The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting Dogs My lab is too touchy feelyGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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...trying to teacher her to be a good upland dog and she just hangs to close to me... I purposely avoided any serious "heal" training when taking her for walks...but we get in the field she won't really get out in front. She is only 6 mos old...she is interested in birds but she just likes to stay close... She is not timid in other environments... Its like..."Gee Dad lets just go for a nice walk and I'll stay next to you cause you are my best friend" Two weeks of formal training at a hunting kennel and she stil won't real get out there far enough so that they can get her "introduced" to the gun... Any thoughts  Mike  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | ||
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That's a nice loking dog Mike. I'm not a dog trainer, but this is what I did. Everytime we went out, I'd make sure it was in an open area without natural paths or walkways. I made it a point that when ever I could, I would walk towards my pup so she was always in the front. If she stepped off to the side, I'd turn and walk towards her. Eventually she got it and stayed out front. "There are worse memorials to a life well-lived than a pair of elephant tusks." Robert Ruark | |||
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SBT, I would say that was good thinking. And as for the 6 month old I would say that perhaps it might not hurt to remember that she is still just a pup, and a big part of why she is behind you is that she just does not have the self confidence yet to venture forward. As things start to interest her out front she should begin to change positions. (When I was a kid my father used to tell me that God hated a coward, I finally realized he has even less use for a fool.) | |||
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Sounds like good advice. I'd not add much pressure to the equation if she lacks confidence. With horses, we make sure that the horse always gives us a bubble of personal space. Dogs should be no different. Work on heeling, just make her maintain whatever distance you're comfortable with (18-36 inches or so). She should respond to this bubble always, so if you turn into her she should move away to maintain the bubble. Be careful how in depth you go, because you can get her so hooked to you that she stops working the birds. | |||
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This is what you are supposed to do! In "Water Dog" in the chapter about teaching a dog to quarter, Wolters says to do just that. Also to just stop and wait if your dog hangs at your side and let him naturally get out in front, then continue your walk with him in front | |||
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Another suggestion is to get her out in the field with an older more experienced dog (preferably one that is trained to range reasonably). Puppies learn a lot by imitation. | |||
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What a lovely dog, but it's just a pup, give it another 6 months. A mate did my head in with his Cocker spaniel trying to "Train" it when it was too young. Shes 2 years old now and a top hunting dog. "When doing battle, seek a quick victory." | |||
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Coming home from being gone for 8 days...gonna be glad to see my pooch... Mike What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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"Hey Fred, I'm gonna be out of town on business for a couple weeks. How about you look after that prize bird dog of mine? Take her out hunting? She'd like that!" Couple weeks later -- "So Fred, how'd that prize bird-dog of mine work out for you?" "Well, pretty good, once we got something straight between us." "Something straight? How's that?" "Well, we'd be working across a field and all of a sudden she'd stop dead in her tracks. She'd stick her nose out, put her tail out straight behind her, just stand there, frozen, on three legs." "And she wasn't working for you?" "Well, not at first. She'd just freeze up in her tracks. But a couple good swift kicks in the ass broke her of that habit!  That's a sweet pup you got there! | |||
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Hey Mike, I'm thinking its a little late in the season but what do you think about giving her a reason to venture away from you a little in the form of some stinky farm raised pheasants? When I was living down your way I used to really like introducing a young dog to live birds by buying a 20 bird card at one of the local pheasant clubs. The repetition of scenting, finding, flushing and retrieving 20 chickens I think cemented the concept ofventuring out and hunting. If your dog hunts close at 6 months of age I'd think this would be a real benefit at 12 months and older. The last couple of male labs I've had have been far reaching so to speak. | |||
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Thnaky for all the tips...I picked up Wolters book Mike What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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IMO...overdoing the obedience with young dogs tends to make them more dependent. Lay the groundwork, but don't overdo the repetition work unless all you want from the dog is a directed retriever. Leave time and opportunity for the dog to explore and exercise some independence too if you want to develop some strong field search. | |||
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She is still a baby, dependent on the the parental figure, work with her on a daily basis and you will have a good dog!!! When catapults are outlawed, only outlaws will have catapults! | |||
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