Training Help
Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 1:41 pm
So I have a year old French Brittany that is pretty obedient, sans his incessant barking. I have exposed him to gunfire and birds without issue. He reliably points planted pigeons and chukars/pheasants on preserves. My frustration relates to wild birds. I live in Michigan and own 20 acres of property in the U.P. I spent the last two weekends in the Yoop with my dog running him through a variety of covers. We found ZERO grouse. Didnt even hear one. We were able to come across woodcock on three occasions. But he never pointed the "bleep" birds! I flushed one, took him to where it flew and he just flushed it, no point that I saw. On another occasion I saw the woodcock in the road. I stopped the jeep and got the dog out about 30 yards from the bird. The birds was CLEARLY visible in the road. I told the dog the "find it" which is a command I regularly use with birds. He ran ten yards toward the bird then turned and looked at me. I told him to "find it" again, he ran another ten yards, rinse and repeat. On the last find it he ran close enough that he flushed the bird. Once the bird flushed he was very interested and took off into the toolies after the bird. Sounded like he flushed in two times in rapid succession before I called him back.
My question is this, how do I make him understand the specifics scents/birds I want him to find? While we were in the woods the "bleep" dog was hunting chipmunks! I took steps to correct this using his e-collar. Like I said he is a pigeon finding machine, hes never missed a bird I planted. Same with preserve birds. He finds them all. But grouse and woodcock are a different story. Any help will be appreciated.
My question is this, how do I make him understand the specifics scents/birds I want him to find? While we were in the woods the "bleep" dog was hunting chipmunks! I took steps to correct this using his e-collar. Like I said he is a pigeon finding machine, hes never missed a bird I planted. Same with preserve birds. He finds them all. But grouse and woodcock are a different story. Any help will be appreciated.