NOOB Warning ?

[westexasrepublic]

So I just posted my Noob status in the Welcome section, so now on too the learning process, hopefully. I've had my Brittany since she was 8 weeks old, and have been taking her out for the last 3 seasons since I have had her. Luckily I started shooting my gun around her when she was little so now she understands that just seeing the gun being loaded into the truck means a good time for both of us. Now with no training of my own I only go by our instinct to learn together over the last 3 seasons. Well needless to say...after watching her point on countless skunks, chase quail into the far horizon and retrieve birds near me but never to me, I find myself online searching for a good group of people that can school me. Hopefully this season will be different.

Sorry for the long read. I know I need to get back to the basics, but here is what I do, and what she is doing that is bothering me lately. I use a whistle for starters, after I down a bird I give one short bust with the vocal command "fetch em up" and visual command with my body and right arm point in the direction of the downed bird. She then finds the bird in the tall grass I whistle back with many short and exciting bursts to bring to me. Instead she makes eye contact with me, sees that I see her with the bird then drops it?

Now I know there is a lot going on here, but what gives, and with a whistle is there a standard for whistle commands that work best?

[ezzy333]

Wouldn't it be simpler if you just told her to fetch and told her to come when you want her to bring the bird. I've never used a whistle for retrieving commands but I suppose it should work. But it is just another thing to have to train.

Ezzy

[westexasrepublic]

yah Im sorry I forgot to mention I still use the command come, is there some sort of visual hand command that some might use as well?

[whitedogone]

yard work on a check cord ...reel her in with a froze quail in her mouth. Don't try to take it from her. Just let her hold it and praise her. After a while give her the drop command and give her a pinch on the rear flank. She will drop it in hand. You can do the same with a ball or toy or stick.

[snips]

Turn your back to her on her return. You may be intimidating her.

[whitedogone]

Turn your back to her on her return. You may be intimidating her.

Good point. Brenda.

[romeo212000]

Take the whistle out of your mouth. You may have inadvertantly trained her to do exactly what she is doing. When she goes after the bird and picks it up just tell her to come and sort of turn sideways and start to walk away somewhat. All the whistling may have confused her and different commands you have taught for one process. My dogs know how to fetch with one command. When I want her to retrieve all I say is "Fetch it Here". She knows exactly what that means. You may be over complicating everything with him.

[westexasrepublic]

ok Thanks for the replies, Im going out this weekend and will definitely try these things with my dog. until then I continue with another question for you quail hunters. Where do I begin if I want my dog to work a field and point instead of chasing the quail till they flush? My dog in general stays within 30 to 50 yrds but once she finds the birds she goes nuts and will chase them well into the horizon. So is that distance acceptable and should just go straight to practicing pointing?

[ezzy333]

I have a feeling that you need to get with someone that can help you. At this point, I am not sure whether you are just not explaining it well or if you have done little training with your dog and have shot over her and let her run wild after the birds. I do know you need to get her to point and this needs to be done in a controlled situation. But it sounds like you need to go back to the very basics of yard work and start over. This will take some time and maybe difficult after she has been let run in the field.

JMO

Ezzy

[westexasrepublic]

Well sorta, I have worked with her and Ive trained her to the best of my knowledge so far. Im not saying she runs wild in the field, because she does follow my order, changes direction and works the field, it is just that once she locates a cuvey she will ease up on them like she is going to point but instead flushes them before I can get there for the shot. I know I need to get her to point instead of flushing, but what Im wondering is if I missed any steps in between. Like before I get her to point, is there some sort of prerequisite step? If not do I just get the check cord, lay a bird out in the yard and start holding her back or what?