Gun Dog Forum

Higgins

Don wrote:Do you use an e-collar? If you do, start taking the chase out with it. When the bird goes let him start the chase. After ten or fifteen yards, start nicking him with the collar till he quits.

Don,

Have you ever had a dog think the nick was caused by the bird?

Brad Higgins
www.higginsgundogs.com

Higgins

bwjohn, Most other types of training begin with obedience (yard work, whoa training, etc.). This training method is different. It's based on dog psychology. We don't do yardwork. Our training takes place in the field on birds or around birds. The primary commands are a "here" command and a stand com...

Higgins

bwjohn, You're exactly right. The dog stopped because he saw the bird fly. This is stop to flush training (the bird giving the whoa command). Dogs want to flush a bird so they can chase it. Steadiness training is about teaching the dog not to pressure birds or chase. In stop to flush training, the d...

Higgins

I find that dogs understand steadiness quicker when I focus on stop to flush training instead of pointing drills or whoa training. I see stop to flush training as the bird giving the whoa command. http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j316/higgins10000/th_HRRUntitled_0001.jpg Brad Higgins www.higginsgun...

Higgins

The real test for a finished dog in in how steady she is when you turn your back to shoot. Bird goes up, gun goes off, bird falls. You look back and she is still in the same spot where she pointed. Would you agree?

Brad Higgins

Higgins

Jason, A lot of problems can be created by using bad birds. If you get those kind of birds in the future, it might be better to hold off training till you can get better birds. Here is a test you can do to see just how steady your dog really is. Put a pigeon in your launcher and hide it in the field...

Higgins

Don wrote:Along with what was said above, patience, consistency and timing are vital.

Two great Delmar Smith quotes I try to live by:

1) Never set your dog up to fail.

2) Pay attention to what your training.

Don, what do you think Delmar meant by "Never set your dog up to fail"?

Brad

Higgins

Here are a couple more videos of how the Higgins Remote Releasers work. They simulate wild birds. I open the releaser when I work a dog into the area. If a bird leaves before the dog points, it's a stop-to-flush (a whoa command given by the bird). The dogs don't catch them. They are free to flush wh...

Higgins

Thanks for your interest.

I think it's against the rules to conduct business here on the forum. For additional information, please e-mail me. I can give you all the details.

Thanks again,

Brad Higgins
info@higginsgundogs.com

Higgins

Ohiogsp, Yes, pigeons will flush on their own too. Some walk out of the releaser before they flush. The secret is to open the releaser before the pigeon feels pressure from the dog. When the bird gets nervous, he flushed. The dogs learn to be careful around birds real fast. Wanna see the video? Brad...

Higgins

Yawallac, take a look at this. http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j316/higgins10000/th_HigginsRemoteReleaserQuail.jpg I'm with Don. I want the bird in the air the instant I push the button. But this is brilliant! if you could put a lot of birds in it and the sides opened letting the birds walk away a...

Higgins

There are lots of different methods and tools used to train pointing dogs. If it were possible, I think the best way to train would be on lots of wild birds.

Do you agree? And if so, why?

Brad Higgins
Higgins Gundogs

Higgins

Sometimes I'll use a piece of surveyers tape tied to a quail's leg. Works good and is very light. Shortens up their flight a bit and makes them easy to find after they put in. I'll do this for young pups that I'm introducing to birds. I'll launch the bird and let the pups chase.

Higgins

I work with owners and their dogs. One of the things I often see is a lack of good timing and consistency on the part of the owner. Here are some examples. The dog is in a stand command (whoa). Dog takes a couple of steps, owner corrects. Too late. Or, owner gives a “here” command. Dog ignores it. O...

Higgins

Yawallac wrote:Where are the Pointer pics? That's why I love your threads!! C'mon man! Post the good looking dogs!

Yawallac,

Just for you.

http://www.higginsgundogs.com/Point.htm

Brad Higgins
Higgins Gundogs

Higgins

Carded pigeons work great. In many situations, they can be better than launchers.

