Dog training question

Josh Schwenger

Josh Schwenger

Active member
So my lab is 9 months old. I don?t upland hunt normally but duck season is closed so I have been hitting the preserve with the dog training him there. My little 9 month old lab points birds. I know every dog points to a certain degree but I take my 11 year old nephew to shoot the birds and I can get him in position before the bird jumps. He?s a duck dog but I figured more birds he is exposed to the better. I send the dog in to jump the bird on his name just like I do a retrieve. Knowing nothing about bird hunting I looked up pointing labs. I noticed the guys don?t let the dog flush the birds they normally do it themselves. All that to ask is allowing him to point detrimental for duck hunting in any way? This little puppy has chased down multiple cripples so it?s not like he blinks on a retrieve. Also is it a problem that I let him flush the bird. I like to be right next to the 11 year old when he?s shooting. If this sight will let me I will include a video. View attachment trim.AC957660-54B0-49FF-9ADA-D848967657CD.MOV
 
If you let the dog flush (I would, they do it naturally and it's really handy on birds that run), work on stop to flush/whistle instead of the dog chasing. It's safer for the dog especially if you get a staggered flush.
 
I don't think that him pointing will screw him up for duck hunting. Totally different forms of hunting and most dogs are smart enough to know the difference.

I would probably train him with whistle commands for when he is out chasing birds....partly because dogs can generally hear whistles further away than your voice. Partly because it is easier to toot a whistle than to holler at him (i know this well from my own experiences).

If you want him to continue to point, I would work on steadying him up. I know a few folk who train their setters to be very steady on point and then they actually give them a release command to get in and flush the birds. But they don't train that until the dog is totally steady on point.

It just depends on what you want to do. Most people do like to get in front of the dog and kick the birds up themselves....but there is no hard and fast rule on that. It is your dog and your form of hunting.

If you enjoy upland, you might consider looking into grouse and woodcock....not sure where you are but the northeast can have great woodcock hunting and grouse in some areas. Woodcock are really good for helping to steady up pointy dogs from what I have heard cuz they hold tight.
 
Most of the time he sits to the flush I?m still working on that he does it 80% of the time but seems to be pointing every time. I actually stopped the dog to have him jump the bird again I should have had my whistle out. I changed my mind because at first I thought the bird went down but it just seemed to be landing.
 
Josh
You may want a different command to flush. Maybe it's flush, and then after the shot his name or dead bird to retrieve.
When I upland I say hunt when hunting and whoa for the point and stay. I'll usually flush them.
After the shot I'll say dead bird find it. I'm trying to have him know when to hunt them and when to search and retrieve them.
For ducks he's sent for retrieves using his name.
That's my way it seems to be working.
 
My Boykin will tend to "point" a planted bird as if wondering why it hasn't flushed, waiting for me to shoot because he knows he's close enough that it should have. No pointing on wild birds though.
 
Both good points. I definitely need to change my command up. In New Jersey other than Woodcock we only have pen raised birds. Even the ones the state puts out are pen raised but not planted. I?m gonna see how we make out this week. Friday will be his last Upland day. Then on to retriever only type work And socialization. Dog training is way more rewarding then i thought it could be.
 
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