Can Retrieving survive?

For discussion on anything retrieving related - trialing, training equipment, news, etc.

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Re: Can Retrieving survive?

Postby John Hodson » Thu 16 Oct 2014 7:35 pm

(I too will admit that this could be seen as a shameless plug, however I would like to add my comments to John Lawton's pertinent post.)

Coming from the UK and having shot in field trials and the shooting field for many years and also having trained a Spaniel to field trial' standard in the UK, when I arrived here 11 years ago, due to location and work commitments, I was not quite in a position to own or train a gundog. When I was ready, I found it very difficult to find information about retrieving trials and also a good breeder to get a dog from. (Although I had friends in the British field trial team who ran Labradors and Retrievers, I have a personal affection and soft spot for English Springer Spaniels.) Finally, we found a good breeder in Victoria, we had to wait a year before we could get our puppy. and now, four years later, we have been blessed with a beautiful springer spaniel (Wrangham Jane Eyre, aka Milly)) that in her first year of trialling has won several retrieving trials, a Spaniel field trial and is now an all aged retrieving dog.

We also run a website for hunting and outdoor enthusiasts Here's my plug(http://www.sportingoutbacksupplies.com.au). I realised that awareness to retrieving trials and availability of relevant training equipment in Australia was low, so we have put on a "gun dog training gear" category with over 150 products and we supply Australia-wide via the website. We are trying to encourage more people to get into the sport.

Trying not to deviate too much from the topic of 'can retrieving survive', to support and encourage the sport, although living in NSW we have also joined Gun Dogs Victoria, SSAA Gun Dogs and have supported the National Retrieving Championship with a beginners kit plus other prizes aimed at newcomers to the sport. With the help of Steve Austin whom I am sure many of you know or have heard of, we have conducted for the last two years, 'An introduction to Gun Dogs' training day at the NSW Gun Club for Australian Hunters International hunting club in Sydney and on both occasions had over 45 participants on each day whom had Gun Dogs of various breeds, but did not know how to train them or what the dogs were capable of.
The sport will surely survive if we try to introduce those around us to the pleasures of gun dogs and what they are bred for.
Living in the centre of Sydney with limited access to training grounds, my main daily training is conducted on an oval and whilst trying to avoid the social activities of other unleashed dogs, which I have to accept, I get the opportunity to discuss what I am doing with all manner of dog owners and it is surprising how interested they are, especially if they have Gun Dog breeds or even Cavoodles, Labradoodles, etc which all still have the Gun Dog Traits in their DNA. The conversations normally start when they see me hurling Avery or Dokken plastic Ducks across the field or in to the water. The interested people have no concern that Guns are used or that hunting or simulated hunting is an issue and I believe that this should continue in the field trial/retrieving circuit as this is where its roots lie. Education is key and an openness and willingness to share knowledge and training tips etc to others and to take someone along to watch and introduce them to the sport is what will help the retrieving and field trial sports survive. This is something that we should all encourage and if we all do our bit, we will ensure newcomers continue to come to the sport. John.
John Hodson
 
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Joined: Mon 13 Oct 2014 8:38 am

Re: Can Retrieving survive?

Postby Stuart Grainger » Thu 16 Oct 2014 8:49 pm

I too am new to the sport in Australia, though I competed for many years in the UK and have been a shooting man all of my life. Comparing the situation here to the UK is interesting - in the UK game shooting has enjoyed significant growth for over a decade and mainly in its most accessible forms, small game shoots and syndicates. Whilst many guns (shooters) then move to dog work, for every shooter coming into the sport it creates an opportunity for those with flushing dogs and retrievers. On the shoot I ran for many years we welcomed over a dozen new dog handlers, most having never had a connection with shooting, several of whom are now competing in tests and trials at the highest standard. One young lady, a vegetarian who had never previously even owned a pair of wellingtons, now runs 2 of the finest springers and a wonderful young lab which are a joy to watch compete.

Pups from excellent lines are also widely available and very affordable. The top trainers are also extremely encouraging with most giving advice for free and many running training classes for modest fees. Ian Openshaw, the top spaniel trainer was an absolute role model in this regard selling very good pups and young dogs at very modest prices and giving huge amounts of help and advice to newcomers.

To put all this in context, the last retriever test I did had 76 dogs in the open class that I ran in and had to be run in 3 sections, the novice a similar number and there were 33 in a novice dog / novice handler section which was almost entirely comprised of women of which my wife was the oldest at 41.

I have no data, but my impression is that shooting is not thriving here and is viewed in a very negative light by a large proportion of the population. With no thriving natural pathways for new members to the sport it will need to look to become more approachable for new members. To what extent handling guns and game puts people off I do not know, but certainly in the UK those competing usually flow from tests to cold game tests to trialling with decreasing numbers in each. Most clubs run all 3 so there is great connection between them. In the UK dog handlers are not required to shoot, but this is because that represents the style of shooting and it would be a great shame to see trials here lose resemblance to the form of shooting for which the dog is intended. I do not envy those governing the sport in balancing the conflicting criteria of encouraging new members and maintaining a form of competition which is reflective of the challenges a dog will face in the field.

My own impressions on first steps in the sport have been mixed. It was hard to find a place to start (many thanks to Joe Law for pointing me in the right direction) and I have had a huge amount of support from a very patient breeder, Leanne O Sullivan. Those I have spoken to at the events I have attended have been friendly but overall I have not found the environment to be particularly encouraging and despite many years in the sport overseas I feel quite intimidated by the whole thing. This board is a good example - I have been reading for nearly 2 years and the recurring themes appear to be pretty unconstructive sprays about rules and lack of support for newcomers having trouble training. I would suggest that in the digital age this board will be the entry point for most newcomers and as it stands is not a great advert for the sport. Just read through the threads on training questions and the near absence of any help and I think you get a fair idea of why more people aren't progressing.

If I can overcome the problem of not having a gun license (owing to being on a visa) I am looking forward, albeit very nervously, to our first trial in November and hopefully playing an active part in the trialling community.

Stu
Stuart Grainger
 
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Joined: Mon 07 Oct 2013 7:29 pm

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