Need advice/help

J

Jonjhawk

Member
Went out this weekend for opening weekend for Kansas. Having a good morning, not seeing to many birds but dog was working the field perfectly. Then we ran into some cows on the wiha we were at and they spooked the dog. He stopped hunting wouldn't range that far ahead was just acting differently. We noticed this and went to put him back in the car and a covey flushed. We shot st the covey and continued to walk to the car to put the dog in his kennel. A single flushed way ahead but this time the dog came running back to me. He was introduced to a gun by going 22 far away then gradually increase then 20 gauge far away then gradually increased then 12 gauge far away and gradually increased then 1 shot with a 20 gauge and another with a 12 gauge then 2 with a 12 gauge And a 20 gauge then eventually 3 with a 12 gauge. We've also shot quail and pigeons over him before. My concern is if this outing with the cows made him gunshy and what do I do now to make sure he still loves birds, a couple bump and chase sessions or what?
 
Forgot to mention, we stopped working him on Saturday and tried him out on Sunday. he really stopped working a field the way he usually does except for the last hunt of the weekend.
 
You could revisit the gun intro while he's chasing a bird... But what do you mean when you say you ran into some cows? Did something happen with them or were they just nearby?
 
I'd agree that it sounds like he hit a fence or something. My 2 1/2 year old dog hit one during dove season, for the next half hour he was pretty leery to leave my side. I could see a younger dog being affected more.

How old is the dog?

Tim
 
He's 1.5 I don't think he hit the fence but he could of. He didn't actually run into the cows, one came up by us and stared making noise. It was his first time around electric fences so he very well could have hit one but it seemed like the cows were spooking him. The running back when the bird flushed concerned me the most
 
Id go back to putting up a bird or 2 with no gun. Then work the 22 back in when he is right on a bird and see what happens. I have a rescue dog that I worked with one fall. Shot birds over her and everything. Worked up to that like you did, starting with a cap gun. About the third time out hunting we went with another hunter. When he shot a rooster, she ran back to the car. Started over again flushing birds with no gun, and repeated all the steps I had done before. Luckily I had a place I could hunt until April. Took me another couple months, but last time out in the spring we were back to carrying a gun, and shot a Bird she flushed right in front of me. Efforts paid off, because no further problems, and she's a great dog. Take it slow for now. I think he will come round. Some dogs are just more timid than others.
 
Well this is a strange combination. If you have access to some pigeons I would let him point them and chase them. I would just watch what he does without a gun. Make sure you are seeing the bird drive that you expect.

Good luck and be smart about what you do, its not hard to make things worse pushing to fast
 
What are you doing when the dog is frightened? If you are worried, the dog will be worried. Cows with calves may be aggressive to a dog.
 
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