) and pen raised birds. However, when we go out to chukar country and she gets on a covey of wild birds it always seems to happen about 400 yards out and by the time I get there she just can't stand it anymore and busts them out before I can get in front of her. After I get her back I set her back to where she was and make her "whoa" for a few minutes but it's happened a few times now and I thought I'd solicit some advice. Any thoughts?Breaking on Wild Birds
Breaking on Wild Birds
I'm in the process of getting the pup steady to wing and shot. She does great in the yard and the training field with both pigeons (although the foster dog I had killed all of them a while ago so I haven't had a lot of opportunity to work with them lately ) and pen raised birds. However, when we go out to chukar country and she gets on a covey of wild birds it always seems to happen about 400 yards out and by the time I get there she just can't stand it anymore and busts them out before I can get in front of her. After I get her back I set her back to where she was and make her "whoa" for a few minutes but it's happened a few times now and I thought I'd solicit some advice. Any thoughts?
) and pen raised birds. However, when we go out to chukar country and she gets on a covey of wild birds it always seems to happen about 400 yards out and by the time I get there she just can't stand it anymore and busts them out before I can get in front of her. After I get her back I set her back to where she was and make her "whoa" for a few minutes but it's happened a few times now and I thought I'd solicit some advice. Any thoughts?
Re: Breaking on Wild Birds
Dogs are situated oriented. They may do it in the back yard but.... Training has to be situation oriented also. Have someone manage the dog while someone else shoots.
I've done all right in field trials, but if the dog is going to blow it , it will happen when the situation is different - like 4 birds together that take off before I get there. Dogs don't seem to transfer skills well. I'm thinking we need to train for each different situation.
( Maybe plant 4 birds insted of one - jackpot! 
I've done all right in field trials, but if the dog is going to blow it , it will happen when the situation is different - like 4 birds together that take off before I get there. Dogs don't seem to transfer skills well. I'm thinking we need to train for each different situation.
( Maybe plant 4 birds insted of one - jackpot! " We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett
Re: Breaking on Wild Birds
too big a jump in the training sequence.
Is she reliably broke at 400 yards on pigeons?
Is she reliably broke at 400 yards on pigeons?
Re: Breaking on Wild Birds
I've never tried 400 yards on pigeons but I have tried it at a couple hundred and she's held. Also held at 400+ yards on wild pheasant in ND at that range but I was on horseback so I could get to her a heck of a lot quicker than on foot in steep chukar country. Honestly I think it's a time thing and a # of birds at once (i.e. really excited!!!) more than a range issue. I've thought about trying to control her range a bit more while I'm trying to break her but I hate to do that because I really like her independent nature. I've gotten a couple of PMs with some good advice that I'm going to try. Fundamentally it sounds like she needs to understand the concept of "stop and stay stopped" better. I sure appreciate the input from folks on this forum. It's very valuable indeed to a green novice such as myself. Thanks!
-
tailcrackin
- Rank: 2X Champion
- Posts: 422
- Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2005 8:38 pm
- Location: Crab Orchard, Kentucky
Re: Breaking on Wild Birds
Distance is trust, like Slistoe hit on a little bit.
When you trust your dogs work, in front of you with pigeons, then start to add distance. When you start the adding, myself, I want the trap - launcher stuff, pretty much done. Reason being, you have no possibly way to tell what your dog is doing, how close it is, to the launcher. You pop at wrong time, and a bigger can of worms, could possibly open. The corrections are the same, wether or not the dog is in front of your eyes, or at a bigger distance.
IMO, a dog running that big with "no brains" is nothing but a problem. That will later show...somewhere. Thanks Jonesy
When you trust your dogs work, in front of you with pigeons, then start to add distance. When you start the adding, myself, I want the trap - launcher stuff, pretty much done. Reason being, you have no possibly way to tell what your dog is doing, how close it is, to the launcher. You pop at wrong time, and a bigger can of worms, could possibly open. The corrections are the same, wether or not the dog is in front of your eyes, or at a bigger distance.
IMO, a dog running that big with "no brains" is nothing but a problem. That will later show...somewhere. Thanks Jonesy
Re: Breaking on Wild Birds
Keep her close. When I break mine I don't let them go more that 20-30 yards from me, they learn the command "close". I then take them into the grouse woods and work them on wild birds that way. Once they know that they need to show the same respect to wild birds they are allowed to range out and start hunting. If you let them run to early you will just have to keep going backwards and re breaking them, each time does get harder and puts more pressure on the dog.