is she still just too young

[blue_healer_guy]

Been hunting roosters with old reliable (he's 11) and my new female who is 8 months. Seems to have a good nose (loves deer poop and mice) but hunts nothing like my female I had years ago. She hunts for about 10 minutes and then seems to have no interest. She is not riding the back of my feet as she did the first couple of times, but doesn't have the drive I'm used to. I got a couple of birds, so she has smelled and can relate to them, and i have some of that pheasant scent i put on her training dummy but just can't put a finger on it. Everything else with her is great. Any suggestions? Thanks, joe

[Dano2]

I'm definetly no expert, but am sure the answer is , yes, she's pretty young yet.

my lab cant seem to get past the deer crap either , heh.
she turned two this year and has showed some improvements from last year but has a long long way to go.
She wontgo through the thick stuff yet at all unless I go first.
I went hunten with wcmnwalleye (fishing mn family name) last weekend and he told me his 4 year old was the same way until afterabout its second season, so I'm not worried about it yet. Just gotta keep briggenum out and gettingum in front of many more birds.

I've also read that a good way to keep the dog interested and a great way to reward them is a retrieve of the bird. after she retrieves your downed bird, toss it out again for her for another retrieve.
Anyone else do this?

[greenman]

Yes 8 months is very young. If she ran 1/2 hour for you be happy. Work on discipline things like come, whoa or hup and heel also play alot of fetch. Take her into the field everytime you go and she will soon figure out the game you are playing. Eating of deer, poop and mousing are all things young pups do it's there way of getting used aquainted with nature. If you down a bird let her retrive it several times this sometimes gets their drive up. Above all never repremand a dog for lack of drive, for disobeying a command yes. The drive and energy will come if you get her our to hunt and give her lots of exercise before the season opens.

[Guest]

From what I have learned in training dogs you seem to be doing everything right!
If at 8 monthes you know she is not gun shy it is great to have her in the field...

When you have the sit, stay, heel, down pat the best thing for me was to get them to a game farm where you know there are birds to keep there intrest.

Every time she gets a bird make it a big deal for her DOUBLE PUMP HER UP!!! Play fetch a few times with the bird to make sure shes haveing fun. Thats the best way I could think of showing her what I would want her to do.
Then get her right back in there after another bird, every bird she will get better. Atleast thats the way it has been happening for me.

Good Luck with your pup!
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RiverTown Guiding
Mississippi River Pools 3-4
http://www.*********.com/wish_i_was_fishing2002

[This message has been edited by Brian Sander (edited 11-04-2003).]

[CornPirateKiller]

Remember that old adage that one human year is seven dog years. At 8 months, your pup is comparable to a 5-6 year-old kid. Tough to keep their attention at that age. Keep working with her and take it slow. By the time she gets to her third season, she should be a rock-solid, hunting machine. Sounds like she's well on her way already. Good Luck!

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Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati

[Guest]

My pup just turned 6 months. The way I figure it is the 1st year she is just along for the ride. I hope for the best but don't expect to much as long as she comes when called and not going out to far out thats all I really want from her. In fact I shot one down this past Sunday. We both headed out to retreive the bird. I saw it and blew the whistle twice and told her to go get it. She made a dash to the bird and ran right past it. I just had to laugh. I figure we have alot of hunting in the future. So enjoy it and have fun. There will come a time when you enjoy watching the dog work as much as or more then actually hunting at least thats the case for me.

[blue_healer_guy]

Thanks for all the posts guys. A little update on this past weekend. She was awesome! Maybe i was just expecting to much out of her, it has beeen 11 years since working with a pup again. We hit a couple spots where the birds were thick. Birds getting up everywhere. From seeing her work after a retrieve and then going back to where they all got up, I think she's gonna be just fine. I thought about the game farm idea too.