Breaking dog

[duckslayermt]

What is everyone's opinion on the right way to correct a breaking dog in the duck blind? This is my dog's first duck season and she's doing exceptional, but I have to tie her off by her leash to the blind to keep her from breaking. She NEVER breaks during training when using dummies. The only time she breaks is while hunting. I hear this is a common theme due to their excitement on real birds. Also, it's a different scenario for her. When we're in the yard she is a heel when a bird is thrown. In the duck blind she's not a heel and she's in the dog box. I thought about taking a long rope with me and tying her to it and when she broke nicking her and yanking her back. I've also started working with her in a kennel in the yard and not letting her break. What's everyone's thoughts? Thanks in advance for the help.

[Jim Danis]

Try to put your dog into a scenerios as close to hunting as possible to elicit the breaking. When she does break nick her pretty good with the collar then bring her back to her box. Once back if you can put her up for a few minutes. Bring her back out and do it again. If she breaks get her again don't let her make the retrieve. If she doesn't let her make the retrieve.

Opening day I was hunting with a buddy and his dog. It was his dogs first hunting season. She was a SH dog and did very well in training. Well the first bird down was going to be hers. We had her on a Ruff Stand outside the blind and my dog in the dog door in the blind. Birds came and 1 went down. As we were shooting she came off of the ruff stand and into the blind. The bird went down behind us and both dogs were in the entrance to the blind. She broke and went after the bird. I saw my dog there and was going to nick him with a sit. I accidently hit the red button on my Tritronics. I had it turned up to a 6. By accident I hit the button at the exact perfect time, right when she broke, and got my dog pretty good. He yelped and backed up about 2 ft. He now gets in his dog door and won't budge until I send him.

If you can put her in a similar situation that would help tremendously. I'm not saying hit her with all your collar will give her, I did that by accident, but get her attention and don't let her make a retrieve if you have to give her a correction.

[Mark Littlejohn]

Let someone else shoot while you train.

ml

[david gibson]

Let someone else shoot while you train.

ml

exactly, take a few rounds of ducks off, let your buddies shoot birds, and concentrate only on your dog, as much as it takes.

[TroyFeeken]

Yep, as painful as it is to see your buddies drop birds in the field while you aren't even touching your gun, it usually gets the point across pretty quickly with the dog. I've even found myself this year only handling my dog for other friends and never brought a gun into the blind so I could work on training. Being in the outdoors with my true one and only hunting buddy is better than anything in the world anyways.

[i_willie12]

Let someone else shoot while you train.

ml

Ditto this!!!!!!!!!! I have a 1st year pup. Normally breaks the first duck of the day. Thats because I am shooting with everyone else to make sure the 1st duck hits the water!!!!!! After that I am working the dog for the next few rounds. Normally a simple STAY MARK keeps him from breaking. He knows that dads paying attention. After a couple of these I can go back to shooting!!!!!!! I normally only shoot 1 or 2 ducks when hunting and just let however I'm with fill my limit while I run the dog!