I have a three year old lab that I origionaly got with the hopes of training her to hunt ducks. I began training her for that but with a new house and two small children I did not have the $$$ for all the gear to begin duck hunting myself so the training stopped.
My question is can I get her out in the field hunting small game? I know labs can be effective at flushing birds but there are not that many upland birds in my area. Can she be of use to push out squirles and rabbits? I don't have much experience hunting anything but deer and turkey, but would like to learn. Anyone who has any ideas would be very helpful.
Would she be any help in the field without specific small game training? If there is a particular training she would need prior to going out, what would that be?
My biggest concern is how to keep her safe, I have never hunted behind a dog, neither have my few buddies that I would possubly bring along.
Shooting fur requires one to be aiming towards the ground. Your dog is probably on the ground near the game. BE CAREFUL!
That is what I was affraid of. Mine already catches small birds out of the bushes and plays with them, does not hurt them, just slobers all over them and leaves them at the door when she comes in. She does have an electronic collar that I began training her with when I was going to use her for ducks. Would it be possible to train her to stop once the rabbit or whatever is running or would trying to make her stop once she begins chasing it spoil her desire to find them in the first place??? If I am making her stop as soon as she flushes it is she eventualy going to think that chasing them is bad????
Labs make great small game dogs. And, as usual, their performance in the field comes down to OBedience.
You need to train your dog to "SIT" on whistle (even with lots of distractions). This will allow your dog to eventually learn to "Sit to flush, Sit to shot, and Sit to fall". Then when a rabbit flushes, you blow the SIT whistle and the dog should obey.
__________________
Ignorance can sometimes be cured, but stupid is forever.
Doc E &
HR UH MHR WR SR Black Forest Casey &
HRCH HR UH Sauk River Friar Tucker (titled at 12.5 months)
Labs and small game???
