Roly is very similar - in that Ian has taken the lead on Roly's training. We went on a residential Gun Dog Training Weekend in Dorset when he was 10 months old (to teach us rather than him!) and one bit of advice we came away with was that if Ian is Roly's 'master' then his voice should be the one giving direction when we are exercising him together.
This works for us - if Ian isn't there Roly will do everything I ask and will stick quite close to me when off lead. But when we exercise him together I don't give instruction at all - I also notice that Roly will go further away when Ian is there. Not sure if he feels protective of me when Ian isn't there.
We have whistle trained Roly though - so if we are out together and I spot him heading for trouble I can double-peep him to recall or long whistle to get a sit/down by which time Ian has caught up with whatever it is I've spotted and continues with the next instruction - I'm sure Roly doesn't actually realise it's me that whistled and not Ian - we both use the same 210.5 whistle.
Roly will do what I ask indoors though regardless of who is there - but I'm not asking for anything complicated and there is usually a treat to be earned and he hasn't yet been known to pass up the chance of a bit of garlic biscuit (great recipe Willow!!![biggrin.gif](http://3.<a href="http://www.forumer.com">forumer</a>.com/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)
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This works for us - if Ian isn't there Roly will do everything I ask and will stick quite close to me when off lead. But when we exercise him together I don't give instruction at all - I also notice that Roly will go further away when Ian is there. Not sure if he feels protective of me when Ian isn't there.
We have whistle trained Roly though - so if we are out together and I spot him heading for trouble I can double-peep him to recall or long whistle to get a sit/down by which time Ian has caught up with whatever it is I've spotted and continues with the next instruction - I'm sure Roly doesn't actually realise it's me that whistled and not Ian - we both use the same 210.5 whistle.
Roly will do what I ask indoors though regardless of who is there - but I'm not asking for anything complicated and there is usually a treat to be earned and he hasn't yet been known to pass up the chance of a bit of garlic biscuit (great recipe Willow!!
)