Losing confidence in dog

Springer22 said:
I know the season is coming to an end in a few weeks, but I have been feeling frustrated with my springer the past couple hunts. I know for a fact she is missing birds, and I am really starting to question her nose and ability. We do hunt a lot of pressured public land, which is tough, but I’ve been bumping more birds lately than she has been finding and flushing. Birds she should have found. And honestly have been to a game farm a few times and she struggled finding birds too, and that’s about as easy as it gets.

Don’t get me wrong, she finds birds and has shown flashes of real potential. She looks the part, can run all day, quarters nicely, can and will go through any cover. But I know we are leaving a lot on the table, and I’m really starting to lose confidence in her. I know she’s only a year, and this is her first season so maybe I am expecting to much, but I can’t help but to feel frustrated.

She has quirks and It’s been a long journey with her. I know real serious dog guys would have moved on a long time ago because there was some question of prey drive during bird and gun. But I stuck it out and we have came along way, but I’m just not sure if she has IT.

Maybe I’m just tired and am feeling emo! Ha
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Thought Id pass on a phone call I just got off. A friend of mine who has a three yr old spinger just called me bragging about his dog. Ive hunted with it once or twice a season the past two years and would've been hard pressed to spend the money on a bag on Old Roy to feed it from what Ive seen out of it. He tells me it finally clicked and the hound is a cattail machine and tracking fool now. Some dogs take longer to figure it out, some of us expect to much! (Im guilty of this) and some dogs just dont hunt. Id give the hound another year if you can and push on him a little this summer with live birds if you can find any. Also dont be scared to freeze a pheasant you've shot and do some drags with it this summer to keep him excited.
 
BRITTMAN said:
Explain ... when would you hit the correction (shock) button when your dog is on birds ?????

I have never placed an e-collar on a dog of mine. The only reason I would consider it I guess is if they were deer obsessed or if snake training.
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Did someone else place this collar on your dog?
 

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GPS Astro. GPS tracking only.

Astro is a game changer for pointing dogs in high, thick, dense, (you get the idea) cover.

Quiet hunting ... never calling a dog off point ... TRUST THE DOG .., you get it I assume.

No ability to electronically "correct" a dog's behavior with the Astro.

Look at my other threads. Here is an example.
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Coach 20-Gauge said:
I have thot that many times. I teach them the basic commands -- come, whoa, heel, kennel, etc. The birds teach them how to hunt. The first thing the birds teach them is to point.

I am referring to wild birds. I will not let my dog go anywhere near a PR bird if I can help it. Because they do not act like wild birds do they teach the dog the wrong things.
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I don't like PR birds either. Many of them won't even fly. They wander around looking stoopid.
 
So one thing that hasn't been brought up and it needs to be mentioned are you unknowingly putting pressure on the dog with your attitude? The dog senses you expect something but the dog doesn't know what that is.
Tone of voice and body language mean as much to the dog as when having a conversation with your wife . 🙂
 
Weimdogman said:
So one thing that hasn't been brought up and it needs to be mentioned are you unknowingly putting pressure on the dog with your attitude? The dog senses you expect something but the dog doesn't know what that is.
Tone of voice and body language mean as much to the dog as when having a conversation with your wife . 🙂
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Very good point. I have caught myself doing this even with regular training in the yard and it’s somethiny I’m working on. Luckily she is stubborn and crazy enough and is quite forgiving of my piss poor training.
We always end on a good note. She my buddy
 
I will add I have been out a lot this week and have gotten her on lots of birds. ( both preserve and wild) She knows what’s she doing and is a force. I feel a bit silly making this thread in the first place but it’s given me lots of inspiration and advice. Patience being number one. And it helped how some others also ( BRITTMAN) also said they were not patient with their first dog.

It was me who was not giving her opportunities to succeed.

This has also enlightened me to other things we can improve on in the off season, that she does know how to do. Not Ranging far, tightening up the retrieve, and obeying commands ( commands she knows) while in the field in the heat of the moment.

I will also add I have no problem with an E collar if used and introduced correctly. My dog loves that seeing that thing.

Shes a riot to be in the field with but you have to be on your toes. Also at home as well. Lots of energy and smart
 
Weimdogman said:
So one thing that hasn't been brought up and it needs to be mentioned are you unknowingly putting pressure on the dog with your attitude? The dog senses you expect something but the dog doesn't know what that is.
Tone of voice and body language mean as much to the dog as when having a conversation with your wife . 🙂
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Often with a woman it is not what you say, but how you say it. Tone is indeed everything. There is a pretty good Friends scene on this topic, may a few.

Brittanys are extremely sensitive to voice and body language - I tell people that are looking at a Brittany for a gun dog that they are soft natured with their owner/handler. Other breeds maybe less so.
 
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