Search found 3999 matches

by DonF
Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:14 pm
Forum: Training
Topic: Should i let me Brittany actually play with and catch a live bird
Replies: 13
Views: 7437

Re: Should i let me Brittany actually play with and catch a live bird

I don't throw wing clipped birds for pups Throw one for a soft pup and you might end up with a pup learning to leave birds alone. What you allow, you teach!
by DonF
Tue Feb 04, 2020 11:04 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Da*n!
Replies: 6
Views: 4396

Re: Da*n!

Stormy
Image

Image
by DonF
Tue Feb 04, 2020 11:02 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Da*n!
Replies: 6
Views: 4396

Re: Da*n!

Red Setter's

Sis
Image

Image
by DonF
Mon Feb 03, 2020 11:22 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Da*n!
Replies: 6
Views: 4396

Da*n!

Wanted to breed Sis to Stormy her second season. Stormy had a different opinion! Pup's due the end of Feb. :(
by DonF
Mon Feb 03, 2020 11:13 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Watershy Shorthair Help
Replies: 23
Views: 10056

Re: Watershy Shorthair Help

Been a few of these post's lately from guy's that don't seem to be able to let their pup grow up before they think there's some problem! Your dog is not a dog, it is a pup! Keep walking around water and throwing thing's to fetch where he doesn't have to swim. One day he'll grow into a dog and knock ...
by DonF
Thu Jan 30, 2020 11:54 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Steady to flush- question
Replies: 35
Views: 14460

Re: Steady to flush- question

First of all, I train with remote launcher's and the dog take's a deep breath and I pop the bird. The dog is taught that it's the dog's movement that flush' the bird. Next and probably more important, your way ahead of where I would want to be. Your dog is a pup for crying out loud! Pup's do thing's...
by DonF
Thu Jan 30, 2020 11:38 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Steady then not
Replies: 41
Views: 14401

Re: Steady then not

If I'm breaking a dog out I use a different method. For whoa I use the original Delmar method. I'm pretty sure the flank hitch works but I try not to mess with anything that already works. From the whoa post I go to stakes driven in the ground and dog on the check cord. As I'm CCing the dog around I...
by DonF
Sun Jan 26, 2020 10:41 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Growing up
Replies: 6
Views: 3698

Re: Growing up

Very nice!
by DonF
Tue Jan 07, 2020 2:24 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Normal for tracking collar? Pro 550 plus
Replies: 8
Views: 4458

Re: Normal for tracking collar? Pro 550 plus

Garmin put in a deal about that when I gt my 320. They said it is normal to be off close in but improve's with range.Close in it sucks, always has but not a problem. Be sure to calibrate it regularly.
by DonF
Tue Jan 07, 2020 2:19 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: My Favorite Christmas Present In Years
Replies: 12
Views: 5613

Re: My Favorite Christmas Present In Years

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by DonF
Mon Dec 23, 2019 12:05 pm
Forum: Training
Topic: Steady? How much, if any, movement is tolerable?
Replies: 18
Views: 6891

Re: Steady? How much, if any, movement is tolerable?

I used to do all manner of nasties while training such as flying a cripple (tethered) bird, walking the bird towards the dog, flushing back towards the dog, having a young pup rip a bird the trainee was standing, verbal release ("Ok...Break!!...Fetch!!...Alright...Let's go..."), etc. And, that was ...
by DonF
Mon Dec 23, 2019 11:53 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Dog not "going with" me
Replies: 23
Views: 10420

Re: Dog not "going with" me

Not relevant but how do you know if your dog has a mediocre nose? Can you smell what the dog is smelling? I've had dog's I might say had a good nose but actually is could be nothing more than a smart dog that has seen resulte from certain cover before and is simply testing. My old Hannah could prett...
by DonF
Mon Dec 23, 2019 11:36 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: The Flush
Replies: 13
Views: 5541

Re: The Flush

Very nice photo.
by DonF
Sun Dec 15, 2019 11:58 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Steady? How much, if any, movement is tolerable?
Replies: 18
Views: 6891

Re: Steady? How much, if any, movement is tolerable?

There's quite a bit of difference between a good trial dog and a great bird dog. Great bird dog will probably get you picked up every time! Moving out of cover to mark a bird is allowed in the guidelines but not by judge's. Spending a lot of time searching for a bird the dog didn't mark is fine, ret...
by DonF
Sun Dec 15, 2019 11:43 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Whats with the hooping and hollaring in field trials??
Replies: 39
Views: 16988

Re: Whats with the hooping and hollaring in field trials??

