Retrieving dilemma

W

Weevil

New member
I have a lot of training experience(not a pro). The dilemma I have is how to stop my pheasant hunting partners dog from taking the bird away from my dog. The only time my dog completes a retrieve is when my partners dog is outside the area of the fall and does not see my dog find and retrieve it. Our dogs are familiar with honoring but sometimes both dogs are needed to help retrieve the pheasants in heavy cover. Both dogs are collar conditioned and force fetched. The reason I hunt is for the dog work and it is important to me that if my dog finds it then she will be the one that retrieves it. Both dogs are labs
 
Obviously not a dog problem but a handler problem. And by handler I mean your partner. You need to explain to your partner that the birds your dog produces and you shoot, you want your dog to retrieve and would appreciate if he would call his dog off. Even if he has to use the collar. I realize this could get to be a touchy issue but it's the only solution. In the case where both dogs are after the bird the dog that doesn't get to it first must learn that it's now the other dogs bird and he has to back off.

I've always hated when I had a young dog and it was retrieving when another dog would try to take it away. It happened a few years ago on opening day hunting with a group at my brother-in-laws. I got mad and then to top it off my dog finally gets back to me with the bird. As I'm holding the bird the other dog come up to grab it and bites my hand. I chewed the guys butt really good and now never get invited back to hunt. Oh well, I have other places to hunt.
 
Calling dogs off shot birds when not steady for flush wing and shot can get dicey. This is training that should be done in the yard, not in the field on birds and collar. If you use the collar wrong , and in this situation it most likely will be wrong, it could have great adverse affects on the future of the dog. It may never want birds again, may blink birds, may never want to pick up a bird again, may not want to flush a bird again, may just not leave your side again. It depends on the dog. And if you have no clue, the collar is not the answer. Help from a pro is. And in the mean time, hunt the dogs separate taking turns, or hunt further apart from each other. ;)
 
Thanks for the replies. I agree with all you suggested. Dakotazeb, I have talked with my partner(my best friend for 55 yrs) and he is in complete agreement. The problem is I don't know how. As fcspringer spoke of the issues that could come up,these were my thoughts exactly. fcspringer made some suggestions as to what we can do. Good suggestions that my partner and I have already discussed. However this is only a band aid. We would like to solve the problem. Someone on another board suggested teaching the remote leave it(drop it for me) this is indeed a dicey situation. don't want to ruin his dog. Since we live in Mississippi and hunt in SD 2 five day sessions each year we want our dogs on the ground as much as possible. Thanks again for your help
 
competition

pretty serious answer from springer. we all have had this at one time or other so it is just not bad luck on your part. one thing you might try is the no response, that is if the dog knows what that is, then when you see the problem start to develop, yell no, then a nick, the chance is pretty good if you are quick the dog will relate the nick to the no. many years ago I shot a rooster and three dogs got there all at the same time, all three had their mouths on the poor pheasants, and they were growling their heads off, one of the guys in the group said that the dogs were going to kill each other, I calmly replied, no they won't, for one dog to bite the other he would have to let go of the bird, the other owner came up, we separated the dogs, poor ol' pheasant got left on the spot though

cheers
 
E collars are for enforcing known commands, period.... Nothing more!
I am guessing that all the dogs life he has received praise for retrieving. And now he needs to learn he doesn't get every retrieve...... This is confusing and contradictory to everything he knows. Plus if you have a somewhat soft or lower drive dog that doesn't have solid CCing you may do irreparable damage. Plus you often will not be able to see the dogs, they need to make the right decision on their own

Take both dogs have them sit at heel (assuming their steady) (if any doubt use a check cord) and toss a bumper. The dog that is steadiest gets the retreive. Work up to a shot flyer... Now he understands he doesn't get every retreive.

Now you can let the dogs loose in the yard, when you have good seperation between dogs toss one of them a bumper. The other handler should be be ready with a solid "hear" command. I would have a check cord on for sure. Rinse and repeat all the way up to a shot flyer!

If the dog is CC'ed a "here" nick "hear" is now fair.

For me it seems more fair to teach the dog what you want. Than use what ever pressure is appropriate to enforce correct behavior.

PS this will not be a 1 or 2 training session project. It will take as long as it takes, and you will probably need to revisit once and while.
 
Thanks gatzby and mustistuff. Both thoughtful and doable responses. I will have to take some time to reflect on weather the dogs are cc'ed well enough for this. I may have to take a step backwards so that we may go forward. Both suggestions make good common sense. I had not thought of these techniques. This will not be a short term fix. If anything else pops into your head please share with me. Thank y'all for your help
 
Weevil said:
Thanks gatzby and mustistuff. Both thoughtful and doable responses. I will have to take some time to reflect on weather the dogs are cc'ed well enough for this. I may have to take a step backwards so that we may go forward. Both suggestions make good common sense. I had not thought of these techniques. This will not be a short term fix. If anything else pops into your head please share with me. Thank y'all for your help
Click to expand...

while none of us know the dog or its owner, keep in mind that most dogs react to situations differently, so what works today for your dog, could be off the wall on another dog at another time. in as much as you know what the transgression is and that it will happen, anticipate it, stop the dog prior to it getting its teeth in the bird, if it beats you, give up, wait for the next time and be quicker, you should see it coming, if nothing else cause a commotion, like yelling, running at the dog, confuse it for a second to stop the retrieve, in other words surprise the dog somehow. if whatever correction you try, if it is done before, there is less chance that the dog will associate the correction with the bird, in other words, the bird didn't bite him. let us know sometime what you tried and how it worked. also leave the audience at home when you work the mutt

cheers
 
Thanks for the thoughtful suggestions. Unlike some of the things I read here, I truly believe the people who have replied to my thread are truly concerned. The best thing about the suggestions is that they are doable. I understand the logic and totally agree. Now my job is to consider the demeanor of the dogs involved and "got er dun". And as always be patient. Thanks
 
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