LIFT MY GUN UP IN THE HIDE & DOG BOLTS

[bucknut 1]

I AM TRAINING A LITTLE COCKER AND ITS ALL NEW TO ME. AS SOON AS I LFT MY GUN UP IN THE HIDE SHES OFF OUTSIDE STOPS AND LOOKS FOR A DROPPING BIRD. iM NOT A GREAT SHOT BUT IF I DO HIT ONE SHES GONE AWAY TO GET IT BEFORE ANY COMMAND. DO YOU PRAISE WHEN SHE COMES TO YOU WITH THE BIRD?

 

I HAVE CALLED HER AFTER SHOOTING AND SHE DOES STOP BUT THE QUESTION IS, DO I PEG HER DOWN? THE STAY COMMAND BEFORE SHOOTING DOES NOT WORK - SHES JUST OFF.

 

PEEVED ME TOGAY BECAUSE EVERY TIME I GOT INTO POSSITION TO SHOOT SHE RAN OUT OF THE HIDE AND THE PIGEONS FLECKED OFF.

 

PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO DO.

 

CHEERS BUCK

[Catcher 1 639]

no gun dog mate.And i hear the cocker is a hand full.I would tie or hold it back and give the command stay or down as i fire the gun just to let it know the gun going of dosent mean it can take off .atb. Catcher

[hily 379]

sorry to have to tell you this but spanials are bred to hunt not to be peg dogs anyway go back to basics try to get some patients into the dog before you give a command count up to say 100 in your head before asking the dog to retrieve or return from stay position and then as you go on make the number more so you are waiting longer and longer before you get the dog to do anything.plus you can get the dog to sit before you feed it and after you put its food down to it make it wait until you tell it to eat .don't have a set routine for training mix it up so the dog does'nt know what you are going to ask it to do next this should help stop the dog from jumping the gun and stop it from guessing what you want it to do next hope some of this helps. atb.

[Dan Newcombe 58]

Need to work on the steadyness.

 

The 'sit' needs to be well ingrained then sit the dog next to you and throw a dummy. Dont send the dog straight away, enforce the fact that you decide when it goes.

 

Work on this until the dog doesnt move. Then pick 3/2 dummies yourself with the dog still sat, sending it for the last one.

 

You can build this up as far as you want but i like to sit the dog 10 or so yards out and then chuck 3 / 4 dummies out. I will then pick up all but one myself and send the dog for the last.

 

The dog has also learnedto associate bangs with work so you need to incorporate this into the training in the same way.

 

As a totally personal thing i wouldnt take my cocker into a hide as he doesnt sit stil too well and gets bored which can lead to problems.

 

I would also steer clear of physically restraining him as it could lead to making noise out of frustration

 

Dan

[Flamin'Nora! 50]

good advice from dan there about picking the dummies and sending the dog for the last one as a personal choice I wouldnt have a cocker for that type of work as its not what they are bred for a lab would be a better choice much steadyer

[nercwys 10]

I would just put the dog on a stake until you want it to go and fetch the birds mate.

If your in a hide mate there is no need for the dog to be loose ,It might learn this way.

[rickyspringer 15]

all great advice there, take it all in to account, Dan spot on again mate, you could also take the dog in the hide with a pal, you let your pal shoot & your attention is totally on the dog.Need to instill the sit and stay first though

[v-max 2]

I would just put the dog on a stake until you want it to go and fetch the birds mate.

If your in a hide mate there is no need for the dog to be loose ,It might learn this way.

Thats the worst bit o advice to give & you have showed your knowledge on the training of dogs keep it to your self. A dog needs to be trained & will only learn bad habits if all you do is peg it then let it off with no aim of control. Bucknut take it right back to basics as you foundations is broken & she needs to learn its either do it or have a dog that could be working till 12yrs of age & sheer hell & drive you up the wall & if you start beating etc you wont be able to enjoy her & let her work & its her that looses out in the long run.

[upperlane2 4]

time 2 stop the shooting over the dog and go back to basics dont listen to these boy s saying a cocker wont pick up of a peg . All dogs will it sound like u are giving ur dog to many retrieves so for the next few weeks u do all the picking up maybe give her 1 at the end of a training session. but the key is to get her before she gets the retrieve and put her back to where she was.it might seem harsh but u know she can retrieve so work on her steadiness ATB Andy

[Hoolit 2]

I think your problem in a nutshell is you are trying to train the dog while out shooting he is never going to improve if you keep shooting over him.

Go back to the start NO shoot days for this dog take him to an area on the lead get a friend to fire a few shots with starting pistol get your mate to walk beside you and shoulder the gun as if about to shoot. Get the dog siting while you throw dummies around him ,then you pick all dummies stand in front of him move your hands about tap your legs rattle your change do all sorts of movements if he moves pick him up dont say word to him right back on the spot he moved from big gruff voice stay ,do this over a few weeks every day for about 20-30mins sessions you MUST have a dog steady to game ,shot and all temptations before he/she ever goes ona shoot .

 

Ps you stick with the cocker mate the gutsiest wee breed i the world ,ive had them in pigeon hides duck hides and goose shooting great wee dogs.

[bucknut 1]

Great advice and i will take her back to basics, i will also get a starter pistol and take things abit slower.

 

thanks again

 

Buck,

[nercwys 10]

I would just put the dog on a stake until you want it to go and fetch the birds mate.

If your in a hide mate there is no need for the dog to be loose ,It might learn this way.

Thats the worst bit o advice to give & you have showed your knowledge on the training of dogs keep it to your self. A dog needs to be trained & will only learn bad habits if all you do is peg it then let it off with no aim of control. Bucknut take it right back to basics as you foundations is broken & she needs to learn its either do it or have a dog that could be working till 12yrs of age & sheer hell & drive you up the wall & if you start beating etc you wont be able to enjoy her & let her work & its her that looses out in the long run.

 

Like i said it MIGHT work i didnt say it will.

[Dan Newcombe 58]

Nercwys

 

The problem there is that you arent actually adressing the problem, just avoiding it in the short term.

 

Liken it to those harness things for dogs that pull on the lead. You arent actually teaching the dog to not do it, you are just not allowing the behaviour AT THAT TIME. As soon as the harness is removed you get carted again.

 

Also, the dog want to go and pick-up. It hasnt been taight that there is a time and a place (that you decide) for this and therefore will get frustrated at being tied up. Once it get frustrated it MAY start to whine and yap.

 

Best thing is to not take the dog in the hide until this is sorted because it will only get harder to solve.

 

And i also say stick to the cocker! i would never buy anything else!