Bird Shyness or Blinking

tip · Post by **tip** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:41 am

I have been training a dog that I think is bird shy. The owner of the dog says he has hunted her and killed quail over her. While training she hunts hard and covers alot of ground. As soon as she starts smelling the bird she will get low to the ground and go away from where she smells it. Its almost like she antisipates whats going to happen next and doesn't like it. Loud noises don't bother her so I've rulled out that she may be gun shy. Any help would be greatly appriciated.

gonehuntin' · Post by **gonehuntin'** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 8:42 am

Without more information, I'll shoot in the dark. Was she collar trained? The symptom you describe is typical of a dog that has had a collar used on her by someone without a clue. If not that, it's probably that the guy roughed her up around birds to get her to whoa on them. What you have to do in either case, is create a positive experience for her. Have bird traps been used around her? It's also possible she was hit or scared by a launcher. You'll have to figure out what made her that way but the cures are all the same: Start over, get her birdy, teach her the birds won't hurt her, and make everything enjoyable for her. This can be a tough one. Some dogs are just not as birdy as others and the flush of the bird itself can scare the dog. I'd use all small birds like quail. If you have any other info, let us know.

hubweims · Post by **hubweims** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:28 am

i think that gonehuntin hit this one on the head. i had this happen to me with my female weim. see, i messed up. when she i took her to work on wild birds she busted the birds and started to chase. not bad since it was first encounter on wild birds and she was young and excited. the problem came in that we were hunting beside a busy 4 lane hwy. when she busted birds and they took flight they were headed for the hwy. they actually flew over hwy and my weim was in hot pursuit. with her excitement and the danger ahead a had to use the e collar. the next two or three times i took her hunting she was blinking birds. she would catch scent point for a second then come to me and heel. afraid i had messed her up, i simply took off the e collar. she turned around immediately and is the best hunting dog i have ever been around. i guess you can say she is collar wise, but as long as i don't put it on her she is fine. so, maybe try working your dog w/o the collar. the person may have messed with it.

tip · Post by **tip** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:32 am

I have not put a collar on her yet. We were using a launcher and have decided that might be the problem. We train mostly with pigeons and if you have one just in your hand she loves it. Let it go and she chases after it. Going to do away with the launcher on this one.

gr_elliott · Post by **gr_elliott** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:41 am

my dog wont point a launcher, he gets excited and starts backing up and cant seem to stand still. Take the launcher out of the equation and he is steady as a rock

Post by **kninebirddog** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:51 am

I also have to side with it sounds like she got some serious corrections on birds ....

pending the dogs nature...She needs to learn that correction isn't a IE wrath of God

back in the yard work I would go to the table and stack her and sack her out...Let her learn the you having your hands on her she is to stand tall
touch her all over

then try a check cord and when she makes scent very quietly stack her up when she is standing tall then have some one kick around bring the bird out..
When a do is standing tall it helps with the confidence level

be quiet no words
teach her touch is a good thing and be sure on the table approach her from all around

then do the same on the ground

do little sessions put her on the chan gang then do it again
give her a start an action and a finish

Devils Creek · Post by **Devils Creek** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:27 am

The term is "blinking", and you've got to catch it now.

I've had several dogs that were launcher shy, so I'd give that up right now. You may be able to reintroduce the launcher at a later time. All it takes for a soft dog is to be too close once when the thing goes off and the bird explodes out to put her off.You've got to get her luvin birds again.

I would do whatever it takes. Usually I will first try lightly dizzied pigeons, so they're up and alert by the time the dog gets close. They will flush naturally without the explosion of the trap.

If she still exhibits blinking, or shyness after a couple of finds, I would maybe rubber band the bird so it can't flush. If she's rushing in and grabbing the bird, I'd then go back to dizzying.

tip · Post by **tip** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 2:03 pm

Thanks for the reply's. We are going to start reintroducing birds tonight.