A huge problem, I think, with horse back field trialing is they are looking for trial dog's. Often times great dog work is shot down as it's considered bad trial work. A dog not gone from sight for most the stake will likely not place. Problem being it didn't run big enough. The dog that run's less ...
by DonF
Sat Dec 14, 2019 7:54 pm
Forum: Training
Topic: Training / hunting question - missed shots
Replies: 16
Views: 7725

Re: Training / hunting question - missed shots

Missed shot? :D

Saw a good video on it years ago. The guy would release a bird from a trap and let his dog get under way chasing. once under way he started nicing it till it gave up the chase. Seemed to work well.
by DonF
Sat Dec 14, 2019 7:46 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Funny or odd looking points
Replies: 12
Views: 6317

Re: Funny or odd looking points

Stormy in another over the shoulder point!

Image
by DonF
Sat Dec 14, 2019 7:43 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Funny or odd looking points
Replies: 12
Views: 6317

Re: Funny or odd looking points

BigTub wrote:
Mon Dec 09, 2019 6:22 pm
Maverick.jpg

The Lion In Tall Grass Point
Love that photo!
by DonF
Thu Dec 12, 2019 3:09 pm
Forum: Training
Topic: Bird launchers
Replies: 20
Views: 7719

Re: Bird launchers

The only knock against the LCS launchers is they are a little small for chukar and big homers- especially if it's hot. Actually the LCS launcher's are the first that I've ever had that have enough room in them for Homer's.All my older launcher's had smaller cages and in hot weather would kill a hom...
by DonF
Thu Dec 12, 2019 11:50 am
Forum: Off Topic Forum
Topic: Alert to DonF!
Replies: 1
Views: 4939

Re: Alert to DonF!

Well that may be great new's! What color were the hats? Mine had white hate's, the good guy's! :mrgreen:
by DonF
Thu Dec 12, 2019 11:44 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Brittany outside in doghouse
Replies: 11
Views: 6553

Re: Brittany outside in doghouse

Don't use hay as bedding. It will work if it's all you can get but straw is a better choice. Straw is in hollow inside and hay isn't. Straw holds heat better. I've had dog's out in -10 degrees over the years on straw and min size house and they were fine. I think the best house will be a 55 gal drum...
by DonF
Sat Dec 07, 2019 10:19 am
Forum: Training
Topic: roading
Replies: 13
Views: 7668

Re: roading

I think people that don't compete with their dog's might condition more than they need to. A hunting dog, hunted even long periods of time learns to pace itself. Competitive dogs are taught to run for specific periods of time. You have a dog you run in one hour braces and want to condition it, train...
by DonF
Sat Dec 07, 2019 10:00 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Funny or odd looking points
Replies: 12
Views: 6317

Re: Funny or odd looking points

Those are great! I like to see a dog lock up and stay in the position it hit's the bird! Sometime's Stormy hit's in strange positions. This bird he'd passed and some how hit it on the down wind side! Bird is about a foot behind him. You can see it at the base of the sagebrush. https://i.imgur.com/xP...
by DonF
Thu Dec 05, 2019 12:15 pm
Forum: Health and Nutrition
Topic: Best Puppy food for a GSP
Replies: 32
Views: 48243

Re: Best Puppy food for a GSP

We're on our first bird dog (GSP) and I wanted to make sure he got the "best." We were probably also a little too susceptible to blog-based nutrition fads. So we fed Orijen Puppy to our GSP for the first year. He loved it, he grew nicely with a very good coat and he took to all his training just fi...
by DonF
Thu Dec 05, 2019 11:47 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Bird launchers
Replies: 20
Views: 7719

Re: Bird launchers

If you use a launcher, make the bird in it act like a wild bird. Otherwise a check cord and birds sat on the ground with their head tucked will train your dog if you do your part. Of course the same goes for the remote launcher, you have to do your art or it won't work that well. Bird's in the remot...
by DonF
Wed Nov 20, 2019 9:07 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Almost out of pigeons
Replies: 2
Views: 2795

Almost out of pigeons

Can't believe it. Had abut 40 homer's and 40 feral's about a month ago. Have 4 homer's and 5 feral's today. Cats found a way in and destroyed them! Thinking really hard about shooting them but one is a pet of mine! Did several different thing's to keep the cat's out but seem's nothing has worked yet...
by DonF
Wed Nov 20, 2019 9:03 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Bird launchers
Replies: 20
Views: 7719

