Dog is yo- yoing

[Bad River]

I'm looking for some ideas on stopping my pointer from yo-yoing. The pup will run ahead around a hundred yards ahead before running back to me than run back in-front of me.With out me calling her back. Thanks in advance.

[mask]

Don't pay any attention to her when she comes back and she will more than likely quit this behavior on her own.

[setterpoint]

iv never had this problem befor so dont know how good of advise i can give but you might try as soon as the dog turns to come back to you make a 90 degree turn and walk in a fast pace hand signal the dog to go to the front if you have pigeons you could let one fly out of your hand the dog will chase the bird that will keep the dog from running back to you and hope it will teach the dog when you turn to go to the front .worth a try

[Meller]

How old is the dog?

[Timewise65]

This is a common problem with us Retriever guys when we first start working our dogs in the field. Retriever training focuses on keeping the dog close at heal unless sent on a line. Then they are trained to return to 'heal' after mouthing the bird. So when we take them in the field and let them lose to run, most times the go out a few yards and then back, etc. etc. My youngest pup went on her first upland game hunt this year, and she absolutely wore herself out running back and force on day one.

I ignored her and after she kicked up a few birds she figured out she could stay out in front and hunt. I did a few 45 degree directional changes and she got the quartering down pat.
So as above, ignore the dog when he returns (hard to do), and if you get lucky and he finds some birds, in time he will forget the yo yo and focus on birds....

Good luck

[Sharon]

Common problem for pointing breed training too ; often due to calling PUP back too often.As has been said: ignore , don't look at the dog , change direction. No unintended reward in any way might fix this.

edit : See what gonehuntin' said below. That is the real answer that works.

[Shellottome]

Funny stuff


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gonehuntin']

If the dog finds birds in the field, he won't come back to you. How far do you want him to range? 200 yards? Then plant a bird at 200 yards. Plant another one 200 yards past the first one, and another 200 yards past the second one. When he finds the first one, proceed to the 2nd, then third. You get the idea. If he never finds birds near you, he won't hunt near you. It's a young dog thing and not a bad thing. He's showing he wants to keep in contact with you.

[polmaise]

When You say 'Ahead' do you mean the dog is being 'cast' initially like it's a find ?./Retrieve ?...ie ..the dog is at your side then you just 'wave' and or direct in some way for the dog to release/to hunt ?.
....
Or, do you have this 'Hunting dog' in a 'Hunt position' before You Cast it 'to the left or right by way of 'questing/quartering' the ground ?
Plant as many birds as You want at any distance with a head wind and an 8 week old pup will just suck up to it and find it .
Plant some birds to the left and right with a tail wind and it can be directed to those birds with a reward of a find . But Hey' ...By 'Planting' birds you ain't getting a 'Bird dog' that flushes '..You get a 'Bird Dog' that catches.
Thought it was the scent of a bird we want to find ?

[rinker]

I realize that not everyone has the equipment/grounds to do this on, but I think the answer to a lot of the handling issues is to work them from horseback or from ATV and work them at a fast pace. If the handler is on an ATV and going 10 mph or so, the dog learns to find the front and stay there. Catching up from behind is exhausting for them, yo-yoing is exhausting, not paying attention to turns and having to catch up is exhausting, etc... Most transition easily back to working in front of a walking handler, but seem to retain the lessons learned.

[backwoods]

I realize that not everyone has the equipment/grounds to do this on, but I think the answer to a lot of the handling issues is to work them from horseback or from ATV and work them at a fast pace. If the handler is on an ATV and going 10 mph or so, the dog learns to find the front and stay there. Catching up from behind is exhausting for them, yo-yoing is exhausting, not paying attention to turns and having to catch up is exhausting, etc... Most transition easily back to working in front of a walking handler, but seem to retain the lessons learned.

Spot on.

[Featherfinder]

Dogs in general are great discriminators and lousy generalists. My dogs in the past ran (and competitively) in horseback trials. I conditioned them off of horseback but more often from an ATV. Those same dogs were exceptional woodcock dogs and hunt club dogs (biddable gun dogs). They know/learn the difference.
Gonehuntin' I think has a good idea. If your dog has the required prey drive/genetics, she will want birds BADLY! Use more open field at first and plant your birds on the distant hedgerows, like gonehuntin' said. At first I would use the same grounds. You let them out of the truck cut 'em loose and BAM they're gone looking for those far birds (that you planted there). I've run dogs at trials that remembered where the birds were from last season and will carefully check that same stand....twice!?!?! They actually remember. Use this to your advantage but don't over-do it. Once the dog consistently casts to the far front, start with a new location....repeat.
I would NOT carry birds on me, what-so-ever. That's a process I like to use with very young big-engine horseback pointers/setters to make them high class gun dogs. It's doesn't take them long to figure out that they choose to be near me of their own volition rather than acting like renegades needing correction or discipline or incessant whistles and hacking. Having birds on you is also a great starting point for young pups to hold point but I digress.
A KEY handler error is to verbalize with this yo-yoer - not even as he is going away. Too many handlers seem to need to hear themselves and this actually stresses some dogs out EVEN IF YOU ARE TRYING TO BE ENCOURAGING. Their response is to reconnect to you, default and too often, turn back to the boss to ensure they aren't in trouble - exactly what you didn't want! If this dog does come back to you, quicken your forward pace and stare hard at the distant horizon. The dog will actually recognize that you are looking far forward....trust me.
If you are annoyed (which can be "bleep" hard to hide!!) with the yo-yoing, the dog picks up on this, so keep those shoulders back, relax, act like a confident leader with a firm plan. This, they are receptive to. It takes that stress away from them. Do NOT make any eye contact with this dog if he curls back towards you. Finally, be patient as always and have faith in your plan. I do!

[gonehuntin']

there). If this dog does come back to you, quicken your forward pace and stare hard at the distant horizon. The dog will actually recognize that you are looking far forward....trust me.

That's an interesting concept that I have never noticed in dog's. Sure am going to look for it from now on!

[DonF]

Draw him out with birds. Sound's like a pretty young dog. If that's so, you could end up with a dog that hunt's for you but a mile ahead. Between the 200 yd bird and you salt the field pretty good with birds. Your pup doesn't seem to have any idea why it's out there, give it a reason!

[Featherfinder]

Hey BR, just as an aside, what is the breeding on said dog?

[Featherfinder]

Hey Gonehuntin', I got a very noticeable improvement in a guide's young pointer female by the end of day1 this past January! The guide was actually a model dog handler but got frustrated with the new addition's yo-yoing. (Previous owner fried the pointer to try to get a NAVHDA dog.) We just did what I offered BR and it worked very well.
The guide was pretty impressed and we are still in touch to this day!

[AZ Brittany Guy]

My own experience has been to much vocalization on my part. Once I fixed myself, I went to work on the dog. I carry a check cord hanging on my belt loop. When he comes back I give him a friendly greeting then snap on the check cord and do a five minute whoa drill. Make him stand then unsnap him and send him on.

I usually takes about 3 - 4 sessions of this and they seem to loose interest in yo yoing. But...I'm always here for them if they want to come in for a whoa drill.

[Behiden]

I'm looking for some ideas on stopping my pointer from yo-yoing. The pup will run ahead around a hundred yards ahead before running back to me than run back in-front of me.With out me calling her back. Thanks in advance.

No chance )) its interective for dog !