Got the dog home and she is doing great. I talked to my brother in law and he told me she was professionally trained as a puppy so she comes and sits very well. And she is a retrieving machine! Looking forward to training with her tomorrow.
Yellow Lab
- Thread starter Wmiller07
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I have a question about pheasant hunting with my lab. Would you attach a 15 yard long rope to yourself to teach the dog to stay at that distance or just let her go. She is a pretty good listener so I'm not worried about her running off.
Thanks J, I saw some guy using a leash last year so I wasn't sure if that was a good idea or not.
Long check cords are great for teaching dogs to stay within a certain range, but I'm not sure how well an older dog would respond. It's easier with pups because you're teaching them a habit without them really even knowing it yet. Another option could be this... take your dog for walks as if you were hunting, not in parks and whatnot but in actual fields similar to where you'd hunt... when the dog starts getting too far away or you can tell it's not paying attention to your location, switch and walk the opposite direction, or hide behind a tree, or in a ditch, etc. Most dogs that have a connection with the owner will somewhat panic when they realize they're "lost." Obviously let the dog find you without too much trouble. Just get the point across. They remember not liking that feeling and will usually learn to keep better tabs on your position.
Thanks for the tip. She listens very well but not sure how strong of a connection we have yet since its only been a few days. I'm sure it will be strong by the time pheasant season comes.
I've used the hiding from the pups as well, you're spot on about them losing their comfort level.... But boy do they go from panic to happy when they see you lol
tjeep
Junior Member
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Training for upland I would get a 50' check cord and a good pair of leather gloves trust me on the gloves. Watch a few you tube videos. An out of control Lab with a nose full of bird scent will ruin your day in the field, or you will need a pair of track shoes to keep up. Watch a few pointing dog videos on Whoa training. You can teach a lab to stand scent which will give you time to get in position for a shot. Like the other guy have said, they are super intelligent. If you give a command enforce it and be consistent. Most of all keep it fun and positive.
I've been working with my dog almost everyday since I've gotten her. She listens to commands very well and we have been working hard on getting her to stay when I throw the ball. She did very well tonight. Trying to break years worth of habits isn't easy.
Carpn and I went dove hunting yesterday (thanks for the invite Carpn). We didn't get into too many doves but got a few and my lab really enjoyed chewing on them. She didn't damage any of the breast meat. She also didn't want to bring the doves to me. Any ideas on how to fix this? I don't want to force fetch FYI.
Fyi force fetch is NOT a bad thing.
But, if you insist not to do it, you need to figure out a powerful reward for your dog... a reward that's even more powerful than holding that bird. Which may be difficult. First thing I can think of is food. When you get dog to give you the bird, give it a piece of dog food in return. See if this helps. Then slowly get rid of the food once the retrieve becomes habit. Save some dead birds and keep them in the freezer for training purposes.
Thanks for the information. I was also reading about a technique where you keep the bird in your hand when you give it to her so she learns not to bite down hard. I may try that too.