Gun Dog Forum

Throughout my research and reading about pointing dogs, I've yet to come across a good explanation of how to go about releasing a dog from a point. How do ya'll go about this? Is there any difference between releasing from a backing situation, a non-productive point, and a bird down with a steady dog? Thanks in advance.

I release my dogs by saying "all right" or by touching them on their flank.

From a non productive, sit or down use a touch with the command "go on". If a dog points and then I want him to relocate I use a touch with the command "easy". If we have a bird down and the dog had a good mark on it or I saw it go down I will give him a line and command fetch, if not then I use the command "find it" which he knows through training means to go on a search for dead or wounded game.

I'm a hunter, not a trialer, so I release them in two different ways. Either by a tap on the top of the head and the command, OK if I'm close, or remotely by a hand signal and the command OK.

From the time they were little "allright" has been used with them to release them any time they were restrained from doing what they wanted and it is now ok for them to freely do as they please. So, when the time comes for them to no longer remain stationary I give them an allright. I also introduce a "gone away" release in the yard work for times when I want to direct them when leaving a steady situation to not follow up on the flown bird. Of course you can always "heel" them away as well.

Because I trialed with the dogs I purposely avoided any type of "tap" for a release - I witnessed too many dogs who thought that the handler reaching for the collar was a tap for release.

Ok, here's a follow up to releasing a dog on point. How many of you will release a dog from point to flush a bird that is in brush so thick you can't get into it to flush the birds. This seems to happen alot with California Quail in thick cover. The dog locks up in or outside of the brush and the birds won't flush. It is a standoff.

slistoe wrote:Because I trialed with the dogs I purposely avoided any type of "tap" for a release - I witnessed too many dogs who thought that the handler reaching for the collar was a tap for release.

Good advice & it is the reason I touch their flank & not their head to release them.

Fishvik,

I do that, but quite seldom, with the female in my avatar when hunting. I also allow her to self-relocate on pheasants, although she will seldom do that. Most of the time I have to release her. She does not break point on a bird that is not moving.

Well, actually I cannot release my dogs from a "point". I was discussing releasing the dogs after the birds have flown and been shot or shot at. The dog is waiting for instructions to proceed. The way I like my dogs, the only way to get them away from a full nose of scent is to grab the collar and drag them. When hunting I will "release" them if I am having trouble finding a bird or if when I approach it seems they aren't sure about the bird anymore and then they will move to get a better fix on the birds, but once they have a positive fix all the "allrights" in the world aren't convincing them to budge.

I just turn my back for a second and the dogs release themselves

Aline
http://zzfarms.com

BigShooter wrote:[Fishvik,
I do that, but quite seldom, with the female in my avatar when hunting. I also allow her to self-relocate on pheasants, although she will seldom do that. Most of the time I have to release her. She does not break point on a bird that is not moving.

Perhaps I should be more specific, my avatar dog will not self-relocate unless she is certain there is no bird there and she has been correct 100% of the time. In this situation typically my dog knows a pheasant is running on her. Sometimes if I can tell the dog is uncertain on a point or if I have searched but failed to put up a bird I will release her. I do not like reaching in to part cattails in search of a pheasant only to find a skunk or a porkie. I have a brother that stepped on a skunk doing that. I would guess I have released her when hunting maybe once or twice a year. A few times the dog has moved in, picked up a wounded bird left by others and made the retrieve to me this way. A few times she has moved away & I left envisioning a skunk or porkie was standing there. I think about twice in seven years after being released she moved, re-established point closer to the bird, I parted the cattails, grabbed an adult hen pheasant wedged in so tightly it couldn't move. I tossed the bird into the air, fired a shot & we left. I cannot say that I have successfully released the dog and she has been willing to budge from an honest point on a cock pheasant prepared & able to flush.

Good dogs are smart about handling birds they've hunted before. At times they seem to be able to tell the difference between a healthy or a wounded bird in cover. Some dogs are very adept at handling birds that are running on them. You can watch a good pointing dog start down a tree line, make a false point (or brief hesitation) or two and then take off to the races down that tree line to pin running pheasants before they get away. Smart dogs learn how to handle wild birds they are hunting. Our training of a great hunting dog should enhance their application, not marginalize with it.

gonehuntin' wrote:I'm a hunter, not a trialer, so I release them in two different ways. Either by a tap on the top of the head and the command, OK if I'm close, or remotely by a hand signal and the command OK.

Same here.

Charlie

I keep it simple, a tap(very light tap, some guys will really cuff 'em) and OK. This starts in foundation training when I'm check cording.

Verbal or whistle release.

I use a single whistle to release them. This works when enter field, any whoa situation, or unproductive.. And it looks cool in front of your friends

A tap to the head and "Allright" means go on. A tap on the head and the dog's name means go get the downed bird and bring it back to me

kylenicholas02 wrote:I use a single whistle to release them. This works when enter field, any whoa situation, or unproductive.. And it looks cool in front of your friends

Looks cool to your competitors too---especially if they can whistle your dog off point

Aline
http://zzfarms.com

zzweims wrote:

kylenicholas02 wrote:I use a single whistle to release them. This works when enter field, any whoa situation, or unproductive.. And it looks cool in front of your friends

Looks cool to your competitors too---especially if they can whistle your dog off point

Aline
http://zzfarms.com

Aline,

I was thinking it .... but you said it.

I've never had this happen. Possibly because everyone uses multiple whistle blasts and this is just a short low "toot" but good point. Also might have something to do with the dog acknowledging I'm not actually around them to release. IDK, but so far so good.... We put plenty of W's up this year with 2 dogs under 2 years.