Page 88 - K9 News - Issue 15 - March2021

dog would find game, so it was not unusual but whilst working cover a pheasant ran out of
for him to take a terrier and German Shepherd
along to work alongside the springers of the
clergyman. I had read at this time that when you
were lucky enough to be invited to a shoot that
you should keep your dog on a lead until you
understood what was expected. The day was a
learning experience for both Ryan and myself,
I kept him on a tight lead as we walked the first
two plantations watching the dogs working in
front of their handlers, who it has to be said
were paying less attention than they probably
ought. It was when we were about to take a
break that the farmer approached and said “we
will never know if he can work if you don’t let
him off the lead”. As we all began walking down
the ride I decided I could let Ryan off the lead to
stretch his legs, after all I knew he would come
back if I called him. I slipped his lead and he
was off down the ride, two of the shooters were
talking and had their guns sleeved and over
their shoulder. Ryan hit them both behind the
knees and they went down like skittles, I was
glad they had their guns sleeved. After a few
chosen expletives we all stopped laughing and
they never bore us any malice. The clergyman
seemed to take a shine to us and invited me and
begrudgingly Ryan to join in a small syndicate
as a paying gun, this shoot worked open fields
of stubble and green crops such as kale and
cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Here we learned
how Ryan could use the wind, quartering large
areas and then watching him pointing. It was
not long before the people who had little faith in
the idea of a hunt, point retriever were calling to
each other to move forward as the grey dog was
on point. We now had the opportunity to really
develop whatever abilities we had as handler
and dog, we were indeed fortunate.
Sadly, this experience would be short lived
lasting just two seasons. It came to an untimely
end when on a shoot day several unknown
guns arrived and when questioned claimed they
were invited by the aforementioned clergyman
whilst in the pub the previous evening. When
we enquired if that was correct, he could not
recall but did confess to being somewhat the
worse for wear. We allowed the guns to stay
88
K9 NEWS DIGITAL / MARCH 2021
some vegetation and multiple shots were fired,
the bird was not even in full flight and regrettably
Ryan who was with other dogs in pursuit to flush
the bird was shot and collapsed. I rushed him
to the vet who after examination advised that
there were around 80 pellets in his head and
neck which he did not feel he could remove,
luckily although close to his eyes none had
entered them. He was medicated and advised
to rest and be monitored. I could never condone
the recklessness of those who behaved so
dangerously and advised the clergyman that I
would never return but as I could not prove who
had shot Ryan, I would take no further action.
Ryan did return to work by my side but only after
I had found a shoot I could operate on my own.
Shooting can be a dangerous place for dogs
and after that experience I am always cautious
when invited to work my dogs on a new shoot.
I usually say I will come without dogs the first
time, just to get a feel for the shoot, the guns
and the other dogs, but also the atmosphere,
which should be calm, well organised and both
guns and beaters under control.
The show societies, particularly the gundog
shows would respect the working season Sept/
October till the end of January and very few
held shows at that period. Elaine and I would
enter hardly any shows during that period as
our time was spent working. In 1973 we decided
we could take on another dog but in those days
two male Weimaraners was frowned upon.
The breed had certain traits that as yet had not
been softened by breeding, one of these was
that coming from a pack breeding background
a male would not willingly be dominated by
another male. We had no aspirations to breed
and had never really considered it as an
option, after all we lived in a semi-detached
on an estate, and yes we had pet rabbits in
a hutch in the garden which we used to test
Ryan’s steadiness. We also had broody hens
sitting pheasant eggs in an unused coalhouse,
pheasant chicks that hatched went into a pen
under a lamp in the garage until strong enough
to be taken to any shoot we were involved