Dog handling

[hiballer]

I have hesitated to bring this up, but after much consideration, I have decided to open this subject up.This is an open letter to all retriever owners. I have noticed a disturbing trend in the last year or so in the dog work, that needs to be addressed. I realize that by doing so I will probably be dis-inviting myself from some hunts, but it has become evident that the owners are too embarassed to broach the subject themselves and this is just allowing the situation to worsen.
It is becoming more common than not, that dogs are being allowed to break to shot. THIS IS AN INTOLERABLE TRAIT THAT SHOULD BE STOPPED AT ALL COSTS, AND BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY! A dog should not be allowed to complete a retrieve, until commanded to do so. Allowing dogs to do this, can lead to situations that can cause an undercurrent of hard feelings amonst dog owners, and it is totally unnecessary in todays world of long distance dog control. It is much more pleasureable to hunt in the presence of a dog with good blind manners, than with one that can make a 200 yd. blind retrieve. There is no pleasure in watching multiple dogs racing to converge on a downed waterfowl, and holding your breath to see if a fight ensues, or to watch one dog snatch a duck from anothers mouth. PLEASE, take whatever time and effort is necessary to correct these faults and you will reap the rewards of having much more pleasureable hunts. On your upcoming hunts, have fun and be safe.

[tunica]

any dog that tries to out race Me to MY duck will be shot.

[quakwacker]

you guys must not own a dog.

[h2o_dog]

Ooooo.....who misbehaved?

(I agree with every word of your post)

[tunica]

[quote="quakwacker"]you guys must not own a dog.[/quo



you must of missed the humor in My post. I dont own a dog, just a couple of democrats.

[70 sprig]

hiballer , do you have a dog ?

[hiballer]

quakwhaker, I don't own one now but have had many in my lifetime , none of which broke to shot!! At least not for long.

[hiballer]

70 sprig, not now, the reason for post was, I have been a sounding board for the hunters that do have dogs complaints and this was a means to get the issue out in the open.

[Don Miller]

Ooooo.....who misbehaved?

(I agree with every word of your post)

I think hiballer is referring to my dog, Chief. I'll make sure he is leashed and tied before I hunt with a pack of dogs again.

[hiballer]

Don, this is not aimed at any specific dog, Chief is only one of many I have hunted with in the last two years, and chief has only done it a few times and you are the only one who attempted to recall your dog when it happened. PLEASE don't anyone think this post was aimed at anyone's dog in particular. Please note that I said this is becoming a trend. I was afraid this was going to be taken personally and never intended it to be.

[GordonGekko]

all I have to say is AMEN....

if my dog were to ever break during a hunt, she would be done for the day.... to me this a foundation and I work on it every time we work....

[Dogzeye]

I agree as well, there is nothing worse than interrupting a hunt to manage an out of control dog.

[JDgator]

I don't have a dog, but it sounds like there needs to be a retriever training school for humans; for teaching them what to teach their dogs...

[DrakeDemon]

I agree with you 100%. I was talking to one of the guys that I hunt with the other day that has a dog and he said that his dog always went on shot. WTF why would you want you dog to do that. I said so what do you do when you shoot like me and you shoot 3 times and no duck falls. He said well he will swim around for a while and then I will call him back. WTH!!!! That is stupid!!!! I have a dog that I have been training for about the past 3 months and I have not hunted him yet but I am going to try him out this weekend. If he breaks I am going break him from that, that morning!!! NO later!!! Great point!!

[h2o_dog]

Sorry Don, didn't mean to get you called out....I had been thinking you and hiballer were the same person (guess not - )

As an old friend used to say "As far as I'm concerned there are 3 kinds or retrievers:
1. Them that has broke.
2. Them that will break.
3. The rest I don't want anything to do with."

Still nothing more frustrating than watching your steady dog be forced to honor a breaker. Been on both sides of the coin, but the breakers should NEVER be allow to go uncorrected.