From gun shy to hard mouth

[Bull]

I have a 3 year old weimaraner that used to blink birds (two years ago)because of her amateur trainer(me). I put too much pressure on her when she was younger. I gave up on her for about a year and a half and all of a sudden she was chasing chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits etc. I took that as prey drive. Boy was I lucky in seeing that. She used to smell the bird and run back to the truck and jump through the window! Long story short I got to the point now where she would point a planted quail or chukar and weeks later she is now chasing a clip wing chukar and the .410 is fired at about 5 yards away. She pays no attention to the gun and she is very focused on the bird. Up to today I had no problem getting the bird from her. Tonight she would not give up the bird and just mangled it. Should I not worry about that for now because she finally got over the gun and blinking? I don't want to make the same mistake I did with her two years ago and rush things. I have had people tell me that she should be a house dog because of her fears. Now I have her where people told me she would never be. Any advice would be great. I don't want to set her back.

[slider]

Bull if she will not give up the bird with a little talking to just put the palm of your hand under her mouth and with your thumb push a little of one side of her bottom lip over one of her bottom teeth and press down lightly with your thumb until she releases the bird. It only takes a couple of times for her to learn to release the bird on command. Good Luck

[Carl Porter]

If she will come to you with the bird put one hand on the bird in her mouth, take your other hand and slide it down her side until you come to the joint of her leg and body. At that point there is a little skin there you grab with your hand and gently lift up on the skin. It doesn't hurt, but distracts her. I have had dogs I could lift their hind quarters off the ground and still hold on until the last minute. She should drop the bird, and since you have you hand on the bird its dropped in your mouth.

Carl Porter
www.huntingdogtrainer.net

[Bull]

Thanks for the advise.  I am trying to be careful not to associate anything bad with birds and guns.  I shot over her yesterday with a .20 ga and dropped a chukar.  She didn't even hear the gun.  She did get some of my flesh and blood when I tried to get the bird back!!!  Most of what I'm told is to let her mouth and keep the birds for a little while just to keep her confident that I want her to want birds.  Any more info is great!  Thanks.

[slider]

Just keep working with her just do not let her keep the birds to long she will start eating them.

[Bull]

If she will come to you with the bird put one hand on the bird in her mouth, take your other hand and slide it down her side until you come to the joint of her leg and body. At that point there is a little skin there you grab with your hand and gently lift up on the skin. It doesn't hurt, but distracts her. I have had dogs I could lift their hind quarters off the ground and still hold on until the last minute. She should drop the bird, and since you have you hand on the bird its dropped in your mouth.

The skin is on the front leg or rear leg?

[Bull]

Carl, are you referring to the rear leg where to pull up on the skin?  I have had Deuce out 3-4 times since my last post shooting chukar with a .20 ga and she has no problem at all with the gun.  Today I lifted up on her skin where her rear leg meets the body.  She dropped the birn but she left out a little yelp.  Did I grab the proper skin?

[greyghost]

Bull, if she has a naturally soft mouth bring her in close, after the retrieve.  Then say " Release" and pinch her upper lip against her upper teeth. Take your thumb on top of her snout then use your first second and third fingers to pinch the lip. Use the command "release"! Her mouth will open and she will drop the bird. Praise her profusely!

[Carl Porter]

Sorry, didnt get the message. The rear leg. the skin between the stomach and the leg. You may not have to lift her just pull on the skin and she will let go just like she did without the yelp. In time she will let go as soon as you touch her.

[Bull]

Thanks everybody for all the advice.  Grabbing on the skin trick is great.  After almost 4 years and lots of frustration, It was all worth it!!!  Deuce is pointing, holding point, breaking on the shot(which is what I wanted), retrieving, and releasing.  Thanks to all.  I'm sure I'l be posting with something else I need help with, but thanks everyone!!

[slider]

    Thats great..work on that tail when everything else is completed...

[Bull]

I am going to put her on some liberated chukar tomorrow.  My father is going to be the shooter and I will be the "photographer".  Hopefully she will do as well as I think she will.

[Carl Porter]

good for you. Glad everything worked out for you.