scent frenzy

[darren m]

right here we go again

 

out beating yesterday , decided to take my bitch for the first time on this particular shoot.

 

previously we,ve had a few probs but working them out , but yesterday she was anightmare

 

on open ground she would be ok but when we got into the woodland drives she went wild , i could only hold her 50% of the time . she worked flushed etc but carried on flushing and totally ignored me . i ran her down where i could but there was a lot of heavy cover .

 

on the next drive i gave her the beneifit of the doubt hoping it was a one off , but she did it again , started off ok but after a first flush she was off hunting and flushing and i could not recall her till i had caught up with her at one point she disapeared for a what seemed like ages , until some one shouts , " shes over here " , i got her back slipped her lead on but she was in a right frenzy :( shaking and groaning from her chest and pulling like a train ...

 

Anyway it seems now that all my hard work and effort as come to nothing , where do i go from here , back home away from game she was great again but i dont know if i can trust her again .

 

some one mentioned a thing called "scent frenzy" especially when in woodland drives , she just wanted to hunt birds down at any cost .

 

whats the best way to approach this problem : rabbit/ pheasant pen , electric collar , back to basics again

 

cheers

[al4x]

I know trainers who would have applied a big stick and cured it but thats not for me simply put you went in slightly unprepared, what you need is to get the dog really used to birds. The ideal is to do dogging in before the season as that irons a lot of it out and in a safe environment. You've got to now go back to basics and possibly not use the dog for the rest of the season unless you can get onto some game rich areas not on shoot days to work at steadying on game. If you are half there the electric collar will work as it lets you stop the dog at the point it starts ignoring you but its not an ideal use for one. If you can get beating on a smaller syndicate with less game about that may help but not guaranteed.

[darren m]

cheers Alex - i gave her a slap mate a good one and it worked for a little while

this was a new shoot i,d been invited on , a lot smaller than the usual sat and weds days and much more compact .

we laughed about it after but i was really peed off with her , shes never got so worked up before.

now i,m worried shes going to start running in and just go straight for the birds at the first chance she hunts well and finds the birds no probs too well maybe.

i think maybe a pen might help or a pen and a collar , but will have to wait till after the season , also need to talk to some one who as used a collar to discuss if one would work or make things worse..

 

i dont want to stop now we,ve come along way , best get back on the lead training.

 

cheers

 

ps. just to clarify --- i,m just wonder this problem i,ve mentioned ,

is that the only way to cure it by putting her in front of even more birds and bo££ocking the hell out of her every time she moves towards them

[lewis]

whats the best way to approach this problem : rabbit/ pheasant pen , electric collar , back to basics again

 

Hi Mate,

 

Sound's like she is getting too hot.

I would go back a stage and try and steady her on game with some dogging in, you wont have all the pressure of a shoot day so you can keep ontop of her 100 percent.

[darren m]

hi lewis -- "too hot" thats the words exactley mate , will try and find a pen .

what do you think about the use of a collar while in the pen ?? i dont want to slap her but i do beleave that shes taking the ****

[utectok]

On occasion I have had this problem in really hot corners. It's pretty embaressing losing control of ur dog!! I find that a stop command then grab the dog drag back to the place it ignored it and a wee shake and she is ok for a bit ! I also try to keep calling my dog back to keep her close. I reckon the best solution is to keep working on the stop and return commands that's what I'm doing which hopefully will pay dividends in the long run! My dog did quite well the other day after a mad start she settled after a shake then did well till we were back at the farm then ignored me chased a chicken and came back with a feathers on her chops most awkward!!! Ah well early days yet!!

Edited December 16, 2010 by utectok

[darren m]

On occasion I have had this problem in really hot corners. It's pretty embaressing losing control of ur dog!! I find that a stop command then grab the dog drag back to the place it ignored it and a wee shake and she is ok for a bit ! I also try to keep calling my dog back to keep her close. I reckon the best solution is to keep working on the stop and return commands that's what I'm doing which hopefully will pay dividends in the long run! My dog did quite well the other day after a mad start she settled after a shake then did well till we were back at the farm then ignored me chased a chicken and came back with a feathers on her chops most awkward!!! Ah well early days yet!!

 

 

exactley the same mate , i was quite happy with her progress , but as you say it was a hotspot and on a shoot she,d never been on

[al4x]

you need to get it sorted as otherwise she will only get worse, watch her like a hawk if she is out this weekend and if possible keep her closer than usual so she knows you can still get hold of her if needed. Any running off and you have to really get onto her over it and of course good luck its nerve racking beating with a hot dog!

[kent]

I shouldn't take it beating till much later when you can totally trust it. Don't think this comment rude or derogatory but beating ruins a lot of otherwise promising dogs IMO. They love it a bit to much, get worked up and out of reach and our of our control in cover. Better to wait till its pretty bomb proof in small manageble situations, beating aint a good training ground