Staying to the front

Post Reply
User avatar
mountaindogs
GDF Junkie
Posts: 2449
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 9:33 pm
Location: TN

Staying to the front

Post by mountaindogs » Fri Jun 24, 2016 3:20 pm

What are some of your tips for teaching a dog to stay to the front for just walking trial range?

shags
GDF Junkie
Posts: 2717
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:57 pm

Re: Staying to the front

Post by shags » Fri Jun 24, 2016 4:37 pm

Are you talking about puppies or grown dogs? If grown dogs, it depends on what they are doing...do they have bad habits like going lateral, swinging back, pottering, etc.

For little puppies, I follow them around as they explore. I look for cover that's appropriate to the pup's size and try to find an edge for them to take. Sometimes that's the edge of a flower bed for wee little guys, or a woods edge or edge of a hayfield for bigger pups. I use my turn/forward commands as we go along. As they get older, I take them out on planted birds, using a checkcord. They soon start pulling, and are 'to the front'. Then using the cc, give them my turn commands and swing them 10-2. When they're old enough to road, I use my turn commands and/or sing to them while we go around, the same ones I use in trials. Pretty soon they fiure out that "Hup, Dog!" means turn and "Yo Bud!" means get forward.

For mature dogs with bad habits, depends...the puppy methods adjusted for them, or maybe a good dog horse or quad to chase 'em down, or an ecollar. Or any workable combination. 8)

User avatar
Higgins
Rank: Champion
Posts: 352
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 11:23 pm
Location: Yerington, NV

Re: Staying to the front

Post by Higgins » Fri Jun 24, 2016 5:24 pm

Hello Mountaindogs,

Here is a link to a video I did a while ago. It's about handling including controlling range, distance and direction.

https://vimeo.com/104148324

Hope you find it useful.

Brad Higgins
www. HigginsGundogs.com

User avatar
gundogguy
Rank: 5X Champion
Posts: 980
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2011 1:22 pm
Location: southern Michiganistan

Re: Staying to the front

Post by gundogguy » Fri Jun 24, 2016 5:31 pm

Higgins wrote:Hello Mountaindogs,

Here is a link to a video I did a while ago. It's about handling including controlling range, distance and direction.

https://vimeo.com/104148324

Hope you find it useful.

Brad Higgins
www. HigginsGundogs.com

Very Nice it is called "Hunting to Face"! easy peasy!
I'm 100% in favor of LGBT - Liberty, Guns, Bacon and Trump.

User avatar
Sharon
GDF Junkie
Posts: 9113
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 4:46 pm
Location: Ontario,Canada

Re: Staying to the front

Post by Sharon » Fri Jun 24, 2016 8:33 pm

I have a "turn" command I use for changing directions etc. Even when I see the dog coming back, I can use it to have her change to the left or right. Some do "singing" so the dog knows where they are and has no need to come back . A judge does want to see the dog "check in" off and on but NOt come all the way back. I can teach better than I can explain it. :)
" 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

slistoe
GDF Junkie
Posts: 3843
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:23 pm

Re: Staying to the front

Post by slistoe » Tue Jun 28, 2016 12:08 am

The easiest way is to buy a pup from two naturally front running parents and hope you get the gene.

Other than that, teach a pattern in your back yard with the dog on the check cord and a command for the dog to turn to the front. Start real short and lengthen the distance of the cord when the dog is getting it (also moving to a slightly bigger space like the local ball diamond). Transition to the collar and then lengthen the dog some more. It does not matter if the dog is on your right or left, the command means turn to the front, not the back.

rinker
Rank: 4X Champion
Posts: 666
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2011 9:01 am

Re: Staying to the front

Post by rinker » Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:43 am

I know not everyone can do this, but I frequently work young dogs from atv or horseback. I work them at a fast pace. It doesn't take too long for them to learn that if they get behind it's really hard to catch up. They also learn that if they get off to the side it's much harder to come back to me and then go forward, it's easier to take an angle and go to the front. In general they learn it is much easier to pay attention to which way I'm going and stay in front than it is to constantly try to catch up.

Early on, I worried that they would get used to that pace and not handle well from foot. I have not found this to be the case.

Also, I believe that 'front running' can be taught or encouraged, but it is genetic, and it is much easier to start with one that is inclined to do it on their own.

Post Reply