I'm the new guy on the forum, first post. Nice site you have here. Ran and been around American Brittany's my whole life, but picked up a little male French Britt just recently. I am very excited to say the least. He seems to have very good instincts. 5 1/2 months old and took him out the other night for the first time (to the bird farm) and he did really well, got on 5 birds and pointed 4 of them, sweet! For the most part he has stayed at a very comfort range while working with him in fields usually within 40 or so yards, but for whatever reason, maybe the rush of the hunt he got out pretty deep 100 yards or so and basically ignored my calls. He is very responsive with a check cord, but can think for himself on occasion. My question is should I start working with him on a e-collar? Or should I just let him run his course while he is so little and let continue to gain a tenacious bird drive? He's not too out of control just don't want to instill any bad habits. I am by no means a dog trainer, so any suggestions from guys/gals that have a clue are much appreciated. Thanks, PTH
New French Britt
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No e-collar. Just have fun. Work on retrieving. Play hide and seek. A fun place to hide is behind a door. You can see the pup look for you. Eventually he will quit using his eyes and start using his nose. Have someone hold the dog, let him see you walk away, hide and release the dog. He'll find you.
He will learn to track the pack leader. Good choice. Where did you get him? I need a French britt next year.
He will learn to track the pack leader. Good choice. Where did you get him? I need a French britt next year.
So much of what you described is very familiar to me.
I've had up to 11 French Britts at a time (I'm down to 5 now all between 12 and 14) and often hunted, just me and 5 of them. I had one well bred male (Ska de St. Tugen and Talisland Black Bart in his lineage) that was insanely birdy, and the first time I took him out for a walk in the field he did what your pup did at the same age. But we didn't have any pheasants. He hunted tweety birds, some a hundred yards out. I'd had him started on birds when he was 10 months old and he jumped the trainer's 5 foot fence and went hunting on his own for almost two hours in high nineties weather before he jumped back over the fence looking for water. The trainer said he knew where he was at all times because he was putting up birds. That hunting on his own was his biggest fault. There were times he acted as if I worked for him and was only along on the hunt because I had a gun. I had to keep him on an e-collar check cord. But, it didn't keep him from developing "a tenacious bird drive."
I'd rather trust but verify using an e-collar in the field after proper conditioning with the collar. I never had a dog not hunt because of the e-collar, and all my dogs get really excited when they see the e-collars come out because they know it is fun time for them. Maybe it is because I have an e-fence and in house zoning that they seem to associate the warning sounds and vibrations with what they are doing and know that ignoring the warnings leads to something bad. I seldom have to go beyond the tone or vibration to get the dogs to come. Someone on the Force Fetch thread related a couple of incidents where having an e-collar on his dog let him keep the dog from chasing a pheasant on to I90 and another time taking on a badger.
So, I'd say that after some collar conditioning with Come or Here, use the collar just as a precaution or in place of voice or whistle commands. No point in letting the birds know where you are so they can run out of range. There is no need to use the e-stim if the dog responds to the tone or vibration. JMHO, but it's always better to go home with a happy healthy dog and dead pheasants.
I've had up to 11 French Britts at a time (I'm down to 5 now all between 12 and 14) and often hunted, just me and 5 of them. I had one well bred male (Ska de St. Tugen and Talisland Black Bart in his lineage) that was insanely birdy, and the first time I took him out for a walk in the field he did what your pup did at the same age. But we didn't have any pheasants. He hunted tweety birds, some a hundred yards out. I'd had him started on birds when he was 10 months old and he jumped the trainer's 5 foot fence and went hunting on his own for almost two hours in high nineties weather before he jumped back over the fence looking for water. The trainer said he knew where he was at all times because he was putting up birds. That hunting on his own was his biggest fault. There were times he acted as if I worked for him and was only along on the hunt because I had a gun. I had to keep him on an e-collar check cord. But, it didn't keep him from developing "a tenacious bird drive."
I'd rather trust but verify using an e-collar in the field after proper conditioning with the collar. I never had a dog not hunt because of the e-collar, and all my dogs get really excited when they see the e-collars come out because they know it is fun time for them. Maybe it is because I have an e-fence and in house zoning that they seem to associate the warning sounds and vibrations with what they are doing and know that ignoring the warnings leads to something bad. I seldom have to go beyond the tone or vibration to get the dogs to come. Someone on the Force Fetch thread related a couple of incidents where having an e-collar on his dog let him keep the dog from chasing a pheasant on to I90 and another time taking on a badger.
So, I'd say that after some collar conditioning with Come or Here, use the collar just as a precaution or in place of voice or whistle commands. No point in letting the birds know where you are so they can run out of range. There is no need to use the e-stim if the dog responds to the tone or vibration. JMHO, but it's always better to go home with a happy healthy dog and dead pheasants.
Thanks for the response Brit lover. The dog seems to be coming along really well, he is almost 7 months old and I have had him out a lot. I kind of feel like if they continue to show drive and interest to continue and expose them to as many birds as I can. That seems to be working as every time out he seems to get better than the last. His obedience seems to be coming along also. He is an awesome dog and I hope things continue in a good direction. It feels like his bond and loyalty grows stronger day by day. I've had him out on Utah public every other day or so and we usually jump a couple birds, but it's a grind and most jump wild. Took him out to the farm again on Saturday just to get him more exposure to birds and he did awesome. We shot 22 roosters over him and he pointed at least 15 of them. I realize they are pen raised, but I am liking what I am seeing to say the least. Hoping to make a last minute Montana or Dakota run in a few weeks.
Sounds like he's coming along nicely. You might want to have him do the test of natural ability. TAN
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ecollar
Work him on obedience, retrieving, whatever. Lay off the e-collar till he's older.
Just have fun & hunt him by yourself. One gun is enough. Your bonding with him & he's learning you & birds. It's too easy to screw up the dog that young with an e collar. Hunt him, run him, have FUN with him.
Work him on obedience, retrieving, whatever. Lay off the e-collar till he's older.
Just have fun & hunt him by yourself. One gun is enough. Your bonding with him & he's learning you & birds. It's too easy to screw up the dog that young with an e collar. Hunt him, run him, have FUN with him.