Field advice...dog range

[WiskeyJaR]

As most of you folks know, this is me frist season with a dog. When we are hunting, Dutchess will stay within 40-50 yards or so. Except when she goes over a hill or brush pile, then about 2/3rds the time she will take off. When I get to where she was, she is out of site. It takes a while of "recalling" before she shows up. Sometimes I can hear her crashing threw the underbrush, other times I hear nothiing untill she appears. If she is in sight, so far she has not taken off chasing anything, only if she has a hill or brush pile between us.

I have used whistle and voice commands to "come" most times with limited response. If she is in eye sight, she will return with just a short whistle. If we are out of the field, say at home, and Dutchess is out of sight, she will return with no issues.

I have been tempted to use the collar when she wont return, but not sure I want to nick her if I cant see her.

Any suggestions to keep her from running off?
Thanks folks,
WiskeyJaR

[GSPVIZ]

Wow I have the complete opposite problem. My Viz wont leave my side!

If she does get too far and I cant see her, I yell come. If she doesn't respond then I give her a quick zap with the collar and she comes in pretty quickly.

[vzkennels]

Like has been stated before it's easier to get them to come in then push them out.

[Brittguy]

Wow I have the complete opposite problem. My Viz wont leave my side!

If she does get too far and I cant see her, I yell come. If she doesn't respond then I give her a quick zap with the collar and she comes in pretty quickly.

I was wondering how you can tell that she is not on point or maybe on her way to you but you don't yet see her?

[GSPVIZ]

Well she has never been hunting yet so I know where all the birds are that I let out of the pens.

I was really quick to use the ecollar when she was out with me at first but now I leave it in my pocket and maybe only bring it out 1x for the day.

[prairiefirepointers]

:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

[WiskeyJaR]

Welp I havnt used the collar when she has taken off, simply because I cant see her. I was just curious if there was a trick of some sort to keep her from takening off in frist place. She only seems to do it when she is out of eye sight.

Thanks,
WiskeyJaR

[Sharon]

Lots of experts on here but i well remember my first dogs. I made lots of mistakes . Don't let anyone make you feel bad, just keep learning. I wish I could go back 40 years and start over with dogs. :)Training is not easy stuff. If it were we'd lose interest.
Look into some good resources - Rick Smith/Huntsmith?


Never use the collar if you can't see the dog. It could think: "I'm not suppose to be out here. I'm nor suppose to be peeing. I'm not suppose to be turning left. I'm not suppose to be looking for a bird."

Never use the collar unless the dog is sure of the SPECIFIC BEHAVIOUR you want.

Until the dog is responding correctly in the back yard, in a smaller area etc. she is not going to respond in a big field.
I'd go back to yard work with this dog.

The dog is also not working with you.
This needs to be addressed in the yard etc.She doesn't get to run free/off check cord until you can be sure she'll come in on command. This is usually established with a pup . Much harder with a big dog.

Small steps = big successes in the fields.

Enjoy and good luck.

[gar-dog]

I went to NH this week - first time out with the dog in unfamiliar territory. I put the Garmin Astro on her, took a deep breath, and let her go. We were in very heavy cover, but no matter how far she went, she ALWAYS came back through and brushed past me and then took back off. There was only one time I gave her a tap with the collar, and that was when she started down a road and was over 200 yards off. I wouldn't have used the collar otherwise, but I knew she was just going down a road. So maybe your dog has range. Maybe she will come back on her own to check in anyway, without being called.

I have crossed a point in training my dog, where I realize now I was overhandling my dog, because of my own fear and uncertainty, and now I just trust the dog more and let her do her thing. There is a pretty good discussion on this in the Hunting section, thread called "Bells and Beepers when Hunting." Best advice I ever took is in that thread: essentially that if you have bonded with the dog, trust the dog.

[h.q.s]

This might seem like going back a few seps but I would turn to the good ole fashioned check cord!

[b_wbritt]

I would just sit down shut up and wait. The dog will come back to you. Get a beeper collar and don't worry if you can hear her,just let her hunt. I hunt with pointing dogs for the farther range, that is what they are suppose to do; point and hold till you get there. The less you nag her the quicker she will learn to check in with you, I would let her get a little worried and find you just sitting there waiting on her, she might just surprise you and point a bird.