In Need Of Help For My Huntin Dog
-
Danthe2pointmuleyman
- Spike
- Posts: 87
- Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2004 11:17 pm
- Location: utah
- Contact:
In Need Of Help For My Huntin Dog
Hey,
I got to readin the upland game section and thought i would make a post thats sort of related to that section in here. I have a golden retriever and have had her for ohhhh 2 yrs and she has been the best farm and ranch dog you have ever seen. She has the smarts to be a mature and wise hunting dog except there is one thing wrong, she HATES hunting. She loves goin outside and she craves water and mud but when it comes to hunting there just isnt anything there. She has no nose on her and doesnt respond too well to anything. Last but not least she is very gun shy and i have worked like no tomorrow with her to get her used to gunshots but nothing is workin at all. I guess shes about 3 or 4 and a couple more yrs she will be in her prime and i would like to get her goin before she reaches her prime hunting yrs ahead. What would be the best solution to her stayin by my side an responding to me? would a electric collar be of any help? I am not too thrilled aobut using an electric collar but im not too sure what else because ive tried a choker and it isnt helping much at all. Any opinions or past experiences would be of much help to me and my faithful dog. Thanks for reading this and giving it your time anyhow. Yall enjoy the hunt and dream of the big one that got away.
I got to readin the upland game section and thought i would make a post thats sort of related to that section in here. I have a golden retriever and have had her for ohhhh 2 yrs and she has been the best farm and ranch dog you have ever seen. She has the smarts to be a mature and wise hunting dog except there is one thing wrong, she HATES hunting. She loves goin outside and she craves water and mud but when it comes to hunting there just isnt anything there. She has no nose on her and doesnt respond too well to anything. Last but not least she is very gun shy and i have worked like no tomorrow with her to get her used to gunshots but nothing is workin at all. I guess shes about 3 or 4 and a couple more yrs she will be in her prime and i would like to get her goin before she reaches her prime hunting yrs ahead. What would be the best solution to her stayin by my side an responding to me? would a electric collar be of any help? I am not too thrilled aobut using an electric collar but im not too sure what else because ive tried a choker and it isnt helping much at all. Any opinions or past experiences would be of much help to me and my faithful dog. Thanks for reading this and giving it your time anyhow. Yall enjoy the hunt and dream of the big one that got away.
Happy Trails
-
Don Fischer
- 3 point
- Posts: 381
- Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2005 6:46 pm
- Location: Antelope, Oregon
Ihave worked with a good many pointing dog's and a few retriver's. Your golden is a retriever. I suspect it does like to play fetch. In most breed's there's field and show strain then there's those who mix the two; they like to call them thing's like, "hunting/show". Generally, the hunting show dog's lean heavly toward the show breeding. Usually larger, quite often,,,,,, goofy, for want of a better word. If you got one of those, your up against the wall.
As for being gun shy, it is the rare dog that is gun shy. Rather they are taught to fear gun's. At your dog's age you may never get past that. There are method's claimed to work but my experience is it's not generally wort the effort; most just don't come around. If you find a trainer willing to try, make sure he/she guarente's success, they won't! Many of these people end up doing more damage and giving you the bill.
If you go looking for a new golden, don't be impressed with bloodline's. You'll likely see lot's of champion's. Unless it say's field ch, "fld ch", it's a show champion. Make them show you the parent's work!!! Have them shoot around the parent's. Look at the puppies. They should be bold an inquisative. Avoid puppies with punctured ear's and tooth mark's. Healthy well adjusted pup's play and wressle. Pup's not properly fed, fight over food!
Puppy shot's should start no later than eight week's, some start as soon as five week's, either way work's. For field dog's, dew claw's should have been removed at three to five day's. Getting back to field vrs show for a moment, golden's are seldom used in field trial's, they are softer than lab's. Meaning gentler in disposition, making them a bit more difficult to push thru training. The first week of retriever training is refered to as "burn week". Retriever's are expected to retrieve and when the owner come's back, they usually expect to see retrieving! Heavy duty force training the first week. A golden could take force training, but probally not the kind I've just mentioned. as a result, even tho many make wonderful retriver's for the hunter, few make trial dog's. For that reason, see the parent's work.
Your dog is, in all likelyhood, going to have to be your buddy. Should you want to try and get it over gun shyness, let me know. There are some thing's you can try but remember, success is rare. And if your dog is truely a gun shy dog, not one thaght to fear gun shot, you'll never cure it.
As for being gun shy, it is the rare dog that is gun shy. Rather they are taught to fear gun's. At your dog's age you may never get past that. There are method's claimed to work but my experience is it's not generally wort the effort; most just don't come around. If you find a trainer willing to try, make sure he/she guarente's success, they won't! Many of these people end up doing more damage and giving you the bill.
If you go looking for a new golden, don't be impressed with bloodline's. You'll likely see lot's of champion's. Unless it say's field ch, "fld ch", it's a show champion. Make them show you the parent's work!!! Have them shoot around the parent's. Look at the puppies. They should be bold an inquisative. Avoid puppies with punctured ear's and tooth mark's. Healthy well adjusted pup's play and wressle. Pup's not properly fed, fight over food!
Puppy shot's should start no later than eight week's, some start as soon as five week's, either way work's. For field dog's, dew claw's should have been removed at three to five day's. Getting back to field vrs show for a moment, golden's are seldom used in field trial's, they are softer than lab's. Meaning gentler in disposition, making them a bit more difficult to push thru training. The first week of retriever training is refered to as "burn week". Retriever's are expected to retrieve and when the owner come's back, they usually expect to see retrieving! Heavy duty force training the first week. A golden could take force training, but probally not the kind I've just mentioned. as a result, even tho many make wonderful retriver's for the hunter, few make trial dog's. For that reason, see the parent's work.
Your dog is, in all likelyhood, going to have to be your buddy. Should you want to try and get it over gun shyness, let me know. There are some thing's you can try but remember, success is rare. And if your dog is truely a gun shy dog, not one thaght to fear gun shot, you'll never cure it.
-
Don Fischer
- 3 point
- Posts: 381
- Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2005 6:46 pm
- Location: Antelope, Oregon
I forgot to mention, probally a good idea to leave the electric collar alone. More dog's are ruined with one than are made. Used right, it is the absolutely best training aid ever devised. IT SHOULD NEVER BE USED TO HAND OUT PUNISHMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If your bound and determined to try one, there's a video by Greg Koch that is the best you'll find on using a shock collar. He does pointing dog's' utilizing the Delmar Smith method. Don't concern yourself with the breed's he's working with, IT'S THE METHOD THAT COUNT'S!!! A shock collar is a training aid used to guide the dog, not a punishment tool.
Wish I could tell you where to find the video but I can't. I loaned out mine and never got it back.
Wish I could tell you where to find the video but I can't. I loaned out mine and never got it back.