Mugi really upset me yesterday, something he did made me realise A) how bright he is and ![cool.gif](http://3.<a href="http://www.forumer.com">forumer</a>.com/html/emoticons/cool.gif)
how unobservant I am ![sad.gif](http://3.<a href="http://www.forumer.com">forumer</a>.com/html/emoticons/sad.gif)
.
Scenario, we are out on the shoot and he has been 'ignoring' me. I put it down to him being keen and happy to be working and an element of nose out of joint with me giving Piper attention. Yesterday however he walked straight into a moving vehicle and the penny finally dropped - HE IS DEAF!!! Thankfully the driver was aware a dog was about and was moving sooooo slowly he barely had a mussed hair and he was totally unaware.
We did a fair bit of -*test*-('")ing with different whistles and unless one of his 'brothers' are in front of him and respond he doesn't. He has got by with him being so tuned in to me and attentive and using the other dogs to give him clues.
Anyway, yesterday evening I ordered a vibrating collar from the US and hopefully I can retrain him to recall on a vibration. The keeper is happy for him to continue working and as long as I can make contact with him we will get by. If the worst happens and he doesn't learn the new signal he will beat on his harness and tape flexi - problem is that will stop him retrieving and yesterday he brought a bird in from over 100m that he had scented.
These old dogs never fail to amaze me - they adapt so well to their problems, mind you it does fit in with his panic when he thought he had lost me on the walk with Selina, Rob, Linda and Barn after the Feniton event.
how unobservant I am .Scenario, we are out on the shoot and he has been 'ignoring' me. I put it down to him being keen and happy to be working and an element of nose out of joint with me giving Piper attention. Yesterday however he walked straight into a moving vehicle and the penny finally dropped - HE IS DEAF!!! Thankfully the driver was aware a dog was about and was moving sooooo slowly he barely had a mussed hair and he was totally unaware.
We did a fair bit of -*test*-('")ing with different whistles and unless one of his 'brothers' are in front of him and respond he doesn't. He has got by with him being so tuned in to me and attentive and using the other dogs to give him clues.
Anyway, yesterday evening I ordered a vibrating collar from the US and hopefully I can retrain him to recall on a vibration. The keeper is happy for him to continue working and as long as I can make contact with him we will get by. If the worst happens and he doesn't learn the new signal he will beat on his harness and tape flexi - problem is that will stop him retrieving and yesterday he brought a bird in from over 100m that he had scented.
These old dogs never fail to amaze me - they adapt so well to their problems, mind you it does fit in with his panic when he thought he had lost me on the walk with Selina, Rob, Linda and Barn after the Feniton event.
![biggrin.gif](http://3.<a href="http://www.forumer.com">forumer</a>.com/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)
![ohmy.gif](http://3.<a href="http://www.forumer.com">forumer</a>.com/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif)
....glad to hear no damage done but hell fire .........![wub.gif](http://3.<a href="http://www.forumer.com">forumer</a>.com/html/emoticons/wub.gif)
![dry.gif](http://3.<a href="http://www.forumer.com">forumer</a>.com/html/emoticons/dry.gif)
Princesses collar arrived yday Sue . . . . I would like the vibration to be a tad more intense . . . but it does the job . . . .so far. ![wink.gif](http://3.<a href="http://www.forumer.com">forumer</a>.com/html/emoticons/wink.gif)
![smile.gif](http://3.<a href="http://www.forumer.com">forumer</a>.com/html/emoticons/smile.gif)
.