Gun Dog Forum

This would, I think, apply mostly to field trial dogs, but could generalize to any dog. I am interested in your experience with dogs changing range during and after breaking.

from my experience, range is pretty much determined by the dogs genes. it is possible, to a some degree with some dogs to control them if they are ranging too far, with an e-collar but to get a dog to range out further than it is programmed to do is something i havent seen work yet. just my experience with range.

Sprig wrote:from my experience, range is pretty much determined by the dogs genes. it is possible, to a some degree with some dogs to control them if they are ranging too far, with an e-collar but to get a dog to range out further than it is programmed to do is something i havent seen work yet. just my experience with range.

That's not what I mean.

Let's say you have a dog that is a 1/4 - 1/2 mile cast before you put pressure on them. When you start to make them keep their manners, do you see them shorten up? Do they return to their original run?

Many dogs will shorten up some with training, but ideally if their range is good before steadying they will get it all back with confidence.

The ones I have broke have shortened up but after awhile it all comes back. My Tuck dog I was really worried about after I broke him. He didn't go anywhere for a long time, but now he is bigger than ever before.

Dirtysteve wrote:The ones I have broke have shortened up but after awhile it all comes back. My Tuck dog I was really worried about after I broke him. He didn't go anywhere for a long time, but now he is bigger than ever before.

What about Crash? It's his baby brother I'm comparing to.

I thought that was you
He shortened up but not as much as Tuck.
They will get it back once they figure it out.

How is he doing anyway?

I find, as well, that a dog's range will shorten up some with breaking, but that it will grow again with experience.
Mostly, my dogs hunt to cover and target. In the mountains, they will hunt closer and in the desert, they will hunt farther.

Dirtysteve wrote:I thought that was you
He shortened up but not as much as Tuck.
They will get it back once they figure it out.

How is he doing anyway?

Howdy!

He's finding birds, he's holding on his birds, and he saw miles and miles of Texas when he worked on the Mariposa. His trainer did not charge me for the Garmin he finally bought, but it may as well have had Casey's name engraved on it. Getting him steady is not too difficult. Keeping him in the same county is. The day after he logged in at a mile out, I got a call to the effect that he was running bigger and bigger. I asked if he was finding any birds. The answer was, "I don't know. I don't get to go with him." He came around to coming back around toward the end of the trip. He's more dog than I expected.

Cajun Casey wrote:

Dirtysteve wrote:I thought that was you
He shortened up but not as much as Tuck.
They will get it back once they figure it out.

How is he doing anyway?

Howdy!

He's finding birds, he's holding on his birds, and he saw miles and miles of Texas when he worked on the Mariposa. His trainer did not charge me for the Garmin he finally bought, but it may as well have had Casey's name engraved on it. Getting him steady is not too difficult. Keeping him in the same county is. The day after he logged in at a mile out, I got a call to the effect that he was running bigger and bigger. I asked if he was finding any birds. The answer was, "I don't know. I don't get to go with him." He came around to coming back around toward the end of the trip. He's more dog than I expected.

From your other posts I gather this dog is already broke on game. At what age did he get hard to handle and pick up? Was the dog run in puppy and derby trials?

Mo