Has your dog ever had a bad day?

H

Hockeybob

Active member
I have a 2 year old sm Munsterlander named Gunner. He has been lots of fun and for me a very good hunting dog. He points, retrieves, works close with minor corrections from the E-collar. I couldn't imagine hunting without him.
I told my wife that I would give Gunner an A if I was to give him a grade.
So the other day we go out and there is 2 inches of fresh snow on the ground (first snow of year). We got into birds right away and Gunner was just in hyper drive all day. Flushing birds out of range, breaking points, not retrieving the birds all the way to my hand. I felt like he went backwards. I texted my wife and said "remember that A last week, his grade is a D- today!!!!
All kidding aside, was it the snow? Running into birds too soon? Too much shooting early??? Or did he just have a bad day? I'm going back out on Thursday so I hope he goes back to normal. Anyone have any thoughts or similar experiences?

Thanks,
Bob
 
I try to keep in mind that progress and improvement especially with young dogs is not a straight line. Dogs might learn as much from a bad day as a good one. Might for instance learn that a bird flushed instead of pointed doesn't get shot! Or did it? For most of us hunting trips are rare enough that we want to hunt not train. There's a good chance that a dog with a good solid point instinct will return to form at the next opportunity, with no more explanation than the previous break in form. All can be forgotten as an abberation. Only way to find out is to go hunt an hope for the best, if the errant behavior demonstrates itself again, you have a remedial training project on your hands, and it starts from zero!
 
I HAVE HAD TWO REALLY GReAT DOGS IN MY LIFE ONE WAS A EP THAT JUST DIED AND A BRITT my ep could absolutely hammer birds in very wet conditions in snow it seemed he struggled a bit and bumped birds everyone thinks birds hold in the snow i totally disagree i think there more jumpy and most of the time its loud some days dogs just cant smellem theres so many varibles come in on the wrong side of wind etc you just have to get used to bumping phez its just part of it most arnt going to hold and if they dont your dog is still gaining valuable experience quail on the other hand should never hardly bump but there dogs, it happens especially the first year if you go hunting lots its going to happen remember you have to find birds to bump them i always look at it like well if i didnt have the dog i would have never seen that bird, not that it dont drive me freakin nuts!!!i have two dogs now and they point lots of birds but i dont think they anywhere close to a bird dog yet lots to learn yet
 
Dogs just lose their minds sometimes. We had 5 of the most honest dogs on the ground in Montana one year, got into a field full of birds and we had dogs bustin' birds left and right. It just happens sometimes. Everyone was pissed when it occurred, but laughs about it now.

However, if you are shooting at birds that the dog is busting, you could be creating an issue in a dog that is still developing.
 
I own a 5 year old Small Munsterlander (and also a two week old one but that is for Christmas)

It has been my experience and the experience of several breeders I have spoken with that the SM mature slower then other bird dogs. I have been told that they will not be mature at the age of two as some other hunting dogs are. And that was my experience also.
Yep all dogs have bad days and some dogs do better in different weather conditions, but you may want to ask your breeder on how fast they feel the parents matured to hunting. My guess would be, a good dog acting like a young dog.
My suggestion would be if it happens again is to remember the dog might not be fully matured yet. So you might want to correct the dog but treat it more like a pup than a mature dog. And do not shoot at a bumped bird.
 
There are so many variables that come into to making good or bad day. I remember last year when my setter was 2, he had several day where I said to myself "he may be the best dog I have had", then a day or two where I was very frustrated with him. He was slow to mature, and at two there were days where he thought that he knew best.

And some times it is not the dogs fault, if they pass just up wind of a bird and bump it, stuff happens.
 
Some days I'm so proud of my two labs, and other days I wonder how I put up with them............
 
