some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

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ksman85
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some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by ksman85 » Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:04 pm

I have a young female lab pup that I have sent of to a pro to be trade she has always been very shy and timid he said after a few weeks that she was better but in the months since she will not hunt she will only follow behind me. It doesn't seem to bother her when I shot but if we flush a bird she jumps when I pull up my gun I have worked with her for hrs playing fetch and working with her and she does pretty good but in when we get out in the field it all changes can someone plz help me I n need a hunting dog not a lap dog that is scared of everything

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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by mxdad777 » Sat Nov 12, 2011 11:03 pm

Put the gun away for now. Take her on daily walks in the field and keep your mouth shut. Let her explore and be a pup. After doing this for 2 weeks, plant a clip wing quail for her and lead her in to it at a cross wind. If all goes well, she will get excited with the bird and chase it, catch it what ever. As long as she's excited about the bird, you're on your way. Plant 2 birds next time and before too long she will realize that there are birds out in the field and will be looking for them. If for some reason she shy's away from the bird, you've got a major problem on your hands and I would find a local pro to help you.
PS I wouldn't shoot a gun over her until she is crazy about birds and is hunting for them aggressively. And even then I wouldn't use a shotgun, I would use a starters pistol at a distance just to make sure she isn't gun shy. Good luck and be patient.

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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by ksman85 » Sat Nov 12, 2011 11:23 pm

That is part of my problem her is I have sent her off to a pro and he claims she was fine and got excited about the bird and would hunt but then the day after she comes home I take her out and she wont work and she shudder away from the birds I have tried praising her ignoring her everything I can think of and she still ether wants to walk next to me or behind me and anytime there's a quick moment aka bird flushing me shouldering my gun or just someone reaching down to pet her to quick her tail goes between her leg and she just shuts down she hasn't been beat the worst she has had is a swat here and there for acting up or going to the bathroom in the house I just can't figure it out endless the guy I took her to did something that I don't know about

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Sharon
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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by Sharon » Sun Nov 13, 2011 5:18 pm

Are you too hard on the dog? I have no idea but that will keep a dog fearful and walking behind.Was the e-collar introduced properly.?
Next time pick a pro close enough for you to visit and watch the dog work on weekends. I bought a dog that had been abused for 2 years (long story) ..I had to deal with exactly what you are talking about. Took a lot of time , no rebukes , only praise , but now can be corrected etc.running big.
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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by MikeB » Sun Nov 13, 2011 5:45 pm

I would stop wasting your money on this dog. This dog will never be the hunting dog you want or need. If it was me.... I would cut my loss and find this dog a good family home with kids and then find youself a pup from proper breeding for your needs and start again.

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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by ksman85 » Sun Nov 13, 2011 6:24 pm

No I haven't been hard in her just scolding or a swat her and there for acting up never had an e collar on her and as for the pro the closest one that I have found is the guy she has went to for training and he lives a good 3hrs away im hoping that with time she will come around and also considering getting a 2 or 3do yr old that has been started and seeing if that wont maybe help bring her around and as for giving up on her I may well give up on her o e day but I won't get rid of her she has become really close to me and my family she may just be a house dog

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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by K9luke » Sun Nov 13, 2011 7:22 pm

Just a guess but it sounds like the trainer used a shock collar around birds. Also used it way to much and made the dog nervous and look to you for EVERYTHING.

If you want to keep the dog, take the time to let instinct take over and let it hunt without pressure and take it out a lot ! Make sure the "hunt" is succsessful with planted clipped wing birds and lots of praise and fun. As mentined above I would seriously consider getting another dog and start over.

Good luck !

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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by gonehuntin' » Sun Nov 13, 2011 8:09 pm

Take her back to the pro and have him work her for you.

You should have been going to his kennel and getting lessons on how the dog was trained. It could be something as simple as you not giving the dog the correct release command.

Start with the pro, let us know what he says, they we may have some more ideas for you.
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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by ksman85 » Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:47 pm

I will try that I have talked to him and he says he never used the coller on her but who knows and as for bird I have yet to find anyone that will sell me some bird fish and game is kinda picky up in my neck of the woods on game birds and pigeons r hard to find to im trying just taking her out a few times a week now and just letting her run but she still is very unsure of everything I know all her siblings have been great hunters so im hoping she is just a little slower on there and there isn't something more wrong with her that I don't know about ie runt of litter ir wasn't taken care of right by breeder or bullied by her brothers and sister ether way things go she will be a good dog and she will always be loved here even if she wont hunt also could ot also be that my wife has babied her to much she is really really over protective of her could that be part of it to

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Sharon
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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by Sharon » Sun Nov 13, 2011 11:50 pm

ksman85 wrote:I will try that I have talked to him and he says he never used the coller on her but who knows and as for bird I have yet to find anyone that will sell me some bird fish and game is kinda picky up in my neck of the woods on game birds and pigeons r hard to find to im trying just taking her out a few times a week now and just letting her run but she still is very unsure of everything I know all her siblings have been great hunters so im hoping she is just a little slower on there and there isn't something more wrong with her that I don't know about ie runt of litter ir wasn't taken care of right by breeder or bullied by her brothers and sister ether way things go she will be a good dog and she will always be loved here even if she wont hunt also could ot also be that my wife has babied her to much she is really really over protective of her could that be part of it to
Maybe but probably not. A dog that has a strong desire to find birds can't be deterred.
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gonehuntin'
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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by gonehuntin' » Mon Nov 14, 2011 6:37 am

Please also keep this in mind; some lab's quarter, (most), some don't and have no interest in it.

