Losing confidence in dog

Springer22 said:
You guys rock, lots of awesome advice.
I’m trying my best to articulate what I’m experiencing. It’s tough though because it always so hot and cold, etc.

Not going back to a trainer. She did two weeks bird and gun. Did well, didn’t like the aggressive pigeons all that much. Twas alarming, but she would grab them with enough coaxing. I’ve worked with her as much as I can with this, and she has improved but is still lacking that killer instinct. She didn’t want to pick up dead birds for awhile either randomly but I believe I’m over that now. Loves when they flush, watches them all the way or if shot starts chasing for the retrieve. If they don’t flush ( like at a game farm) she is quite puzzled and pounces around them like a freaking cat, I rather have her freaking grab that bird. She does have a few pretty cool retrieves under her belt, hell her first retrieve was a full on water retrieve to hand.

Here’s where I’m at. I’m going back to the game farm and I’m either going to release the birds myself, or ride with the guy so I know exactly where they are. Im going to get a couple chukkars as well and possibly tape their wings. Shes a serviceable hunting dog no doubt but I need to see more.

Maybe she just doesn’t have that killer instinct or really high prey drive and that is something I need to come to terms with then and go from there.

Man, dogs can be pretty complicated things for an animal that sometimes likes to eat their own poop. Man alive
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Dog is one year old.

Dog is working birds, perfectly sometimes/often, sometimes not.

Dog is PUPPY.

Take two aspirin and call me in a year.
 
A5 Sweet 16 said:
And remember, just because you THINK you're the one finding/flushing pheasants, I believe almost every time, the dog probably played about a 90% part in it.
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I've seen this on the gopro. In my memory I took a step and the bird flushed nearby I figured because I got too close and made him nervous. Check tape, I see a dog running up sniffing in the lower frame of the camera and putting the bird up and/or running him right into me.
 
Not sure you have this option in your area or not? We have public dog training areas. You can buy birds and use the area to train on. instead of paying game farm price and labor for stocking and such you buy birds and take to the training grounds and release them yourself. COst around here is about half. Just another idea for you.
 
Weimdogman said:
Never say never.
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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.
 
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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If there is a busy road near by and excited dog is chasing possibly. No time to waste. Correction is better than a dead dog. Dogs will do dog stuff sometimes, no matter how obedient. IMO
 
I know dogs have "felt" my frustration during training at times (without correction) and have lost confidence because they didn't know what I wanted. They can sense our moods. It's important YOU enjoy the experience as well for the most part as year one is still elementary school for her. I bet you'll be happy by the end of next season. Hunt, hunt, hunt, and look for baby steps of improvement so you can be encouraged as well. You're seeking advice and creating a plan so good-for-you! Good luck.
 
Glock said:
People put down game farms but there is no better place to give a young pup experience.
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Agreed, that is their only purpose though. If the dog can't figure it out with dumb, slow psuedo roosters, its certainly not going to figure it out chasing wild educated birds in December.
 
Wing clip a rooster at a game farm and have someone throw the bird in front of your pup. Then wait 10-30 seconds and let the chase begin. Progressively wait longer and use heavier cover. Build on the prey drive. Good luck. The learning curve is not a straight line.
 
Wind River said:
Wing clip a rooster at a game farm and have someone throw the bird in front of your pup. Then wait 10-30 seconds and let the chase begin. Progressively wait longer and use heavier cover. Build on the prey drive. Good luck. The learning curve is not a straight line.
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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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I use the vibrate mode for silent comms in the field. I vibe, the dog diverts, looks at me, and I give a hand signal. I would only use painful stimulus if the dog was near a rattlesnake or heading for the vehicle against my command when a grain truck was barreling down the road. In other words, to save the dog's life.
 
Headed to the game farm this morning. Big confidence boost for the both of us. We had fun.

She found all our birds and I was shooting well enough, ha! She caught a running hen, I missed a chukar, went over where it landed and she got on the trail, chased it 120 yards through the woods and brought it back to me. Also got into a brawl with a poorly hit angry rooster and won. Cant tell you how stoked I was to see that.


She did run past a few we had to circle back to, she just gets excited and isn’t using her nose the best sometimes. I’m sure she will figure that out more as she gets more experienced.

Thinking back to a few months ago, she has came a tremendously long way. And I am very happy with where we are. I had been walking lots of heavily pressured public land and I was expecting way to much, frustrated, and may have been using her as a bit of scape goat.

Thanks again for the pep talks boys
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Springer22 said:
Headed to the game farm this morning. Big confidence boost for the both of us. We had fun.

She found all our birds and I was shooting well enough, ha! She caught a running hen, I missed a chukar, went over where it landed and she got on the trail, chased it 120 yards through the woods and brought it back to me. Also got into a brawl with a poorly hit angry rooster and won. Cant tell you how stoked I was to see that.


She did run past a few we had to circle back to, she just gets excited and isn’t using her nose the best sometimes. I’m sure she will figure that out more as she gets more experienced.

Thinking back to a few months ago, she has came a tremendously long way. And I am very happy with where we are. I had been walking lots of heavily pressured public land and I was expecting way to much, frustrated, and may have been using her as a bit of scape goat.

Thanks again for the pep talks boys
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I’ve got a dog right now in her second season, last year she was lighting it on fire, taking huge strides every week. All summer I was so excited to see the next jump and she came out totally flat for the first month, even regress to a certain point. I’m happy to say it was just a phase and we are back on track, it was my expectations that were unreasonable. Stay with it man!
 
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