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Subject: Does your dog mean a lot to you?

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KwickLabs
Roscoe, IL

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01/23/2006 1:15 PM	Alert
One thing that is absolutely necessary is to teach a dog to sit on whistle immediately......without fail.......anywhere and under any circumstances. You should even move beyond that and teach a dog to be steady to flush and shot. This is especially true if you are doing hunt tests and/or believe that it should be so when hunting upland birds. Taffey has been well indoctrinated to the standard. However, when I am hunting in the small covers of Illinois or guiding on a game farm, running cripples quickly elude a dog at the fenced in boundaries. Therefore, Taffey and I have an understanding about retrieving pheasants. It's been a few days and I can write about this now. Taffey and I do a lot of upland guiding at Blonhaven Hunt Club. One particular sorghum field borders an old limestone quarry and has a 25 foot straight down drop (with no fence). For that reason, none of the guides cares to hunt this area. We had just started working the field when Taffey went on point. Taffey and I have this understanding - pheasant goes up and if I don't whistle. she's off for a quick retrieve. I flushed up one pheasant which was cleanly shot and another flushed wild which the other gunner dropped. Taffey picked up both birds and we moved on. Very quickly she hit another point and as usual in this area my whistle is always in my mouth. The pheasant was flushed and it flew right past Taffey's head...the wrong way.....straight for the quarry. I couldn't believe it.....the gunner shot...but it was a clean miss.....which probably made a huge difference in the outcome. I blew the pea right out of the whistle as Taffey's butt slammed down two feet from the edge. Taffey looked out to follow the flight of the bird and then she looked down. I swear she then turned back at me with a look on her face which spelled out "Whoa that was close!" I was a bit slow on the trigger with my whistle because of the shock of what was about to happen (or could have). There was no time to think just react.........afterwards the emotions took over. That's when the reality sank home. All that whistle sit training paid off with a once in a lifetime dividend last Friday, and Taffey probably wonders why she's getting some extra snuggles the last few days. The guides agreed to have a fence building party.........soon.

Jim Boyer www.kwicklabs.com Home of: MPR UH HRCH Kwick Taffey of Joemac's MH Kwick Kooly Dew It Allstar SH Kwick Daisy's Spirit Keeper SH Kwick Draw McGraw ("Dustbucket" II) ---------------------------------- "Excellence is Expected"

bubulkaj Moderator
Blue Springs, Missouri

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01/23/2006 1:35 PM	Alert
Wow Jim, somebody was looking out for you that day! I am glad that it did. I dont know what I would do if I let something like that happen to Brady. I have had him hit fences, and fall off low embankments etc. But that would seriously freak me out! I am still working on steady to wing and shot with Brady and had been letting him slack off a little latley, but with your post I will be placing a renewed emphasis on his training. Joe

KwickLabs
Roscoe, IL

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01/23/2006 2:06 PM	Alert
Joe, this is off topic, but the line lengths on my posts keep coming out irregular even though when writting them the pacing looks fine.

Jim Boyer www.kwicklabs.com Home of: MPR UH HRCH Kwick Taffey of Joemac's MH Kwick Kooly Dew It Allstar SH Kwick Daisy's Spirit Keeper SH Kwick Draw McGraw ("Dustbucket" II) ---------------------------------- "Excellence is Expected"

2Blackdogs!
Kansas City Area - GO CHIEFS !!!

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01/23/2006 2:34 PM	Alert
I'll bet you will think twice about going to that field again! They need to put up a serious Hog wire fence along that cliff...whistle trained or not!

bubulkaj Moderator
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01/23/2006 2:55 PM	Alert
Jim, I will check in to it. Are you using the quick reply or the main reply dialog? Also are you cutting and pasting or just typing it in direct. Line wrapping seems to be working for me on this post back to you, I think any way. Yep it just wrapped again. Joe PS, I edited your post and it seemed to wrap correctly after editing. Let me know if you continue to have the problem.

KwickLabs
Roscoe, IL

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01/23/2006 3:19 PM	Alert
2BlackDogs, Any birds in there will be safe from us. It is now officially a refuge. Joe, I was not using the quick reply or pasting. Should I prepare the posts in Word and paste?

Jim Boyer www.kwicklabs.com Home of: MPR UH HRCH Kwick Taffey of Joemac's MH Kwick Kooly Dew It Allstar SH Kwick Daisy's Spirit Keeper SH Kwick Draw McGraw ("Dustbucket" II) ---------------------------------- "Excellence is Expected"

CPK
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01/23/2006 4:11 PM	Alert
Yes Kwick,It is a MUST,In 1993 we were hunting for grouse at an abandoned coal mine in WV,My freinds' dog chased after the flush and tried to jump a peice of sheet metal, he hit the metal,the vet had to put the dog down,cause he could'nt save the front leggs...Having total control can avoid a serious tragedy,I would'nt think of taking off in my truck,knowing it did'nt have brakes,and I cant hunt a dog with out them either...To many fences and highways near some prime Grouse coverts.

SEMPER-FI Dont be a Liberal

bubulkaj Moderator
Blue Springs, Missouri

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01/23/2006 5:48 PM	Alert
No, Jim, you dont have to compose in word or anything. We will get you figured out one way or another. I will see if any one else is having trouble as well. I just keep typing and the lines wrap automatically. Are you possible hitting enter instead of just letting it wrap automatically? Joe

Zeke

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01/23/2006 6:10 PM	Alert
Kwick, Close calls always make you appreciate your favorite buddy even more, I bet that Taffey rode in the front seat on the way home, you treated her to a steak dinner, and she slept in your bed that night! Glad to hear everything worked out, see all that training does pay off! Zeke

MPR Zeke the Wonder Dog HRCH www.freewebs.com/zekethewonderdog PR Director of the Michigan Mafia MM Run-N-Gun Asssociation

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Forums > American Pointing Labrador Association > Training > Does your dog mean a lot to you?