I'm trying to get my lab/collie in shape for dove season this year. He knows the basic commands(sit,stay etc) I just taught him to heel yesterday(quick learner) What are some other commands that would help in the field? Any tips and tricks? Has anyone trained their own dog?

Zack

Silverzuk will be in here soon with more, but work on directing your dog while in the field. If you have multiple birds down, train the dog to take the farthest one first then work progressively inward. Also, teach the dog to follow your commands explicitly...If you say go right, he needs to go right.

These are the bigger ones I work on in a duck dog, and won't apply the same in a dove dog. But I've never had it be a hinderance in the dove field, a pheasant field, a duck blind, anywhere.

I really want to do that f0cker. I've also heard to take dove wings and tie them to pinecones so the dog won't chew it all to pieces. Any tips on directing the dog in the field? Silverzuk, I know you run coon dogs and stuff...have you gotten into the bird dog scene? Anyone else?

Zack

Don't know much about bird dogs. I only had one as a kid, and she was just a pet.

Can't be much different than any other type of dog.
Just spend time in the field with it.

I would imagine I would set tennis balls out in the yard, then direct the dog to it by signal. Then switch to multiple tennis balls. I might set some blind (with the dog ties around the corner so it doesn't know where they are), other times I may throw them.

Once he has it in the yard, I would move him to a field with a little higher grass.

The big thing is just do something with the dog. Spend time in the yard, and work it as much as you can. The more time you put into them, the better they will be.

Make sure he is not afraid of gunshots. A .22 or .17 starter pistol and a decoy to throw work well. This can really make or break the dog. I have seen a couple dogs that were brilliant and would follow commands to a T, though weren't reliable to go hunting because of their fear of gunshots.

This book has served me well. A little old school but all methods worked. All positive praise, some yelling, and no beat downs. :flipoff2:

GUN DOG (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Gun-Dog/Richard-A-Wolters/e/9780525245490/?itm=2)

http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/19600000/19604092.JPG

Thanks for the ideas guys. I bought him a dove dummy/scent and I'm going to work on him finding the bird and returning to hand and then work on longer distances and directions. Would it be bad training for him to start from my heel, watch the bird fall and then go get it? Or would he need to already be in the field?

Zack

Are you just concerned with retrieving? Or are you going to use this dog to flush as well?

Make sure he is not afraid of gunshots. A .22 or .17 starter pistol and a decoy to throw work well. This can really make or break the dog. I have seen a couple dogs that were brilliant and would follow commands to a T, though weren't reliable to go hunting because of their fear of gunshots.

sadly mine is this way. very scared of guns and gunshots. dont know how to break him of it.

sadly mine is this way. very scared of guns and gunshots. dont know how to break him of it.


Associate something good with the gunshot....i.e. An example the book above uses is a cap gun to fire while the puppy is eating dinner. Just one of many examples.

Up front a dog can fear the gunshot, you need to teach the dog the gunshot is good.

Another is pet and praise the dog, right behind the firing line while someone else is shooting. This has worked for me personally.

This book has served me well. A little old school but all methods worked. All positive praise, some yelling, and no beat downs. :flipoff2:

GUN DOG (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Gun-Dog/Richard-A-Wolters/e/9780525245490/?itm=2)

http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/19600000/19604092.JPG

X2, a very good book to use!

not really concerned all that much about flushing...Here in NC, I'll be hunting in smaller fields and me and my friends can flush them out...however..Jake(dog) can flush them out if I tell him to. I'll be working with him some today.

Zack

Associate something good with the gunshot....i.e. An example the book above uses is a cap gun to fire while the puppy is eating dinner. Just one of many examples.

Up front a dog can fear the gunshot, you need to teach the dog the gunshot is good.

Another is pet and praise the dog, right behind the firing line while someone else is shooting. This has worked for me personally.

x2 on all of that.

Eventually, the dog needs to learn to be 'shot over' so to speak. However, break the dog into this slowly, with the weapon facing away, starting farther away, etc. Don't think it all can be done in an afternoon either. (as with most training)

definitely not going to happen over night. But this is one of the smartest labs I've known. I taught him basic commands( sit, stay, come, and just lately heel) and its been a matter of hours with all of them. I worked with him some today throwing the dove dummy and him waiting till I tell him to get it. He retrieved really well and brought it back to me about 5 times but then he started dropping the bird farther away. Any suggestions on how to keep his attention up?

Zack

Gun shy dogs are a result of poor breeding, or poor socialization.

I've worked with some thinking I could help them. I made some improvement, in the end my time would have been better spent shooting those dogs and burying them. None of them ever made anything.

Some breeding are more sensitive to guns. Several of my dogs will duck a little and look around when you shoot. If they are running a rabbit they could care less, but if you jump shoot a grouse, squirrel, or just unloading the muzzle loader at the truck they will duck and slide out about 10 feet looking around like "WTF".

There is a key period in a pups life that if must be socialized. Experts say between 14 and 16 weeks old. I like to get a pup prior to 12 weeks. I have seen many well bred dogs ruin because they were not handled as pups. They end up shy, often gun shy, handle poorly, and are just overall idiots.

My cur dog coudl care less about gun shots. I have literally shot over his back with my deer rifle. I was sighting it in, and I didn't realize he was out in front of the table. He just looked back. I was shooting 44 mag last friday and he was all around me and acted like he never heard any of the gunshots.

My advice on a gun shy dog - get rid of it and don't ever breed it (unless you want gun shy pups).

mine is not really gun shy...when I shoot my shotgun, he just looks at me. Doesn't jump or anything. Rained all day today so I couldn't work with him, but I plan on working with him tomorrow.

Zack