old 20 super 90
Member
It can be done with the vibrate function. Gaurantee.. not to sit but stay on all 4's. Stop and look back. Until close enough or on release... never been a fan of whistles. If dog can here em so can the game ur chasing.
Slowing your dog
- Thread starter mlmich@pldi.net
- Start date
waterdog09
Active member
I'm on my 3rd lab right now, I have a 9-year-old and an almost 2-year-old. Both dogs are trained to return/recall with the tone function on their e-collars. If they are on scent they will run as far as I will let them, but if they get further than 30-35 yds, I recall them, and they can pick the scent back up once they have returned. Both dogs hunt relatively close in the 10–20-yard range. I will say that my young dog really enjoys trying to stretch that distance and this past weekend on the last day in IA she realized that dad's transmitter battery was dead, and wow did she run, I had to result back to the whistle which she isn't accustomed to, so it made for a challenging first field!
I've recently run into this problem too with my 5 year old GSP mutt. I picked her up at the pound and she doesnt point but she is a heck of a flusher.
I hunt NW KS and the bird numbers were terrible the last couple of years but have rebounded some this year. When she locks onto a scent its incredibly hard to get her back in line, especially after a bird flushes. She will just chase the bird after it takes off them lock onto another scent and next thing you know she is 100 yards away flushing all the birds in the field. It wasn't much of a problem the last couple of years since there were not many birds and we were mainly flushing singles but now it has become an issue.
I have an E collar and was hesitant to shock her at first since I didn't want her to associate the shock with being Birdy. As the season went on I tried shocking her but it just didn't work, she was so locked on she would just ignore it until she had run 100+ yards away and then it would eventually register.
This usually only happens on the first hunt of the day so I'm guessing she just gets so revv'd up she can't help herself. I've never had the issue in the afternoon, just on the first big hunt of the day.
I've only been pheasant hunting for 5 years and only hunt 5-10 days a year and I'm not hardcore about it so its not a huge issue, but if there is an easy fix I'm all ears. She is very well behaved 95% of the time but when she gets Birdy and see's a bird flush she gets into Rambo mode.
I hunt NW KS and the bird numbers were terrible the last couple of years but have rebounded some this year. When she locks onto a scent its incredibly hard to get her back in line, especially after a bird flushes. She will just chase the bird after it takes off them lock onto another scent and next thing you know she is 100 yards away flushing all the birds in the field. It wasn't much of a problem the last couple of years since there were not many birds and we were mainly flushing singles but now it has become an issue.
I have an E collar and was hesitant to shock her at first since I didn't want her to associate the shock with being Birdy. As the season went on I tried shocking her but it just didn't work, she was so locked on she would just ignore it until she had run 100+ yards away and then it would eventually register.
This usually only happens on the first hunt of the day so I'm guessing she just gets so revv'd up she can't help herself. I've never had the issue in the afternoon, just on the first big hunt of the day.
I've only been pheasant hunting for 5 years and only hunt 5-10 days a year and I'm not hardcore about it so its not a huge issue, but if there is an easy fix I'm all ears. She is very well behaved 95% of the time but when she gets Birdy and see's a bird flush she gets into Rambo mode.
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One idea is to take her out before shooting hours in a non-bird area and let her burn off some of that nervous energy before the actual hunt.
I've tried that, a quick 15 minute walk through the windbreak by the house but it doesn't seem to help. In fact one time there were actually some birds in the windbreak and the same thing happened.
I'm just tying to weigh the pro's/con's of shocking a dog when they are all birded up. On one hand I never want to give a negative response to finding birds but on the other hand....well I don't want my dog going Rambo on all the birds within 100+ yards.
molliesmaster
Active member
Has the dog been properly conditioned to the ecollar? Does she understand what the correction is for?
I don’t like to put negative pressure on a dog who is working either, especially young dogs. But eventually the dog crosses a point where correction is warranted. If I am recalling my dog back to me and she is blowing me off, that’s getting a correction. But we have trained for that in the yard and in training fields so she understands the correction.
birddude
Well-known member
You are correct. It's always iffy to shock a dog while it smells or sees it's quarry. No matter what breed. I would turn the collar down and start by giving her a budge every time she gets out of shotgun range. Turn the collar up until you get the response you want. If the collar has a vibrate or beep, hit it before the shock. When she turns and see's you, change directions. Keep doing this until she gets it. Then when the real thing happens she might associate the shock to being too far rather than the bird scent. MAYBE. Or always hunt alone so you don't have to apologize to anyone.
AKSkeeter
Well-known member
Whistle sit. Easy to teach as a pup.
My hunting strategy is to let the dog hunt way out of gun range,
then when the dog gets birdy, whistle sit and move into position.
It does not matter how hot the scent is, the dog must instantly sit on the whistle.
Starts early and used often. Pup wants to chase a flushed hen...whistle sit.
Pup wants to chase a flushed covey...whistle sit.
Pup headed towards dangerous ice...whistle sit.
Whistle sit can save a dog's life.
Easy to teach with pups, easy to enforce with an ecollar nick.
