flushing.....help!!
 

I have a german shorthair and it is her first year and shes nearly a year months we've had her about a month and we've trained her to do the basics such as whoa heel come. but when she finds birds she flushes em w/out our command shes done it with about 6 coveys so far how can i teach her to not do that (we've done the shock collar when she flushes w/out pointing)

plz,help

RE: flushing.....help!!
 

I would not shoot at any birds that it flushed like that.
I plant birds in launchers and worked my dog , when he locked up on the bird I had my neice haul him back hard if he broke to flush without comand. If he broke to flush we left the bird and hunted on .We did this a few times a he figured out he had to wait or would not get to fetch the bird. In 2 days he I taught him to hold a point .
I have a lab but it should work with your shorthair Good luck

RE: flushing.....help!!
 

On top of using planted birds and a check cord, I would like to point out the 1st 3 rules of dog training 1. Praise 2. Praise 3. Praise. When ever he is doing what you want him to do praise. And ignore what is happening when he is doing what you don’t want him to do, which ties into the not shooting when the dog flushes instead of points. Also I usually walk in and flush the bird and expect the dog to remain on point. IMO doing this teaches the dog that pointing is his job flushing is mine. When training with a retrieving dummy you can use the stay command, or better yet whoa, throw the dummy or have someone else throw it. Sometimes let him get it. Sometimes you go get it. This can keep the dog guessing as to which action will get him the praise he so desperately desires until you give the command. With work you will shape your dog and correct the bad habits. However, It may not be easy because it is always more difficult to correct bad habits then it is to make sure they never start. I am just wondering how you came about getting the dog now that she is a year old? Well good luck to you.

RE: flushing.....help!!
 

I agree with jashoffa. The whoa command is the tool I would use and a checkcord is a great way to ensure the situation is controlled by you. Take a friend with you and you need to leave the gun for a trip or two. Congrats on finding 6 coveys! Work those coveys again with your friend as the shooter and you as the handler. Work on that WHOA command and don't shoot the flushed birds, Mark a single and go after it if your dog flushes the covey. Don't get carried away with the singles though, best leave some for seed.

RE: flushing.....help!!
 

I learned a great tech. for teaching whoa a long time ago. it involves a check cord and a tree. first you put a hook on a tree and then you take a check cord and run it under your dogs collar uo over the hook in the tree and back down and loop it around your dogs haunchs in front of the hind legs. while you hold the end of the cord tell your dog to whoa and once they have come to whoa you back away slowly paying out some line from the cord if the dog breaks whoa and goes to move pull the rope thus swinging the dog into the air. (they hate this) then pick the dog up by the collar and the rope in the back and replace them to the spot of the whoa. repeat this process it shouldn't take to long for them to get it it has worked wonders on my gsp's althogh my new pup fought the rope some she learned to whoa and once you get them whoaing good at the tree you can omit the hook and tree part and run the rope under the collar and loop the haunches and when you give the rope a tug they get the same feel as if they were at the tree but it's important to pick them up and replace to whoa pos. so they know what is expected of them.

RE: flushing.....help!!
 

congratulations on getting a shorthair:). The whoa command is a very important method to control a pointer. I use the whoa training all year all the time and you cannot work on this enough. I am wondering like the other previous post, how did you get the dog at 11 months? I always flush the birds in front of my dogs on point. I have trouble getting them to release from a solid point to flush on command(like in heavy cover). I figure this is a better problem than the dogs breaking points and flushing birds ahead of me. They should also learn after time that holding equals dead birds. I have a good reference for a training book that I really think is the best if you are interested.

RE: flushing.....help!!
 

You said in your original message that you've used the shock collar when she flushes without pointing. You've only had this dog for a month, she's less than a year old, and you're just taking her out and shocking her when she finds a bird? BAD IDEA!!! Leave the shock collar at home and just use the check cord until she FULLY understands what is expected of her. You could be on the verge of ruining your hunting partner.