Dog blinking memory bird

[Rainmaker]

Well Howard I would call it smart a** answer if it were me. Maybe we're not all experts like you. As for everyone else thanks for any help that you have given me to fix this problem

That's pretty rude for someone asking advice. Howard made some very good points and I sure didn't see anything smarta** about his answers.

[crackerd]

Don't think Howard was trying to be a SA - from where I'm "listening" he was implying the problem involves a little of everything he (and others have) cited. Which may mean there's not a quick fix by way of what's been advised, and that he really would like to see how it transpires before advising further. Or maybe I'm mis-Internet-terpreting.

MG

[John Robinson]

I don't know if you would call it headswinging or not. It's not that she's looking for another bird, or at least I think, she just turns her head away for a split second and then returns to fall area but by that time duck is on the ground. Sometimes she does it and sometimes she doesn't. What's frustrating is that when she stays concentrated on the marks she steps on them. I guess I should call it lack of concentration on all birds. She never no goes because she does see it and goes fir the mark but its just she's not sure and has to put on a big hunt most of the time leaving AOF. We do slot if singles where I make her stay focused for 10-15 seconds on the mark before I send her. Thsrs if she didn't turn her head first. Any little distraction also makes her look away

Is this typically the first bird thrown in a multi-gun setup? Does your dog turn away even on single marks with only one gun out in the field? If so I would do the opposite of what you are doing. I would put one gun out there but short enough so that the angle to the bird is fairly wide. You might even throw small bumpers so that a square throw lands a long way from the gun, in other words, if the dog follows the bumper to the ground the gunner is well out of his line of sight. I would watch my dog's head while listening for the bumper to hit the ground. If the dog watches it all the way to the ground I would send her immeadiately.

The purpose of this it to get the dog focused on the bird, through the arc and to the ground, then be rewarded with the retrieve, rather than sweat her out by making her sit for ten-fifteen seconds. If she doesn't follow the mark all the way to the ground, don't let her retrieve it. Have your gunner walk out and pick it up with her watching, then repeat. What do you think she is looking for when she turns her head away for a split second? BTW it must be more than a split second as the throw will be in the air for two or three seconds.

Like Howard said, it's hard for us to divine these things over the internet, I wish I was there to see it in person.

John

[John Robinson]

Well Howard I would call it smart a** answer if it were me. Maybe we're not all experts like you. As for everyone else thanks for any help that you have given me to fix this problem

What are you talking about? Howard's trying his best to help you, I guess you misread his intent. I sure didn't take it that way.

John

[Paul "Happy" Gilmore]

If the owner agreed with my assessment, and it's not a bugging or another attitude problem, I sure would. I've solved it that way with many dogs. Change the expectations and you change the behavior.

Evan

I did that recently except the problem was in my expectation. I didn't expect the dog to do what it did! LOL..

[Paul "Happy" Gilmore]

That's pretty rude for someone asking advice. Howard made some very good points and I sure didn't see anything smarta** about his answers.

Howard doesn't step in on my territory....

[Evan]

Well Howard I would call it smart a** answer if it were me. Maybe we're not all experts like you. As for everyone else thanks for any help that you have given me to fix this problem

I don't mean to pile on, but I hope you realize that Howard's trying to help. And his advice is sound. He's a very experienced trainer. I just think I may not have made my frame of reference clear about the approach I suggested.

Evan

[Breck]

If dog is doing what John described vs head swinging I would try what he described and put my suggestion in your back pocket for another day.

[Howard N]

I didn't think I was being an wise ass either.

You have gotten several good pieces of advice for head swinging. What if your dog is not head swinging but rather bugging? ie. Something has confused her about what she should be doing? You know she likes retrieving but a disconnect about what to do has somehow crept into her head when a mark is thrown. These often are sensitive dogs, it can happen. Sending fast with a confused dog may not be the best course of action.

None of us are really sure what is going on, so you have to read your dog and decide what is going on inside her head and work to correct it.

[cajundogman]

Maybe I took Howard's statement about Internet training the wrong way but I have gotten answers on other questions that that were and I thought he was going there. I don't need help that's bad so maybe I jumped the gun. Shell shocked!!thanks for all y'all input to my problem being that I'm not a pro trainer just a guy trying to have fun with my dog. Ill try to explain my problems a little better next time. Howard I have used some of your answers in the past so thanks.