Need tips teaching quartering

C

crackshot

New member
I have a 3 year lab mix that I am trying to train. I need some tips on teaching her to quarter. She just wants to run circles around me. Do I need to use some scent to help her know where to go? I don't need her to quarter perfectly but I would like her to work in front of me instead of running circles around me and behind me.

Any tips for any training are welcome!
 
First, make sure she is on a check cord, second you need to find an area with plenty of birds, this will keep her interest in what your looking for , rather then you. Then walk in a casting pattern encouraging her to find birds....usually dogs get the hang of it pretty quick, helps alot to have an older dog with this experience there also. Most important thing is to have check cord on her for control.
 
crackshot said:
I have a 3 year lab mix that I am trying to train. I need some tips on teaching her to quarter. She just wants to run circles around me. Do I need to use some scent to help her know where to go? I don't need her to quarter perfectly but I would like her to work in front of me instead of running circles around me and behind me.

Any tips for any training are welcome!
Click to expand...

If they are nice sized circles, that's good dog work to me.
 
I agree with the previous responses...

If you can place birds for the dog and hunt down wind, most dogs will start to range immediately. Very young dogs usually don't have a clue and think you are out for a walk in the park.

I have a Golden that's 22 months. He was with the program after a bird or two and was wise to the small bird placement flags after a few flushes. The second outing was vastly different as he matured.

He did go through "puppy school" and was introduced to bird at 6 months.

Good Luck!
 
Find some tall grass with plenty of room to work. While the dog is in the kennel (not watching), and wearing rubber boots, put plenty of pheasant scent on a training dummy and drag it through the grass behind you in a zig-zag pattern. Take the dog over to where you started the drag. Not only will the dog start to quarter, it will also get practice finding a moving bird or even downed birds. You will soon find out if your dog has a good nose or is just a house pet.

I used this method on my 4yr old lab starting when she was was about 8 mos old. It has worked like the proverbial charm since her first day in the field.
 
wesslpointer said:
Dont crop you dogs tail and he could catch it. ;)
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LOL. I assume that the dog was circling the master, not just spinning in circles with excitement.
 
crackshot,

it is simply teaching the dog to go with you; use a 6' lead, cue the dog and change direction (you'll be the one doing most of the work here); use your body to indicate the direction you want to go - always cue the dog, then change direction; then use a 12' lead - same thing, then a check cord; the dog needs to understand that when you change directions it should be going with you

if you have access to birds, then start planting them left and right of your desired path, using a check cord and your body direct the dog to the birds, the dog should now start to understand that quartering in front of you will result in birds

remember, you need to be the one at first that does the quartering in order for the dog to understand what you want
 
beaker said:
crackshot,

it is simply teaching the dog to go with you; use a 6' lead, cue the dog and change direction (you'll be the one doing most of the work here); use your body to indicate the direction you want to go - always cue the dog, then change direction; then use a 12' lead - same thing, then a check cord; the dog needs to understand that when you change directions it should be going with you

if you have access to birds, then start planting them left and right of your desired path, using a check cord and your body direct the dog to the birds, the dog should now start to understand that quartering in front of you will result in birds

remember, you need to be the one at first that does the quartering in order for the dog to understand what you want
Click to expand...

exactly beaker i like to hit the whistle and turn also when there older have the e collar on and if there not turning on whistle or change of direction bump them with the e collar exactly the same time as you turn directions they will get it repition is the key
 
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