Breaking a Dog off Pointing Rabbits?!?!

[Moonshine Ike]

Hello all. I've got a very nice 1.5 yr old male Pointer that has been a very good bird finder. His bird exposure has been around 99% wild birds and he handles them very well and is a staunch pointer.

With the rabbit cycle on it's near high, bunnies are everywhere. I was able to break this dog from chasing rabbits with e-collar. I don't think he's chased one since a 8 month old. But, he sure will scent point rabbits when given the opportunity. Pretty staunch point on these bunnies and hit's sometimes easy, sometimes hard to read the body language. Normally on birds he's a statue, with rabbits sometimes he holds still, other times I can just "tell" something isn't right. But, I don't shock him because you never know.

What can I do to get this dog broke off pointing rabbits? I'm open to suggestions.

[ezzy333]

I never tried to break a hunting dog off rabbits. The only time I worked on it was for trial dogs bu most learn not to hunt them if you don't shoot them.

[Steve007]

What can I do to get this dog broke off pointing rabbits? I'm open to suggestions.

Is he a kennel dog or a house dog? Does he like you and listen to you? My Gordon started off pointing everything with wings in the field --sparrows and whatever was there--and I'd just say "Junk bird. Junk bird." in a not loud or correcting but disgusted tone and he quit pretty quickly. Of course, as Ezzy says, I didn't shoot them, so he might have quit by himself anyway. But he definitely looked embarrassed. House dogs pick up on your tone.

What do you do when he points a rabbit? Try just being verbally disappointed in him. If he likes you, he'll feel bad. Really..

[Moonshine Ike]

No, I don't shoot the rabbits. The only game that gets shot are properly pointed and handled birds.

When he's pointing bunnies...I firmly, but not too loudly, tell him "get off that" or "hey".

I've occasionally tapped on the e-collar when a rabbit gets flushed. I don't even think about juicing him unless I know it's a rabbit.

I obviously don't want this dog wasting time pointing rabbits. One fine day on a solo hunt last fall, he made 10 points - 7 were birds, 3 on rabbit. On the surface that might not seem to shabby but it was still 30% off game.

[Moonshine Ike]

No, I don't shoot the rabbits. The only game that gets shot are properly pointed and handled birds.

When he's pointing bunnies...I firmly, but not too loudly, tell him "get off that" or "hey".

I've occasionally tapped on the e-collar when a rabbit gets flushed. I don't even think about juicing him unless I know it's a rabbit.

I obviously don't want this dog wasting time pointing rabbits. One fine day on a solo hunt last fall, he made 10 points - 7 were birds, 3 on rabbit. On the surface that might not seem to shabby but it was still 30% off game.

Edit: no, not a house dog, but he does know when the tone of my voice is serious. I did shoot a rabbit once in the yard, tied it to his collar and let him "wear" it awhile. Gave him some medium light jolts from e caller. A few minutes later, released him and let him out out behind the house where there were some pheasants. First thing he pointed was a bunny

[Sharon]

When he points rabbits say nothing , walk away and don't shoot. Hopefully his point will tell you the difference.

[tailcracken pointer]

Do you guys on here think the smell is very much different from a rabbit to upland birds ? I have heard that it is pretty similar? Ezzy chime in if you would please

[tailcracken pointer]

One thing I don't like is putting the juice to him while chasing a rabbit, imo I think it takes the retrieve or want to out of a dog?

[ezzy333]

Do you guys on here think the smell is very much different from a rabbit to upland birds ? I have heard that it is pretty similar? Ezzy chime in if you would please

To a dog it is completely different. Our dogs can smell the difference between two quail, or which dowel you touched compared to one I touched. Some dogs can track you even afte4r a couple of days an many other people walking over your tracks. I don't think any of us really know how good any dogs nose is but we do know they are hundred times better than ours.

[SCT]

Like Sharon said, you should be able to tell the difference in his points. Probably have his nose lower, closer to the ground on a rabbit point.

[Moonshine Ike]

"Sometimes" I can tell the difference between him pointing a bird or a rabbit. But, many times, no. With my luck I'd buzz him pointing a bird when I swear the body language said bunny.

I don't want this, or any of my dogs pointing rabbits. This particular young dog is a good'un, hunts fast and hard and does a lot of things right. Jolting him has a pup when chasing rabbits did nothing to deter this dog pursuing birds (though he won't chase or track bunnies). Anyway, It's a waste of time for him and I to be bothering with rabbits.

There's got to be a way to get this done! This Pointer is AA field trial material and somehow the pro's must of devised a way to stop their dogs from pointing rabbits Thanks for all your comments so far.

[SCT]

I personally wouldn't "buzz" any dog while he's pointing anything.

[Moonshine Ike]

I personally wouldn't "buzz" and dog while he's pointing anything.

What if I know (can see) that it's a bunny? How 'bout after flushing a rabbit out of the cover?

[shags]

Well, a huntin' dawg has to hunt something, right? And pointy dawgs has to point.
So get him into plenty of birds and ignore fur points.

Now that's easy for me to say because around here we have almost zero wild birds, so points will be 99.99% rabbits,
skunks, possums, mice, or feral cats. We have to release pen birds to get the dogs' minds off trash. If you have enough wild birds around to make your life difficult, you'll have to really observe your dog and learn to read subtle differences in his points. There is always a tell. Once you figure that out, you can walk on by those trash points. I wouldn't ever use the ecollar on a pointed dog, but would have no compunction about trash breaking during the chase if calling him off doesn't work.

[Sharon]

I personally wouldn't "buzz" and dog while he's pointing anything.

What if I know (can see) that it's a bunny? How 'bout after flushing a rabbit out of the cover?

