help with lab

[youngbuck]

Hey i've got a question!
I've got a 1 1/2 old lab who has interest in retrieving, and really gets excited when the guns go off... the problem is before that! Espectially with grousing, i have a hard time getting him out in front of me checking things out. In the thick stuff especially he just follows me around.
thxs! Whats ur suggestions???
Gerard

[bowhuntn87]

yup... i had the same problem. i have a 120 lb lab, that hunts well, but we want's to follow me around in the thick stuff. the biggest thing that fixed the problem was taking him out with other dogs. once he watches other dogs work and hunt, he knows he has to be a bit in front of you. usually mine just follows behind me when i'm tired, and the best way to fix this is to just keep taking him out, until he gets more used to long distances of running. once mine is conditioned properly he will run for 2-3 hours without stopping. now my problem is him goingto far out ahead

[JW]

Both of you need to find a wld bird population and just let the dog go. The more birds the better! Bpth dogs from what I read have all the tools but don't really understand why they are out there. Lots and lots of wild birds will change that pronto.

It has been 3 yrs now with my youngest - she actually was slow to mature but Oh Baby! does she hunt now. I spent 9 to 10 weeks this summer buying and using game birds to get what I wanted. This past weekend she has figured out what a grouse was and she knew what woodcock where!

We shot several. Now I don't own a lab but it don't make any difference. You need birds and lots of them. You might even consider going to a Pro for help.

JW

[sproulman]

ORIGINAL: youngbuck

Hey i've got a question!
I've got a 1 1/2 old lab who has interest in retrieving, and really gets excited when the guns go off... the problem is before that! Espectially with grousing, i have a hard time getting him out in front of me checking things out. In the thick stuff especially he just follows me around.
thxs! Whats ur suggestions???
Gerard

dog is still young.

find a place with rabbits, like around high school.

get him chasing them.

if you have a bird place,even better .

when i walked toby ,i always madfe sure he was out in front of me, if he went behind me, i would stop and say GET OUT FRONT.

[maritime363]

I would suggest the following. Its not that difficult and can be done prior to or during the season.Buy 4-5 live birds, pigeons or chukers are fine-- clip one of the wings on each so the bird can move orwalk but cant fly-- find a field with good cover, plant 2 birds at a time in different places up wind out in front of you, maybe 75 yrds, and 100yrds(dont let the dog see you do this)- As you would hunt, walk in the direction of the birds, command the dog to find the bird or whatever you use-- once he picks up the scent, he'll learn to start reaching out-- when he finds the bird and retrieves it, praise him, let him taste that bird, but not too much, andtake in the smell-- put the bird in your vest and repeat for the 2nd bird. Iwould also freeze these birds to save some $, so you can use them again for another workout-- this will certainly help him understand that the birds are out in front of you, for him to find-- no behind you. good luck.

[sproulman]

ORIGINAL: maritime363

I would suggest the following. Its not that difficult and can be done prior to or during the season.Buy 4-5 live birds, pigeons or chukers are fine-- clip one of the wings on each so the bird can move orwalk but cant fly-- find a field with good cover, plant 2 birds at a time in different places up wind out in front of you, maybe 75 yrds, and 100yrds(dont let the dog see you do this)- As you would hunt, walk in the direction of the birds, command the dog to find the bird or whatever you use-- once he picks up the scent, he'll learn to start reaching out-- when he finds the bird and retrieves it, praise him, let him taste that bird, but not too much, andtake in the smell-- put the bird in your vest and repeat for the 2nd bird. Iwould also freeze these birds to save some $, so you can use them again for another workout-- this will certainly help him understand that the birds are out in front of you, for him to find-- no behind you. good luck.

very good advice.

when i was training my lab out of season on grouse,i would drag a grouse wing with grouse pee you can buy at store around field.

never let him see you do it.

then i would put him on scent and when he got into brush i would leave 1 feather .

as soon as he found feather, i would shoot up in air and throw my dummy grouse in brush out in front of him..

he would get it and retrieve it.

he thought i shot the grouse.