy and all the bodies up in the Lakes at SARALAKES.

Joanne Pritchard and Cheshire SAR dog team,

All the lads on the Lifeboat crew for being bodies and the support and encouragement they have given me.

Anna Taylor and Paula Carse for always offering to body when you are around the farm yard.

If you would like to help there are still something that William is looking for:-

His 6 monthly hair do.

His annual vaccinations, wormers and routine care.

The recent hot weather has not been helping too much and he soon over heats, as do all dogs when it's 80’and are working hard. But it’s been a good excuse for a swim in the big pond up the road from the farm or in the sea with the rest of his kennel mates.

There is another SARDA weekend coming up soon so let’s hope thing go ok and we get another TO DO list to work on. May be one day that cross breed Truffle hound called William might be able to show the mutton busters (Mountain Rescue collie’s) how good he can be.

Hope you all like the new website, keep looking to see how Williams getting on and all the other news on call outs, training, and fund raising events. Don’t forget to look out for William about town he loved all the attention at the Funfest.  He was not at the carnival.  I was away on a training course that weekend. He will be at the flower show if I can get away from the harvest, so call in to the rest tent, have a sit down and a cup of John Shawcroft’s legendary boat house tea and meet William the big soft lump for yourself. If he’s not there he will be on one of the gates on Saturday as it’s our collection day.

Neil Rothwell

Coxswain, Chairman but most of all Williams Dad