Gun Dog Forum

Featherfinder wrote: ↑

Tue May 12, 2020 5:44 am

You can't do that with your pup at just 19 weeks! You should let it run and then let it run some more. Let it chase stuff, develop her independence, chase deer and rabbits and butterflies, and she shouldn't come back to you unless SHE wants to, if she even does come back. You should have to go get her!
What you're doing is all wrong. You have to wait another 8 months, at least, maybe more, to start training.
At this rate, you'll have a fully trained dog before she's 10 months old!
And, she looks like she having too much fun as well. Show that dog whose boss!
Just not right....

Full disclosure. There has been plenty of chasing. Last week she was in cover over my head and ended up 242 yards out. Only reason it was not 342 was because I started hustling to catch up as I watched the yardage going up faster than our national debt. There are coyotes hunting for pups 24/7 and roads around. Just moments before I was able to steer her away from a raccoon (that I saw and she did not), out prowling in the heavy overcast sky and cool temps. She is too small and too bold and that could be a harmful or deadly combination for her currently.

Have been working on ecollar overlay on our already trained recall command. It has a ways to go still. This pup has a lot of prey drive. It will be an asset in the water and with waterfowl and a challenge for awhile with upland pursuits. I expect to get there, how soon remains to be seen but I evaluate my training in my head constantly and give her work and new experiences daily.

I am going to ditch the waving orange flag set off to the side of the launcher as I suspect it is the source of the flagging she did initially on this bird before becoming staunch. Going to try the next setup without it and see how it goes as I have seen her hit her points hard and not flag. If she still flags a little initially before becoming staunch, I will launch the bird immediately while she is flagging the next time and try to teach more caution against any movement.

She is a baby and I was trying to gauge how much was her trying to figure out if she had enough scent. Good news was she got staunch and stayed that way, is bird crazy, bold and well acclimated to the gun at this stage.

Anyone got any input on that?

Anyone got any input on that?
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Yes ! Really have been enjoying following your posts with Tess !
Good Stuff !

Her boldness is an asset. How is it nurtured is up to you to a great extent.
You have heard me say that I rarely use launchers unless it's to resolve an issue. You have discovered but one of the reasons.
I agree - get rid of the flag BUT your dog can smell the launcher just as easily as she can the bird. Not a big deal at this juncture and my not something to get too concerned about at this time.
One more aspect of the launcher is that it introduces an intermediary step. Since dogs know when there IS a launcher....they know when there isn't one.
You are doing great work Av. I personally would not give her a bird to retrieve after breaking as that will require remedial training later on. I love what I'm seeing on your videos so, not sure you should stray too far from your current plan.
I'd put more focus on the other end of Tess.

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Nice work with Tess ! You guy's are a good team !

Good girl Tess! Good job Av.
Just got a GWP in. Looking forward to working with her. She comes from Russia. She is bright, REALLY well put-together and has nice bristly wire-hair.
Started retrieve training her right from the get-go. She started slow but is accelerating along now. Then again, all the pups/dogs need time to transition into life at "the academy".
I hope I can get similar results Av!

5 months old. She is going to be a handful this Fall. Will cut her loose on the prairie in a couple of months and hang on.

I use the ecollar tone for silent recall. Introduced it a couple of days ago. Going well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h1xFX4KiBQ

averageguy wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 01, 2020 5:21 am

I use the ecollar tone for silent recall. Introduced it a couple of days ago. Going well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h1xFX4KiBQ

problem with that is the dog has no idea where you are .....Cj

Developing Marking, Hunt Dead Persistence and Return to me behaviors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXk-LfcifsI

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I would never have thought of that until I saw a dead beagle hung up on a wire fence once. As you say, vital lessons to be learned about wire fences

Good stuff Av!
That's pretty open country so 280 yds isn't that bad. At least that is my perception from the video.
Might need my glasses to verify that.

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As always very nice work ! Good stuff !!

Thank You. How's your pup doing, Max2?

averageguy wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 04, 2020 5:48 am

Thank You. How's your pup doing, Max2?

Axe is doing good ! Thank you for asking. His first day on the job yesterday about 3.5 hrs. I can take him to work a lot especially in the summer on outside jobs. We have been locked down so I used work around here as a primer. Then I can work with him while at work. Kind of a win -win .Not to mention we are always on the look out for nice looking cover which I keep a log for the fall. I notice you post videos . Does one have to have a paying account to post videos on youtube ? I could post some short phone videos I've taken showing us working/playing

Thank's again A-Guy & Tess !

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No need for worry he will get out there as he grows!

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averageguy wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 29, 2020 6:07 am

7 Months old today. She has held point completely steady for the last 5 pigeons in a row while I am out front kicking around and eventually launching and shooting the bird. She races to the fall in heavy tall CRP cover, hunts dead while I stand silent and wait, finds the bird and runs back to my feet with it. Kennels into her dog blind, marks and retrieves through a decoy spread as fast as she can go. We are ready for her first hunting season.



Has some nice go to her.

Nice !!

Max2 wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 29, 2020 7:50 pm

Nice !!

Thank You. How's things going with your pup?

Axe is doing well now . We had a little set back when Axe was hit by a car in mid - June. He was laid up for a while and thank goodness he is doing well now. Could have been much worse. I live on a country lane that two cars can not pass one another at the same time. At the 4.5 month mark he was doing really good with recall. Except for that day.

He ran up the road about 60 yrds and was on his return trip when a neighbor tried to navigate around him. Seeing him running down the road she felt he would just move out of the way I guess. She ran him over.

We have birds so we have been working on birds, obedience, some swimming lessons in our pond & being a puppy .

Oh My! Sorry that happened but so glad to hear Axe is doing well. It can happen easy and fast to any of our dogs.

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Congratulations to you and your pup! Nicely done.

Great for team Tess!
Was that test around St.Cloud ?

Hard work always pays off. Congratulations!

Thank You All for the Kind Words.

Weimdogman, the test was in Iowa.

Congrats Team Tess. She's a "Super Girl "

Nice work !

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Fantastic work you've done developing her to be gun dog! Congratulations...

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Tess ran her NAVHDA Natural Ability test Saturday. She was the youngest of 10 dogs in the test with most of the dogs being twice her age. She earned a maximum score of 112 Prize 1. One other dog earned a Prize 1 with the other 8 struggling with the tracking portion of the test and not meeting Prize 1 requirements because of it. It was fun, I am glad it is done and ready to go hunting.

Fantastic! Team Tess is enjoying the work they have put in.