Freighter was finally able to train with some ducks this week. Our training is a bit behind this year due to the crummy weather and because ducks are very expensive. Freighter has not really retrieved any ducks since hunting season ended last Fall. One thing is for sure, Freighter is crazy for ducks.
If you follow the blog, you know that we have struggled with Freighter being steady at tests, (or sitting quietly until he is released to retrieve). He gets so excited when he sees the birds that he cannot contain himself. He is fine with bumpers and dokkens (training dummies), and is doing some really fine higher level work; however, add in gunfire and live birds and he comes unglued.
When ducks were offered for training this week, we requested two for Freighter since he has a test this weekend and could use some practice. He got to the line and focused in on live shot flyer and then barely looked at the other marks, (it was a triple). Bad enough, but he then sat and barked because he was made to sit and wait.
No reward for that. He knows better than to sit there barking. A hunting dog should be quiet and he knows that, so hubby put a leash on Freighter and put him back in the truck.
I think the barking is because he knows he has to sit and wait, but he does not have to like it. This is the hardest part of tests for Freighter. He doesn’t mind taking a longer path to a bird because it is a straighter line, but he takes exception to being made to sit for what he considers an inordinately long time before being released to retrieve. (In reality it is not a long time, but Freighter thinks it is.)
The next time Freighter came to the line, he was quiet but again did not really watch the other two marks fall which meant he had to really hunt for them. He got them but his marking could have been better. We won’t even talk about his line manners which seem to vanish when the birds and gunfire are involved. There is just something about tests because Freighter is much better behaved when out hunting.
The test this weekend should be interesting.
Oh Freighter, hope you can learn to be quiet.That does sound like a fun thing to do and guess you just can’t contain yourself. I bet the Mom and Dad will figure out a way to help you.
Have you had any suggestions as to how to work with him on this?
Yes we work on it all of the time, but I think we just need to get him on more birds. We are entering him in a bunch of tests coming up and hopefully that will help him tone it down a bit. I also think maturity will help. In many ways, he is still a young dog.
We have Chessies who give command barks and agree with Freighter, “Get the show on the road!” It usually involves = knowing they are going swimming (they know swim towels) or we have taken a whole day to gather “stuff” for a journey. Once the collars are on these two are really impatient, like, “What else are you going to do to stall?”
The shame of having to return to a crate is an unfathomable blow! But Chessies are thinking dogs and realize, whoops! But for Freighter’s sake, he should have been an old time Chessie on the Bay, retrieving
after the punt gun went off. Birds to his hearts content!
LOL! I’m a wabbit aholic!
Rita can understand his duckaholic ways! It must be hard to wait for something *that* exciting! All the best with the training!
they say if the final rehearsal has some bugs (or ducks?) then the premiere will be perfect… and I hope Freighter will be perfect this weekend. Good luck and crossed paws!!!
Good luck this weekend, keep your butt on the ground mister! Have fun!
Our beagle Cricket was bred to be a hunting dog and this just makes me think of how she would be. She treats a ball like she’s hunting it, and she will sit and bark at me when waiting for me to throw it. Some hunting dogs just have more enthusiasm (or obsession) than others, it seems! 🙂
I notice that our guys are rusty on their technique when we haven’t trained in awhile and their enthusiasm gets the best of them.