Gun Dog Forum

Higgins

https://youtu.be/BGxcL2o_SGo Today we had a young Pudelpointer and the owner come out. We worked on bird and gun introduction during our last session and today we began the new strategy for success. Steadiness, not chasing, will lead to a bird in your mouth. I use the check cord first so I can show ...

Higgins

Here is a young Brittany a client brought out this morning. This is our first session. The pup had no bird or hunting experience. We worked on handling in the field, building associations including "that smell is a bird", "scent travels downwind", "ground scent", and that the gunshot is associated t...

Higgins

Here I'm filming and managing a young 5 month old Brittany and her owner. This is the fifth session with them. The pup has associated the scent with birds and understands now that the gunshot is a good thing (it means she will have a bird in her mouth). She handles well with no commands, hand signal...

Higgins

Here is one of the locals during her training. The first photo was taken during her "whoa" barrel work :D . The second photo shows her finished, steady, pointing a quail. I often work some of the local prairie wolves. This one is still a little gun sensitive though :D. I trained her the same way I t...

Higgins

Here ya go Cj. I give all the dogs I train the freedom to flush the bird. The only rule is that they must wait for my verbal "alright" cue. Then, no chasing. They get to go to the bird on my "hunt dead" cue. When I say "alright, (flush but don't chase)" I have to be sure I'm close enough to get a sh...

Higgins

I wrote a post recently about a young English Springer Spaniel that I was going to convert from a flushing dog to a pointing dog. The owner has a nice Shorthair that I trained recently and he wanted to include his young flushing dog in the hunt. For the type of hunting he was going to do, I decided ...

Higgins

Here is a short video of one of our instructor dogs, Des, showing the pups how it's done. Once I get the gun intro work done with the young pups, I begin their learning process by checkcording them along to watch our experienced dogs hunt and manage birds. Makes the training go much faster. After wa...

Higgins

https://youtu.be/QWeytMbq6PQ Last week an owner brought his young pup out to begin their training. They were here for three days. Day one we covered bird introduction, handling, gun introduction, recall, bird management and carrying and sharing prey with the pack. I also worked with the owner on his...

Higgins

Hello Art. She is a pointer from my imported European lines. You don’t see many solid colored pointers in the states.

Higgins

I'll be posting some new videos soon on how we hunt over and handle the dogs with the Higgins method. Below is a link to a related video shot a couple of years ago. The hunts are quiet and calm. Like a walk in the park. https://youtu.be/PfWSJ4TYt6o Accompanying video text: This is one of our black p...

Higgins

Hello Joe3232. Here is a video I did on the subject. My method is different than most. As you’ll see in the video, no obedience or commands are necessary.

https://vimeo.com/104148324?ref=em-share

Brad Higgins
Www.HigginsGundogs.com

Higgins

I had some clients out this week shooting over their Higgins Gundogs. I included some wingshooting instruction while they were here. As I see it, my job is to work with the dog and the handler to create a team. This is a video of a couple of shots taken with the Shotkam camera mounted to their gun. ...

Higgins

Hello Averageguy. I appreciate your thoughtful questions. A big part of my method is managing energy or excitement (focus). When a pup goes to a downed bird, I look at his energy. It will show in different ways depending on his personality. Too much energy and he may take the bird and run off, or ea...

Higgins

For those of you interested in understanding the fundamental difference between the Higgins Method and others. Here is the bottom line, as I see it. Some questions first. When we talk about hunting with a dog, what things do they (the dog and the hunter) both want, enjoy and agree on? They both like...

Higgins

Hello Featherfinder,

She is a Braque Francais.

Brad Higgins
www.HigginsGundogs.com

Higgins

The best retrieves are the ones you didn't ask for.

https://youtu.be/675lcmTgraI

Brad Higgins
www.HigginsGundogs.com

Higgins

I missed once but it wasn’t my fault. The sun was in my eyes.

Higgins

Higgins

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Higgins

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Higgins

Hello Veggie, I've seen client dogs display the behavior you mention. In my experience, It's easy to fix. You stated, "Flushing the bird without my approval I've said a stern NO, calmed her down and moved on. For the part of coming back to me, I don't really know how to handle, or why she does that....

Higgins

Here is a recent video of one of my clients and her Brittany. They came out for 5 days of training. The owner wanted to take it all the way. Not just handling her dog through "steady to flush", she wanted steady through fall, the dog leaving only after her verbal retrieve cue. In addition, she wante...

Higgins

Here is a link to the video on Youtube. The birds in the video are 2 week old quail. This is a recent litter of our Higgins Gundog pups. Now that their eyes are open, it's time for bird work. Here is Chubbs working his first covey. Got a couple of the black pups showing off their bracework too. Thes...

Higgins

Now that their eyes are open, it's time for some bird work. Here is a brace working their first covey.

Brad Higgins
www.HigginsGundogs.com

Higgins

I often have clients come to me and ask if I can help them with problems they're having with their dogs. This is such a case. The owner sent his young Llewellyn Setter away to a trainer for gundog training. After a month, the trainer gave up on her and called the owner. The trainers feedback was tha...

Higgins

Here is the first video in a new series I'll be producing. This series will concentrate on the handlers responsibilities when wingshooting over dogs using the Higgins Training Method. Most of my videos show the unique talents displayed by the dogs. This new series will show the hunting and training,...

Higgins

Quick little clip here from this morning’s training. This is Griffonpoint Bristol learning to work with another dog. Bristol is 6 months old. That’s Reagan and Ekahi working a quail. After the shot, Bristol doesn't bump the checkcord choosing instead, to sit and wait for her bird. Nice work everyone...

Higgins

https://youtu.be/ohz9zB79gq4

Reagan and I were in the field this morning working some dogs. Here is Ekahi showing beautiful mental steadiness and good decision making.

