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Cockapoo: Fishing friend or foe

On the money again Dave, I used to train dogs as a sideline a few years back, by train it was mostly basic obedience, walking to heel and such like, of course I was presented with a variety of breeds that the new owner expected them to behave as a 'Lassie' type.

As you know training any dog is 95% the owner and 5% the dog, well not quite but you know what I mean. I had Rotts Alsations Poodle, all sorts, and although 'heel' work was easy anything beyond that presented different problems.

Guarding breeds are the easier to to train in all aspects, but of course offer the greatest threat to the public. And it is with these breeds there is an almost indifference as to the potential risk they offer, and can end up in the wrong hands.

I rescued a Boxer x Lab (Toby) many years ago from the RSPCA Nr Bournemouth, as soon as I let him off in the local park he went straight for a little terrier and clamped on, I managed to seperate the terrier from his jaws, but not before cutting my thumb that needed stitches, imagine my horror that it was the nurses dog that stitched me up that Toby attacked!!

He was a loving dog with people, in fact we had our three sons grow up with him, never a problem, but other dogs? Forget it, and I as a ex RAF Dog handler could not train that out of him.

I found out later that Toby along with other dogs were rescued from a dog fighting syndicate in the New Forest, so no wonder.

He went on to live a long and full life, but couldn't bear being seperated from the family for even a minute, I am glad Toby chose us:)

We have rescued all sorts, but the most cutest and un dog like had to be the Belgian Griffon, that was going to be put down by her owner because she was 'too stubborn' I went to the Nursing Home for the interview as a potential adoptee, booted and suited, not really wanting the thing, but was accepted with a waive of the hand, and told to collect her from the Boarding Kennels. Of course the kids fell in love with her from day 1 little Mugwai :p

Sorry about the ramble, it's an age thing.

Spot on Neil, and you have my respect for your dog training skills and patience....it ain't easy. Many years ago (in my early twenties) I had a big lurcher (greyhound/saluki cross) that I bought as a pup, and he had similar issues to your Toby. He came from a farmer in Lincolnshire, from parent's used by that farmer for foxing and similar.

He didn't have the best start in life, which again was down to stupidity on my part. The advert stated that he would be delivered by train, in a crate, put on board in the morning for delivery early afternoon. First thing that went wrong was that he did not arrive that afternoon, not in fact until noon the following day. It turned out that the poor wee thing had been left overnight on a station platform...and the crate was literally that, a beer bottle crate with the dividers knocked out and a wooden lid nailed on the top. at two months, that pup was had legs well over a foot long, he could barely turn around. He was so traumatised that I had to sit with him, with his head firmly rammed into my armpit for the rest of the day :mad: If I could have got hold of the barsteward who did that to him, I would still be in prison now. so, my stupidity was really naivety, in that I expected things to be done with all due care on the sellers part, and for the rail company to do the same. How very silly of me.

Anyway, to cut things short, he was a wonderful dog, calm and gentle, kids could climb on him, super temperament. Except...he still killed foxes, and attacked big dogs on sight (not little ones, fortunately).

I love dogs, characters, flaws and all. By and large, I prefer them to people. You can trust them, they are as honest as the day is long, in that they are predictable in all they do...and the love they have for you is unconditional. Can't ask for more than that mate.

Cheers, Dave.
 
Glad it worked out for both him and you Dave. The mess that seems to be at the moment the cross breeding of dogs to satisfy a fashion need is pretty depressing, the next 'must have' dog etc, I can only hope as I am sure most new dog owners will quickly understand the effort required to keep a healthy and happy dog.

I shudder at some of the choices people make in choosing a family pet dog, a neighbour with a new baby in the family wanted a dog, and I heard they were going to chose a Dobermann, which let's face it is a big handful for someone who has never had a dog, and plus the new infant!!

I couldn't resist having a word before they got the dog, and stating the obvious perils, but they went ahead and got the Dobermann, and there was never an issue with the child, but the sheer effort needed to mantain the dog etc, proved too much and the dog was re-homed.

This is very typical I am afraid and is why the various dog rescue units are kept so busy, perhaps it is time we actually licensed dog ownership again?

We are obviously both nuts about dogs, as are many on here, a very British thing... Excellent.:)
 
Glad it worked out for both him and you Dave. The mess that seems to be at the moment the cross breeding of dogs to satisfy a fashion need is pretty depressing, the next 'must have' dog etc, I can only hope as I am sure most new dog owners will quickly understand the effort required to keep a healthy and happy dog.

I shudder at some of the choices people make in choosing a family pet dog, a neighbour with a new baby in the family wanted a dog, and I heard they were going to chose a Dobermann, which let's face it is a big handful for someone who has never had a dog, and plus the new infant!!

I couldn't resist having a word before they got the dog, and stating the obvious perils, but they went ahead and got the Dobermann, and there was never an issue with the child, but the sheer effort needed to mantain the dog etc, proved too much and the dog was re-homed.

This is very typical I am afraid and is why the various dog rescue units are kept so busy, perhaps it is time we actually licensed dog ownership again?

We are obviously both nuts about dogs, as are many on here, a very British thing... Excellent.:)

Hi Neil, i suppose ive got one of those " designer dogs " you speak of. Its a cross between a pug and a beagle, ( puggle ). The ex would never let the kids have a dog, but once she was gone, i told the kids they could have " any " dog they wanted. They never picked a puggle because it was the " in thing " to have. Puggle,s have been bred in America since the early 1970,s.

