# what do you expect?



## mccoyam (Jan 18, 2007)

So what do you expect from your hunting dog? As far as comands, behavior and so on... I think that my golden is doing great at a year old but I am wanting to hear what other's dogs do. Thanks


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

This is kind of a loaded question!

I expect great things from my dogs, some days they don't meet my expectations and others they crush them. I guess I EXPECT them to listen to comands, like obidience. When hunting the most I can ask is for them to do there best. Conditions change every day in the field, from moisture content, to the type of grass. My point being don't get frustrated if they have a bad day in the field. They will only get as good as you alow them to. If you go out 3 days a year, they probably won't be the best dog in the world, however if you work them a ton and get out alot they will be better. Like the old saying goes practice makes perfect. I am sending my 2 year old Setter away to a friend for a month to work on retrever training. He is having a little trouble with finding intrest in dead birds. I have worked with him alot on it, but he would rather chase live ones then the dead ones. He will run over to them and look at them, then run away. My neighbors frown on force breaking, so I have decided to have him do it for me. So after he gets done with this I will be expecting more from him.

Any time you get mad at your dog for getting tired, or not hunting as hard as you EXPECT them to get naked and run through the field. Until then give them a break. There is nothing like watching a good dog work. Ahh now I got the itch just talking about it.


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## CrashinKona (Mar 5, 2007)

I look at it this way..

I have off days, why cant he!

He Sako does very well 95 percent of the time, 5 percent ehh..

I do well 85 percent of the time, 15 percent ehhh.. so who really should be teaching who? :wink: Wish i had more time for him and for him and me to be out.


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## Goosehunterdog (Jun 12, 2005)

As long as your dog makes you happy that is all that matters!!! I expect good Ob for a start.There is nothing worse then a dog that is out of control.


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

No dog will be perfect. Just like you, some days they will be a bonehead. As long as they work well enough to suit you that is what matters.


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## mccoyam (Jan 18, 2007)

Thanks for the boost of confidence. My dog does pretty good, he will flush and then retrieve the dead bird. I guess what I was wondering is what about after the flush do you train your dogs to stay once the bird is flushed and if so how? My dog is on hand signals for OB and also as direction signals but there is some tightening up on things to still be done. I hunt all hunting season, as long as I can shoot I am in the field. so he gets a lot of work, but he was only 6 months old when we started hunting him. so I shouldn't be too hard on him. I just don't want my dog to be the problem child when we go hunt with friends.

Any pointers on how to tighten his responses to my comands and how to keep him from running after the bird he just flushed would be great!

Thank you for your help!


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## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

There are two commands that a dog must follow, zero tolerance.

1. Come

2. No

After that especially when hunting upland the rest is just fluff in my opinion. For retrieves I walk to the spot I last saw the bird and start my dog on a blind retrieve with "dead bird", then I stand still and let him find it. Any movement on my part during the blind retrieve is useless, I can't smell the bird, and I likely can't see him so I let the dog do his job unimpeded.

As for chasing flushed birds (particularly hens you're not shooting at) see rule #2.


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## Aythya (Oct 23, 2004)

What do I expect from my dog? A lot less than I did when I was younger. I used to expect perfection but my basic philosohy is this. If my dog is helping me more than she is hurting me then she is doing great work.

I am with Horsager on this one. Unwavering obedience to come and no and the rest is icing on the cake.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

MCCOYAM,

What kind of dog do you have is it a pointer of a flusher, you talk about after a flush him stoping. I guess I am not sure if you mean dog points bird, you walk up and flush it, and he then runs after it, or if it is a straight up flushing dog, and you want him to stop once the bird jumps up. I must say it is really nice having dogs that are steady to shot. So many dogs are shot jumping up for birds.

Give alittle more info and we can try and help.

mike


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## mccoyam (Jan 18, 2007)

He is a Golden Retriever, What I was tryign to explain was once he flushes a bird he chases it for about 10 yards, most of the time this is ok because the bird flushes high in the air but lately we have been going for quail and they keep flushing pretty low and I don't want to shoot my dog. 
How do you train steady to shoot or what ever it is called? what exactly does that mean anyway? he has done great thous far but I want him to be safe and not get shot!


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Horsager said it best yell NO if your dog knows commands use them. When he flushes a bird and runs YELL maybe reinforce that yell with a shock collar. Not always a good plan to associate birds flushing with a shock, but if need be do it. I would start off with loud vocal NO and if that doesn't work go to the collar.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

I would recommend you never yell no to a young dog flushing game birds thats going to confuse him

Get a book on training spaniels you are using our retriever like a spaniel and they will train like a spaniel read it twice, and then teach him to hup ( sit ).

DO in the yard first to a verbal command then to a whistle. Then start to drill him without birds at greater distances, don't over do it, two or three times when he is walked in the morning is enough release him with a touch on the head followed by the verbal command "OK" never let him break without being touched on the head at first.

one toot "sit" two toots then tap then"ok" to release him

Next introduce him to the command on planted pigeons NOT any game bird you hunt, have him on a check cord let him flush the pigeon and give him the command hup stop him with the check cord and make him sit if he chases. Have an assistant simultaneously shoot the pigeon.

Carry him back to the spot he was supposed to hup and sit him in that spot repeat the command, then tap "ok" to release. Let him retrieve the pigeon.

Then "good dog" praise him a lot to build confidence.

if he acts a a little confused go back to yard training until you are absolutley sure he understands the commands. before any more pigeons.

Then when he does this reliably start giving the command when hes trailing a bird before it flushes, stop and start him a couple times on a clip winged phez or duck. Then release him and let him catch the bird.

repetition is the key, now only shoot birds that he hups on and it will become a habit.

Its a lot of screwing around for a dog that only chases 10 yards but thats how its done.

if it was me I would let the dog that young chase and he will more than likely figure it out on his own, 10 yards is nothing and he will outgrow it.

If you are shooting preserve quail they fly like crap and this will always be dangerous so don't shoot.


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

As long as my dogs obey my every command, I'm happy.


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