when to whoa around birds

L

Little Brit

New member
I had the pup out training yesterday with a buddy I helped him with his lab he helped me with my GSP. I F`ed up a few times. First bird was in launcher and I had the pup on the CC but she ranged out to far got the bird scent and B lined straight for it. I had my buddy launch the bird before she got in on it but she did chase it down and caught it opps she did bring it back to me though which was good. Second was letting my buddy load bird in launcher hahah I walked the dog away and ask him if he knew how to load it he said yeah then all I hear is `ah shit` lol I turn around and see the bird flying away. I decided to walk pup in on the escaped bird and still got a good point but I did whoa the dog on the bird and all worked out. She stayed on point as I had my buddy catch the chucker and throw it up in the air and it flew off as the dog chased a bit the stopped.

When is whoa introduced with birds and is it better to whoa a dog around birds then it is to let pup catch the bird.
 
One thing that will really help is birds that fly off strong so that the dog can't run it down. The another way to prevent the dog from catching a bird is to hold on to the CC.

But it is not the end of the world for a dog to catch a bird, but its not something you want to happen. With a pup that is big enough to run down a bird, going to pigeons that fly away strong is really a plus, until they are honest on their birds.

Sounds to me like you may be trying to move the dog along faster than you really should. You want the dog to point and stay standing without you giving using whoa. You have to have the dog understand that once on a bird, he is not to move or bump the bird. This just takes a little exposure to birds, and your pup will get the idea.

Good luck
 
I just got in from training pup by myself this time. This was the out come.

Left pup in crate and walked away from truck as she is on to me when I go out and plant birds so I thought I would confuse her today and not plant a bird right away. walked a few circles in the field then went back to truck and let her out. Did my usual thing with a walk at heal for a few hundred yards then the OK command to release her and sure enough she back tracked and got on my scent but no birds to find. Walked her through the field for a bit then back to truck and kenneled her then out to plant a bird in the launcher. Got her out (this time on a longer CC and worked the field. As we approach the bird she got scent and locked up about 20 yards away. I let her point and stroked her up gave her the whoa command and circled wide enough that she could see me move in she did not move an inch. I kicked a few bushes and she still held nicely then I moved in on the launcher and released it as she watched the bird take flight over a small hill and land about 60 yards away. She then ran up the hill a bit and stopped as I called her back. I think she did good. Any suggestions on what I should do different.
 
That sounded pretty good. Sounds like she is getting it.
The one thing to be careful of is a weak flying bird. Catching birds can set you back in your training.

BTW, running her without birds planted is a good move. Need to do that some times.
 
Little Brit said:
I had the pup out training yesterday with a buddy I helped him with his lab he helped me with my GSP. I F`ed up a few times. First bird was in launcher and I had the pup on the CC but she ranged out to far got the bird scent and B lined straight for it. I had my buddy launch the bird before she got in on it but she did chase it down and caught it opps she did bring it back to me though which was good. Second was letting my buddy load bird in launcher hahah I walked the dog away and ask him if he knew how to load it he said yeah then all I hear is `ah shit` lol I turn around and see the bird flying away. I decided to walk pup in on the escaped bird and still got a good point but I did whoa the dog on the bird and all worked out. She stayed on point as I had my buddy catch the chucker and throw it up in the air and it flew off as the dog chased a bit the stopped.

When is whoa introduced with birds and is it better to whoa a dog around birds then it is to let pup catch the bird.
Click to expand...

One question. How engrained is the Whoa command?

The reason I ask is there should be NO confusion on the part of the dog of what Whoa means when around birds, especially if you need to do a correction if they move. This will be critical, especially when and if you overlay to the e-collar for steadying the dog. But even if a CC is used it will still be important. There can be no association that the bird caused the correction, but rather disobeying the Whoa command. This is why I've always done Whoa breaking away from birds first.

Just something to think about as dogs learn so much by association.
 
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I agree with birdshooter. I don't like using whoa around birds at all. I think it is much easier to steady the dog by learning that moving makes the bird flush. Whoa is a command I use to get the dog to stop or stay when I need it to or later for correction once it really knows what it is doing.
 
I've been teaching the whoa command for about 4 month. she is pretty good and solid when I give the command. yesterday on maybe only the 2nd or 3 rd time I gave the command around birds and she did good but once the bird landed she started to chase and I corrected her with the CC and she stood again then I heeled her away from the area.

As you all know this is not easy done by yourself. I think next time I will use a stake to keep her a bit more under control. But I'm learning as well as the dog here so all in all I think we are keep up to what I'm seeing in videos and reading on the internet. I think I'm reading the dog well and progressing when she is ready.

Thanks for everyone's help keep it coming. Ill get it right eventually lol.
 
I think your doing ok. Every dog is different and some just need more reps than others. It's a numbers game with some. Some have such a strong prey drive it will or can take literally 100+ pigeons being launched before they learn that if they move.... "game over".

If at all possible I would invest in a couple of launchers and use pigeons if you can get some. Pigeons will be cheaper and generally be very good flyers. If you have the necessary acreage you may want to try homing pigeons.

Keep at it.:)
 
birdshooter, I do have one launcher and for birds I was using pigeons but they are hard to find now but I do have a new resource for them shortly. The lady I get my birds from had about 500 quail die on her due to weather whick sucks because she only charges $5 a bird, so I am now stuck with chuckers and paying $8 a piece which is pricey so I tried and catch the birds I release lol and that is a work out hahah. As for homers, once I get my shed up and a coop I will try and use them If they wife doesn't catch on to what I'm doing hahaha.
 
I always run my dog when we first get in the field. Seems to focus him

For whoa I used the hoist method. With the dogs feet off the ground they pay attention to what's going on. Luckily with my dog it didn't take long. Then took him to a public park on a check cord. After probably 15 or 20 times of that came planted pigeons.

With pigeons, after you know about your dog and gunfire, things got a bit more tense. First, you need to hold the check cord when the dog finds the bird, then whoa him. Later you can leave the checkcord on and whoa and flush the bird.

Mine seemed to want at first to grab the bird. Don't let that happen. Step on the check cord and stop it. Let the bird flush while standing on the cord. Mine figured out that part fast. Letting birds (your money) fly away is cheaper than thousands at a 'trainer'. And the dog learns "no whoa-no bird".

That should get you started.
 
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