After my boykin doing well at a pick up dog at a pheasant tower shoot a few weeks ago, she has been asked to pickup several other shoots. I think it’s a great chance for her to get a lot of retrieves and some flushing in, so we usually go. After the hunts, she usually has some cutting on her nose, lips, and ears from picking up live crippled birds that I’m guessing are spurring her when she grabs them. She’s a relatively small Boykin and getting bigger running roosters pinned down takes her some negotiation.
Question is regarding if this is something to worry with putting any type of spray or anything on this afterwards or to just let it ride.
Thanks.
Crippled Pheasants and dog noses/mouths.
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Re: Crippled Pheasants and dog noses/mouths.
After the dog is done for the day, I would suggest you go over the dog's face area with clean water and then once over lightly with an antiseptic wipe. If there is active bleeding after gentle use of the antiseptic, I'd seriously consider using gentle pressure or even some Bactine spray with pressure to stop bleeding. Mostly though, I'd want to make sure the scratches were cleaned and sanitized.
The dog will probably take care of itself with its tongue after that.
RayG
The dog will probably take care of itself with its tongue after that.
RayG
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Re: Crippled Pheasants and dog noses/mouths.
A tower shoot is not like normal hunting in that the dog can get a hundred retrieves, one after the other. Two problems may arise: 1). That's a lot of work for a little dog and she may stop delivering to hand. Grab a bird, start in, drop it, run for another one, drop it, and head for yet another. That's a bad habit to perpetuate. 2). Pheasant are tough on a small dog. They may spur her so badly and beat her so severely with their wings, she stops retrieving all together.
I never worry a out the cuts. It's part of being a bird dog.
Just a couple things to watch for. In my opinion, a shoot like that is geared to a large retriever, chessie, lab or golden, not a small spaniel like a Boykin.
I never worry a out the cuts. It's part of being a bird dog.
Just a couple things to watch for. In my opinion, a shoot like that is geared to a large retriever, chessie, lab or golden, not a small spaniel like a Boykin.
Re: Crippled Pheasants and dog noses/mouths.
GH, you're right, Boykins need more "soothing" retrieving work than what a shoot offersgonehuntin' wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 4:52 pmA tower shoot is not like normal hunting in that the dog can get a hundred retrieves, one after the other. Two problems may arise: 1). That's a lot of work for a little dog and she may stop delivering to hand. Grab a bird, start in, drop it, run for another one, drop it, and head for yet another. That's a bad habit to perpetuate. 2). Pheasant are tough on a small dog. They may spur her so badly and beat her so severely with their wings, she stops retrieving all together.
I never worry a out the cuts. It's part of being a bird dog.
Just a couple things to watch for. In my opinion, a shoot like that is geared to a large retriever, chessie, lab or golden, not a small spaniel like a Boykin.
Courtesy of our friend Rick Hall - with Zydeco soundtrack and an itsy bitsy Boyk bouncing along on the bayou: https://youtu.be/EtuS6a96wnM
I'm with you on the scrapes and scratches too - part of being a dog, a working gundog.
CoastalQ, from what I'm seeing, has done a doggone good job getting his mud poodle (Boykin) onto game, phez and waterfowl - big tally for a little brown dog on his retrieving.
MG