Field/Pheasant Dogs and Training

[bigmyk2k]

Couple of questions for all of you out there, but background first.

I am a pheasant hunter, and know from experience how big a difference for the better a good dog makes (and how much for the worse a bad one does). My Chessie girl is getting up in years, and though I will miss her when she goes, I am thinking about the next one.

The current dog is a rescue (4.5yo when I got her), and was abused by the original owner, as well as extremely gun shy. Chesapeakes have a bad rap as being stubborn, but I think the truth is more that they are very smart- learning new "rules" very quickly, and firmly- with the problem being that they are hard to untrain. As with many dogs, if you are consistent, and cognizant of what you are communicating to the dog at all times, they will be a great dog. Also, I really like their temperament, and clearly natural retrievers, and field workers.

That said, I plan to adopt again, but will try to stick with a pup, and get some field training. I am unlikely to get a pup in the "weeks" age range, more likely 8-12 months of age. So, my questions are these:

1- How do you test an older puppy for gun shyness? I have seen some pointers for testing around the weaning age. Are these still accurate when the dog is a little older?

2- I live in Longmont. Is there anywhere in the Northern Front Range area that you would recommend for field work training? This question applies both to trainers, and facilities/locations. I would consider short term

3- Finally, a pretty specific question for those with experience, but how many out there have had experience keeping a dog as a house pet (not sequestered) and also used as a working dog? If so, how did that work out, and how often did you do work training with the dog?

Thanks in advance!

[patrick0685]

i can only comment on your 3 question, we have a pointing lab that is 100% a family dog as well, we try to train every day but we have been slacking as of late. He does really good and hopefully get his junior hunter finished this weekend. I did have to stop halfway through this post to play with him for a second.

[sniper7]

I have always shot a .22 short or a subsonic or suppressed .22 from a distance. then slowly got closer and closer as someone else was with the dog.
then went to the shotgun from a distance and had another person with the dog and would throw a toy, shoot the shotgun and they would play fetch with the shotgun noise.
gradually get closer and closer to the point of being able to have the dog understand that the shotgun is no big deal no matter how close.

My dogs never cared at all about shotgun noise and went very quickly. My sisters dog was too old and never got it when I tried to take her hunting. she is strictly a home/family dog. poor breeding lines, she got her from a mall pet store. My dog and my dads dog are brothers, picked them up from a breeder in denver, great lines.

not sure about longmont. had my dog get some training way down south by elizabeth, other than that I just did everything myself.

find an open field that is public ground and use that. like pawnee. or knock on a farmers door and ask if you can work your dog in his CRP ground or something. I hardly think they would care.

My dog is dang near full on house dog until hunting season rolls around. I work with him on occasion to keep him up, just whenever I have time and the mood strikes me.

[Colorado Osprey]

I have always shot a .22 short or a subsonic or suppressed .22 from a distance. then slowly got closer and closer as someone else was with the dog.
then went to the shotgun from a distance and had another person with the dog and would throw a toy, shoot the shotgun and they would play fetch with the shotgun noise.
gradually get closer and closer to the point of being able to have the dog understand that the shotgun is no big deal no matter how close.

This works great to make sure a dog is not gun shy... but to a true gun shy dog a toy doesn't always work. Tethered or released live birds during this exercise to stimulate a bird dog will bring almost any bird dog breed through gun shyness though. Anytime the dog is noticing the gunfire instead of the bird back off and start over keeping the exercise up. As soon as the dog isn't paying any attention at any distance, repeat a few days in a row and the gun shyness will be gone.

I know a few trainers. There are about a dozen within 10 miles of me. I know and trust a few. If you need a name PM me.

My English Setter was gun shy.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k175/ColoradoOsprey/Molly1-25-2005.jpg

[bigmyk2k]

Thanks for the help so far. This looks like good advice.

As far as trainers, it is looking like there aren't any around here, but several around the springs. How, for places to train, there is certainly plenty of area up here.