Hold the Line

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 In this episode, I talk about what I've learnt as a result of the recent extremely stressful situation I've experienced recently. A 9 month old puppy we bred was dumped at a rescue organisation. We were not told. The rescue refused to rehome him to us. PLUS listener Q&As.

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 Sometimes life is complicated. If dogs are losing out on opportunities for exercise and enrichment because people can't manage them, then their quota of 'good stuff' in life gets a lot lower. A dog which never leaves the house is going to experience the fewest unpleasant things in life - and also would be incredibly deprived, under-exercised and u...

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 Loads of tips towards helping you to get pups swimming!

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 In this episode, I talk about a certain subgroup of gundogs which are very motivated by environmental exploration/reinforcers. They require a different training approach. These dogs might find it much easier to work at a distance (with behaviours like the remote stop and the recall) and much harder to offer sustained focus up-close (as with heelwork). 

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 The best marking is most likely if we send the dog immediately the retrieve falls. However, this also erodes steadiness. What to do? 

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 I just wanted to drill down (pun intended) on this particular issue, because it's such a great one for improving focus and attention when you're battling environmental distractions. 

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 I talk here about a few ways to help dogs which are struggling to offer us focus and attention. Do check out my Focus and Attention course, for more info. 

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 This is a random collection of thoughts directed towards helping people become better trainers by addressing things other than the usual 'how to train stuff'. From personality traits of effective trainers to gaps in knowledge and misassumptions. 

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 This sequence can be really confusing for people at first, leading to people often trying to train this in the actual order it actually happens. 

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 This episode is a little bit of everything. It is a buffet of an episode. Not sure if it's all you can eat, but it is a heck of a lot. 

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 Here I waffle randomly about what I'm doing with puppies in this age range. It doesn't really involve much gundog-specific stuff, because it's about helping pups to feel safe in the world.

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 I talk here about the advantages of picking up, especially for HPR breeds (spaniels would also benefit for similar reasons) - and also offer some thoughts about docking after our experiences with our recent litter of Weim pups.

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 Yes, finally, it's here. The long-awaited sequel to *The Fundamentals*, the new book is called * Force-Free Gundog Training: Precision and Progression " and it's available in Amazons everywhere. Whoop whoop!

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 Amazingly, my new book (Force-Free Gundog Training: Precision and Progression) is nearly ready. WHOOP!! It should be out in a few weeks.... 

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 This is a ramble of an episode (both subject-wise and literally) covering ticks, the come-in whistle on retrieves and early canine pregnancy.

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 In this episode, I recount our incredibly stressful race against the clock to get the right stuff, in the right place, at the right time. Phew.

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 What are the pros and cons of working tests?

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 This episode is an outdoor ramble (verbally and physically!).... 

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 Here are some useful tips for moving onto marks and then blinds across water.

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 This is a slight bonanza of a wandering episode, where I waffle about prepping for our upcoming litter, woes around tick products, why it's a useful training opportunity to have a dog which is highly aroused... in your yard and how to train many dogs at once. It's a bit all over the place and it's got something for everyone. Sort of.

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 I talk about prioritising your enjoyment of the actual activity of working your dog in the field, separate to any achievements, goals or objectives. It's not about the destination, it's about the journey.  I also talk about the importance of splitting your training and structuring your work with blinds. Be a lumper and not a splitter.  Finally, we&apos...

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 In this episode I waffle in response to a listener's question about using bird launchers and control at the flush of game.

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 This episode is an assortment of amazingly interesting things. It's like a box of Quality Street, only with a lot of The Purple Ones. 

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 A quah episode (question and answer)  about a dog who is under good control in training scenarios - but out of control, in trials. 

🙃 Text me (Jo) at Hold the Line 🙃 In this episode, I talk about the skill and concept which is 'lining'. I introduce my new course (creatively called 'Lining') - which you can get a discount on using code Lining30