Brad Higgins
www.higginsgundogs.com

Higgins

Wait to do this until you can whoa him. Here's a way to steady them right in your yard, without going to the field. First he must be whoa broken. Then take about three clip with pigeons in a bag and walk him at heel around the yard on a 10' cc. Throw a pigeon and say whoa. He won't and will charge ...

Higgins

Has your pup been around many birds yet? I think that's more important at this stage than a whoa command. In our training, we don't teach whoa around birds. Don't need it. Better for the birds to teach her to be steady. Much more natural and brings out all the dogs style and intensity. Some clients ...

Higgins

I filmed and produced the West/Gibbons DVD's. OK to plug them here?

Brad Higgins
Higgins Gundogs

Higgins

Many trainers use the whoa barrel,whoa board or plank to begin teaching a pup about steadiness. I see some differences of opinion as to when it's time to move on in steadiness training. What do you think? When do you consider a pup ready to move on to more advanced steadiness training? At what point...

Higgins

Shootist, Next time he tries to get you to chase him, say nothing, turn and walk away. Keep walking. Watch what he does next, it may suprise you. Or, when he is looking at you, trying to get you to chase him, drop something at your feet, he'll run over to see what it is. As he begins to come to you,...

Higgins

I like to work my dogs in quicksand. helps keep them steady. LOL Brad Higgins I'm trying a test here. This is a link to a short video clip of one of the pointers. If it takes too long to load, is bad quality or causes any problems, let me know and I'll delete it. Thought I might see if it works. htt...

Higgins

Thanks Pear. I'll work on my spell check.

Brad Higgins

Higgins

I raise and release 300 pheasants a year. I call the birds in from the fields to feed morning and evening. I have 4 of my dogs that spend their off time running loose in an adjoining pasture. In the same pasture as the dogs, I have a pigeon loft with 60 birds. This loft has a fence around it to keep...

Higgins

Josh,

Thats the size I use and it works well. Also, it needs to be at an angle so the small end ends up higher off the ground than the big end. The birds need to drop in. Keeps the ones inside from being able to get out.

Brad Higgins

Higgins

I bought a Dogtra 2002 NCP last year. It's a two dog system including a pager mode. Great system. I'm going to try a Tri tronic's G2. I work a lot of dogs and I wouldn't have to look at the transmitter to know correction levels. I'll be selling the Dogtra collars and transmitter soon. If you're inte...

Higgins

Thats true, the garden hose works too. Another good way is to use a 20' line tied to a horsehoe. I prefer the card though. Less weight for the bird to lift off the ground and I tend to get better flushes. The hose and the horseshoe bring them down with weight, the card is light and causes drag while...

Higgins

Zachsdad, Carded pigeons are used to simulate a flushing, wild bird. We tie a piece of cardboard to their leg with a piece of yard about 6 to 8 inches long. The cardboard size depends on how wild or strong the pigeon is. Usually start with about 6" x 6". The object is to keep the pigeon from flying ...

Higgins

Huntumup,

Before we start, go to my website. www.higginsgundogs.com . Click on Training Library. Read the article, "Calm Dog, Calm Trainer". I think this will help you get a good idea about how we do this.

Brad Higgins

Higgins

Huntumup, I'll be glad to help you with your dog but you need to slow down first. Before you start working your dog, it's important to decide on a training method and stick with it. Training a pointing dog can be done a lot of different ways. The way I am describe is the West/Gibbons method. I can s...

Higgins

Jason, good to hear from you.

Huntumup was interested in this training too. We can work his dog until you're ready. I think he has quail. Pigeons or quail, doesn't really matter as long as we have birds to work.

I'll e-mail him and see if he's interested.

Brad Higgins
www.higginsgundogs.com

Higgins

Steve, From what you wrote, your dog is good at obeying whoa from a standing position. In her mind, she is already whoa'd when you give the command. It's kinda like asking her to stay. Also, you wrote you have been practicing walking at heel and then whoa. When she is out in the field and you say wh...

Higgins

Ron, Sounds like a nice pup you got there. I think one of the main reasons steady to flush works so well in teaching a dog steadiness is because it keeps his level of excitement in control while training. Working just pointing drills gets a dog so so amped up, it takes a lot more pressure to get thr...

