dog running in

[big bad lindz]

Hi ,

 

Any advice on my dog running in and chasing the birds when in flight that have been flushed and that have not been shot at? She would not listen to the stop on the whistle and any amount of shouting, although she did come back when the bird went to ground over a high fence.

It was the plan to push birds through some rape but not shoot them and my Golden Retriever although initially was working well and flushed the pheasant out and proceeded to run the full length of the field chasing it in flight. She has also on a number of times when standing with me on a drive attached to a ground peg pulled the peg out and again chased the in flight non shot birds.

 

As the season is soon coming to a close I would like to find out any training tips both for the dog and possibly myself as I know faults are not always the dogs fault that I can use over the closed season.

She is first and foremost a family pet and just over 4 years old.

 

Cheers,

 

BBL

 

[kent]

The first thing is don't take it if running in is habitual and anticipated. The second is get compliance with the stop whistle, if when you think the dog is steady it turns out to be otherwise you need to stop it! Each time your dog chases the behaviour is re-enforced (its great fun for the dog).

I should work towards stop on the spot, then stop on a marked dummy retrieve (the inducement at first can be running in to a second thrown while still in flight) but quickly move on to a second marked then a second pre-planted blind as you don't want it running in to dummies as well. Then do this with dead game (remember train for what you want)

Your dog still needs steadying up to game though, but its going to be hard until it starts looking at you for instruction on the stop as its already doing an impersonation of a lurcher by the sound of it. Never send a dog on everything, it should look to you and plead if you do this and run in if you don't so pick the easy ones yourself.

If its not been doing this for ages it can still be fixed, seek help hands on if your struggling. I don't let my retriever hunt as when I do he thinks its gather what you can time and is a deft hand at pegging stuff, I like a keen dog though its useful on the marsh as sometimes only the dog knows that that miss was a hit, so couldn't take mine on a driven day (not that I fancy it myself). A unsteady dog will turn any let loose situation into a self hunting session- fine if your ok with that, other than that train for what you want otherwise you get what you dont

[the pigeon man]

Long dog lead

Long dog lead

[mudpatten]

Using an untrained retriever breed in a spaniel type role is also bound to cause confusion in the dogs mind.

 

In the absence of any training to the contrary, your sending the dog forward to flush birds is, in it`s mind,an invitation to do exactly what it`s doing - chasing the birds.

 

There is so much here of a problematic nature, none of it with a straightforward solution, that it might well be worth saving up a few quid and visiting a professional dog trainer.

 

Good luck with sorting it out. Hope you manage to get the dog back on track.

[kent]

Using an untrained retriever breed in a spaniel type role is also bound to cause confusion in the dogs mind.

 

In the absence of any training to the contrary, your sending the dog forward to flush birds is, in it`s mind,an invitation to do exactly what it`s doing - chasing the birds.

 

There is so much here of a problematic nature, none of it with a straightforward solution, that it might well be worth saving up a few quid and visiting a professional dog trainer.

 

Good luck with sorting it out. Hope you manage to get the dog back on track.

Very true, just when I guy asks for help its sort of hard to say- "go see a pro" and to be Honest some are quite poor. Perhaps he might have asked "anyone recommend a good pro trainer for me and the dog around my area?"

A good book might also be an idea?