only a pointer- only 2 great dogs-
I've had a EP, ES, 9 Britt's who marveled in 8" or more of snow-
I've hunted with trial dogs and FC who were masters at finding and holding quail and pheasants under snow
4" and under, birds standing on snow, birds walking on snow- yeh- that's hard for a pointing dog to find, point, and hold
I've got three that have never seen more than 3" of snow aside from a little drifting

you really believe good dogs can't smell, point, and hold pheasants in snow
every dog I've had has shown it's no trick- mine don't track- pheasants hold real tight under a decent amount of snow- roosters no less than hens

you saying my 4 can't run, stop on scent thru the snow, and hold that pheasant-

2 hour hunt this afternoon- was going to quit at 2 after an hour and 1/2- stopped, got them out and took a couple pictures-
Britt's wanted to go- 5 more solid hen points- then the little female locked up- rooster came up out of 3' of snow- beautifull- I swung and hit it with 7 shot at 25 yards- stopped the Britts for a final picture- unloaded the gun- it was enough- I took 51 pictures-

you just haven't seen a real good pointing dog in real snow

afterBlizzard12202011050.jpg
 
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All of my dogs have had bad days on occasion. Hell, to put it in perspective, I'm 63 & I have had bad days on occasion over my entire life. All in all, I've had more bad days/made more mistakes than my dogs and not one of them has ever bitten me for missing . . . hang in there.
 
Nice pictures there, but I do not believe anyone has mentioned your dogs can not hunt in the snow.
The thread was started by a hunter who was wondering about his two year old dog. Most hunting dog owners have seen their dog have a few bad days. Just because this fellas dog has had a bad day does mean it is not "a real good pointing dog"

Glad to hear that you have been lucky enough to never have experience a bad bird dog day.:cheers:
 
Shadow said:
only a pointer- only 2 great dogs-
I've had a EP, ES, 9 Britt's who marveled in 8" or more of snow-
I've hunted with trial dogs and FC who were masters at finding and holding quail and pheasants under snow
4" and under, birds standing on snow, birds walking on snow- yeh- that's hard for a pointing dog to find, point, and hold
I've got three that have never seen more than 3" of snow aside from a little drifting

you really believe good dogs can't smell, point, and hold pheasants in snow
every dog I've had has shown it's no trick- mine don't track- pheasants hold real tight under a decent amount of snow- roosters no less than hens

you saying my 4 can't run, stop on scent thru the snow, and hold that pheasant-

2 hour hunt this afternoon- was going to quit at 2 after an hour and 1/2- stopped, got them out and took a couple pictures-
Britt's wanted to go- 5 more solid hen points- then the little female locked up- rooster came up out of 3' of snow- beautifull- I swung and hit it with 7 shot at 25 yards- stopped the Britts for a final picture- unloaded the gun- it was enough- I took 51 pictures-

you just haven't seen a real good pointing dog in real snow

afterBlizzard12202011050.jpg
Click to expand...

i said my ep wasnt very good in the snow why i dont no? i also said hunting in the snow is usually loud and birds are really jumpy
 
Live2Hunt said:
Nice pictures there, but I do not believe anyone has mentioned your dogs can not hunt in the snow.
The thread was started by a hunter who was wondering about his two year old dog. Most hunting dog owners have seen their dog have a few bad days. Just because this fellas dog has had a bad day does mean it is not "a real good pointing dog"

Glad to hear that you have been lucky enough to never have experience a bad bird dog day.:cheers:
Click to expand...

lol thats funny
 
Live2Hunt said:
Nice pictures there, but I do not believe anyone has mentioned your dogs can not hunt in the snow.
The thread was started by a hunter who was wondering about his two year old dog. Most hunting dog owners have seen their dog have a few bad days. Just because this fellas dog has had a bad day does mean it is not "a real good pointing dog"

Glad to hear that you have been lucky enough to never have experience a bad bird dog day.:cheers:
Click to expand...

I could give some advice after hunting uplands with pointing dogs for 40 years- there are others who can say and intruct much better- I never said anything about his dog- all youngsters can be a handfull-

tell me where I said I've never had a bad bird dog day-

what do you consider a bad dog day-

starting 2 4 month old Britt pups in pheasants with jackrabbits and cottontails in big open country without shock collars- was challenging
 
Shadow....No harm no foul; just a proud daddy showing off his pups.
Your dogs hit it out of the park yesterday, congratulations! Great pics!
 
Shadow said:
apoligize- thought this to mean they don't hold in the snow-
Click to expand...

its cool i have a very openmind and sure dont know eveything there is to know but i do think shadow that they dont really hold in the snow most of the time cause usually the snow is loud BUT i can see when the snow is fresh and soft and quiet y
they can be pinned and confused now my old dog did point lots of birds in the snow but if he had a weakness in the snow had to be it maybe because his experience in it was not as much as without it never figured it out hell who knows you could be right maybe i never had a good dog in the snow i sure wish i had the old man and we would find out lol
 
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