# Training outside of "comfort zone"



## Hedog (Sep 11, 2005)

Tonight I was working with my 2 year old Brit. I took him to a local, empty park and was going to work on "down bird". I would throw the dummy and he'd act like he doesn't see it. Even if I threw it 3 feet in front of him. He would intentionally avoid looking at the dummy. Needless to say I was starting to get mad at this fact, so we then went home. Once we were back in the yard, it took some coaxing (I wanted to end the training on a good note with him), and he retrieved almost all of the dummies thrown. Even the one's with wings attached (he's been reluctant to get anything too large in his mouth, but he's getting better).

This bothers me about him not retrieving outside of our yard. Why is there such a difference between locations? He acted like he had never seen a dummy when we were at the park today. Every time he retrieves ANYTHING I praise him like crazy. He's always acted differently when training away from home. Sometimes he'll retrieve, and sometimes he's like today.

Any thoughts about why he changes personalities?


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## jonesy (Aug 3, 2006)

you have prolly never seen where I have posted on other boards about the whoa stuff, people get all excited because the dog will whoa at the house , and take it to the field and let it stick a bird, allllllll falls apart. Playing at the house, and hunting are two different things. Just like getting the dogs pointing in the yard, or another good one is pointing and whoaing on the barrel, or 2x6, why?? dogs is never going to be in that situation in the field, why teach it 3-5 times ???? once is less stressful, and more enjoyable......same with retrieves, what does it do when ya kill one in the field that it pointed??


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## kevin.k (Dec 31, 2005)

Im only on training my 1st dog yet, but when i train her i train her in the field at home, on a gravel road next to my house.. i work with her everywhere and it seemed to have helped that opening day :beer:


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## Wes (Aug 1, 2006)

One training book I read called dogs 'place learners'. I believe he used the example that if you train your dog to sit on your driveway, but not anywhere else, then take it somewhere else and tell him to sit, he'll be confused because the driveway is gone. Maybe it's the same principle. I'm by no means an experienced trainer, but throughout the training program I would try to throw as many different situations and environments as possible, pushing the limit but as long as you feel they can handle it. But since he's already 2 yrs old maybe there is something else going on. How does he act otherwise when away from home? Wes


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## kgpcr (Sep 2, 2006)

How is the dog in the field hunting? at 2yrs i assume you have had it out hunting. thats the true judge.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

when a dog looks away and avoids looking at you or an object hes intentionally resisting, by that I mean he is telling you no I won't I don't want to.

This is one of the times that FF is necessary and useful. It gives you amenas to enforce the command he will understand.

However if you are a hunter I wouldn't do it now, its a 4-8 week process depending on your ability and the dog. ITs definitely something you don't want to start during pheasant season.

I have a good article I saved on aword document that I can email you on the Sanborne method which works well with Brits and other soft dogs, if you give your email address on a PM.

I would back off and just hunt him this fall and do it in the spring.


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## Hedog (Sep 11, 2005)

Unfortunately last year we didn't see much for birds, and so he didn't get a chance to retrieve anything other than dummies. This year, the birds that I've knocked down haven't dropped in ideal places for him to get on. One was in a standing cornfield, and the other one landed on the far side of a full drainage canal. I'm not expecting him to go swimming to retrieve a bird. We've had Brits before & they didn't like water as much as the one I have now.
In the field he's pretty good. He quarters great & checks my location quite frequently. Everything that we've flushed he's been on. I do need to get him to "whoa". I don't have the capacity to expose him to "live" birds as I live smack dab in the middle of a city, which doesn't help. So I try to simulate situations like having a wing attached to a string & such.
From last year to this year he has improved dramatically.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

sometimes there are pockets of unhunted pheasants near cities where hunting isn't allowed. I used those frequently when I lived in the midwest. undeveloped industrial parks are a good place to look, undeveloped subdivisions are another.

You will be surprised at how many people that dont allow hunting will allow dog training for the asking.

Rochester isn't that big.

A brit should do water retrieves fine by the way mine always have, you just have to take them swimming in the summer when its hot so they get over their fear of it.

SOunds like a nice dog thats just not got enough exposure yet as you already stated.

Pm me your email adress and I'll send you the Sanborne method you can do it at home


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## stevepike (Sep 14, 2002)

If you didn't get him on any birds last year and only knocked down a couple this year that you could not put him on, I would suggest the relatively short drive to ND. You can get him on birds in many different situations.

Good Luck.


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## wiskodie1 (Sep 11, 2006)

hi all
maybe later in the season when the snow is on, and the crops are off the fields, try walking a few tree lines, allways good for a few roosters, shoot them when they are out in the open field, that should help your pup out. he will have no problems getting on a down bird when its out in the middel of a dirt field.
as for the park thing. sorry i got nothen 

good luck
happy hunting
:beer:


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