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Tips on getting dogs used to hides


NickB65
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Like others on this forum I am delighted that it has worked out so well with your dog.

 

All I can say is not to rush him into the confines of a hide without him being completely unfazed by gun fire in close proximity, and just ensure that he is absolutely rock steady on the 'sit' command.

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Thanks JDOG - Blue is a major part of my life now much to the wife dismay - she says she is a gun dog widow :-)

 

As far as gun fire is concerned it does not phase him at all. His sit is good but not 100% as he still has the odd moment where he will run out when I shoot a bird and when he senses birds around he will wiggle around with excitement. He will always come back to the whistle and will sit at distance on the whistle so I think with more exposure he will steady up.

Edited by NickB65
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I set a hide up in the garden and over the space of a few weeks (usually spring/summer/ and just sit down with him in it.

 

Then once he is calmed and relaxed after few sessions and has grasped that he just needs to sit and stay still I will then sit in it again for a while then throw a few dummies over the top from inside (he should already be comfortable and if he tries to move it's very easy to get hold of him and address his movement) if he doesn't move all good. Walk him out of the hide (make sure you go round the side don't let him go anywhere near the net !) and let him have his retreive.

 

Continue this over a few more 20 minute sessions until he is really steady in the hide, if he won't stay still then address accordingly and go back to the "just sitting in the hide chilling"

 

Then you can move onto getting someone to chuck dummies outside of the hide and you throwing them over to. By this time he should understand the principles of sitting in a hide. If he is already steady to shot (he needs to be rock steady prior to doing this) and his happy around it you should have no issues moving into a live firing sceneraio.

 

Try using a starting pistol (at your permissions of course or take a mate who can fire a few shots) so you are able to address the dog instantly if he moves. Then move into the same process with a few real birds chucking them out of the hide and getting a Freind to chuck some for you, again making sure you walk out of the side of the hide and not underneath the net.

 

Hopefully by this time you should have conditioned your dog to not go screaming out of the hide. Obviously our dog needs to be steady prior to the above. Plenty of positive praise when he gets it right.

 

It works for me, there are plenty of other ways to do it.

Edited by mpk
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I set a hide up in the garden and over the space of a few weeks (usually spring/summer/ and just sit down with him in it.

 

Then once he is calmed and relaxed after few sessions and has grasped that he just needs to sit and stay still I will then sit in it again for a while then throw a few dummies over the top from inside (he should already be comfortable and if he tries to move it's very easy to get hold of him and address his movement) if he doesn't move all good. Walk him out of the hide (make sure you go round the side don't let him go anywhere near the net !) and let him have his retreive.

 

Continue this over a few more 20 minute sessions until he is really steady in the hide, if he won't stay still then address accordingly and go back to the "just sitting in the hide chilling"

 

Then you can move onto getting someone to chuck dummies outside of the hide and you throwing them over to. By this time he should understand the principles of sitting in a hide. If he is already steady to shot (he needs to be rock steady prior to doing this) and his happy around it you should have no issues moving into a live firing sceneraio.

 

Try using a starting pistol (at your permissions of course or take a mate who can fire a few shots) so you are able to address the dog instantly if he moves. Then move into the same process with a few real birds chucking them out of the hide and getting a Freind to chuck some for you, again making sure you walk out of the side of the hide and not underneath the net.

 

Hopefully by this time you should have conditioned your dog to not go screaming out of the hide. Obviously our dog needs to be steady prior to the above. Plenty of positive praise when he gets it right.

 

It works for me, there are plenty of other ways to do it.

I have always used similar to this and it works. Takes a while but better to be safe than sorry.

Feed him in the hide a couple of times and he'll soon get to like it.

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