Your dog is only 8 months old; just how old was she when she went to the trainer and what did he do with her?

I will generally take a four month program to turn out a decent gun dog.

My best guess is that the trainer never got her to the field. She was obedience trained and ff'd only. That would explain her not quartering; she's only been taught to heel. ASK YOUR TRAINER.
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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by RoostersMom » Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:37 am

ksman85 wrote: also could ot also be that my wife has babied her to much she is really really over protective of her could that be part of it to
I'd bet against this being the problem. IMO, most "house dogs" do better in the field, have more confidence and are certainly not cowering from someone in the field. They're more likely to be stubborn and push the limits since they know they're a part of the family. Your pup needs lots of birds and some time off from the gun for sure. She'll get more confidence as you get her on tons of birds. You ought to be able to get pigeons fairly easily - keep looking for them.

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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by ksman85 » Mon Nov 14, 2011 8:47 am

Im going to have to talk to him becuz I did not send her the for 4 months but she was there for a month and he claimed he had her on birds every day im really starting to think I paid this guy s bunch of money to take her out for 15 min a day and then locked her in a kennel

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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by honestcharlie56 » Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:07 am

I'm new to this but I do know........You need to be there periodically to watch what the trainer is doing, what commands hes using, how he treats the dogs. Hav eyou talked to him yet?
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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by Garrison » Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:23 am

You may want to let her run with some other dogs in the field a couple times to help build some confidence away from your leg, but I wouldn't over do it because she sounds like she might become dependent on them as well.
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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by ksman85 » Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:32 am

Garrison wrote:You may want to let her run with some other dogs in the field a couple times to help build some confidence away from your leg, but I wouldn't over do it because she sounds like she might become dependent on them as well.
See that is my fear right now becuz my wife has her dog just a little lap dog and if they are apart she seems to shut down more I kinda have the feeling that I have kinda the same problem I had with my horse where she is herd bond now and with her not being around another dog she doesn't know how to act im starting to think I need to get my kennel run set up and put her out there to kinda separate her from my wifes dog a little and maybe that will help her come around to

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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by ksman85 » Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:37 am

honestcharlie56 wrote:I'm new to this but I do know........You need to be there periodically to watch what the trainer is doing, what commands hes using, how he treats the dogs. Hav eyou talked to him yet?
I have talked to him he says he did nothing wrong and as for going down to see her there it is kinda hard as most people now day money is tight and with gas so high eight now it is hard to drive those 2 plus hrs down there to check on her that is one of the draw backs to living out in my area its hard to find things aka bird trainers things like that

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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by Garrison » Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:50 am

She sounds like a smart dog that is afraid of doing something wrong, I don't think separating her from the family is going to help her confidence or understanding of what it is you want her to do. Sounds like too much pressure on an already soft dog. Time to let her be a pup and figure out that going to the field with you is fun, not a reason to get lit up or corrected for something she doesn't understand. I would let her catch some birds and make a big deal out of it so she knows they don't bite.
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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by gonehuntin' » Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:55 am

Maybe you're just expecting too much out of an 8 month old pup. If you can get her out with older dogs, and hit a great bird cover, I'd do that and see if she fires up.

I think what you're NOT doing, is finding out EXACTLY what the trainer did with her. Getting her on a lot of birds covers a lot of territory.

How about obedience....did he do any of that with her.

Personally, I don't see that he could have done much in a month. It takes the dog two weeks just to adjust to kennel life and her new trainer.
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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by Ruffshooter » Mon Nov 14, 2011 10:30 am

You spent the money for training, You need to spend the money on gas and go visit the trainer with the dog and have him go through his commands corrections and manner of handling this dog. If the dog works good there then it will for you when you know what you are doing. One month? What was your expectations out of the one month? Just curious.

Secondly, babying a soft dog is the worse thing you can do. Just keep going to the woods or fields and let the dog do what ever it wants and keep silent. Let the dog figure stuff out. Let the dog be a pup.

Good luck
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Re: some one plz help my 8 month old lab pup

Post by mountaindogs » Mon Nov 14, 2011 11:13 am

gonehuntin' wrote:...Personally, I don't see that he could have done much in a month. It takes the dog two weeks just to adjust to kennel life and her new trainer.
was thinking that also. Skittish dogs who have not been many places in puppyhood especially, take a while to adjust. Much like a protected child who goes the first day to preschool, it's loud, they don't know anyone, and it's different. Most trainers work with the dogs, especially young dogs like yours, on just casual exposure. Exposure to the field, to birds, to gunfire, it should all be FUN and to be fun the dog has to be comfortable. Can't be rushed. Much depends on the dog and the socialization it had before....
If it were I, I would pack the dog back up, and drive to the trainers for a half day, show me session. Watch how the trainer acts, their body language, the commands they use, and so forth. Little things can make a big difference. Example: Recently was doing some confidence work extending marking ability with a dog. After his first hunt the owner said the dog was very hard mouthed. So I talked with him and we walked through this. Dog was needing some correction there, but he didn't know how to correct it so was letting it go. Of course it got worse. Also he didn't use the word "drop" just tugged on the bird and said dog is not releasing the bird to me. :roll: Yes, he was told this before, but ALOT goes into training. Trainer and dog have months to learn, owner had just forgotten. The dog was proofed on FF so as NOT to drop the bird, previous issue, and has been trained to hold, hold, hold, until I say drop... so as soon as we fixed the communication issues, and I showed him how to prevent the chewing from a distance, and how to get proper release, and in 20 minutes dog was back to correct behavior, handled by the owner.

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