Gun Dog Forum

So I have a dog that demonstrates a natural desire to hunt. She points she flushes rodents out of brush. She brought me a cross my property to an old school bus an continued to scratch the front grill trying to get to something before going under it and flushing out a cat that was hiding under the hood. She chases squirrels into trees and darn near dislocates my shoulder if I happen to have her on a leash and then she follows them tree to tree. I think in the hands of a seasoned dog hunter she would eventually be a good hunting dog.

The dog has one problem and unfortunately that is me. I have never hunted with dogs before. I have been having success so far just training her to respond to a recall whistle and basic commands without any issues. I really only want her to flush birds, rabbits or tree squirrels but I'm not sure if I should just take her out on a hunt and let her do her thing naturally and allow her to make mistakes without using corrections or commands and then decide where she needs work? I just don't have the funds right now for an expensive training course and I don't know any gun dog owners personally so I can't tag along to see what they are doing. I've watched a few youtube videos and I guess it's better than nothing but I was hoping I could ask here if anyone has any better affordable ideas that I can look into. Are there books that you recommend? or advice that you may have?

The dog is a 7 mos old female cur/ feist mix.

dogdaze -

There really is no "program" for a dog such as you have, or the type of hunting you wish to do with it. However, that does NOT mean you cannot have fun together and hunt what you want...the way you need to.

As long as you can keep the dog close, it should provide you with opportunities on game that it flushes out for you. It would seem that the dog is blessed with a decent nose and the willingness to use it.

Just PLEASE be careful with your shots, especially anything on or near the ground.

Remember that the dog will almost certainly leap after departing birds and chase running game like rabbits. It is VERY easy for such a dog to get caught in the shot pattern, especially as the pattern spreads. Take your shotgun out to a field, put up a bedsheet and step off 30 steps. When you fire one shot at the center of the bedsheet and see where the pattern is, you will have an idea of what kind of separation there needs to be between the dog and the game being shot at. Think Blue Sky under a bird before pulling the trigger. Think dog's head well out of sight picture before you pull the trigger on running game. One stray pellet can blind a dog.

Be careful, enjoy your dog and both of you...have fun.

RayG

www.sqdog.com, is where you need to look for information.

Thank you Ray, what you said rang true immediately. My dog chased a cat into the woods and I temporarily lost sight of them both except for those moments when she would seemingly appear out of nowhere and be suddenly in the air looking down at this cat she was after as she cleared logs and obstacles in the woods. I truthfully didn't know she could even jump that high or move that fast until she did it and I can see how an accident could happen in that situation.

Rinker, thank you I will follow that link and have a look see. Again thank you both.