Thanks for the info. I will definitely save this info for next time. I couldn't remove them by hand even if I wanted to. The only way I could get them out was by cutting them out by scissors. I tried conditioner but that didn't work. The burrs were literally knotted up in his hair.
Who's buying a Class A season pass?
- Thread starter calamari
- Start date
Thanks for the info. I will definitely save this info for next time. I couldn't remove them by hand even if I wanted to. The only way I could get them out was by cutting them out by scissors. I tried conditioner but that didn't work. The burrs were literally knotted up in his hair.
Just an observation again. I'd suggest you have a more controlled exposure to loud noises for your dog. You say you're patient but you're letting other guys shooting provide your dogs experience with loud noises. It's your dog but I wouldn't take it hunting at all until you can shoot next to it w/o anything but a positive response from the dog. Like I said, it's your dog to do what you want but I think there's more wishful thinking than a real program in place.
Take very sharp scissors to cut the burrs out that the flattening DP suggests won't release. Sharp enough that you only have to push the blade into the snarl to cut the hair and do it a few hairs at a time until you get some slack in the snarl and then cut more. Actual hair cutting scissors with a rounded tip work really well, don't take up much space and you can't poke the dog with a sharp point. Beauty shop supply stores sell them but they aren't particularly cheap. "Ice Tempered" is often etched on the blades or product description.
Yes I took him " hunting " but really it was nothing more than a long walk. I really didn't plan to shoot and passed up on shooting when I had the chance. He did hear shots off at a distance but not close a couple of times. I knew at China Island there would be distance between me and the other hunters. I only wanted to see his reaction to birds that day in the field and I was able to get that.
One way to get him more interested in hunting is to get some pheasant or duck wings from a pheasant club or a wild life area and wrap them around a retrieving dummy. Hide them in the shrubs around your house. It's a game I play with Morgan when I go shoot club birds for a friend and don't take her with me but end up with all the birds.
A friend had a GWP that wasn't birdy at all so he took him to Archie O'Brian's facility in Roseville. He left the dog there for 3 weeks and got a very birdy dog back. The trainer said when he got the dog it wasn't the least bit interested in the pigeons or chukars he used for training. He put the dog in a pen with 4 live pigeons and didn't feed it. Nothing happened until the dog got hungry enough and started to kill the pigeons. Harsh but it worked for that dog.
You having a history with Labs that hunt makes it hard to be patient with a dog that doesn't yet.
A friend had a GWP that wasn't birdy at all so he took him to Archie O'Brian's facility in Roseville. He left the dog there for 3 weeks and got a very birdy dog back. The trainer said when he got the dog it wasn't the least bit interested in the pigeons or chukars he used for training. He put the dog in a pen with 4 live pigeons and didn't feed it. Nothing happened until the dog got hungry enough and started to kill the pigeons. Harsh but it worked for that dog.
You having a history with Labs that hunt makes it hard to be patient with a dog that doesn't yet.
Thanks for the tips, I will save these tips. I was curious more than anything. Since I only live 10 minutes from China Island, it was worth a try. My first lab was oblivious to birds. I took him hunting and he could care less. When the pro trainer was finished with him, he turned into a really good hunting dog. This dog definitely needs some work with basic obedience. I have been working with him some but this time of year with the days so short I don't quite have the time. As the days get longer I will have more time. My pro trainer told me with my first dog, even if I don't hunt train him myself, If I at least get him well trained with obedience than the bird dog training part will be faster and lest costly than having to start from square one which the trainer had to do with my first dog.
The very first dog I trained on my own years ago was a springer and due to a mistake on my part she was gun shy.
I did as others here suggested on getting her used to loud noises and it got to the point where she would tolerate noise but the shooting would kill her hunting drive.
The key for me was what calamari stated.
I took her hunting on opening day of dove season and every time I would put the gun to my shoulder she would lower her head anticipating the shot.
My third shot of the morning was a bird coming straight at me.
The dog was sitting beside me about six feet from me when I took the shot and the dove fell right between us.
That flipped a switch on in her head.
She realized that when the gun went off a bird fell from the sky.
After that she got excited every time I fired the gun.
She turned into a GREAT pheasant/quail dog.
Anyway the point of my story is keep working with the dog it may turn out OK.
Good Luck! :thumbsup:
I did as others here suggested on getting her used to loud noises and it got to the point where she would tolerate noise but the shooting would kill her hunting drive.
The key for me was what calamari stated.
I took her hunting on opening day of dove season and every time I would put the gun to my shoulder she would lower her head anticipating the shot.
My third shot of the morning was a bird coming straight at me.
The dog was sitting beside me about six feet from me when I took the shot and the dove fell right between us.
That flipped a switch on in her head.
She realized that when the gun went off a bird fell from the sky.
After that she got excited every time I fired the gun.
She turned into a GREAT pheasant/quail dog.
Anyway the point of my story is keep working with the dog it may turn out OK.
Good Luck! :thumbsup:
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I've been lucky enough to see that happen with several dogs of different breeds. I'd be out with them and they're just puppies chasing butterflies and then they get their first nose full of game bird and it happens. They seem to grow longer and lower to the ground and stop looking like a puppy and look like a dog. Their steps are purposeful and they're on the case. With luck, patience and the right sort of stimulus it will happen with this dog too. If not, they have the softest noses that make you want to pet them. Every boy needs a dog.
ditchparrot19
Member
A puppy chasing butterflies is a very good sign, as it's often an indicator of high prey drive.