Gun Dog Forum

Out roaming the countryside off leash as Im sure you all do, we run into alot of wildlife other than birds.. So far we have run into: Red Fox, many deer, woodchucks, a beaver and numerous other small game, and a really mean husky.

I didnt let him chase the deer or the fox (both times had to increase the stim a few notches), the fox got pretty aggressive pretty quickly, but give him some leeway to chase the others, he caught the woodchuck, let it go. The beaver just swam away....end of story.

Wondering how you all handle those situations?

If he is messing with off game he is not hunting, I do not tolerate it, but start with as light of hand to get results.

I have a mild mannered Britt around dogs, people, house cats, even ignores the wife's parrot, that is vicious in the field. He has killed feral cats, badgers, skunks, squirrels, even armadillos; he has learned not to engage in a long fight, he kills quickly and moves on. I can only imagine how much time he would waste if I hadn't corrected him since a pup. He never learned to leave them alone, but did get very efficient at killing.

Best to extinguish it early.

Both of mine will hardly even pay any mind to deer, squirrels, rabbits, skunks, etc.
First time they ever tried to give chase they got an abrupt correction and that put an end to it.

They will sometimes trail fur when the birds are scarce so they are bored, especial my GWP.

Train your dog to honor all game...and then decide what you want to shoot or have the dog dispatch. I train my dogs to "stand" or point all furred game...deer to rabbits...if they chase, I whistle them down....they know what comes after the whistle. They will all point the next bird they find.

If you don't care about controlling predators, feral cats and the like....just "burn" them off fur...that's the easy way.

Thanks all. greatly appreciate the feedback, wanted to have a strategy so i could be consistent.

If its not a bird (or a rabbit) then he isn't allowed to chase. End of story. My guy being a flusher he shouldn't be chasing anything to begin with.