Gun Dog Forum

I bought a two year old setter bitch from a kennel in South Dakota. I dealt with them because I had a male dog out of the same kennel that was a terrific bird dog. She had not been worked with much, and the breeder wanted to sell her because she "didn't have the range he was looking for to hunt off horseback". He said she would be a great dog for a foot hunter, which is what I do. Well, you guessed it. Once she is turned loose, she looks like a cheetah after a gazelle, and the next thing I see is a white dot on the horizon, self-hunting. You would need a Ferrari to keep up with her. In a confined space she is the birdiest Setter I have ever had, and has a great nose, but at some point, I will have to turn her loose. I tried an e-collar, and she didn't turn a hair, just kept on going until she finally skidded to a halt, drooling, completely stressed-out after a dozen hits. Yes, she knows what "come" and the whistle mean, at least in the yard. I felt guilty as heck, hating to use the e-collar. She is a sweety around the house, very affectionate and the whole family loves her, and so giving her away is not an option. I have a new French Brittany pup I am working with, but boy does she roll those big brown eyes when I leave her behind and take him out to work. Any ideas on how I can turn her around? My sense is that this is in her DNA and I don't have many options. I would absolutely love to hunt her, but am afraid I will lose her. I spent three hours hunting her two weeks ago when she ran off into a hilly area-- found her three miles away in a brush tangle. Thanks for your thoughts.....

I might be inclined to start dropping pigeons for her, then shoot some planted birds, she'll learn to hunt close or she won't get feathers.

If i had a dog that ran too big (which i have) i would let her go, sell her, its no fun and not fair to the dog to constantly hack them.....someone else will love that big motor.

birddog1968 wrote:I might be inclined to start dropping pigeons for her, then shoot some planted birds, she'll learn to hunt close or she won't get feathers.

If i had a dog that ran too big (which i have) i would let her go, sell her, its no fun and not fair to the dog to constantly hack them.....someone else will love that big motor.

x2

Campesino, Hook her up to a long check cord (100') and teach her to turn by voice, whistle, and arm signals. Make sure she is real good on 'come' with check cord also. Then hook er up with the e-coller, and go through the check cord work again while adding stimulation at the appropriate time. A helper is a real asset when trying to work a check cord and hit the e-collar at the perfect moment. I personally can't do a good job on that without help. As soon as she has done good with that, turn her loose and keep her true to the 'turn' and 'come' commands. Make sure you have a mile range e-collar. You really have to stay on top of the dogs range, and she still might get away from you. Get one of those long range whistles and with the help of the collar, insist she come in.
She may turn into the perfect dog if you put a handle on her. You may as well try your hand at trying to break her range.

Sharon wrote:

birddog1968 wrote:I might be inclined to start dropping pigeons for her, then shoot some planted birds, she'll learn to hunt close or she won't get feathers.

If i had a dog that ran too big (which i have) i would let her go, sell her, its no fun and not fair to the dog to constantly hack them.....someone else will love that big motor.

x2

X3

Running big and running off are two different things. No self hunters for me.

First things first. She does NOT know what HERE means if you have to hit her with the collar when you whistle of command. Put her back in the yard and revisit the whistle. Were it me, I'd de-bolt her. I'd also put her into a good collar program from step one. I don't think she's well collar broken either.

She needs the basics before the graduate work.

I have dealt with this a few times and here is what I have done. I start in the yard with the pup on a check cord, I say the pup's name and 'come', and then I aggressively pull her in with the rope. I do four or five reps per session, one to four sessions per day. A week or so of this and I start to look for a sign that the pup is starting to get it. This sign can be turning my direction when I say 'come' or not resisting when I am pulling her in, it doesn't have to be complete compliance. The next step really takes two people, I do the exact same thing but when I say 'come' I shock her on a low intensity and hold the button down as I real her in, the button is released the moment I touch her. The dog needs to think that my hands are the off button, this is done with a low intensity. I will continue this for several weeks until I am getting perfect compliance in the yard. When I am completely confident that the pup will come in the yard I go back to the field.

When I start running the pup in the field again I carry with me four or five pigeons in a sack. I turn the pup loose and let her get a few hundred yards out. I yell the pup's name and then say 'come', I will shock the pup if necessary. When the pup turns and is starting to come towards me and I am sure that she can see me, I take a pigeon out of the sack and toss it. The pup will see the pigeon and chase it, this is fine. I repeat this process a few more times that outing. It will not take many sessions of this before the pup should really start paying attention to you at all times. The first day I try to let the pup chase the pigeon as much as she wants. The second or third day I will let her chase the pigeon for a hundred yards or so and then I will call to her and shock her if necessary to get her to come. Over time I try to make the chases shorter and shorter and eventually eliminate the chase altogether. When the chase is completely eliminated the pup is essentially 'steady to wing'. This will be helpful in breaking the dog.

rinker wrote:I have dealt with this a few times and here is what I have done. I start in the yard with the pup on a check cord, I say the pup's name and 'come', and then I aggressively pull her in with the rope. I do four or five reps per session, one to four sessions per day. A week or so of this and I start to look for a sign that the pup is starting to get it. This sign can be turning my direction when I say 'come' or not resisting when I am pulling her in, it doesn't have to be complete compliance. The next step really takes two people, I do the exact same thing but when I say 'come' I shock her on a low intensity and hold the button down as I real her in, the button is released the moment I touch her. The dog needs to think that my hands are the off button, this is done with a low intensity. I will continue this for several weeks until I am getting perfect compliance in the yard. When I am completely confident that the pup will come in the yard I go back to the field.

When I start running the pup in the field again I carry with me four or five pigeons in a sack. I turn the pup loose and let her get a few hundred yards out. I yell the pup's name and then say 'come', I will shock the pup if necessary. When the pup turns and is starting to come towards me and I am sure that she can see me, I take a pigeon out of the sack and toss it. The pup will see the pigeon and chase it, this is fine. I repeat this process a few more times that outing. It will not take many sessions of this before the pup should really start paying attention to you at all times. The first day I try to let the pup chase the pigeon as much as she wants. The second or third day I will let her chase the pigeon for a hundred yards or so and then I will call to her and shock her if necessary to get her to come. Over time I try to make the chases shorter and shorter and eventually eliminate the chase altogether. When the chase is completely eliminated the pup is essentially 'steady to wing'. This will be helpful in breaking the dog.

Well put. +1
If she doesent work out and you do decide to part with her let me know. I would rather reel em in than not have them move out. Also the terrain in NM is well suited for a big runner.

I appreciate all your advice, and will go back to the yard work with the check cord and e-collar. I probably pushed her too fast to get out into the field, and will try some of the approaches outlined above. Thanks again, C.