Young brittany won't hold still

[BigK75]

Hey Guys,

My brittany's recall is 100x better now thanks to all of your suggestions and especially slistoe who took time to answer and guide me on many of my questions.

Got a new problem I am dealing with. We are now practicing again with NAVDHA since he is now very obedient. His point is good unless he completely runs over the bird. In that case he will sometimes grab it but that's rare. Not sure how to stop this but I have a different problem for now. If you guys have suggestions on what do with that I would to love to hear it. When he does point I can calmy walk up to him without worry that he will go after the bird. He will hold the whoa for a good minute before I get there unless the birds moves.

The issue is once I start kicking the bird up as soon the bird moves he goes. I have tried the check cord to hold up back but his drive is incredibly strong and he is a big brittany at 50lbs and often pulls people with him. This has not been successful as of yet. Someone in my group suggested using the ecollar and giving him a couple of light taps when he moves. Is this okay? Any other suggestions for me. I want to hold still until the bird is shot and I give him the command to go.

Thanks,

BigK75

[Garrison]

Can you get the dog on wild birds?

Buy the book “Training with Mo” and learn how to use a check cord, launcher and hard flying birds properly. Grabbing birds is going to make your job exponentially more difficult. You are setting the dog up for failure, you need to set the dog up for success.

Garrison

[BigK75]

Hey Garrison,

Not really, we live in Ontario and we don't really have many options here. We have pigeons we use and that as wild as its going to get. We also have game farms but that is no different than what I am doing now. Finally we have grouse but those a long way away from home.

BigK75

[Garrison]

With no access to wild birds for training, pigeons and the use of launchers is the next best option, and in some scenarios the best option. I would make sure to keep the dog out of any situations where catching a bird is possible. There are numerous ways to install brakes on a dog. I personally think Mo’s approach is the easiest to understand and implement. Easy on the dog and handler.

Garrison

[slistoe]

You have seen the dog run and hunt - no need to work on that. You have seen the dog point - no need to work on that. You are back to the yard to work on the next step.

Work on your whoa. I assume he will stop and stand on whoa. Work him on extending the time he will stay on whoa with no real distractions to entice him to move. When it seems he will be willing to stand there forever you can start to walk around him. There is no timeline on this - it takes what it takes and there are no shortcuts. Increase the distraction level - play catch with someone in front of him, behind him, over him etc. If whatever antics you can come up with can't make him move you are ready to move out of the backyard... to a field where you will repeat the above training. If this is good you can now get yourself some pigeons in a bird bag. Best to have a helper for this. Dog is standing at whoa and at some distance ahead of the dog have the helper release the bird. You are in a position to enforce the whoa. Repeat from various positions getting closer to the dog over a number of sessions ( You will need a bird budget). Now you will have the dog on the move in the field and when he is in a position to see the helper and you are in a position to enforce the whoa have the helper release the bird - say whoa and enforce it. You are transitioning the flight of a bird to become the whoa command. Repeat till the dog stops on his own at the sight or sound of a bird taking flight. Now you are ready to take the dog back to the bird field and let him point a bird.

[BigK75]

Thanks Slistoe. You are giving me great advice again Simple steps for me to follow. This time I will start adding some videos to show you guys how I am progressing with this exercise.

Thanks,

BigK75.

[SwitchGrassWPG]

Checkcord with half hitch around the flank may help as well...

[DonF]

Can you get the dog on wild birds?

Garrison

And there's a big part of your answer. of course that's not possible a lot of the time so do the best thing. Remote launcher's. But by themselves they are just an object, learn to use them. They will allow you to make the pigeon act just like a wild bird. Dog moves even just a little, pop the bird. Lot of people feel that movement is a training opportunity but by the time you get to the training, the time has past. Dog so much as looks at you out of the corner of it's eye, pop the bird. Shut your mouth and move on. Do not walk up to your dog on a bird, walk around and keep your eye on the dog. Don't shuffle your feet pretending your looking for the bird. 99% of the time with live wild birds you aren't gonna do have to do that. You'll get close and they will normally flush! That shuffling the feet is a trainer looking for an excuse to train something, little more. Don't train the dog, teach the dog. Use the remote right and you can. Your dog is doing what it's doing because it want's the bird, simple as that! Use that to your advantage!

[Garrison]

And that is why Don’s dogs always look so darn good on point!

[Garrison]

A good resource.

http://www.oknavhda.com/docs/Steady_With_Style.pdf

[RayGubernat]

I train alone for the most part, so i have had to deal with this.

Most of the previous advice is right on and helpful. The belly hitch is a good stopper when you are holding the check cord. I also use an e-collar , set on vibrate on the flank. As I walk about in front of the dog, I tap the transmitter every few seconds so the dog gets "vibrate" stim, which they will learn is a cue to remain still.

One thing i try to do, when setting up a launcher for a young dog, is to put it it within reach of a tree or fencepost. So, when the dog establishes point, I can tie the dog off to the tree or post and be absolutely sure that any chase will come to an abrupt halt, with absolutely no word or action on my part. When the dog chases at flush and gets stopped shrt by the checkcord, I can quietly and calmly go beack to the dog, pick it up, walk it back to (about)where it was originally standing, setit up, stroke it up and then walk out front and let a pigeon fly. Even a hardhead will get the idea after a few of those, and you have said nothing and only stroked the dog up.

Rayg

[DonF]

There's a method I don't think I mentioned and it would come under whoa training. Go back to the yard and 20' check cord or e collar if that's what you did whoa with. Move the dog around in the yard and carry a bird with you. First I do a live bird. bring the dog in and whoa it. Count to about three and release the bird. If your using the check cord , the dog will move and you bump it under the chin. If your using the e collar, start nic'ing till the dog stops. Keep doing it and work the whoa command and release of the bird closer to each other as the dog progress's. You win when you bring the dog around with no whoa command and releasing the bird stops the dog. The command whoa has been replaced by a bird flushing! I also do the same with a dead bird next. Little more effort to stop the dog but the end result is you toss the bird and to the dog it means whoa. The tricky part comes in with a live bird walking around on the ground. I hook the feet together with a pipe cleaner, without it they can be very hard to catch! String tied to the pipe cleaner, your egging for a wreak and the string get's the bird back to you before the dog can get it. Pull the flight feather's for this. First few times around you whoa the dog, count to three and drop the bird on the ground BEHIND YOU! In the beginning put yourself between the dog and the bird. Follow through the same as when you started with the fly away, do your part and the end will be the same. Whole thing is done to teach the dog whoa without saying whoa! Bird flying means whoa, dead bird falling means whoa and live bird walking around means whoa. Works really well. Draw back one time. Little pointer I was working in the field with had a bird fly over and she hit the brakes till I sent her on. She turned into a really nice dog!

[slistoe]

Bird flying means whoa, dead bird falling means whoa and live bird walking around means whoa. Works really well. Draw back one time. Little pointer I was working in the field with had a bird fly over and she hit the brakes till I sent her on. She turned into a really nice dog!

I certainly wouldn't see that as a drawback. 100% positive in my books.