Richie10 Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 What indicators or what tells you a lab is ready to take out in the field? What stops you? My young dog is retrieving the odd shot pigeon and some are still alive all fine. Some people don't let them see any game till they are 2 years. What benefits making a dog wait? Surely experience in the shooting field is more important? Maybe I am listening to too many experts that is confusing me..... Or I listen to the wife, dog is always going to retrieve, it's the sitting still that's the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 It is the sitting still that's a problem... How old is the dog ? What do you class as "out in the field" ? Anyone can train a dog to hunt you just stick it onto scent and game and it'll soon connect the two. Getting it to connect the fact that it's not there to chase, eat or **** is the issue. I'd absolutely wait until the dog is mentally mature enough (has gone through its little teenage phase) and can fully understand any lessons (or mild telling off's) that may be learnt , otherwise its a bit pointless. Taking a dog out on your own in the pigeon hide, where you can keep a close eye, or alone on the duck marsh is a big difference from a busy pheasant shoot with birds flying and dogs running in all directions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted August 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 He is 14 months now. He will be a wildfowling dog but I am working on his steadiness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 Put him on a lead and then walk around somewhere there are pheasants (not young birds). And see how he reacts. I did this with my springer... He isnt ready. You wiol know what i mean by the way the dog reacts to the pheasant.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farma Geddon Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 Depends on your training. If your dog is steady and obedient , take it shooting. Doesn't have to retrieve anything ,walk it through the decoys and get it used to the whole process , let it help you set up and just generally be around. I take mine from an early age and they will quickly learn to ignore decoys and get used to the whole shebang. I believe many people train their dogs **** about face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted August 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 Well I shot, one it fell in the decoys. He went out and rearranged them. Took him out showed him the bird, he picked it. Next time, he ignored the decoys and picked the bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 Put him on a lead and then walk around somewhere there are pheasants (not young birds). And see how he reacts. I did this with my springer... He isnt ready. You wiol know what i mean by the way the dog reacts to the pheasant.. How would you expect a springer to act around pheasants? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 How would you expect a springer to act around pheasants? Good question, i was in a training session and the trainer was trying to show how important steadiness was/is. And to show how different being in the field was.. Also being on a driven / walk up is a totally different scenario to hide shooting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 It all depends on wot u want to do with ur dog and wot standard u expect of it. Is it purely wildfowling plus bit of pigeon or is there any possibiliy of game shooting? (beating, shooting or picking up) Wot ever u want out of a dog far more will be riuned by too much to young, where as holding a dog back will never do any harm. Possibly fowling won't make too much difference if ur happy with his training and it is steady, tends to be worse on game shoots where lots of scent, birds and noise, gunfire plus loads of other often poorly trained dogs, the ******* never pick up a good habit from the well traiined dogs but u can guarntee will pick up every bad habit possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbird Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 How would you expect a springer to act around pheasants? +1 - Steadiness (true steadiness, not flukey) has to be trained into a spaniel, it's not inherent lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 +1 - Steadiness (true steadiness, not flukey) has to be trained into a spaniel, it's not inherent lol Not wrong there.. I would say in some situations my spaniel is steady, other scenarios you wouldn't think he would of had any training.. But the he is still a pup, and massively excited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbird Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Don't worry, my flipping spaniel has just chased a chuffing pheasant out on a walk. That'll teach me for letting her free run, I'm fuming with myself! She redeemed herself though, just had a beautiful flush off the nose on a woodcock so I'm pleased with that. Got to get that totally nailed again before trialling season!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsonicnat Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 What indicators or what tells you a lab is ready to take out in the field? What stops you? My young dog is retrieving the odd shot pigeon and some are still alive all fine. Some people don't let them see any game till they are 2 years. What benefits making a dog wait? Surely experience in the shooting field is more important? Maybe I am listening to too many experts that is confusing me..... Or I listen to the wife, dog is always going to retrieve, it's the sitting still that's the problem. HEEL:::::SIT:::::STAY::::: Must be PERFECT.. Before any other sort of training what so ever.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 How would you expect a springer to act around pheasants? Like a pure gent.Not like those ruffian labs thats for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farma Geddon Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 I don't consider "heel " to have any baring in the field and "sit" makes "stay" unnecessary. "No" is the most important thing any dog should know followed by complete ebedience to it name. Your dog needs to be able to sit in a hide ,if that is how you shoot , in complete ease with no hint of running in. You should be able to trust your dog ,eventually,to know precisely what is expected . First thing my dogs do when we go shooting , is find a place to hide. They are not expected to run in ,but will be called out indivually if needed. they may be there all day without a retrieve. Train your dog to do what you want ,not what people say you should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Train your dog to do what you want ,not what people say you should. +1 Although with heel I think it is important that the dog walks to heal between drives. Yes you can pit the dog back on the lead but in some situationsoff lead heel is always an option Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Without blowing smoke up your backside, I have rarely seen better. I don't consider "heel " to have any baring in the field and "sit" makes "stay" unnecessary."No" is the most important thing any dog should know followed by complete ebedience to it name.Your dog needs to be able to sit in a hide ,if that is how you shoot , in complete ease with no hint of running in.You should be able to trust your dog ,eventually,to know precisely what is expected .First thing my dogs do when we go shooting , is find a place to hide.They are not expected to run in ,but will be called out indivually if needed.they may be there all day without a retrieve.Train your dog to do what you want ,not what people say you should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farma Geddon Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Without blowing smoke up your backside, I have rarely seen better. Thank you . Please don't blow anything upwards , takes me all day to blow stuff out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 He is 14 months now. He will be a wildfowling dog but I am working on his steadiness. And once you get there with the steadiness he will start to learn why he needs to be quick off the mark and beg your forgiveness after lol As long as it's 100% with gunshot personally I would take it and hold back on the retrieves. That's what I did and it's made for a very good four year old if a bit of a specialist There is a lot that can only be learnt on the Marsh. Bit different if your bringing on a peg dog for driven or such Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 And once you get there with the steadiness he will start to learn why he needs to be quick off the mark and beg your forgiveness after lol As long as it's 100% with gunshot personally I would take it and hold back on the retrieves. That's what I did and it's made for a very good four year old if a bit of a specialist There is a lot that can only be learnt on the Marsh. Bit different if your bringing on a peg dog for driven or such Probably the best advice from someone who has done it. I don't profess to know much about foreshore wild fowling or how best to train a dog for that work, but every retriever learns its trade properly on the job once the basics are installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben0850 Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Probably the best advice from someone who has done it. I don't profess to know much about foreshore wild fowling or how best to train a dog for that work, but every retriever learns its trade properly on the job once the basics are installed. Agreed, I took mine out a fair amount to shadow picking up etc and didn't nothing but obedience, no retrieves etc until he was settled with the routine. I totally agree with the sentiment however that a dog learns nowt in the kennel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.