.......................


I agree with SCT...
The problem with any electric stimulation is what is the dog thinking? " Am I getting buzzed for just pointing ? Am I getting buzzed for being far out in front"? Timing is critical and even then....

Are you using a lot of birds? I found that once birds became the focus, rabbits became passe'.

Never had a setter care about rabbits ; must be a pointer problem.

[oldbeek]

my dog perks up her ears like playing, when she points anything but a bird. She gets a gruff, OUT, from me. At 3yr she is finally ignoring fur.

[bobman]

be patient he's really still a puppy and if you don't do something stupid he will out grow it, as correctly suggested above just ignore it call him off and move on

I've been training pointing dogs since the late sixties lot of them and every single one figured it out on their own.

Do no harm just laugh it off as typical puppy nonsense. You and he are supposed to be having fun.

[Moonshine Ike]

Let me give you all a bit more information. This dog was purchased by me at 6 mo. of age. The breeder had exposed him to a few pigeons which he pointed very well. When I took over, from 6 mo. to now, this dog has only seen wild birds (Huns, Chukar, Sage Chicken and pheasant).....no liberated game. I'm in a game rich area with a lot of birds close by.

Regarding rabbits, he seems to go in streaks. Will point 3 or 4 in an outing then go 2 weeks without thinking about bunnies. It's not uncommon to jump 20-30 rabbits in an outing. They're thick!

This afternoon in hot 90 deg weather, everything drier than an witches you know what, he pointed 2 covey of Chukar in about 40 minutes and never bothered with a rabbit. When my Garmin point alarm goes off, I want to find this dog on birds, not bunnies. He's smart enough to know that he shouldn't be messin' with them and rugged enough for a little bit of tough love

[Sharon]

Wow. Time to get a beagle too.

[bobman]

dogs don't mature until age 3 he's a pup and sounds like a heck of a nice one, let him mature at his natural pace and you will end up with a lot more dog in the long run.

Would you expect consistent excellence from a 16 year old kid? That's a good analogy.

[Moonshine Ike]

Wow. Time to get a beagle too.

Sharon, we have an unbelievable amount of rabbits around. Last year was crazy, I thought there would be a drop off this year. No.

Mostly cottontails, but quite a few jackrabbits.

Bobman, yea, it's a special pup, phenomenal actually. Very far advanced for his age...I'd like to think we can get him cold turkey off them screwy wabbits

[bobman]

sounds very nice and living in a game rich place is perfect, get ready for what's known as the " terrible twos" he will probably go through it like a kid in their late teens that know everything lol

When he's three he will mature and I bet he will be incredible

[SCT]

I don't have a problem with trash breaking after the flush. We have tons of rabbits and hares here too. My 8 month old pointer pups find and chase them for a few jumps then they're off again hunting birds. They prefer birds for obvious reasons but also because when they flush they can see them and chase them a lot further. My broke dogs act more annoyed with all the rabbits and don't point them much. They've been into hundreds of birds so that's all they care about;-)

[Pedro]

be patient he's really still a puppy and if you don't do something stupid he will out grow it, as correctly suggested above just ignore it call him off and move on

I've been training pointing dogs since the late sixties lot of them and every single one figured it out on their own.

Do no harm just laugh it off as typical puppy nonsense. You and he are supposed to be having fun.

x2

Don't think ever had a bird dog didn't point a rabbit. Heck, even the old dogs will do it on a slow day. Nothing wrong with telling him to leave it, no, whatever you choose to convey not good, then walk off and keep hunting.

[Sharon]

I don't have a problem with trash breaking after the flush. We have tons of rabbits and hares here too. My 8 month old pointer pups find and chase them for a few jumps then they're off again hunting birds. They prefer birds for obvious reasons but also because when they flush they can see them and chase them a lot further. My broke dogs act more annoyed with all the rabbits and don't point them much. They've been into hundreds of birds so that's all they care about;-)

Now there's the answer. Treat it as a trash break AFTER the flush - don't be too gentle with that e collar for trash breaking.

[reba]

Rabbits! Rabbits! Rabbits!

Back to rabbits later.

My GSP's will point sheep, cows, goats, bobcat, mountain lion, skunk, antelope, a Montana wolf and a Montana porcupine. I am sure I've left something out.

What I want to stress is be certain what it is that your dog is pointing before you release it. I didn't and my little sweetheart Jolie go into the porcupine.

I saw the big black wolf Dutch had pointed up, it was about 85 yards out. The bobcat was just on the other side of the bush when I saw it. On both occasions the dogs held point.

Now back to rabbits. Just pick your command like: "no rodents" You can tell when the nose is on the ground and your dog is running in circles. Once the dogs knows what "no rodents" means just use it for all other trash.

If you yell and run in circles your dog will think it's great fun!

[33Scout]

Like others have stated, don't shoot at any. I also make sure my dogs know that I am not happy about him pointing a rabbit. Once the rabbit flushes and I am for sure it is a rabbit I will call the dog back to me and tell him no. Ive never had many issues with it. When I first started hunting my oldest setter Pete he would occasionally point a rabbit but never had a problem with it.

[NEhomer]

sounds very nice and living in a game rich place is perfect, get ready for what's known as the " terrible twos" he will probably go through it like a kid in their late teens that know everything lol

When he's three he will mature and I bet he will be incredible

This is what I'm bracing for. My setter's first year was awesome but now that he knows what he's after but is not yet sure how to do it all correctly, I'm gonna need some patience. Man is he gonna be terrific when he matures.

I've nicked him with the collar when he's pointing rabbits and immediately turned direction and led him away to "go find birds." His interest in fur has lessened and I'm sure he's going to learn to ignore them.