Posts from — October 2008

This writing is a follow-up to my previous article about having the best bird dog.  It got me to thinking this evening about common things I hear related to “my dog does this and that”.  LIke everything in life, there is cause and effect.

Every bad habit your dog has, assuming you brought the dog home at say 8 weeks of age, is probably your fault.  Yep, your fault.  You may not have done anything to start the bad habit but perhaps you haven’t taken proper action.  

Let’s review a few examples:

1.  My dog bites/nips.  Did that start the day you got the dog or soon after?  It was cute at first and now the dog is a problem. 

2.  My dog chews my shoes and potties in the house.  Hmmm, why has it been allowed to continue?  Why didn’t you begin corrective action immediatley?  If you did begin corrective action, why are you still allowing it?  If you can’t fix it, then you must take action that makes YOU feel better even if it means making the dog an outside dog.  There is a solution to every issue.

3. My dog busts birds.  You’ve shot some birds for the dog that weren’t held properly?  Perhaps you haven’t corrected the dog properly?  You continue to hunt the dog regardless of the problem thus reinforcing the problem?

4.  My dog chews his birds up (hard mouth).  Did you begin corrective training the moment you noticed it or did you continue to hunt the dog hoping the problem would ‘get better’? 

Any time a dog is allowed to continue a behavior that is unacceptable is actual reinforcement that the behavior is acceptable.  Every passing day that it is allowed makes it much more difficult to repair.

While you may not have asked for the bad habit, you have reinforced it by not taking proper corrective action.  That is why you are at fault.

This reminds me of the old saying that every indecision is a decision.  The dog has an issue but you take no action that actually corrects the problem thus you are reinforcing the issue.

Pro trainers are pros because they have solutions.  Solutions for the most common issues.  What is tough for the new dog owner is recognizing that it IS an issue and seeking help immediately at the onset of the issue.

Here’s a rule of thumb.  If your bird dog is doing something at home or in the field that makes you uncomfortable, unhappy, or dissatisfied in any way, it is an issue that you need help resolving immediately.  I mean NOW, the very second it rears its ugly head.

All is not lost!  Seek help from a professional or very experienced Brittany owner.  Be willing to accept advice.  You will be happier and resolution to the issue will forever make you and the dog very happy.  Your Brittany wants a structured life where it understands the rules.  It is our job to make sure we have presented a simple / logical way for it to understand what we want and to not let something go uncorrected / untaught to the point to where we are both unhappy.

That’s it for now.  God bless you and America!  Give your dog a treat for me and tell ‘em “Dave says you are a good dog!”

Cordially,

Dave Jones, HMC, USN, Ret

“Doin’ it right.”  That’s what I say about someone who has a well bred bird dog and makes every effort to bring that pup up right.  That’s a broad statement so I’ll put it this way: After good genetics, It all begins with proper socialization followed by proper formal training and lots of bird contact, especially in the first 3 years of the pups life. 

Often times, we get busy and the pup gets set on the back burner.  By the time we get around to making time, critical socialization and bird introduction opportunities are gone.  Yes, gone.  There are narrow windows of opportunity for developing pups to their max potential and much adult ability & behavior for your pup is ‘turned-on’ in the early months of development. 

A more severe form of not socializing your pup daily (more than filling the food pan) results in the pup becoming ’kennel sour’.  A ‘kennel sour’ dog is one that always acts like its been beaten.  Folks will swear you have beaten your dog.  Good trainers will spot it immediately.  This young pup / dog won’t interact with any human and is often very shy of all humans.  It rejects human companionship and won’t even eat its food if you are near (It won’t even take a treat from your hand).  It will get along with other dogs but that’s about it.  When your pup gets to that point, usually around 6 months of age (notice how quickly it happens!), it is too late.  It’s a long, long row to hoe to repair that pup, much less train and hunt it, which now has to come after you repair the socialization problem.

To be good at something, a dog has to have practice.  A few minutes of socialization here and there, yard work and a few birds every now and again does not make a good bird dog.  Little work and high expectations on opening day is a good prescription for lots of disappointment.

For your dog to be very good, like a surgeon in their residency, it means lots of practice and exposure to the multitude of variables that may occur in different scenarios which renders experience and seasoning.

Dogs really blossom when it is done right.  Socialization, exposure to good training and lots of bird contact makes the bird dog and you can take that to the bank.  I’ll sign my name to it!

This year, as in every year that I travel to Montana for two months of dog work, I saw dogs blossom right in front of my eyes.  Some had never been to Montana while others had returned from a previous year where they did learn fundamentals and were ready for more advanced work.  First time dogs became good and returning dogs became truly awesome.  Veteran dogs that have been to my Montana camp more than twice are simply incredible.

I’m not trying to sell my camp though I am quite proud of what it produces.  I am telling you about it so you can draw parallels with what you are doing with your dog.  If you can work your dog 10 minutes just 3 times a week for a couple months on wild birds or strong pen raised birds prior to bird hunting season every year, you will be amazed.  I promise you that!

“Doin’ it right.”  That’s the owners who treat their dogs like family from puppy day number one, they take them afield and get them on birds wild and/or pen raised at a very early age, they properly trained their dogs in a logical step by step fashion and are avid bird hunters.  That’s the secret to having the best bird dog your dog is genetically capable of, plain and simple.

Give your dog a treat for me and tell ‘em “Dave says ’good dog’ !” 

Cordially,

Dave Jones, USN, Navy, Ret, owner, Chief’s Brittanys