# Dog Troubles



## buckeye24 (Nov 25, 2011)

Question for ya guys. I have a puppy that likes 2 walk behind me when were huntin. I cant get her to stay in front of me. Very frustrating. Ugh! Would love to hear people's opinions.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

How old is the pup and what breed? Pups need exposure to the outdoors. Sometimes they don't or didn't get that. So they might lack confidence. The younger they are the more likely they are to stay in close. It helps to build that confidence by taking the dog out for walks in grass or brush and just let them explore the world without commands or corrections. Someplace safe where they aren't going to get run over.


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## buckeye24 (Nov 25, 2011)

The dog is a yellow lab and she is 1 yr old. I take her on walks around our fields all the time. Just dont get it. She finds the ones that are even still alive and wounded.


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

BIRDS BIRDS AND THEN MORE BIRDS, the pup needs to be crazy for birds, one of two things happened either you put too much pressure on the dog early on when it found birds or the dog doesn't have the burning desire to find birds, you have read the dog some need alot of presure early to control them and some of them, you need to let them go crazy and then reel them in. Each dog is different, never had a dog that wanted to walk at my feet, none of them have ever found a bird there so none of them look there..


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## Guest (Nov 26, 2011)

Get Fowl Dawgs 1 by Rick Stawski and you will see an easy way to teach your pup how to quarter. Then like Todd said birds,birds,birds, and more birds.


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

Does she ever get out in front? You could try walking thinner stuff and smaller stuff. Stop and move over and call her to go ahead I know sometimes mine will let me break trail for her. It is really about finding birds and keeping the adrenaline up. Also maybe hunt her with another dog for a little competition.

It's all about experience, my last dogs eventually would go into the cattails and I wouldn't have to step foot in the smaller patches. Boy I miss those days.


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

labguy23 said:


> Get Fowl Dawgs 1 by Rick Stawski and you will see an easy way to teach your pup how to quarter. Then like Todd said birds,birds,birds, and more birds.


Funny thing is we had a upland traing day today with our local HRC club, we had two 10 monthe old litter mates ( I own one and a buddy owns the other) that had never been on live birds, or have quartered befor today, we did a litle quartering drill first and then put them on live planted chuckers both puppys quartered like old dogs and were steady to the flush and shot while making the retrieve, why because they have been through a solid basics program and have the tools to succeed. Time will tell and neither one may end up being top notch FT material but I guarantee because of there early training both of them will make excellent gun or HT dogs. Early exposure to birds and a solid basics program makes all the difference in the world.....


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## buckeye24 (Nov 25, 2011)

Yes she goes in front of me and at times works like a real pro. I live in northern iowa and this is the lowest pheasant population i have ever seen. I think i just need to give it time and keep trying to expose it to as many birds as i can.


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## Chaws (Oct 12, 2007)

Was the dog put through a quality process of gun and loud shot introduction? I've seen dogs that trail the walkers before and typically that doesn't happen until after the first shot goes off.


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## buckeye24 (Nov 25, 2011)

Chaws said:


> Was the dog put through a quality process of gun and loud shot introduction? I've seen dogs that trail the walkers before and typically that doesn't happen until after the first shot goes off.


She not gun shy at all. I introduced her nice and easy.


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## Chaws (Oct 12, 2007)

But you mention that she does range out in front and then starts trailing. At what time does the dog start trailing? Is it after a shot is fired?


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## buckeye24 (Nov 25, 2011)

Chaws said:


> But you mention that she does range out in front and then starts trailing. At what time does the dog start trailing? Is it after a shot is fired?


No


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## Fosse (Jan 5, 2007)

There is alot of knowledge on this board that could help, but would be nice to know a little about the basic training the pup has received. Did you follow a program or process that could identify the introductions the pup has? Once viewed, maybe someone could give you a solid answer as to what could be done going forward. I agree with the Birds...Birds...Birds, but there is a little more that has to be accomplished to have a solid hunting buddy.


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## davenport wa. (Feb 11, 2006)

next time your out with the pup, just turn around and walk now she in front, :beer: shell catch on,,bob


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