Mr Putdown
Well-known member
He was always going to predominantly be a family dog, it's difficult to train a dog with an 8 and 6 year old obsessing over him and it would have been unfair to make them leave him alone. Also I wanted to trust him implicitly with them and them hanging onto him from 14 weeks old has ensured there's very much a mutual respect between them. He's good with the basics, he'll trot along next to me off the lead (but as soon as he goes on the lead he's flat to the floor pulling), he's good with his recall although he'll stop and sniff a few things on the way (he reminds me of a sub going off at 1 nil up in stoppage time who stops to shake the refs hand, wave at the fans, etc) and he's the most loving thing I've ever come across. He knows I won't make a fuss off him as soon as I walk in after work so he goes and lays on the floor shaking waiting for his turn. He has all the right instincts, they're just not particularly fine tuned.
The fact you made that point, that you’ve trained your dog to fit your family’s requirements, but acknowledge that you’re dog is capable of more, suggests to me you really understand dogs. Kids and puppies aren’t a good mix for training, but it sounds like you managed it.
Your springer sounds amazing! My dad was a gamekeeper so I grew up around some extremely well trained dogs especially one of his under keepers who had a superb springer but I saw the amount of time and effort he put into it (also he didn't have kids). I knew I didn't have the time to see it through properly so we just made sure he was the best family dog he could be,
Can I ask where you’re dad worked, was it on a Sussex shoot?