My hunting strategy is to let the dog hunt way out of gun range,
then when the dog gets birdy, whistle sit and move into position.
It does not matter how hot the scent is, the dog must instantly sit on the whistle.
Starts early and used often. Pup wants to chase a flushed hen...whistle sit.
Pup wants to chase a flushed covey...whistle sit.
Pup headed towards dangerous ice...whistle sit.
Whistle sit can save a dog's life.
Easy to teach with pups, easy to enforce with an ecollar nick.
birddude
Well-known member
That works great if you hunt alone or with someone who does not use a whistle. But I've had months of training undone in an afternoon hunting with someone who uses the whistle for a substitute for COME BACK HERE YOU S.O.B. I got tired of hearing a friend constantly screaming for his dog so I gave him a nice bone whistle and told him I would help him whistle break his dog. Long story short, I haven't used one since.
Revisit basic obedience every day, sit, heal, stay. Sit on whistle. Sit on whistle with collar.
5min, that's all it takes. But do it in different settings (ie when going on walks, unleashed walks, prior to training). Dogs should always sit immediately after unloading for their safety, those people with dogs that are so hyped up that they break away as soon as the door is open are going to get their dog killed, in flights, busting birds etc...
Then when she gets to far out, whistle and nick immediately. Set that range way before hunting season. Soon you won't need a nic.
I had a very well respected trainer tell me that almost any problem (emphasis on almost) in the field can be addressed with going back and reinforcing basic obedience. Don't be fooled, obediance slips with all of us who love our dogs. Every time I'm getting frustrated, I remember that advice and realize it's my fault, not theirs. I've OFTEN stopped in the middle of a field, turned around into ground I've already hunted and did 5 minutes of obedience drills... sit, heal, stay, sit on whistle. It usually takes well less then a minute and she's spot on. A couple
Minutes more and she's good for the remainder of the day. Of course, if I don't do it again the next day (silly me) before starting out, she slips..... hard headed pointing lab that is 100% on fire every second in the field and at age 2 is pointing everything that doesn't run.... when they run, that's when life gets interesting
. Keep them in range....
Minutes more and she's good for the remainder of the day. Of course, if I don't do it again the next day (silly me) before starting out, she slips..... hard headed pointing lab that is 100% on fire every second in the field and at age 2 is pointing everything that doesn't run.... when they run, that's when life gets interesting
. Keep them in range....This post is speaking to my soul. My first time ever wild bird hunting was last month in SD. I thought I had pretty good control of my flusher. We go on walks 4x a day. She stays relatively close. Sits at whistle on command.
But man when I turned her loose on wild birds it was a whole other world. It got better as the days passed, but I had a real hard time keeping her close - especially in thin cover like tree lines.
Unfortunately, hunting wild birds in SD is likely a once a year thing. So I'm wracking my brain to figure out how to fix.
I'm thinking I keep her close when we walk off leash. Am also strongly considering making her steady to flush/wing/whatever. She literally ran for miles chasing birds when they flushed. Having her steady would go a long ways I think.
Also, I need to hit the birds - ha. So I'm working on my shooting too.
Would welcome any thoughts though.
But man when I turned her loose on wild birds it was a whole other world. It got better as the days passed, but I had a real hard time keeping her close - especially in thin cover like tree lines.
Unfortunately, hunting wild birds in SD is likely a once a year thing. So I'm wracking my brain to figure out how to fix.
I'm thinking I keep her close when we walk off leash. Am also strongly considering making her steady to flush/wing/whatever. She literally ran for miles chasing birds when they flushed. Having her steady would go a long ways I think.
Also, I need to hit the birds - ha. So I'm working on my shooting too.
Would welcome any thoughts though.
That helped me with my non-formally trained newfoundland.
I feel your pain though. Like you said, that light cover, when the birds are running, is a tough situation for a dog that has getting to the bird as its prime objective.
Good to know I’m not aloneThat helped me with my non-formally trained newfoundland.
I feel your pain though. Like you said, that light cover, when the birds are running, is a tough situation for a dog that has getting to the bird as its prime objective.
Gobbler
Active member
Chasing those flushed birds is a different problem than running too far a head on hot scent. Both will cost you many birds.
I believe your only solution is a meeting with Mr. Ben Franklin. You dedicate this whole off season taking your time with ecollar training you problems will be solved by next fall
I believe your only solution is a meeting with Mr. Ben Franklin. You dedicate this whole off season taking your time with ecollar training you problems will be solved by next fall
Totally understand they are separate issues. Luckily, she is collar conditioned so I'm comfortable with that aspect. She's also solid with whistle commands (come, sit, turn around).
What do you suggest as far as keeping her close?
And what do you suggest for steady to flush/wing/shot?
I can get her around pen-raised birds but it's not as convenient as working with her on a daily walk, backyard, etc.
What do you suggest as far as keeping her close?
And what do you suggest for steady to flush/wing/shot?
I can get her around pen-raised birds but it's not as convenient as working with her on a daily walk, backyard, etc.
