How I Didn't Listen or Swords Part II....

Bounce developed an issue, mostly through my own fault. You hear stories that planted birds are the devil that steal all the good parts of a dogs soul. They are all true, but you don't have to listen! Working with planted, poor flying birds does not simulate the hunting experience when a dog is left to it's own devices.

Since my last post, back in the Stone Age, Bounce has transformed into a bird nut. She tears through the field thinking birds are the most important thing in the world. What the problem? Aren't bird dogs suppose to be bird crazy? Short answer, bird smart yes, bird crazy nope. Now for the thick of it. Two bigger issues have arisen out of her shedding her pupa.

First, she thinks birds are more important than me, despite the fact that I am trying to help her become a successful hunter, and gives me figurative bird. She is self-hunting, we are not developing into a cohesive unit to search for birds, instead she decided she is better off on her own. This is most problematic if a situation arises where I have to whoa or recall her for safety issues. In the mean time, I am annoyed by this because issuing a command is useless and she will chase sparrows around for an hour straight, and still hasn't figured out getting close doesn't mean she is any closer to catching one.

Second, the deadly combination of self-hunting and working her on my poor flying quail has developed into a toxic concoction where her hunting sublimates into a flush without ever entering into a point. She had a beautiful and intense point, but catching one too many quail has destroyed it. In my frustration, I falsely believed it was because I had them tethered and set a majority of my quail up in a field one morning and came back with her and another dog in the afternoon. The birds flew into the woods, she didn't listen, and she caught one, eventually bringing it back. Epic fail with torrential disappointment!

This blunder decimated my quail stock, but brought me back to a few fundamental points. While you should never give a command you cannot enforce, never put yourself in a position where you cannot enforce a command is also a critical point- she is back on a long lead. Second, the model is flawed, so the rules have to change. The birds are not wild, and stupid. Rather than let the bird tell Bounce that she needs to mind her distance, because it won't fly when it should, this is now my responsibility. And finally, any tool or process has limitations, but if used appropriately it can be a great asset.

Currently, we have gotten Bounce to start to reestablish her point. This was achieved by using my few remaining poor flying quail. Now, while this sounds like I didn't learn a thing and am a big dummy I did consider these other options: Wild birds only (limited access=inconsistent training), Launchers (not worth investing the money to buy, or time to build, what else would they get used for?), Pigeons or other good flying birds (probably a good idea and I am working on it for phase II). In short, already have the quail, and the problem is she is catching them and not pointing.

Even with good flying birds, the first step would involve getting her to point. This was achieved by breaking the hunting process into pieces and focus on what she does after finding the bird. Using a check cord we have worked a tethered bird on thirty feet of yarn. She is worked on to the bird (it doesn't matter if she knows where it is), she is supposed to point, the bird is flushed, Bounce is heeled off about 50 yards and we rinse and repeat until the bird gets tired.

Initially when she broke for the bird, the check cord was used to stop her and she got picked up and returned to where she slowed before pouncing. She quickly started to get the idea and by the third repetition was pointing again. After working on it a couple times she understands her job again and only minor corrections are necessary.

Phase II will address steadying her to flush and backing her off the bird. While we have started this already. She is looking to visually see the bird. Aside from her getting too close and bumping the bird, my guess is this is the root behavior that lead to the pouncing. Steadying to flush and eventually shot is a safety issue for hunting season. Retaining some newer and better flying birds will be helpful in this endeavor. Concurrently we are also adding more elements of the hunt back into the simulated experience will make it more enjoyable for the both of us.