Hunting Lessons

[naustin]

Hi guys having a small problem with my young lab in that he is very reluctant to hunt. His heel work is really good and perhaps I have over done this. I have done some hunting training with him in cover - casting him off in one direction and dropping tennis balls for him to find in the opposite, but I have been on two pheasant days now and he just tracks along side me when beating, will have a short hunt and back. How can I bring outthat drive in him? Could just be confidence and he has not caught on to the game yet. Cant fault him for steadiness, perhaps I have over done this and should just use him when I am shooting myself. Back to a spaniel maybe for beating although my old yellow lab hunts like a trooper, I thought Gunner may have taken alead from hm today.

Any ideas?

Regards,

Nigel.

[Polmaise]

Maybe the young dog ,just requires a 'Trigger command', that actually means something? (To the dog)

[naustin]

Maybe the young dog ,just requires a 'Trigger command', that actually means something? (To the dog)

I have been trying this with a simple 'lost' command which does stimulate him similar to your video link Polmaise. He probably just needs a little more encouragement and experience.

Nigel.

[Polmaise]

Or / a better 'Game' Nigel ..One that would be 'fun/fun/fun' ?> especially just after you 'trigger' the word, with a 'find/find find'?

[Judy]

Think yourself lucky! I've seen a few first time out Gundogs take off for the horizon and not return until the drive is empty of birds. At a guess your dog is a little bemused by it all, as soon as he gets more confident he'll be off, just make sure he isn't 'off' to the far end of the drive. I've had one or two picking up dogs that hung around me rather than hunting for the first shoot or three, they soon cottoned on though once they started to relax.

[Polmaise]

Like everything ?.. I suppose as the experts say is absolutely true!...Getting all the basics right before you put the dog into a situation is so important!
So all the drills and techniques,should be rock solid at basic level' I am told?> should then be ready to be 'proofed'?..If the wheel falls off , in one aspect,then you should concentrate on that aspect?.Perhaps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkxwzjc5J84

[Judy]

Nigel has done some hunt training with the Lab which made me think its sticking around because it is a bit wary of what's going on and that's something you can only rectify in the shooting field, I'm sure the dog will be fine once its got the hang of things. After all, I can remember a certain young Cocker which had absolutely no desire to hunt when faced with a novel situation at a training day.

[Polmaise]

And I am sure they are all different!..Much like the cocker'

[Goffy]

when i want my dogs to hunt i use the command seek on, or a geerrrt ooonn (get on), if it is a hunt for a retrieve then i use the Hie lost command,
give him a bit of time, and priase for hunting, and be pleased you have got steadiness.
jan

[Bruneval3]

Polmaise, really enjoyed that video of yours. Being a novice it was nice to see it from your angle, superb nice steady dogs also.