Directional Commands in Handling

[Springfield Pointers]

So unless your dog can see people in white coats, you're screwed? How does that test anything other than the dogs vision? And training to a specific function? ie: party trick... ie: not hunting...

[Judy]

You'll be fine, SP, as long as you only shoot white geese. And us Cocker owners think anyone with a Lab should be regularly seeing the men in white coats...

[CockerCanuck]

Dang! this makes sense to me. I am going to begin to incorporate it in to my directional training.

Thanks for the idea CC

It makes sense to me as well Blackjaw. However I can't take credit for it as my idea. At the risk of raising Crackered's blood pressure it was from the 1993 book by Robert Milner called "Retriever Training for the Duck Hunter". I know I read it before because I bought the book while training a young Lab at the time. However the paragraph describing directional commands did not register with me at the time. However, re-reading it last week it made a lot of sense. I too will be incorporating it in my training from now on. I really don't see any downside. If the dog ignores the verbal command but just reacts to the arm signal for left or right I am no further behind than using the command "over" which gives no indication of direction. If the dog does start to pick up on the different verbal commands than I am that much further ahead without any extra effort or time spent.

[Judy]

I tried it, the biggest downside for me was remembering the right word in the heat of the moment. I remember a lovely friend of mine trying to get her Retriever to go left at a W Test, the dog stood looking at her like she was mad. Afterwards she commented that she didn't know what had come over her dog - I replied : "I reckon it was because you stuck your left arm out and said "back"". It happens.

[trekmoor]

If training for left or right duck hunters in blinds could use duck and goose calls..... quack once for right, honk once for left.

Wullie

[CockerCanuck]

If training for left or right duck hunters in blinds could use duck and goose calls..... quack once for right, honk once for left.

Wullie

The duck call already has a function for dog control. All mine have learned very quickly, on their own, when they hear the duck call watch the sky!

[ips]

If training for left or right duck hunters in blinds could use duck and goose calls..... quack once for right, honk once for left.

Wullie

The duck call already has a function for dog control. All mine have learned very quickly, on their own, when they hear the duck call watch the sky!

Mine does same when i click safety off

[crackerd]

If training for left or right duck hunters in blinds could use duck and goose calls..... quack once for right, honk once for left.

Bill, how 'bout - for the Gundog Training Forum - honk twice if you like SP's anti-training "directionals"...

MG

[trekmoor]

If training for left or right duck hunters in blinds could use duck and goose calls..... quack once for right, honk once for left.

Wullie

The duck call already has a function for dog control. All mine have learned very quickly, on their own, when they hear the duck call watch the sky!

Mine does same when i click safety off

Every dog I have ever sat in a hide with has responded instantly to the sound of my guns safety catch being clicked to "off." I once was about to take apart and clean my shotgun in the house when I noticed my old lab "Trekmoor Tessa" was sound asleep in front of the fire. I just couldn't resist it ….. I clicked off the safety and she sort of erupted from a deep sleep into a bolt upright sitting position with her head swivelling around frantically to look for the approaching pigeon ! I will never forget the absolutely filthy look she gave me when she , a couple of seconds later, recognised her present surroundings and knew I had tricked her.

I am still torn between finding this funny and being thoroughly ashamed of myself for doing that to her …….

Wullie

[ips]

The duck call already has a function for dog control. All mine have learned very quickly, on their own, when they hear the duck call watch the sky!

Mine does same when i click safety off

Every dog I have ever sat in a hide with has responded instantly to the sound of my guns safety catch being clicked to "off." I once was about to take apart and clean my shotgun in the house when I noticed my old lab "Trekmoor Tessa" was sound asleep in front of the fire. I just couldn't resist it ….. I clicked off the safety and she sort of erupted from a deep sleep into a bolt upright sitting position with her head swivelling around frantically to look for the approaching pigeon ! I will never forget the absolutely filthy look she gave me when she , a couple of seconds later, recognised her present surroundings and knew I had tricked her.

I am still torn between finding this funny and being thoroughly ashamed of myself for doing that to her …….

Wullie

Well ya big meanie