jumping in on birds

blueweim

blueweim

New member
So last week I had the dog out for some training with Chukars. The first 3 went great. Point, steady, shot and retrieved. The 4th he pointed and I walked in to flush but couldn't find the bird. I was starting to think wtf and then I turn around as he jumped in and snagged it. Calling that one my fault.

Anyway the lesson learned was that when you shoot 3 birds and your dog takes care of the 4th. Make sure you eat the one he got:thumbsup: far less shot in it.
 
When I teach "WHOA" I also use my hand open fingers spread and the palm of the hand toward the dog. I do this along with the voice and whistle. 3 commands all meaning the same thing. The reason being what you just stated. The dog is being told to hold steady until I find the bird and flush it. Without saying a word and spooking the bird......Bob
 
I think it happens to all of us. Could be a lot worse, I'm always glad when they are enthused about birds! A little more practice, and some wild birds, and he'll learn he can't ( shouldn't), catch them himself. By the way,I think that is alot more common with chukars, at least in the midwest, being a completely foreign bird, and out of their element, seem to have a strain of "dumb cluck chicken", i.e. walking around in the open, refusing to flush, flying badly, all scream grab me to the dog. In the wild, on the cheat grass slopes, out west, or the Punjab, Pakistan, or Afghanistan, a completely different bird.
 
bobeyerite said:
When I teach "WHOA" I also use my hand open fingers spread and the palm of the hand toward the dog. I do this along with the voice and whistle. 3 commands all meaning the same thing. The reason being what you just stated. The dog is being told to hold steady until I find the bird and flush it. Without saying a word and spooking the bird......Bob
Click to expand...

when mine point and are locked I walk in facing them watching the eyes- the eyes shift I raise my hand palm facing them and say whoa- whoa now, easy- I want them to stay put- not move- if there's a bird there I want to flush it- if it's not there I want to kick arround watching the dog- then release with "good dog get going" aware the bird might have moved but never under any circumstance shoot- I want the dog to know it froze on point for a reason-lesson learned- young smart pointing dog will catch on to only lock on a bird and move on when no bird-

you can mess up a young pointer easily- just think- there might be a bird real close- the dog knows it- can't pin it- you confuse the dog- trust the dog but be ready to correct or scold if making a dumb point/ freeze
 
Shadow In your 1st paragraph you state what I was saying badly. I use "find the bird" for release. Only I don't speak to him, I just hold up my hand like you say. I have had a few roosters flush wild if I say whoa while walking in. I missed everyone because I rushed my shot. So I don't talk anymore. When I come in on Tony like that, I have to watch his eyes also. He will keep shifting them to the side the Bird is on. One time he kept looking behind him while holding point. Sure enough the bird went into a bush behind him........Bob
 
ahhhhhhhh Bob- the eyes

my little female started backing Shadow right off- from a distance- her I'd talk to and run a hand down her back- watch her and move to come in on Shadow- probably won't need to anymore- she's got it down pretty good
 
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