Cove Mountain Kennels

                           Photo: Unknown – one of those that circulates around the email universe. This dog is not the one described below, but fit the blog article well.

  

  What should you do when your dog retrieves some nasty dead thing? The answer, praise them. This may sound weird, but here are my thoughts. 

I have a Brittany I am training on a long-term basis (> 1 year). The dog has been the carrion finding-est dog I have ever seen. If there is anything dead in the field when we are out for our runs, she will find it. She likes to parade around with the stinkiest things, then go sit under a bush and work on them. Over the last year, I have resisted the urge to scold her for it and take them away. Rather, I would praise her for retrieving and call her to me. Based on a solid foundation for the come command, she would come, but would hold her head away from me and get ready to resist. I praise her for coming, give her a pat and send her on her way with her treasure (usually a dead jackrabbit part, or deer leg). Then I would resume our run at a fast pace and she would usually drop the item after she realizes it is slowing her down and she is falling behind.

Over time, I started to gently take things out of her mouth then give them immediately back and let her have them to run off with. Now, this dog does two things I like: First, she retrieves all game she finds in the field, whether or not it is directly shot in front of her. Second, she retrieves directly to hand without balking.

After she is 18 months or so, I will probably still take her through the trained retrieve (force fetch) to solidify her retrieve, but for now, she has developed a wonderful natural retrieve. I am certain that if I would have scolded her for picking up carrion and ripped stuff away from her that she wouldn’t trust me and wouldn’t have the natural retrieve that she now displays so proudly. I also regularly get her parasite medication and don’t let her lick my face. (Eeew)

We live in a fairly rural area, yet we still have neighbors, and I like to stay on their good side. Constantly barking dogs aren’t acceptable to the neighbors and drive us crazy. Since we have a regular stream of different dogs for training, electronic bark collars are a necessity. I know the neighbors appreciate them, and it helps our sanity. That said, I use them sparingly, only on the right dogs and at the key times. I have found that there are typically only one or two instigators and if I control them, all the others are quiet. I also have found that at our place, the dogs are particularly noisy in the evening for a couple of hours after I get home from work and before being fed. These are the times I use the electronic bark collars.

Often times barking is about boredom for a dog. I do not believe that a bark collar should be used to shock Rex into silence in the backyard, when Rex is in solitary confinement being fed from an automatic feeder and never socialized or exercised. That’s just not right. (Why have a dog?)  On the other hand, I take every dog out every day for a 2 to 4 mile run, train several times a day, and give the dogs lots of doggy socialization (play-time) in the yard, so I feel like it is acceptable controlling nuisance barking for a couple hours a day.

I have tried three different types of electronic no-bark collars and definitely have my preferences. I have used the Innotek (sold through Cabela’s), the Dogtra (YS500), and the Tri-tronics (Bark Limiter XS). Each of the collars are reliable as far as only activating when the dog wearing the collar barks. Understandably, this is a concern, and may have been an issue with 1st generation bark collars, but it is no longer a concern. Each of the three collars works differently and has its pros and cons. Here are my thoughts on the different units:

The Innotek does not have an on/off, but rather is activated by the barking of the dog. It senses the barking vibrations through the two prongs. It has seven automatically increasing intensity levels that increase to the level where the dog stops barking, then backs down one level after a set time interval to try to teach the dog not to bark. The batteries are easily replaceable with a screwdriver opening the unit and they seem to last quite a while. The pros for this collar are its price ($40), size (fairly small) and the automatic intensity setting. However, I have not had good success with this collar. I’m not sure if it is the thin nylon collar on the unit that does not keep it in good contact with the dog or what, but it does not work reliably. When I put it on one of my die-hard barkers, she doesn’t even notice it on, but when I take it off and test it, it’s cranked up full power. I definitely do not recommend this model. It’s cheap, but not worth the money.

The Dogtra Yap Stopper (YS-500) has a circular on/off and intensity level setting switch. The unit senses vibrations from the vocal chords through a receptor between the prongs. The unit is rechargeable (12 – 14 hr charge time) and seems to hold a charge for several weeks. The only con with this collar is its size. When compared to the others, it’s a bit bigger. However, it’s not too big, especially when I put it on my larger dogs. The rechargeable feature is a plus; though you may have to time it right to recharge it. The unit costs $80, and works great. I typically only have to use it on setting 2 (of 10) and 3 for my worse barkers. This has been a great collar.

The Tri-Tronics Bark Limiter XS collar has a covered push button on/off switch and intensity level selector. The unit takes batteries, but I have yet to replace one. They seem to last a long time. It senses vibrations through a sensor between the prongs similar to the collar above. I love the collar’s tiny size. The unit also has a feature that counts the number of times it has activated since it was last turned on, which is useful in determining setting level the next time you put it on the dog (next time you use it, if there were very few activations, lower the intensity setting one level, if there were a lot of activations, raise it one). The unit costs $100, and it works great, and I love the small size. Because if its size and effectiveness, it is my favorite collar.

