Hunting pup with Psycho dogs

Labman

Labman

New member
Got a new black lab puppy in May, born in March, so he's 8 months old now. I've worked on training him since day one. Not a single day has gone by where I haven't worked with him. He has excellent bloodlines, father being GHRCH and mother is HRCH. He's been doing great and I actually ran him in his first Hunt Test when he was 6 months old, in September. He won his first ribbon at 6 months in the Started. He's been hunting in SD 2 times already and last weekend went out to Western MN hunting. So, he's doing pretty well catching on to hunting birds. But, he's still learning and trying to make his 1st retrieves. I guess what I'm trying to get at is we're hunting with a guy that has some black poodle looking dog, golden doodle or something, and the guy brings back a bird that I had shot and my puppy goes to smell the bird and his dog attacked my puppy over the bird, not once, but twice that day. I was not a happy camper. The second time this happened, the dog got right above the eyeball on the eyelid and it was bleeding. It wasn't bad, and quit bleeding in about 3-4 minutes, but I knew how close it was to the dog getting my pups eyeball. I was keeping a close eye on him and both times it happened so fast that I couldn't stop it. After I yelled at the dog and pushed it off of or out of the way, My pup was scared, and acted like I yelled at him or he was in trouble. I made a point of taking the bird over to him but he still acted scared. A few minutes later, we were back to hunting but I sure hope these psycho dogs don't screw up my pup. Too much work has gone into this pup, and to put him into a bad situation like that, I feel bad I didn't do a better job protecting him or putting him in a better situation. On the other hand, this was the first time meeting this guy and his dog. Probably my last time hunting with them also. Sorry about the long winded post. After the dog bit my puppy and went psycho, and he took off to go hunting without saying anything, I yelled your dog bit my dogs eye, and he yells back, is he alright with his back turned to me as he walks away with psycho dog hunting. My dogs are family dogs first and hunting dogs second, so bringing them back in one piece is my top priority even though injuries do happen, but it shouldn't be from other dogs attacking.
 
Hmmm. How did you end up hunting next to such a fine gentleman?

Your dog will be fine, socialize him with normal (not possessive) dogs. Keep working with him.
 
this was the first time meeting this guy and his dog. Probably my last time hunting with them also.
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Not a problem. You could not have anticipated the issue, and you have found the solution. Would that all problems were so easily addressed.

You done good. Your pup is fine. Luv him up and let's go hunt.

:thumbsup:
 
Sounds Good!

I know some dogs get really possessive around their owners/birds, but that damn poodle was so fast. I gotta be thinking better than I was to prevent that from happening.

You know what's interesting, is when we first met that morning before hunting, he mentioned something about his dog liking to fight, and I was like, what, Oh Great........ What I should have asked or what he should have told me was he gets possessive around birds... Nothing was ever said. I just worried as I had my Old Lab, nearly 12 years old, and the young pup with me.
Too bad I didn't have a dog that would have whooped that Poodle's @SS.
:cheers:
 
Had the exact same thing happen to me. One guy gets brought into the group I don't know and his dog goes nuts on my dog when we get next to the truck over nothing! I literally got scratch marks on the stock of my gun from breaking this psycho dog off of mine. Needless to say I don't hunt with this guy anymore. From now on I question everybody before I hunt with them about the temperament of their dogs if I don't know them! Hope you pup is okay keep working with him their love for us is unconditional!
 
I so rarely hunt with someone these days, it never occurred to me, but I guess I do ask if their dogs are ok with other dogs...like when I meet them on the path to the hunting areas.

As I reread, probably was a regular issue with the guy if he started out by saying sometimes his dog fights.
 
Yep ask, and this one I would never see again. Same thing happened to my dog River when she was a pup. Flat out attack, when she was like 3 months old. She has gone on to accomplish some amazing things. So don't worry, just don't keep letting it happen. Or you will have a defensive dog yourself toward others. Eventually dogs that are dominant toward others force this hand and create another of their own. A dog will only take so much so long, and at a certain age and time, its on. I learned this the hard way. And with the easiest of going dogs.
 
