Slowing your dog

I just try to keep up. I'm still young and athletic enough to do it.

I trained my lab to range pretty close though. Even on a running hot bird, she is still within shotgun range. Many years ago, during her second season, I had to correct the range with an e-collar because she was getting to far ahead. That problem got addressed quickly.
 
if you figure it out let me know. My springer is usually pretty good at staying in range and checking in looking for me. We communicate quite well out there.

If she’s hot I’ll try and keep up with But hot damn every once in a while must catch an extremely hot scent on a running bird and all bets are off. She is gone, not even thinking, on a mission. Happens so fast like someone else said earlier.
 
My old lab was pretty good most of the time. When she broke it was almost always in milo stubble. Those birds will cover some ground running between the rows. I haven't hunted milo stubble in years for a variety of reasons.

My vizslas slow down when they get fresh scent. There's usually a point, and then as I'm walking up they start to relocate. If they're solid the bird is usually there. If not, it becomes a slow rolling point-relocate-point-relocate that can run for a couple hundred yards. Sometimes it ends in a solid point, sometimes they apply a little too much pressure and the bird jumps, sometimes the bird evades us both. Sometimes I'm close enough if the bird jumps, sometimes not. That's obviously not classic bird-dog training, but I'm not after ribbons or medals. I call it dancing. My now-gone dog was a good enough dancer that she rarely bumped a bird. The rule was: if she's moving, stand still but stay relatively close, if she's pointing, move in. My current dogs aren't quite as good so I have to stay closer to them.
 
matto said:
My old lab was pretty good most of the time. When she broke it was almost always in milo stubble. Those birds will cover some ground running between the rows. I haven't hunted milo stubble in years for a variety of reasons.

My vizslas slow down when they get fresh scent. There's usually a point, and then as I'm walking up they start to relocate. If they're solid the bird is usually there. If not, it becomes a slow rolling point-relocate-point-relocate that can run for a couple hundred yards. Sometimes it ends in a solid point, sometimes they apply a little too much pressure and the bird jumps, sometimes the bird evades us both. Sometimes I'm close enough if the bird jumps, sometimes not. That's obviously not classic bird-dog training, but I'm not after ribbons or medals. I call it dancing. My now-gone dog was a good enough dancer that she rarely bumped a bird. The rule was: if she's moving, stand still but stay relatively close, if she's pointing, move in. My current dogs aren't quite as good so I have to stay closer to them.
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In my opinion that is the absolute best pheasant dog style. Is that a vizsla trait?
 
matto said:
My vizslas slow down when they get fresh scent. There's usually a point, and then as I'm walking up they start to relocate. If they're solid the bird is usually there. If not, it becomes a slow rolling point-relocate-point-relocate that can run for a couple hundred yards. Sometimes it ends in a solid point, sometimes they apply a little too much pressure and the bird jumps, sometimes the bird evades us both. Sometimes I'm close enough if the bird jumps, sometimes not. That's obviously not classic bird-dog training, but I'm not after ribbons or medals. I call it dancing. My now-gone dog was a good enough dancer that she rarely bumped a bird. The rule was: if she's moving, stand still but stay relatively close, if she's pointing, move in. My current dogs aren't quite as good so I have to stay closer to them.
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My oldest brittany does what your Vizslas do, when she hit scent she slows down, often starts with a point then tracking. If she is out front aways she speed is reduced where I can get close to her. My setter has not figured this out and my 2yo britt is about 50/50. I have worked hard on the "whoa" command with her and that helps. I call these trailing points and I'm not a purest, if it ends in point awesome if the bird decides to flush ahead that is fine to and even better within gun range. She has alot of years and hours in the woods and field. I hope my 2 yo and pup will learn this technique, my setter is 8 so I'm not optimistic about her.....
 
I will add I think there’s two different conversations. Ranging is one thing all in itself and something that needs to be addressed early, and then there’s those instances when roosters are playing mind games and running fast. Do think there’s a bit of a distinction there, even though it can be frustrating
 
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birddude said:
In my opinion that is the absolute best pheasant dog style. Is that a vizsla trait?
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Not sure. I've had 3 now, and all have done it to some degree. I didn't intentionally train them for it, but whether we realize it or not we are ALWAYS communicating with our dogs about what is and isn't acceptable/pleasing. Maybe it's that.
 
matto said:
Not sure. I've had 3 now, and all have done it to some degree. I didn't intentionally train them for it, but whether we realize it or not we are ALWAYS communicating with our dogs about what is and isn't acceptable/pleasing. Maybe it's that.
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Something I heard years ago....if you aren't always training your dog, you are un-training your dog.
 