Higgins

Jason, Well, there it is. You wanted to see if we could get him to point and we did. We did it by bringing out his natural hunting instincts. I'm assuming you want to move on and see him steady to wing. Here is how we do it. As you saw, we let them chase and bump untill they begin creeping and flash...

Higgins

Jason, Looks good so far. Try this. It will help me read the dog. Without allowing the dog to see this, release your quail (more than one) from the johnnyhouse. Flush them if you need to. We want them out in the field. Leave them alone for 5 to 10 minutes. Now release the dog. In reading your post, ...

Higgins

Jason, You mention in your first post that the other day was the first time you had your dog on birds. First thing we need to do is let that pup chase and bump the released quail. No commands, no checkcord, no pressure. Just release the birds and let the pup have at it. He may even catch one. That's...

Higgins

Yes, I taped the Bill West, Bill Gibbons seminar last year in Texas. If you would like more information, e-mail me.

Thanks,

Brad Higgins

Higgins

Jason, if you're using a J.A.S.A. collar like Lion Country sells, be sure it is the one with blunted spikes. If you're going to use quail, you really need a remote launcher or two. Could you borrow one maybe? The whole idea is to use birds that will flush on their own when pressured (like a carded p...

Higgins

Jason, Most dogs see a bird in the air as a cue to chase. We're going to teach him that a bird in the air is a cue to stop, and that leads to success. We're not working on pointing, we're working on steadiness. He'll point on his own shortly. If we're going to use quail, they need to be good flyers ...

Higgins

This could be fun. Let's work on a specific dog. First tell me about the dog. Age, breed, experience. There are a few different ways to do this. I need to know what tools are available to you. Pigeons, checkcord, spike collar, e-collar, launchers, quail, etc? What does the training field look like. ...

Higgins

I have owners bring me dogs to evaluate all the time and most want to see them point. Usually easy to do. But the way I see it, pointing is about steadiness, not pointing drills, not whoa training. It's about setting up a scenerio where pointing is the correct option that leads to success. If you wo...

Higgins

This weekend we shot a 12 gauge over her and she hit the ground and ran about twenty yards in the opposite direction with her tail between her legs and then started hunting again. Do I have anything to worry about have I created a problem we shot 2 more times over her with the same reaction. Wildma...

Higgins

Ryan, You're right, if you show them in a way they understand they pick it up pretty quick. Thats similar to the way we teach a dog to back using a pop up plywood dog. Usually takes just one session. We have the dog on a checkcord, when the dog is not looking, we pop up the backing dog. When the dog...

Higgins

I find that teaching to back works best when it is thought of as a steady to flush drill. First, teach the dog with a checkcord that a bird in the air means stop. When they understand this, you can put out your backing dog. The secret to success is that as soon as the dog looks in the direction of t...

Higgins

I believe becoming collar smart is something we train them to be. If the collar goes on the dog anytime we may give them a command, they don't become collar smart. It happens when we give them a command and don't have the collar on them to enforce the command if they refuse. If the dog is in the yar...

Higgins

Higgins Gundogs is hosting a chat again this Wednesday from 6pm to 7pm Pacific time.

The topic this week will be on the use of pigeons in training.

Hope to see you there.

Brad Higgins
www.higginsgundogs.com

Higgins

Tough training dogs wearing these floppy shoes.

Brad Higgins
www.higginsgundogs.com

Higgins

You haven't given the dog any reason to point. Teasing him with a bird flapping gets him all fired up and he want to do what comes natural, chase. Sounds like he is plenty birdy, I would now give him a reason to point. You can't teach him to point, he already knows. Teach him now that he can't catch...

Higgins

Thanks Greg.

Brad Higgins

Higgins

Just a reminder. Higgins Gundogs is hosting a chat Wednesday evenings from 6pm to 7pm pacific time. Go to http://www.higginsgundogs.com , click on Higgins Gundog Chat. Should take you right there. Stop by if you have a few minutes.

Thanks,
Brad Higgins

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