Is it too Late?

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Montana
Rank: Senior Hunter
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Location: Montana

Is it too Late?

Post by Montana » Thu Nov 20, 2014 10:55 am

My Setter will be 3 years old in February, but he isn't pointing and holding wild birds.. He'll point and hold on a planted bird (in a controlled situation on a check cord), but bumps and chases everything in the field. He'll flash point for a couple of seconds, but then is off on the chase. He's a big running dog, so getting to him to work with him is a challenge as he'll often times be 300 or 400 yards away when he finds birds. Would a couple of months with a Pro be worthwhile, or is it too late? I obviously don't have the expertise to solve the problem.

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Elkhunter
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Location: Idaho

Re: Is it too Late?

Post by Elkhunter » Thu Nov 20, 2014 11:00 am

Call John McGiltrot up in Montana, he does a great job. And works with a lot of Setters.

http://www.seranoakennels.com/

shags
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Re: Is it too Late?

Post by shags » Thu Nov 20, 2014 3:32 pm

So his schooling went from A+ kindergarten (pointing on a cc) to failing post graduate work ( 400 yards out) with nothing in the middle?
Work him on planted birds in a controlled situation...cc, then dragging a cc, then you getting in front of him while he's on a cc, then do all that in a small area without the cc, then expand to larger areas. Condition him to an ecollar along the way, so you can correct him at a distance. Run him on wild birds as a training exercise so you can concentrate on training and aren't tempted to shoot busted birds. When he's as steady as you like, go hunting.

At three years old he'll be be able to take training, but don't be surprised if you have to back up a little bit down the road, because he might have the idea that he really likes things the way he's doing them now, and you'll need to reinforce the steadiness.

Good luck with your dog.

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Sharon
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Re: Is it too Late?

Post by Sharon » Thu Nov 20, 2014 4:12 pm

"He'll point and hold on a planted bird ." quote

not too late at all
" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett

cjhills
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Re: Is it too Late?

Post by cjhills » Thu Nov 20, 2014 6:02 pm

get him whoa broke and stop the chase

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Donnytpburge
Rank: Senior Hunter
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Location: Mississippi

Re: Is it too Late?

Post by Donnytpburge » Sun Nov 23, 2014 10:05 am

It's not to late.

some dogs are hard headed and need the old school method to break the chase.

Good luck.

Db

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will-kelly
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Location: Philadelphia Suburbs

Re: Is it too Late?

Post by will-kelly » Fri Dec 05, 2014 8:20 am

It may seem obvious but taking away the control point(check cord) is why the dog breaks. I would run the dog in the field on wild birds with the check cord.
  • Work him on planted birds without the check cord.
    Run him in wild birds with the check cord.
    Once he's proven his steadiness Let him drag the chord.
    Once he's proven on the dragged chord run him free.
When the dog fails take him back to the previous stage and work him through the issue.

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