I would recommend either the Dogtra or Tri-Tronics units if you are looking for a solution for barking dogs.

Left to Right: Innotek, Dogtra & Tri-Tronics Bark Collars

 

I am looking forward to this hunting season with Annie. She is a nine month old American Brittany we are training. She is coming along really well in her training; she loves to work birds up, has a soft mouth and strong desire to retrieve.

Annie’s one vice is tomatoes. She loves tomatoes. When she gets a few minutes free in the yard she jumps the 3’ fence around the garden, which is to keep the chickens out, and searches for the ripest tomato, picks it and runs under the tramp to eat it. It’s kind of funny, until you realized that she has picked every ripe tomato for the last two weeks.

                      

 

Daisy loves to run, but this morning after 4 miles (2 roading and 2 with me running) she was ready to go home. If she could figure out which way was forward, she may drive off and leave me. That’s whay I keep the key in my pocket.

 It’s a good feeling to have tired dogs. Jinx is ready to load up and go home to lay in his wading pool.

As you can see Jinx is coming along nicely. He has some reluctance to hold a large rooster pheasant, but he is getting it. This guy is a fast learner. He readily understands what is asked of him and is a pleasure to work with.

 

 

I have been working with a beautiful German shorthair pointer, Jinx on the trained retrieve (force fetch). Jinx is coming along nicely. I started on the table using the ear pinch, getting him to hold dowels, wooden dumbells (photo above), bumpers, then graduating to a hammer (held far down the handle, it’s awkward and difficult to hold), and a metal pry bar (again, uncomfortable and difficult to hold). With Jinx confidence and previous training, and his ability to learn, he is coming along quickly. However, it’s important not to skip steps, so the foundation is properly laid.

 

 

Walking the dog on lead, seems easy enough, right? For many people, walking the dog on leash is a frustrating experience; one where you match your strength against the dog’s pull. Thinking about the leash differently may help your dog understand you and help you to have a better experience walking the dog on the leash.

Most people think of the leash as a control device for the dog. Put it on and pull him into place. The problem is that more often than not, the dog uses it to control you by pulling you around. It often becomes a struggle of strength between the two of you. A big strong guy might be up to the task, but often times, it’s just not worth it for a lady to walk the family dog, especially if it is one of the larger breeds of gun dogs. 

Instead of thinking of the leash as a control device to pull the dog into position, think of it as a communication tool to let the dog know when he is in correct position, or when he is out of position. I absolutely love the Delmar Smith Command Lead for the initial leash (heel) training; however a properly fitted choke chain collar will also work. Place the command lead, or choke collar high on the neck, right behind the ears. If you feel carefully high on the sides of a dogs neck there is a small depression, followed by a small spinal process that bumps out. Proper placement of the training lead/collar is right in this depression.

Once the lead is in place and the dog is on you left side (most common), give the command (“Heel!) and step off crisply with the left foot. You are the leader here; you decide where you are going, at what speed, and just what will be sniffed, marked, etc. Hold the leash up, or just slightly to the side of the dog’s neck with just enough pressure to keep the lead in the groove behind the head. When the dog starts to get out of position, give a crisp snap on the lead, then return to the normal light pressure to let the dog know he is getting out of position. You are not pulling the dog back into position, rather telling him through the leash that he is not following your lead. If you find that the leash is slipping out of the groove, you are trying to control the dog with the leash and pull him back into position.

When the dog is challenging your authority by getting out ahead of you and pulling on the leash, turn a sharp 90 degrees to the right, giving the lead a crisp pop to let him know he is out of position and not following your lead. Similarly, you can 90 to the left, snap the lead and bump him with your knee to let him know he is out of position.

I would like to stress the position of the lead/collar close up behind the head and the fact that if the collar is constantly slipping out of this position, you are trying to control the dog by pulling him to heel. If he is pulling, he is asserting his dominance over you.

I think that for many dogs, it feels good to pull, something like a sled dog driving against their harness. This is fine for a sled dog, or a team of horses, but not for your dog you are walking around the block, or down the two-track to a good looking hunting spot.

It’s August and it’s hot! Nevertheless, fall bird season is right around the corner. (Just a reminder, if you want a Utah Sage-grouse permit, tomorrow is the day.) Dove season is less than 4 weeks away. Right now I am looking at a passel of doves on my training ground; I’m praying that we don’t get the usual rainy, cool weather about August 28th, which sends the doves packing. Another 15 days after the dove season and the forest grouse season will be underway. The grouse season is when I get really keyed up (it has begun!).

For most hunters in Utah, they are dreaming of antlers about now. Not me, I’m dreaming of a dog locked up on point and having the rush of two following pairs of chukars coming up at my feet. I also can hear the whistling wings of ducks zipping over head just as the gray light is forming.

It’s nice now, that the training birds are just getting old enough to start using them for dog training. Now’s the time to get the dog tuned up in the yard before you can hit a game preserve to really tune him up for the field.