Brad Higgins
https://HigginsGundogs.com

Higgins

We worked with a nice Griffon pup last week. I did a short video during the final testing. I thought some here might find it interesting.

Here is the link: https://youtu.be/XPIodDrmUFU

Brad Higgins
https://HigginsGundogs.com

Higgins

We worked a few dogs the other day and I recorded some video. Here are a couple of clips. This is part of a longer video I'm putting together describing how we manage the hunt for the dogs. In the future, I'll be doing more videos of this style. Taking the viewers along and describing what I'm doing...

Higgins

I'll answer some of the questions. Shags: "Yeah but, how do you train for the stop after flush?" In my training I don't use any stop or steady commands. The dogs learn that if they chase, they don't get the bird. But if they are steady, they get to retrieve on my cue. Pretty soon, you couldn't MAKE ...

Higgins

Hello Jeff. I do my training a little differently. I find that the best way to encourage steadiness to the flush, shot and fall, is to allow the dogs to flush the birds, but only on my verbal cue. I call it my "flush/stop" cue. I expect an aggressive flush and immediate stop to that flush. Basically...

Higgins

Thank you Mask. Merry Christmas to you and everyone.

Higgins

Having the dog walk in (on command) with handler for the flush is common in Europe. Obviously that's not going to get you a ribbon in a trial or test but, hunting I can see the merit. One thing I've noticed in Brad's video's is the dogs often seem to be creeping on, or crowding the bird. A follower...

Higgins

Brad, I have another question to ask. I think my own dogs would be very interested if the bird given to them after they had shown cooperation during the brush pile hunt was a live one but a dead bird ? - - - Not nearly so much. I think my own dogs would greatly prefer to just be allowed to hunt on ...

Higgins

Thanks Brad. I noticed in your later videos that you now train your clients dogs to flush on command rather than have the handler go in front of the dog to "kick it up." When and why did you decide to change from the method shown in this video ? Or is having the dog make the flush a later developme...

Higgins

Brad, why do you think a dog needs to get a bird in it's mouth as a reward ? What I took from the video was that the dog knew birds were likely to be found in the magic brushpile from previous experience so the dog went there and "bumped" a bird . I see this fairly often if one of my dogs often fin...

Higgins

Yea , Own volition ? ..with the check chord ?? still attached ...and a wee tiny bit taught ..I thought ? :lol: Hello Polmaise, In addition to the dogs, I train hawks and falcons to hunt with their owners. A major difference in my method is that I use the line as a *creance ( a falconry term), not a...

Higgins

I appreciate your post Featherfinder. You read the video well.

For those interested, here's more fuel for the fire.

VIDEO: The Higgins Method and the Magic Brushpile Revisited
https://youtu.be/a7lMP9SF_dQ

Enjoy

Higgins

Here is a video from a while ago of a dog learning that steadiness pays off. Let me set this up. The dog has been shown, using a checkcord, that being steady and relying on the shooter to get the bird is the new strategy. This is not a pointing drill. I'm helping the dog build trust in the shooter. ...

Higgins

Had Nigel out this morning showing off for some prospective owners. Here he is demonstrating steady to wing, shot and fall, waiting for my verbal release to retrieve. In this video, I am filming and the bird flushes from behind me. This is a short clip from a longer video that will be going up on my...

Higgins

Hello All. I'll try and answer a few questions. If you watch the video, listen to the narrative and please, if you would, read the text that I included there on Youtube. It explains a lot about what I'm doing with Stella and her new handler. First, because my method is based on trust, not obedience,...

Higgins

https://youtu.be/nY4VpJjwWNM Stella went to her new home today. This video is of her new owners learning to handle her in the field. Stella is steady on her birds until released, does a nice flush/stop on cue and has a natural retrieve. In this video, I'm having the new owners take turns learning to...

Higgins

Hello Weimdogman, You asked, "1 What does it take to get the dog to stand still on the check cord as you approach the mbp and gunner and remain still when you bring the bird back ?". It usually takes just a few birds and two or three sessions. A dogs past history can have a big influence on how many...

Higgins

Here are William and Nigel in the field this morning. This is their first time together working birds. Before beginning their brace work, both were shown individually, that stalking and steadiness lead to success. Now it's time to turn them loose and see what choices they make. No voice commands (wh...

Higgins

Hello JTG,

Yup, they break em and I fix em.

Keep in touch. When you have that couple of days available, let me know. We'll get your dog handling, steady on his birds, and include a nice natural retrieve. We'll get you tuned up as a handler too.

All the best,

Higgins
www.HigginsGundogs.com

Higgins

Here is a link to a video of Jax, a nice young Lab pointing his bird. Reagan is the shooter. When it comes to dogs (like Labs) that have been bred to flush birds, I like to give them the freedom to choose their strategy, to work with their strengths. If a flushing dog demonstrates a talent for point...

Higgins

I don't believe "positive only" is the way to go. Nature is not "positive only". I also think that in most cases, there are better ways to get things done that "force". I make it simple. I believe punishment should be no more than the lack of success. That's the nature of things and it's how dogs (p...

Higgins

Hello Warrior 372,

If you like, give me a call. I can give you some pointers that might be helpful for you and your dog. I’m in Nevada.

Brad Higgins
Http://HigginsGundogs.com
775-267-7240

Higgins

Hello all. I just posted a new topic: "The Unique Higgins Method, Falconry for Dogs". It might help explain why what I do is different. Hope to see you there.

Higgins

Higgins

Screen Shot 2018-03-05 at 6.25.47 PM.png As many of you know, I train dogs for use in wingshooting and falconry. What makes the Higgins Method unique is that, instead of conventional obedience based methods, I train the dogs using the same method I use to successfully train hawks and falcons. Along...

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