poppythedog Posted February 7, 2004 Report Share Posted February 7, 2004 I have a 2 yr old springer bitch who is a demon hunter and a very competant retriever. She has 2 problems which I would like to cure. 1st problem is bunnies, she will usually leave them if they bolt infront of her whilst walking to heel and 9/10 times she stops on the whistle after a few paces if they bolt infront of her whilst she's working. BUT every now and then she ignores my whistle and ******* off into the ether! I can't find a local rabbit pen (North Hampshire) so does anyone have an idea on how I can steady her to bunnies without a pen? 2nd is she doesn't like picking pigeons up, any other bird or bunny no problem but she will dance around a pigeon then come back without it, is she frightened of the downy feathers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted February 7, 2004 Report Share Posted February 7, 2004 Poppy: You say that she chases rabbits occationally which you dont want, but then you go on to say that she retrieves rabbits no problem. This leads me to believe that you hunt rabbits with this dog, if this is the case can you give some info on the way you hunt her on rabbits, and whether she is trained to sit to flush and shot. As for the pigeon problem did you do alot of training with pigeons when she was a pup? Did she have a bad experience that she can relate to pigeon, possibly a bawling out? Or is it with badly shot up Birds? If you could supply a little more info it would be a great help with coming up with a possible solution. Cheers... NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppythedog Posted February 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2004 Hi NTTF thanks for the reply, yes I do use her to hunt rabbits, I just let her work her ground as she would on a pheasant drive keeping her approx 30 feet from me. She does sit to shot but not everytime to the flush and definately not if she flushes a rabbit, I have to stop her with the whistle. I have never specifically trained her on pigeons, she doesn't hesitate to retrieve a shot up pheasant or partridge and I have never chastised her whilst shooting pigeons. I hope you can give me a few pointers! Thanks Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 poppy: For the bunnies find an area that has a high concentration of rabbits. Live trap 6 or 12, or 18 ( I'm sure you get the idea). Find a nice out of the way training area. Working your dog on a long line so that you can control her when she breaks and ignors the whistle, release the bunnies one at a time infront of her. This would work best if you had someone to help you, Your helper could move along ahead of you and set up in concealed locations releasing a bunny to run infront of the dog as if she flushed it. When she breaks give a stern NO, and a good pop on the drag line. Then correct as posted before, (in obediance thread). Remember you are trying to modify a behaviour problem so it will take time and several sessions. Roughly 3 sessions a week, for roughly 6 weeks. For the pigeons, I would work this dog in the back yard on dead pigeons. Since she retrieves other birds well I believe that I would start by just throwing some fun retrieves for her with the birds. This means get her excited about the bird then toss it roughly 12 feet, when she goes out tell her good dog, and praise her the whole way. When she puts her mouth on it really lay the praise onlet her know how happy you are. As she is coming to you with the bird continue to praise, clap your hands and jog backwards several feet till she catches up to yopu. This will have her focus on something other than the bird in her mouth. Continue this exercise for roughly a month, until she gets really excited about seeing a dead pigeon. If the pigeon one doesn't work let me know and I'll type up plan two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppythedog Posted February 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 Many thanks for the advice, i'll get trapping tomorrow and let you know in a few weeks how we get on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 If you cant trap enough rabbits there is a way that you can get round it. As with NTTF's way it will take an accomplice, you hide the rabbit in the same way,work the dog towards the rabbit in the same way. But instead of letting the rabbit go you roll a swede coverd in rabbit skin with a white hankie tied to it in front of the dog. Because of the irreguler shape of the swede it does not roll in a straight line, as a ball would, and looks more life like. The white hankie triggers the same emotion in a dog as the scutt of a rabbit. The bonus point is you have the rabbit to use the next time. As i said its a plan to fall back on if you dont trap enough rabbits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 Poppy: How is the training coming on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppythedog Posted February 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2004 Shes getting the idea-slowly! we have been out a few times and released rabbits infront of her as you suggested then stopped her with a sharp NO as she moved to chase them. We went out for a walk a few days ago and she flushed a rabbit about 10 feet from me, before I had a chance to shout she had stopped!!!! Lots more work to be done but we're getting there, I think she might know that if shes not on a check lead I can't stop her but with lots of praise when she gets it right the message will get through I hope. I'm not going to start on the pigeon picking problem until this one is sorted. Many thanks again for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted February 20, 2004 Report Share Posted February 20, 2004 Poppy : Glad to hear she is improving, and you are correct it is going to take some time and patience as you are modifing a behaviour problem. Continue working on the line for a while longer as to train this exercise it is going to take 6 to 8 weeks. You are correct to approach this one problem at a time and to deal with the pigeons after you finish with the rabbits. Good Luck and remember ...Keep it FUN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppythedog Posted February 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 NTTF, thanks for your help, my new girlfriend has decided that she likes coming shooting/beating. She has a 3 yr old yellow lab that has had no formal training but which she is keen to bring along next season. I want to try training it just to be trusted off the lead in a beating line, shall I just proceed as if it was a puppy and start from scratch? Thanks Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 Poppy: Follow the Obediance thread pinned at the top of this forum. That will give you all of your basics. Be sure to read it through a couple (of Dozen) times to be sure you are straight on everything. GoodLuck and Keep it FUN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crowstopper Posted April 3, 2004 Report Share Posted April 3, 2004 A good way to stop a dog from chasing bunnies is to use chickens, if you have access to a chicken run you can sit the dog in their and stay with it, chickens are often a tempting target for a dog as well. Then over time take of the lead and let it sit their with you next to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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