Re: Bird launchers

I have a set of three LCS launcher's. Been using them close to 12 years now. Had one motor go bad several years ago but other wise I don't have a complaint one with them. I've used Dogtra, DT Systems. a set I got out of Amer Fld from the S.E. and first set was Wag Ag. The Amer Fld set lasted very we...
by DonF
Mon Nov 18, 2019 11:01 am
Forum: Training
Topic: hunting too fast
Replies: 37
Views: 21332

Re: hunting too fast

Mmmmmm ??? I'm not at all sure on the question of human scent on caged birds. I've had one dog, a Brittany, that despised smelling human hand scent on a caged bird. She would point the bird but then almost immediately charge the cage, jump on top of it, carefully position herself …..and then pee al...
by DonF
Sun Nov 17, 2019 5:24 pm
Forum: Training
Topic: hunting too fast
Replies: 37
Views: 21332

Re: hunting too fast

I don't believe that having human scent on a bird your training with matter's one bit. It's the bird the dog want's and it's scent is also there and probably stronger. I've never had a dog leave a wild bird because there was no human scent on it. Go rub a sage brush real well and see if your dog wil...
by DonF
Sun Nov 17, 2019 10:07 am
Forum: Training
Topic: hunting too fast
Replies: 37
Views: 21332

Re: hunting too fast

A Garmin doesn't tell if a dog is pointing. It indicate's if the dog is stopped, nothing more. Sometime's when the dog is stopped it will indicate "tree'd"! Your dog decide's to lay down and take a nap to the Garmin the dog is not moving so it indicates pointing and often tree'd. How long the point ...
by DonF
Sat Nov 16, 2019 10:22 am
Forum: Training
Topic: hunting too fast
Replies: 37
Views: 21332

Re: hunting too fast

For a dog handling birds right, 200 to 300 yds is not really a bad thing. At my age I'm where I like a dog in that close. Problem being getting to the dog. Most trialers like a dog way out there and pretty much un-seen till they find the dog on a bird. I believe that dogs like that flush far more bi...
by DonF
Sat Nov 16, 2019 9:58 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Use a Muzzle During Dog Intro
Replies: 13
Views: 4676

Re: Use a Muzzle During Dog Intro

Depending on the aggression, I would not tolerate it, get rid of the aggressive one. Aggression doesn't generally get better over time, it get's worse and from the other dog it could be a family member. Had a Britt in that was that way years ago and told the owner he needed to get rid of it. He like...
by DonF
Fri Nov 15, 2019 10:43 am
Forum: Training
Topic: So you think you know dogs?
Replies: 14
Views: 6735

Re: So you think you know dogs?

I've got one but it's not as good as your story. I was training a pointer (English) for a friend and she wanted her to retrieve as well as hunt and point...in Britain pointers are seldom worked as retrievers. The training in all aspects of her work was going well and she liked to retrieve …..usuall...
by DonF
Fri Nov 15, 2019 10:27 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Reptiles
Replies: 5
Views: 2999

Re: Reptiles

I have never worried about what a young dog chase's. Seem' all the one's I've worked with pretty much quit chasing all off game when I started them on planted bird's. Two exception's are most will chase a deer and some really like porcupines. Generally on porcupine's they don't do bad till after the...
by DonF
Mon Nov 11, 2019 5:27 pm
Forum: Training
Topic: Whoa Post-Neck vs Flank
Replies: 7
Views: 4231

Re: Whoa Post-Neck vs Flank

I do Delmar's version from the book. It's never failed me. Doesn't get much better than that. When the dog is ready to leave the whoa post, I check cord it around and try to catch the CC on stakes I drive in the ground, catch's the dog and stops it and I immediately flip the cc off the stake and hav...
by DonF
Mon Nov 11, 2019 10:35 am
Forum: Training
Topic: English Setter I need your advice
Replies: 7
Views: 4121

Re: English Setter I need your advice

I have trained quite a number of show bred gundogs. This applies to retrievers, spaniels, the versatile breeds and to pointers and setters. Their owners wanted them to work as gundogs , they liked the idea of turning up to shoot with a "beautiful" dog but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Almos...
by DonF
Mon Nov 11, 2019 10:09 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Starting Them Early
Replies: 10
Views: 6027