The reason they picked such a dog?????

:eek::eek::eek:Peter Andre had one:eek::eek::eek: :D

P.S. i love him to bits, hence avatar, he is my best mate. :) the dog that is, not Peter Andre :p
 
A Puggle, that a new one on me, mind you that's is of no surprise, I have enough trouble working out the combinations, Cockapoo, etc, as I have said I have a bitch Lab and a dog Springer, and any union would result in a Slab? Mmmm, might have to rethink the branding there :)

Your right 'tho about no matter what dog comes into our lives they are loved, never mind the street cred, as was with Amy our much loved Belgian Griffon.

Has a pug type face and a sort of cross between a pug and a border terrier, but very old breed, ratter, but very much a designer dog that folk like to dress up.
We treated her like a dog, as intended. :)
 

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Cockapoo

Hi Neil I have a cross lab and springer, It is called a spingerdoor, He is a great dog but his problem is he has a nose, He is into all the bushes trees and there is a stream were I live, He is in and out of it all the time, He is not happy unless he is chasing duck rabbits or any thing that moves He would be a nightmare if I took him on the severn or wye. Would not have much time for fishing, My wife or me would not be without him, He keeps me quit fit he wont's a good 4 to 5 mile walk very day. Looks like the cold weathers coming but don't know how long for Tight lines be lucky
 
Hi Kevin, Springers were put on this Earth to create havoc, where there is harmony they will find discourse, and crashing through undergrowth , chasing birds, cats, rabbits, all the same to them. The Lab looks upon him as an idiot, they are so different, but very close, Jack has her back:rolleyes:
Cold weather ? Well better get the Chub gear out, tight lines yourself.
 
Hi Neil I have a cross lab and springer, It is called a spingerdoor, He is a great dog but his problem is he has a nose, He is into all the bushes trees and there is a stream were I live, He is in and out of it all the time, He is not happy unless he is chasing duck rabbits or any thing that moves He would be a nightmare if I took him on the severn or wye. Would not have much time for fishing, My wife or me would not be without him, He keeps me quit fit he wont's a good 4 to 5 mile walk very day. Looks like the cold weathers coming but don't know how long for Tight lines be lucky

Kevin surely it is a Lager :D
 
Hi Neil, i suppose ive got one of those " designer dogs " you speak of. Its a cross between a pug and a beagle, ( puggle ). The ex would never let the kids have a dog, but once she was gone, i told the kids they could have " any " dog they wanted. They never picked a puggle because it was the " in thing " to have. Puggle,s have been bred in America since the early 1970,s.

The reason they picked such a dog?????

:eek::eek::eek:Peter Andre had one:eek::eek::eek: :D

P.S. i love him to bits, hence avatar, he is my best mate. :) the dog that is, not Peter Andre :p

So he's a Puggle Derek, I've wondered for some while when looking at your avatar, good looking little fella....all these posh names for the crosses, when I was a kid we called 'em mongrels
 
What a fantastic photo - thanks for posting.

The best posts in the thread are of course the ones that include the word 'train'.

My dog is half Springer spaniel, half husky, but essentially behaves like a Springer in most ways. So if he was loose on the river bank he would be disruptive to us as anglers. But he has been trained for the last 2 years to be still on river banks, he is always staked down, as he is when he watches sport, and he knows he would be reprimanded if he tried to nick bait or in any way interfere with my or anyone else's fishing.

What has helped, since we didn't start fishing until he was three years old, which is quite late for such training, is that my Mrs and I are both footballers and he was previously pegged down from the age of about 5-6 months to watch park football matches or football training 1-2 times a week, and just learned to lie down and be quiet. He also knows that his reward will be a good run away from the fishing, or away from the football, with a tennis ball, every few hours. Most springer owners know that the tennis ball can be used in moderation to supplant their other obsessions.

Incidentally before we started fishing we often used to throw a tennis ball into water for him to fetch. We no longer do this, and it took over a year for him to stop crashing into water with the expectation of a ball being thrown, when he was allowed to do so - which he wasn't when we were fishing, obviously, cos we'd have him on a short lead when we approached the water. He doesn't try to do that at all now.

It is of course essential that he's already well exercised when he arrives at the river (or football pitch).

He has a twin "sprusky", who we sometimes look after for our friend who owns him. The twin has not received the same training/conditioning, and and as a consequence is less manageable and more disruptive in such situations.
 
Nice, good to see the Salmon making a bit of a comeback on the Avon. Will the runs of 40 lbers ever return?

There's a certain irony to your post Paul as, a couple of hours earlier that day, there was a 40lb plus salmon landed from the Royalty!

u6rPjr3.jpg


:D
 
How can you follow those pictures...I'd love to give Salmon fishing a go one day.....
But back to the thread....
My Wife & I took our Northern Inuit "Max" fly fishing the other night....Mistake!!
He gets anxious when we are out together and separate, he'll whinge, whine and almost Howl until we get back together.. on top of that he is an accomplished hunter so he just wont sit still...its a shame because he's lovely company and a brilliant dog to own, but fishing is off the agenda I'm afraid.....
 
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