HAPPY NEW WEEK!!!
Last week's Chat thread is here.
Seems like a lot of folks on this thread have been facing adversity of one kind or another. Sending you all best wishes and good energy.
Have a wonderful week everyone!
Oh, I wasn't yelling at you, Heather. I was just curious. Interesting about the research.
Dear DIANE, you have never yelled at any of us :-) Sorry if I implied that. I'll let you know when I hear from the university. Some sort of questionnaire, I would think.
HEATHER - I have to disagree with your OH on the subject of a gundog. Surely Spaniels are not bred to kill by causing suffering, but to carefully pick up the birds killed by the guns and present them intact to their owner?
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
PS - anyway, surely Bonnie is a Springer (not a Cocker) and they are bred to "spring" ground birds such as partridge and pheasant - that is, to put them up in the air for the guns to shoot.
OG- I just asked my OH again. He says that some breeds will catch things by instinct. If they are trained gun dogs they will bring the catch to the owner and drop it. If not trained then will be unwilling to give up their catch. I don't really understand so can only try and repeat what he says!
Agreed OG, they are gun dogs, the gun does the killing, the spaniels and the labs do the picking up. Tapaidh doesn't do any killing but her friend Benny will chase after rabbits so I think it is in their instincts. We try to always keep tapaidh worn out by chasing her ball, hiding her dummy and she loves a game of football. I have known sheepdogs to take down sheep and lambs so you never can second guess them.
What a glorious late afternoon and evening. A friend will be at the Rod Stewart concert at the Cally stadium. I am sure she will have a great evening.
At tapaidh's training she would bring back dummy or ball but would be reluctant to give up. It is in a spaniels nature to do this, labs will bring back and drop instantly but we were told not to drag it or snatch from her mouth. With tapaidh we learnt to let her have her prize for a few circles around and then swap for a treat. Now she brings back doesn't expect a treat, will hold onto for a minute or so and then drop for you to throw again.
Hi all ...weather improved today after rain rain and more rain..
Daughter up all personal stuff done and 2 Daisy walks today..
I would worry if Daisy ever caught and killed anything. She is a terrier as you know and with all the rabbits deer etc we have here it would be a disaster as we have the " hunting with dogs" thing to consider. This doesn't just cover hounds out with a hunt. I do believe once she had a taste for it it would be hard to control.
This time of year dogs should be on a lead in most countryside to save ground nesting birds of which we have many.
LMAC - surely Springers are imperfect at retrieving because they are springers, not retrievers - their skill is in springing - or flushing - the birds from grass or woodland to fly up in front of the guns, so Cockers and Retrievers can do the retrieving because they are better at it.