Guest Fishaben Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Hi all, im going beating for a friend of mine when the pheasant season starts again and I was thinking of taking my dog (english springer spaniel). But he doesn't really like the sound of big bangs. e.g shotguns. I also dont think he will let go of a dead pheasant or infact any dead bird. Now what I am thinking of doing is getting a dead pheasant off my friend and throwing it for sam (my dog), teaching him to drop it for me and not to sit far away eating it,lol. Has anyone got any tips for me on how I can teach my dog to become a beater with me??? Ben Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stabs 3 Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 You might be struggling if your ESS is gun shy mate. My black dog wasn' gun shy as such, but she really didn't like the shotty going off to begin with. I just worked at her all the time and played on the positive associations of the shotgun with game. In the end she started cartwheeling when I was picking the gun up as she that this meant she was going out working. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Simoman 110 Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Stabs is right, get the dog to associate the sound of the gun with a positive experience. You could try feeding the dog and shooting at a distance and gradually closing the distance. I'd work on your retreive before giving him the chance to cock it up with a pheasant Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bobby 3 Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 to be honest mate you might be better of getting a new dog and starting again....the site of many birds running infront front of your dog will blow his mind...it can be tempting enough for a trained dog. bobby Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john b 38 Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 If you don't think you can control him in the beating line they don't take him. There is nothing that will make the keeper madder :realmad: , or you and your mate more unpopular , than your dog running in to cover packed with birds. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
borderboy 80 Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 (edited) Edited December 15, 2006 by borderboy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maty j 6 Posted June 6, 2006 Report Share Posted June 6, 2006 --> QUOTE(john b @ Jun 5 2006, 07:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If you don't think you can control him in the beating line they don't take him. There is nothing that will make the keeper madder :realmad: , or you and your mate more unpopular , than your dog running in to cover packed with birds. yup, if it was me i would start with getting the dog used to small bangs then as has been said work up to the sound of a shotty slowly and try to offer a distraction, food. then start the retreiving on small dummys working up in size slowly then eventually maggie or something that doesnt shed the feathers easily then phesant. good luck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Fishaben Posted June 6, 2006 Report Share Posted June 6, 2006 Hi all, thanks for all your replies, I am only 14 you see so for 1. I dont have a shotgun and 2. Its not really up to me to get a new dog,lol. My dog is almost 3 now, is that too late to start getting him used to loud bangs? Well, he still good for rabbiting as he can catch up to rabbits easily, its just they are always to close to their holes for him to get any . And John b, I think I will just leave him if I cant do anything with the beating job. Ben Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maty j 6 Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 i would of thort that you could still train him but probably be harder work than a pup. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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