Backing

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Dakotazeb
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Backing

Post by Dakotazeb » Wed Apr 05, 2017 5:11 pm

My first two Brittanys never backed/honored and I really didn't think much of it. Then I got Elle 8 years ago and she was a natural backer. I had to put Elle down in November due to cancer and now have a 9 month old female Brittany. The new pup is showing no signs of backing when I'm running her in the field with other dogs. I know she is still young but will she pick up backing or am I going to have to find a trainer to train her to back. Just wondering what others experience has been with young dogs and backing. Thanks.
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Sharon
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Re: Backing

Post by Sharon » Wed Apr 05, 2017 6:36 pm

Always depends on the dog , but I used the following method and it always worked.
The key as usual is timing . Another helper is great to have .
The helper has one dog on point( bird had been planted) over the crest of a hill.... can't be seen by my dog and I.
I come up over the hill with my young dog on a cc.
Exactly, at the moment my dog sees the dog on point, I correct on the check cord.... whoa.

If you have no helper , you can do the same thing with a fake/wooden dog. Not as good though, as I want the helper to flush that bird while my young dog continues to stay put.

I do some of that method and then move the other handler/pointing dog to other kinds of terrain.
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setterpoint
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Re: Backing

Post by setterpoint » Wed Apr 05, 2017 8:05 pm

the wooden dog works put the wooden dog up where your dog cant see if you dont have a launcher you will need someone to throw birds for you walk your dog where he can see wooden dog as soon as dog sees wooden dog have your frind throw a bird walk your dod away and repeat same place your dog will start looking for wooden dog and knows a bird will follow and start to point when this happends then you can move the wooden dog to dirr, places try and use pegeons if you can .and your frind needs to be out in front of wooden dog and dont let your dog go around and smeel wooden dog you wont your dog to think it a real dog

JJT
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Re: Backing

Post by JJT » Wed Apr 05, 2017 8:45 pm

Just went through this process with my 2 year old dog. I set up a cut out over "the. Hill" put a launcher Behind the cutout. Did 6 different sessions one bird each. Over 3weeks. Walk over the hill dog sees cut out. Pop the bird. My dog stops to flush really well. By bird number 6 he was hitting a very solid stylish back at first site of the cut out. Pretty neat to see. It also showed me the additional value of stop to flush. Now I just need to hunt with someone else with a real dog:)

Trekmoor
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Re: Backing

Post by Trekmoor » Thu Apr 06, 2017 6:30 am

I've trained 3 brittanies , 4 GSP's and one vizsla from scratch. They all backed naturally and all I did was quietly and very calmly praise the backing point whenever possible. I worked them only on wild birds.....don't know if that helps create a natural back ? All of those dogs became very good at backing and would stop dead in their tracks the instant they saw another dog on point .....or even look like it might be pointing ! The time this took to achieve varied considerably from pup to pup but it was always well established within 1 to 3 months.

This is my then 5-6 months old brit backing the vizsla on a pheasant hiding among the brush under the big log.

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DonF
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Re: Backing

Post by DonF » Fri Apr 07, 2017 12:54 pm

Squirt and Bodie were both natural's. But I don't recall a lot in the past that were. Early on I used a wooden silhouette I'd made, think it's still around somewhere. Long time ago I gave it up and went to using a finished dog and remote's. This is anther place that wild birds are not your friend, their timing sucks! I run the young dog at the same time as the older dog. Handle the older dog right to where it will hit scent. Younger dog come's around, don't say a word, just pop the bird if the younger dog does or should be able to see the other dog. One small hitch here, the younger dog must be watching when you pop the bird. It has never taken much time to do this and I don't have the wooden dog still standing in the field to go knock over! The pup usually see's the other dog and start's toward it which cause's the bird to fly! Get the timing down and keep your mouth shut.
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