# Advice on Black Lab



## MrSafety (Feb 22, 2005)

I need some advice on how to break my black lab from a habit that started about two seasons ago. During the duck season, no problems at all....she follows hand signals and is always on high alert and at my side. Lately, when we go pheasant hunting, she asboutely is in a tunnel and pays almost no attention to me. If we're in cattails, I literally have to wait for her to come out to move on. No amount of whistling will bring her out. It's as if she's so posessed by scent she loses all contact with me. I've never used a schock collar because I've never had to, but I'm considering it. Any suggestions?


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## brianb (Dec 27, 2005)

If you don't want to use a shock collar that is fine. It just requires a little more thought / effort.

First work on obedience in gradually more distracting places. First little distractions (yard) then a park, then a busy park. Pet stores are great, lots of food other dogs. The dog must learn to obey and ignore whatever is out there. No matter how tempting.

Second, you must be willing and able to enforce every command you give. If you say "here" and the dog blows you off, you must wade in and grab the dog and drag it to where you called. EVERY TIME.

If you just let the dog blow you off, it learns that your commands are actually suggestions.

Now the ecollar user can reinforce commands with the button. It takes some time to properly introduce the dog to the collar and regular training must be done prior but that is the great advantage of the ecollar.

Brian


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

Good old selective hearing.

Bottom line she is being disobedient, and not complying with your "here" or "come" command, she is hunting on her terms not your's. If it were me I would put a bell on her so you know exactly where she is at and the next time she blows you off, I would go find her and be very quiet so she doesn't know your there, let her know face to face your not happy with her bowing you off, you don't have to get rough with her but make it well known she should have came. You may be surprised by the look in her eyes when she realizes you went into get her.

You should be able to stop her, even if she's chasing rooster either with a whistle or your voice.

My dogs are collar dogs and I test them every so often on there recall, I'l put them in a situation that is very tempting for them to break or chase and if they do they pay for it, with a big collar correction. The reason for this is there safety, if they are out in the yard and a rabbit runs towards the road I want to be able to stop them in there tracks.

At this point I wouldn't resort to to the collar, if youv'e never used one. I believe in them and would never own a dog that wasn't a collar dog but there is so much more to it than just strapping a collar on your dog to make it come. You can ruin a dog in no time if CC is not done or is done improperly.

When your dog has been CC properly you will know it, the dog should lunge into his collar VS shy away from it.

If you do decide to go with a collar read and watch as much as you can, and get some help, either by joining a retriever club, or better yet seek some professional help.

For now the best thing would be to go in and get her.


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

Difficult situation. But Browndog is correct. If you can't go to and confront the dog while in the act of disobedience, discipline would be a wasted effort. For now, you will need to put all else on hold, and teach the dog that, once again, she must come, each and every time the command is given. Perhaps some short, to the point yard sessions will get her back on the track. If not, you may have no choice other than to interrupt your hunts to do so. 
I have two dogs, and one is just as you described, with intense "tunnel vision" when on hot scent. She also ranges when forced to hunt with the wind at her back (of course you don't want to, but you have to get back to the truck, right?) The e-collar, with the beeper feature has been a Godsend for this one. A simple beep (similar to that of a watch alarm) is enough to break her trance, and get her to look for me, at least 90% of the time. Those other times is what the e-stim is for, and it works wonders, turning that dog back into an intense hunter, that really wants to know where the boss is. When used correctly, e-collars are a terrific training/hunting aid. The best thing about e-collars, is when your dogs wear them all through a hunt, and you never have to touch the button! We'd all like to be the trainer on T.V. that connects to his dog like a telepath. For me, it's never going to happen. There just aren't enough hours in the day, and I'm not that smart (the dogs probably are).
I think it was BobM that said, "If your dog will come, every time you tell him to, you have the battle won." If it wasn't Bob, whoever it was is certainly right. 
Hope things work out,
Burl


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## MrSafety (Feb 22, 2005)

Thanks for the suggestions guys. It's been frustrating seeing this pattern develop with her. She's 6 and a fantastic hunting dog........with fresh snow it'll be a great opportunity to try your suggestions.........thanks again.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

brianb said:


> If you don't want to use a shock collar that is fine. It just requires a little more thought / effort.
> 
> First work on obedience in gradually more distracting places. First little distractions (yard) then a park, then a busy park. Pet stores are great, lots of food other dogs. The dog must learn to obey and ignore whatever is out there. No matter how tempting.
> 
> ...


Unless your under 30 I would follow this advice, one way or the other the dog needs to know you mean business. Otherwise go in there have a prayer meeting with her and give her what for until shes a believer right now she thisnks you dont mean it.

I have a couple hard heads whos "hearing" improves dramatically when they are wearing a ecollar , nothing makes me madder than adog that wont come when called but I'm too old to run them down.

A lab like that will not be hard to collar condition just do it at home in combination with a check cord at first not around birds, could be done in a few days easily


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