It amazes me that some could be so out of touch to not at least apologize for their dog. I will admit that my current dog doesn't always play nice with other intact males. During the hunt it is all business, but I have had a couple issues when we are not hunting. Usually just growling, but I put an end to it when it starts. Lucky for your dog, good to hear it wasn't serious. I probably wouldn't hunt with the guy again. Not so much for the dog, but the lack of decorum of the owner. After all it is his fault ultimately.
 
This type of incident can turn a nice pup into a fighter because he will assume he's going to be attacked and will start a fight thinking he needs to protect himself.

I don't hunt with anyone that has a dog that acts like that ever and always ask.


There are a lot of reasons to hunt a young pup by itself and this is just one of them.

Nothing better than a lab pup I love em.
 
There is a reason I only hunt my dog with my father in laws dogs. They have all been around each other since I brought my dog home 3 years ago with one of his being 2 weeks younger than mine. Like you stated my dog is family first as well and I wouldn't put her in a situation where she could end up in a fight because of another dog I knew nothing about. I'm glad your pup is doing good sounds like she has a very bright future as a gundog and best bud.
 
The first dog I owned had a run in with another dog while she was still a pup. We were out hunting and there was another hunter and his dog hunting in the same field. At one point the other dog got away from him for a while and decided to hunt with us. Little bit annoying but no big deal, somewhere along the line something set him off and he put a pretty good beating on my young dog.

She ended growing up into a big athletic dog. Much more so than the two I have now. For all purposes an alpha and a shemale.
Because we continued to work on socialization she had no problems hunting with other dogs within our group. But she never did accept another dog that she hadn't met or become aquanted with back at the truck. A lot of times I would have to take a wide loop around someone else in the duck marsh or the field. Surprises could be really intense. I had control of her , mostly due to the e-collar. But barely.
 
Thanks for the replies! I'm going to make darn sure from now on my pup isn't put into that situation again. It's really amazing how fast something can escalate. As I type, pup keeps bringing me his toy for me to throw, gotta laugh, he wants to go, go, go. Love lab puppies!!!:cheers:
 
Good idea. Most times its going to take more then once to cause real harm. But on the other hand it is also good to get them around other dogs. Socialization is important too. So If you have some folks you can go train with, or just let him romp around in harmless fun with well tempered dogs, that's a good thing. Come on out I have 8 that would love to play with him LOL.
 
FCSpringer said:
Good idea. Most times its going to take more then once to cause real harm. But on the other hand it is also good to get them around other dogs. Socialization is important too. So If you have some folks you can go train with, or just let him romp around in harmless fun with well tempered dogs, that's a good thing. Come on out I have 8 that would love to play with him LOL.
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The point is the other guy's dog was naturally agressive or not socialized.
 
I only hunt my dog with one other & we took great pains BEFORE hunting season to ensure that the dogs were well-acquainted & congenial. That being said, I have always hunted a pup alone & still prefer to hunt solo. Sorry to hear about your experience, but work your pup, keep hunting, and pup should be fine.
 
I wouldn't worry about it regarding the development of your dog. I encountered a psychotic lab (very rare, which took me by surprise) that tore into my 10 month old lab for absolutely no reason. There were no injuries, and no lasting affects. Maybe she became a little more cautious around intro's to other dogs as a result.

There may actually be a benefit to your situation. Dogs typically have a natural attraction to other dogs as they're bringing back a bird, which is undesirable when you want them doing something else....like bringing back the other dead bird on the ground, hunting up the next one, etc.

So, perhaps your dog learned that other birds in another dogs mouth are off limits, and if so, call it good, but, I wouldn't worry about it.
 
I have seen a number of agressive male Labs. Not common, but not uncommon. My guess is they were backyard breedings.
 
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