As a lab guy, it has always been a bit of an issue, even with a well trained one.
My lab is collar conditioned to set his limits/range left, right, and front with a "tick" of the collar and a "hup" voice command at the same time. By myself, he typically ranges 15 to 20 yards left and right of me in center and about the same out front. But with multiple hunters, he will work the whole line across.
I keep a close eye on his posturing, as that tells me the story of what is going on. The tighter his zig-zag, the hotter the scent, followed by the head and ears squaring, followed by the tail nearly hitting the ground on both ends of the wag. Then I pick up my pace. I won't "whistle" sit him off a hot scent if he starts getting range on me just cause of the noise. I will hit him with the "tone" only on his collar.....that is his attention getter, which usually gets him to slow and break stride for me to gain 5 or 10 yards, then we go again.
He does have occasions, like one last week in SD, where he got the wind just right and alot of scent.....he was on a medium straight line trot with his head up for what ended up being about 200 yards of ground covered to a piece of cover that held about 30-40 birds. On that occasion, the tone and vibration wouldn't slow him, so I had to knick him, heel him, then started over. I wasn't worried cause he "knew" he was too far, but he also "knew" what was at the end of his nose! LOL. He usually will self correct a bit too as he "checks" in on his crosses. If I'm stopped, he'll spin back.....I try not to speed up to a trot or jog as that only reinforces that he is in the right and he picks up his pace! He's 75 pounds and lightning fast for a lab, so nope, not playing his game! LOL!
It is dog dependent, this lab I have now has a upland bird drive through the roof and doesn't get jacked up about ducks except that he gets to do a couple of his favorite things, swim and retrieve.
My last lab was the opposite and was real slow, methodical on upland no matter what.
Long post, sorry!
 
wingsnfins said:
As a lab guy, it has always been a bit of an issue, even with a well trained one.
My lab is collar conditioned to set his limits/range left, right, and front with a "tick" of the collar and a "hup" voice command at the same time. By myself, he typically ranges 15 to 20 yards left and right of me in center and about the same out front. But with multiple hunters, he will work the whole line across.
I keep a close eye on his posturing, as that tells me the story of what is going on. The tighter his zig-zag, the hotter the scent, followed by the head and ears squaring, followed by the tail nearly hitting the ground on both ends of the wag. Then I pick up my pace. I won't "whistle" sit him off a hot scent if he starts getting range on me just cause of the noise. I will hit him with the "tone" only on his collar.....that is his attention getter, which usually gets him to slow and break stride for me to gain 5 or 10 yards, then we go again.
He does have occasions, like one last week in SD, where he got the wind just right and alot of scent.....he was on a medium straight line trot with his head up for what ended up being about 200 yards of ground covered to a piece of cover that held about 30-40 birds. On that occasion, the tone and vibration wouldn't slow him, so I had to knick him, heel him, then started over. I wasn't worried cause he "knew" he was too far, but he also "knew" what was at the end of his nose! LOL. He usually will self correct a bit too as he "checks" in on his crosses. If I'm stopped, he'll spin back.....I try not to speed up to a trot or jog as that only reinforces that he is in the right and he picks up his pace! He's 75 pounds and lightning fast for a lab, so nope, not playing his game! LOL!
It is dog dependent, this lab I have now has a upland bird drive through the roof and doesn't get jacked up about ducks except that he gets to do a couple of his favorite things, swim and retrieve.
My last lab was the opposite and was real slow, methodical on upland no matter what.
Long post, sorry!
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I had to chuckle about not speeding up, because he'll go faster. Honey does that too. She is pretty good about checking on me and not getting too far ahead if the scent is strong. But if she sees me jogging, she'll pick up the pace too. Fun stuff.
 
Limitless said:
I had to chuckle about not speeding up, because he'll go faster. Honey does that too. She is pretty good about checking on me and not getting too far ahead if the scent is strong. But if she sees me jogging, she'll pick up the pace too. Fun stuff.
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Right.....he looks at me like, "oh hell no, you are not faster than me and you sure as hell aren't beating me to birds!"
 
Need to work on "whoa!" or another signal. Check lead useful in this learning.
 
My lab did this his first few years also. Although very rarely reaching 30 yards from me I knew the bird was pry atleast 20 in front of him which pry puts it at 60 when the safety finally comes off... we did shoot a fair amount of birds in the track shoe days haha. Eventually when He would range what I considered to far, I started just a quick tap of the vibrate button and he'd instantly stop and look back half stride ready for the release and back he would go nose down. I'm glad dog tra makes a good collar because that button got pushed alot. I'd say now the last 4 years or so it's like he knows when he's to far cause he will turn and look naturally for me. It's actually quite awesome to be a part of.... he's 9 now so doesn't move quite as fast. But I'll still swear to this day. His pace picks up a touch faster when there is a rooster infront of him rather then a hen 😃😃.

Long story short. Try the vibrate on the collar. Keep one hand on it. He gets to far. Just quick hit it. Then tell him to go when get close enough. Worked for me
 
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