Coupl of queries before her first dy out.

[Bogwoppit]

Hi All

 

My lab bitch is getting her first proper outing this weekend after ducks.

 

She's been on a few pigeon days so far and has done well but I am having a small problem with water retrieves.

 

When I throw out 2 dummies for her she'll go get the first one and swim with it straight to the second one and try pick that at the same time. She'll faff about for a while before coming back with one. Any ideas? I thought she might get over it but hasn't so far.

 

Another question; She's my first dog and I don't know whether to feed her before we start on the day. Considering we'll be starting at around 6 or 6.30 and she's usually fed at 8, should I just feed her early?

 

Thanks.

 

Al

 

Edited September 2, 2014 by Bogwoppit

[bigbird]

Have you taught a 'leave that' command? Done retrieve drills with distractions at all?

[bull dog]

I don't feed mine till we get back after they have been washed off with clean water if they have been really busy give em a bit extra

[RichardP]

As said above teach the leave command with distractionb dummy's and start on dry land........

 

As for feeding having in the past seen 1 lab and 1 springer have twisted gut from being fed before they went working i would never feed my dogs till we got home....

[Bogwoppit]

I've tried the distraction dummy and leave command for the last couple of days, it's making a difference already.

 

Thanks for all the replies.

 

Bw

[kent]

I feed just a little but I start far earlier than half six at this time of year, then again when we get back to the truck, I don't want a dog prompting me for feeding and neither do I want one working on a full belly and the risk that involves.

Its not as simple as throwing a few distraction dummies when the dog is in water (for one you cannot intercept it). I should just stick to the one in training for now then work towards throwing the second only as the dog is about to get out the water throwing it well back (but not on smaller ponds). Do the distraction drill on land were you can intercept the dog if it ignores stop, otherwise you can soon teach it that it can disobey

If my dog is coming back with a dead duck and I drop a winged one I fully expect him to forget the one he has and go for the wounded one, this is not dog sport its wildfowling and the dog needs to act ! Sometimes the dog will go after the wounder and the dead one it forsakes will be lost but wait till you have tried for a lightly hit Duck on tide before you judge on that one!

[bigbird]

I've tried the distraction dummy and leave command for the last couple of days, it's making a difference already.

 

Thanks for all the replies.

 

Bw

 

 

Nice one

[Bogwoppit]

We had our first day out yesterday and it went fantastic.

 

13 mallard and 4 wigeon, there were 2 birds in the water a few time and the dog only got confused once, the other times she was grand.

 

Still lots more work to do with her but I'm delighted with how she worked.

 

Bw

 

[bull dog]

Fantastic mate it worked out on the day good luck to you and a fine looking lab you have there to

[loriusgarrulus]

Congratulations to you both.

[jayDT10]

I feed just a little but I start far earlier than half six at this time of year, then again when we get back to the truck, I don't want a dog prompting me for feeding and neither do I want one working on a full belly and the risk that involves.

Its not as simple as throwing a few distraction dummies when the dog is in water (for one you cannot intercept it). I should just stick to the one in training for now then work towards throwing the second only as the dog is about to get out the water throwing it well back (but not on smaller ponds). Do the distraction drill on land were you can intercept the dog if it ignores stop, otherwise you can soon teach it that it can disobey

If my dog is coming back with a dead duck and I drop a winged one I fully expect him to forget the one he has and go for the wounded one, this is not dog sport its wildfowling and the dog needs to act ! Sometimes the dog will go after the wounder and the dead one it forsakes will be lost but wait till you have tried for a lightly hit Duck on tide before you judge on that one!

bad advice in my eyes kent. I would never want a dog to drop a bird and go after something that has been winged. I like to assess a situation before sending my dog. Best thing to do is let it retrieve the dead duck if it already has it in its mouth assess the situation then go for the wounded duck. Your dogs must run riot on a pheasant shoot . Edited September 8, 2014 by jayDT10

[Blunderbust]

 

If my dog is coming back with a dead duck and I drop a winged one I fully expect him to forget the one he has and go for the wounded one, this is not dog sport its wildfowling and the dog needs to act ! Sometimes the dog will go after the wounder and the dead one it forsakes will be lost but wait till you have tried for a lightly hit Duck on tide before you judge on that one!

 

:no:

[kent]

bad advice in my eyes kent. I would never want a dog to drop a bird and go after something that has been winged. I like to assess a situation before sending my dog. Best thing to do is let it retrieve the dead duck if it already has it in its mouth assess the situation then go for the wounded duck. Your dogs must run riot on a pheasant shoot .

 

wildfowling on a tidal marsh is very, very different than stood in a field shooting chickens. Wounded birds are taken by the current and can take a dog out into danger by diving repeatedly leading to an exhausted dog. When I talk duck I don't mean half tame ones on a simple pit. Horses for courses. I know I loose birds to the current, when the tide is running I just prefer I didn't leave behind the injured to die a slow death and possibly discredit my sport, the lost dead can often be picked on the wash line at low tide- the wounded tend not to be found as they hide away

 

I DONT SHOOT DRIVEN PHEASANTS - FORMOST I AM A HUNTER, if something flies over my head when I am stood bold upright in a grassy field during the main part of the day then I do not personally see it as worthy quarry my post should be seen in context as it will be by my like.

[jayDT10]

I totally agree . But a dog should not drop a duck wherever it is , it should bring it to hand . I've done a lot of wildfowling and still do but and would hate the though of my dog dropping ducks to go after a wounded one when the situation hasn't been weighed up. Dogs don't know the dangers of a hard current so never mind about loosing a wounded duck when you could loose your dog.