Re: Starting Them Early

Looks to me like puppy's that are looking at something they haven't a clue what it is and are being cautious!
by DonF
Mon Nov 11, 2019 10:04 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Problems with 8yr old GSP
Replies: 16
Views: 5369

Re: Problems with 8yr old GSP

I think you definitely need the training field. You have a big running dog and you don't see it other than the tracking collar but see birds flush and from that determine that the dog is pushing the birds? Actually if that's it, you don't know what is pushing the birds! Dog has been fine for 8yrs an...
by DonF
Wed Oct 30, 2019 9:33 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: THE ROAD WELL TRAVELED
Replies: 2
Views: 2303

Re: THE ROAD WELL TRAVELED

Very nice photo!
by DonF
Thu Oct 24, 2019 11:39 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: BIRD CAMP
Replies: 8
Views: 3987

Re: BIRD CAMP

Funny thing about hunting I discovered about myself. For big game I hate to travel very far from home, it about filling the freezer! I am a shooter, not a hunter really. But hunting birds I've traveled all over the state. It's about enjoying my dog's. Used to take the dog's out during season now and...
by DonF
Thu Oct 24, 2019 11:26 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: dog kennels
Replies: 6
Views: 3610

Re: dog kennels

Well I built budget kennel's, side walls made with reg 2x4's. Have the 2x4 bottom's held off concrete with all weather wood blocks. Wire is 4x6 sheep pasture fence. Just had the yard fenced and went with 2x4 pasture fence. Don't like welded wire fence, breaks at the joint's to easily.
by DonF
Thu Oct 24, 2019 11:19 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: New Member and gun dog owner
Replies: 9
Views: 5962

Re: New Member and gun dog owner

There ya go, club training day in your town. Something to keep in mind as you go, different trainer's have different way's of going about training. Choose one and follow it till you know what your doing. My first GSP had me, a check cord, couple live pigeons and "the Best Way to Train Your Bird Dog-...
by DonF
Fri Oct 18, 2019 9:20 am
Forum: Hunting
Topic: My Reba solid on point
Replies: 12
Views: 8649

Re: My Reba solid on point

Looking good!
by DonF
Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:23 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Stand Proud
Replies: 2
Views: 2087

Re: Stand Proud

Very nice photo!
by DonF
Sun Sep 29, 2019 9:33 am
Forum: Training
Topic: Pigeons: How long til they pair and nest
Replies: 12
Views: 6429

Re: Pigeons: How long til they pair and nest

My nest's are box's! I hang a cloth down over the opening and that's the one's they go to fist. Also made a slide in shelf with a lip on it. Slides out to clean. I think it's just the wrong time f year for nesting. Mine will usually start about Feb and lay till I don't know when. I did notice this y...
by DonF
Thu Sep 12, 2019 10:00 am
Forum: Brags
Topic: My little man
Replies: 15
Views: 9811

Re: My little man

Nice puppy!
by DonF
Thu Sep 12, 2019 9:58 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Famous Springers
Replies: 10
Views: 5067

Re: Famous Springers

I had them about 40 yrs ago. Loved them to pieces but when I lost my old Skipper I found myself rejecting litter's because it was Skipper I was looking for. They are a super breed!
by DonF
Wed Sep 11, 2019 7:49 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Sis about 22 weeks
Replies: 23
Views: 8218

Re: Sis about 22 weeks

Featherfinder wrote:
Wed Sep 11, 2019 12:14 am
Well Don, while I might go a different path, if this girl looks anything like your other dog....keep it up!
Thank you for the explanation.
You bet!
by DonF
Mon Sep 09, 2019 8:52 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Sis about 22 weeks
Replies: 23
Views: 8218

Re: Sis about 22 weeks

Looks and sounds like you have one heck of a cracker! Just wondering why you are letting this dog stand "til the flush" and then break? Why are you not helping her to naturally stand until YOU want her to move on? Or, perhaps you are happy with her standing to the flush which is perfectly fine. Jus...
by DonF
Sat Sep 07, 2019 8:23 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Sis about 22 weeks
Replies: 23
Views: 8218

Sis about 22 weeks

She hit #5 way out and on the edge of the scent cone, Re-located on her own and stopped about 10 yds out and stood to the flush. Number 6 She hit about 15 yds out and never moved till the flush. This photo is number 7. she hit it maybe 8yds out going cross wind to her left as she's standing here. Fl...