Advice Please

[BIG TOM 835]

Hi lads I'm looking for a bit of advice I have a 3 year old cocker her she is a lovely dog she certainly isn't perfect (yet) but is a good dog to my current standards so doin me well but the problem I have is I shot a wood pigeon the other day with the air rifle and left it till the next day to to try her with a retrieve and she ran straight to it but then totally shredded it so please help by the way she will retrieve balls and dummy's perfectly all held till in hand any thing I can try to improve thanks Tom

[BIG TOM 835]

Cheers mate I will try the wings banded onto the dummy it is the first time on a bird as I know of I was told she had only touched rabbit will try her with a experienced dog thanks for the advice Atb cheers Tom

[BIG TOM 835]

I've had her for about 2 weeks now the man I had her off bought two of them as the man he had them off was giving up due to old age and being unable to carry on so he knew I was looking for one so sold her to me i get on with her fine she is brilliant nature well behaved listens great she knows what a stern voice means and she also isn't gun shy . I was wandering if she got excited due to not been work for a while ? Thanks Tom

Edited March 8, 2013 by BIG TOM

[ftm 3,357]

well here goes mate its been said by many before me but back to basics would be my take on it -if your going to put wings on dummy it might be a good idea to have pup on a long leash so you can keep control in case she legs it with dummy & shreds wings -good luck -billy

[Philluk 181]

in the house does she shread paper or anything, does she chew?

[BIG TOM 835]

 

well here goes mate its been said by many before me but back to basics would be my take on it -if your going to put wings on dummy it might be a good idea to have pup on a long leash so you can keep control in case she legs it with dummy & shreds wings -good luck -billy

Thanks mate will do

[BIG TOM 835]

Thats a fairly valid reason for him giving her to you, i was wondering because he might think she had a fault. As fmt says, on a lead or in a controlled area like a small garden. Hope it works out for you mate atb.

aye thanks mate i would normally ask my uncle but hes away training atm so a few lessons when he gets back i think cheers mate Tom

[BIG TOM 835]

in the house does she shread paper or anything, does she chew?

No mate doesnt shred paper,bed or chew anything shes is as good as gold she is currently kenneled outside Atb Tom

Edited March 8, 2013 by BIG TOM

[Philluk 181]

Ok then you need to experiement a bit, pigeons can be quite (is there a word) "feathery" ie feathers come out more than say pheasants and some dogs dont like that, you can buy a dummy with feathers on or make your own but you will need a pheasant as they dont drop as many feathers, you need your retrieving like fly fishing in one motion, not several. the dog must run out - stop - collect - bring back and that needs to flow, try other retrieves and if you cant shoot one keep an eye on side of road and pick it up to use or get one shot by someone if it comes to it buy one, but try differant things, rabbits, etc or other birds. get the flow, not run out - stop - play - retrieve - stop- play - retrieve. Get that flow with a dummy before you use real game, she will not have time to stop and play, its the play where they rip it apart, even if you buy soft toys from pet shop and throw them as she gets better. it will be frustrating but dont not lose your temper and put her off retrieving, dont throw anything too far to start with.

 

it is a nasty habit and one to get her out of at an early age hence starting early to avoid this type of situation. it maybe that she once used to rip things apart, maybe she has always done it hence someone getting rid of her, its hard to get in the head of a second hand dog, either way you need to stop it. the chances are she picked it up off another dog, I used to take my old spaniel ratting with the terriers just for a day out and she caught a rat once, shook hell out of it like the terriers did but dropped it and it ran off rather dizzy as she had soft mouth, not far though...

 

good luck

[BIG TOM 835]

Ok then you need to experiement a bit, pigeons can be quite (is there a word) "feathery" ie feathers come out more than say pheasants and some dogs dont like that, you can buy a dummy with feathers on or make your own but you will need a pheasant as they dont drop as many feathers, you need your retrieving like fly fishing in one motion, not several. the dog must run out - stop - collect - bring back and that needs to flow, try other retrieves and if you cant shoot one keep an eye on side of road and pick it up to use or get one shot by someone if it comes to it buy one, but try differant things, rabbits, etc or other birds. get the flow, not run out - stop - play - retrieve - stop- play - retrieve. Get that flow with a dummy before you use real game, she will not have time to stop and play, its the play where they rip it apart, even if you buy soft toys from pet shop and throw them as she gets better. it will be frustrating but dont not lose your temper and put her off retrieving, dont throw anything too far to start with.

 

it is a nasty habit and one to get her out of at an early age hence starting early to avoid this type of situation. it maybe that she once used to rip things apart, maybe she has always done it hence someone getting rid of her, its hard to get in the head of a second hand dog, either way you need to stop it. the chances are she picked it up off another dog, I used to take my old spaniel ratting with the terriers just for a day out and she caught a rat once, shook hell out of it like the terriers did but dropped it and it ran off rather dizzy as she had soft mouth, not far though...

 

good luck

ok cheers mate i will give it a go i have an abundant of game thanks to my uncle lol will do my best and keep at it thanks for the advice and suggestions Atb Tom