[kent]

I totally agree . But a dog should not drop a duck wherever it is , it should bring it to hand . I've done a lot of wildfowling and still do but and would hate the though of my dog dropping ducks to go after a wounded one when the situation hasn't been weighed up. Dogs don't know the dangers of a hard current so never mind about loosing a wounded duck when you could loose your dog.

 

So you saying you cant stop and recall?

[jayDT10]

 

So you saying you cant stop and recall?

well I suppose you can , but I still stand by the fact that if a dog has something in its mouth the last thing 99.9% of people would want the dog to drop it and pursue a winged bird of its own back. You can't teach a dog to it , you've just made the best out of a bad habit . Lol. And can I ask how does your dog know a winged bird from a dead one at an average of 30 yards away. Also has it ever dropped a winged bird to pursue another or even a dead one that it mistaken for a winged one. Edited September 9, 2014 by jayDT10

[kent]

well I suppose you can , but I still stand by the fact that if a dog has something in its mouth the last thing 99.9% of people would want the dog to drop it and pursue a winged bird of its own back. You can't teach a dog to it , you've just made the best out of a bad habit . Lol. And can I ask how does your dog know a winged bird from a dead one at an average of 30 yards away. Also has it ever dropped a winged bird to pursue another or even a dead one that it mistaken for a winged one.

 

What? mainly coz live ones flap about a lot. Yes he will and did do it off his own back but I can stop him with a whistle and "Fetch it up" he dumb as dogs are goes for the wounder still clutching the first only dropping it when he fails to hold them both. Never had him do it with a second dead one, still waiting for a double.

 

I am obviously not one of the 99.9% in your survey

[jayDT10]

You never disappoint kent. All those distractions I've been throwing mid retrieve is now a waste of time. I tell ya what If we invent a flapping dummy to replicate a winged bird everyone could have a dog that can tell the difference between a winged and a dead bird , there for we can teach the dog to only drop the retrieve for the flapping dummy . What do you think dragons den.

[kent]

You never disappoint kent. All those distractions I've been throwing mid retrieve is now a waste of time. I tell ya what If we invent a flapping dummy to replicate a winged bird everyone could have a dog that can tell the difference between a winged and a dead bird , there for we can teach the dog to only drop the retrieve for the flapping dummy . What do you think dragons den.

 

 

Glad for my dog to retrieve a single stuffed sawdust and spit dummy out of two any day. Should like to see yours working the flood tide at after midnight last night after hours sat by your side in the mud or indicating the direction of incoming fowl

[evo]

kent sorry to ask,,,,, but have you got a dog :whistling:

[ian g]

Makes me laught sometimes at the gun dog experts on this site

[kent]

kent sorry to ask,,,,, but have you got a dog :whistling:

Yes and am also quite honest about what any of my dogs do and don't do, what I think of non shooting people with gundogs, trials and tests and how they often leave behind what a guy actually needs in the field. There is a large gap appearing and widening.

See sporting pictures of my Lab on the first, I suppose for some only a staged video is good enough, perhaps I will pull out a few spit and sawdust dummies (none of mine are plain canvass mind coz I don't shoot nowt wrapped that way! Then put up some staged managed performances.

The primary purpose of a gundog in the field is to prevent the escape of wounded game, the second is to gather that which the shooter himself cannot either find or swim out to. A gundog shouldn't normally be asked gather that which the owner can easily pick up easily themselves

Can I say I love watching the tests at the shows, the real shooting dogs are easy to tell (but don't always score the best) Trials have the "guns choice" (why isn't this the trial winner? it makes no logic to me) and how those who always comment on how one should spend more time shooting, haven't likely got a gun, dog etc. Are likely very, very close to their own home (normally sat in a town in a well populated area). Any who know me or have visited know the facts full well

[bull dog]

The primary purpose of a gundog in the field is to prevent the escape of wounded game, the second is to gather that which the shooter himself cannot either find or swim out to. A gundog shouldn't normally be asked gather that which the owner can easily pick up easily themselves I could not agree more with that statement finally a true dog man that knows his onions tip hat

[kent]

The primary purpose of a gundog in the field is to prevent the escape of wounded game, the second is to gather that which the shooter himself cannot either find or swim out to. A gundog shouldn't normally be asked gather that which the owner can easily pick up easily themselves I could not agree more with that statement finally a true dog man that knows his onions tip hat

 

Thank you I knew I wasn't alone it just feels that way sometimes.

[jayDT10]

Yes and am also quite honest about what any of my dogs do and don't do, what I think of non shooting people with gundogs, trials and tests and how they often leave behind what a guy actually needs in the field. There is a large gap appearing and widening.

See sporting pictures of my Lab on the first, I suppose for some only a staged video is good enough, perhaps I will pull out a few spit and sawdust dummies (none of mine are plain canvass mind coz I don't shoot nowt wrapped that way! Then put up some staged managed performances.

The primary purpose of a gundog in the field is to prevent the escape of wounded game, the second is to gather that which the shooter himself cannot either find or swim out to. A gundog shouldn't normally be asked gather that which the owner can easily pick up easily themselves

Can I say I love watching the tests at the shows, the real shooting dogs are easy to tell (but don't always score the best) Trials have the "guns choice" (why isn't this the trial winner? it makes no logic to me) and how those who always comment on how one should spend more time shooting, haven't likely got a gun, dog etc. Are likely very, very close to their own home (normally sat in a town in a well populated area). Any who know me or have visited know the facts full well

all very true kent and well said. But my only point is , from the day a half decent trainer gets his/her young pup they try to install the main factor and that is to get the dog to retrieve and deliver to hand. This is something that I would want engraved before I done anything more advanced as how can you train a dog that won't deliver. I just can't for love nor money work out how you've installed the drop and go after something else command when you must of had your dog delivering to hand through out its traing days.