Setter flushing and not holding birds

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Sevensetters
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Setter flushing and not holding birds

Post by Sevensetters » Thu May 03, 2018 7:58 am

My 6 Years English Setter has started moving on her birds during NSTRA Field Trials, It appears she has started this after she had a litter of puppies, the puppies are 7 month old, I was wondering if anyone has had this problem before and if they had any ideas for correcting?

shags
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Re: Setter flushing and not holding birds

Post by shags » Thu May 03, 2018 8:59 am

I've had that happen with boy dogs, so don't think it has anything to do with having puppies.

They get away with it once, then get the idea it's something fun to do all the time.

With one of mine, who is usually super reliable and rarely makes mistakes, just putting him on the lead and going back to camp in shame is enough. With my younger more headstrong dog, we go back to basics with training on a check cord.

I don't do NSTRA but horseback trials. If they bust, they're done for the day, thus the walk of shame. If you're allowed to keep on after a bust in NSTRA, and only suffer a lowered score, (IDK) your problem might be that she feels it's OK because there's no consequence. Try making her quit for that stake, so she knows the jig is up.

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DonF
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Re: Setter flushing and not holding birds

Post by DonF » Fri May 04, 2018 11:14 am

Dog can really get away with quite a bit in NSTRA. Huge problem is to many times they have lousy bird's in the trials. The birds lay there and let the dog push them. You might get a set of remote traps, maybe you already have them. When the dog hit's scent it generally takes a few short steps. What you should do is pop the bird soon as the dog get's the scent. Make the dog point and hold before you can release the trap. Any movement from the dog from there on cause's the bird to go. You cannot go looking for the bird r sure as can be your dog will make the movement and you'll miss it. Unless the dog has stood till the flush, say nothing and go on. If you can get your dog out on a bunch of wild bird's that would really help. All your doing with the remote is simulating a wild bird!
I pity the man that has never been loved by a dog!

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