3 1/2 year old guide dog quit hunting

Up-Date on Sport
Sport is doing great. Took some time getting his confidence built back up but we did it.
I guess NOW it was worth the time. He is pointing,backing and fetching like a champ. Only thing we did was spend lots of time with him while training young dogs, he was already trained before the lost confidence. Never figured out what caused the break down.
 
beaglebob1 said:
Mr FC,
I think this is the only way to go. Get him dying to go. He did good last time out untill I pushed him to far. Feels like a rescue dog at this point..lol
Gotta give him a chance to get back to where he was at his peak. I know it is a mental thing. One second he looks like a pro then it falls apart. Going to be interesting figure this one out. Thing is I like this dog or he would have been gone a long time ago..:(
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Glad to hear it worked. I use this all the time to build confidence. It works with any breed from hounds to pointers. A simple meathod that has worked for eons.:thumbsup:
 
Way to go Bobby G :thumbsup:

great to hear things are working out
 
Very cool I love happy endings.

The old "chain gang" is the answer to lots of problems.
 
Sport is still solid!! Had a rain day and a few birds and took him out.
Planted 3 quail. Worked him in down wind and hit the first at 20 yards. Opened my gun no shells...DAH Ran back to the ranger grabbed shells. He stuck that point several minutes, I flushed the low flyer couldnt get a shot (sport on its butt) and when it went down he caught it brought it back. I toss it and shot , he reteived it to hand.
Next two birds 10-15 yard points these flew better but I missed one he still found it a few minutes later and reteived to hand.
One more outing in the morning before work then I will feel he is BACK.
What a trip he has taken me on. :cheers::eek:
 
To keep him solid, it does help, and is a good idea from time to time to do the same thing. I do too with my dogs and it is a higher gear they come out with again every time.:thumbsup: I learned this from old timers during my coon hound days way back. They taught me to leash the young dogs or a dog that is not on tree hard, to a small tree near by. Then shoot the coon out to the other dogs. It drove em crazy, and man did they stay treed after that.:D Good old days.
 
I was thinking of this thread this morning while talking with a buddy of mine who is having very similar issues with his 4 year old GSP. His dog also used to guide and was fantastic in the field. (I know because I hunted behind him a number of times.) After 3 months of questions my buddy finally figured out that his dog once chased a flush and got lost. After about 2 hours of searching they finally found dog and he has been a shadow ever since. Every time he is let out of the box at the field he stays very close to heel and never keeps my buddy out of sight. At the first motion toward the truck the dog bolts for his box. I am wondering if your dog didn't have some kind of similar experience and was afraid you were going to leave him in the field? Odd, I know... but it just might add up.
 
Kal,
I think Sport was pressured by the other dogs we have here on the farm.
We had him down with some real power house dogs and they kept beating him to birds on several hunts and I think that had something to do with it. He runs big at times if not kept reeled in. I am going to put him on birds tonight just to check him again.;)
 
Sport pointed and held pigeons and quail today. Perfect retrieves.
Had problem with him leaving my side. I am starting to think I am to much of an alpha to him.
Anyone want him?:(
 
Your Patience Paid Off

You just took time, didn't hurt him, and let him regain his confidence that he was BEING A GOOD DOG. It worked. Congratulations. Obviously, he is a conscientious dog who needs to be handled somewhat softly so he doesn't think he's being bad and then want to just kennel up and stay out of harm's way.
 
I want to congratulate you on the work you have done with Sport. Many would not put the effort in that you have.

You may never know what caused the issues Sport was having, but I am sure that it was something DONE to him.

Sports symptoms remind me of a dog that I saw about a year ago. This dog is out of some good hunting lines. I saw the dog at a training seminar, and it was totally blinking birds, and was avoiding them. Come to find out that the dog was accidentally shot while hunting. I had seen this dog hunt before, and it was hard to understand how this bird hunting machine could be afraid around birds.

You have shown that if you are fair to the dog and move at a pace that the dog can handle, most things can be "fixed". Way to Go :thumbsup:
 
SetterNut said:
I want to congratulate you on the work you have done with Sport. Many would not put the effort in that you have.

You may never know what caused the issues Sport was having, but I am sure that it was something DONE to him.

Sports symptoms remind me of a dog that I saw about a year ago. This dog is out of some good hunting lines. I saw the dog at a training seminar, and it was totally blinking birds, and was avoiding them. Come to find out that the dog was accidentally shot while hunting. I had seen this dog hunt before, and it was hard to understand how this bird hunting machine could be afraid around birds.

You have shown that if you are fair to the dog and move at a pace that the dog can handle, most things can be "fixed". Way to Go :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

I had him out today and popped a few quail for him. Ran him with the GSP and he was swimming the pond with them.:rolleyes: Had him fetching bumpers out of the water. He is a funny dude.:thumbsup:
 
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