Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    If you want pigeons ( the correct spelling this time ) see me.
    I know I miss spelled it in an earlier reply but this time
    I looked it up.
    
    Mark, If you are sincere about training that dog lets get
    together. I have birds and an areas where we can train.
    Oh, yea Can you shoot? 
    
    Labs are trained in the same way springers are trained for upland
    bird work. We can always get JAmberson to give us advice.
    ( known expert in these notes files on Labs ) No blushing jeff.
    
    Bear

    Thanks Bear (I think...)  The best place to get pigeons if you don't
    have a steady supplier is to net them off bridges at night.  Get
    a landing net and take them off there perches.  You'll look like
    a madman to passing motorists but it works.  I've been questioned
    several times by the cops when out pigeoning, normally there semi
    understanding. 8*)  Keep us posted on your pups progress.
    Jeff
    

    i have a chocolate lab pup he is only 13 weeks old when would it
    be a good time to take him out duck hunting so he can get use to
    the gun firing. i don't expect him to retrieve for me this year
    but would it be a good idea to take him this year. i'm new at this
    i have been duck hunting for the past 25 years and never used a
    dog so i need all the help i can get. thanks

    Hi Ray
      You should put a lot of thought into how you first introduce your
    pup to gunfire.  With a little planning you can avoid a host of
    problems.  A duck blind is probably the worst place to introduce
    the pup.  Everyone will probably using 12ga. that are being fired
    no more then couple of feet from the pup.  Its much better to introduce
    the dog gradually.  While your playing with the pup, have someone
    fire a .22 cal about 100yds away.  Watch the pup closely to see
    if there is any reaction.  If not, shorten the distance.  If the
    dog reacts, stop for the day.  The whole time you should be praising
    the heck out of the pup.  Once you can fire the 22 right next to
    the dog, start the whole process over with a 410, and then a 20
    or a 12 ga.  This way the pup is introduced gradually. Good luck
    Jeff

    re.1	Do you sell pigeons, or know someone that does?
    re.2	How the hell do getum, crawl around up there?
    
    Rich Neal

    when getting your dog ready for the gun go even slower with females.
    especially if she seems a little nervous.  you might consider getting
    her used to the gun the same way each fall.  just do rush into it.
    a young dog does not forget a bad experience.
    
    regards....john
    

    
    If you don't have a .22, or don't want to fire a gun near where
    you live, slap a couple of 2X4's together.  After you've built the
    dog up to that, and/or up to a 12 gauge you may want to walk him/her
    around a firing range at the local club, BUT, make sure he's ready
    for it.  This can save you quite a bit on shells.
    
    Erik

    Re.5
      I've got a 12ft aluminum pole that i use for an extension on the
    net.  It enables me to reach them with out playing Carl Wallenda.
    Jeff

    Ok, now for what it worth what you are about to read is my
    opinion and if you know me you might want to value it then again
    you might not.
    
    First of all so far a lot of the responses are on the right track
    Graduall introduction to gun fire is best. And some of the sugestions
    are great. But every dog is different and you have to understand
    when is the best time to introduce a dog to gun fire.
    
    This I beleive is a 13 week old pup and there is nothing to be gained
    by introducing it to Gunfire this Fall.
    In my opinion this should not happen until around Late Spring or
    Early next summer.
    
    It is by far a lot easier to prevent gunshyness than it will
    be to cure it if this pup is troubled by the loud noise.
    
    Sir you have an awful lot of work ahead of you to get this
    dog ready for 1988. You should concintrate on this pup
    having fun. Start with a tennis ball and a hallway.
    close all the doors and sit at one end and roll the ball
    down the hall. encourage the pup to chase and pick it
    up when he  does call him back and since there is absolutely
    no where else to go but back to you he/she will more than
    likely oblige.
    
    
    Praise the dog and use a lip pinch to remove the ball and start
    all over again.
    
    keep retrievs to 2 or 3 and work up to 5 maybe ( again learn
    to read the pup and try and stop before he becomes tired of the
    game). You can do these short sessions several times a day.
    
    The training begins now the introduction to gun fire should not
    happen until next year.
    
    Later on we will move outside and use a retriev_R-Trainer to introduce
    gunfire to the pup in a manner that will be associated with retrieving.
    Retrieving a game he will have learned to like since the day he
    has come into your home.
    
    Sincerely ,Bear                      
    
    
    P.S. For those of you who may already have a gun shy dog I understand
    some animal cycoligist has come up with a tape that will cure a
    dog of this normality. I really don't know if it works and before
    I would purchase it I would explain to the person that I am from
    Missouri. 
    
    Then again maybe some of you would rather take the short cut
    just to see if it does work.
    
    P.S.S. If you want to train that dog then you better start
    reading some books on how to do it. Try wolters books he has
    three of them out that I know of.
    
    

      Bear brings up probably the most important factor in training a
    dog.  LEARN TO READ YOUR DOG!!  This is vitally important if you
    plan on developing any kind of rapport with that dog.
      As far as when to introduce your dog to gunfire, I don't think
    it matters when you start AS LONG as you back off when he starts
    to show signs that he is not happy or is concerned.  Don't push it
    or your gonna cause problems that you may never fix.  I agree that
    a 13 wk pup does not belong in a duck blind.  At this stage of his
    life everything must be fun for him. Life should be one big bowl of cherrys.
    Duck blinds are loud, cold and boring.  Let him take this season
    off.  Remember, he's just a baby.
    Jeff

    thanks alot for the advice i,m receiving on how to train my pet.
    i really appreciate very much. like i said before this will be the
    first time i ever used a dog for duck hunting. keep them coming
    and i will take the advice. again thanks alot.

    Here's something else you may consider. Any one who trains
    his dogs and does it right will tell you that they spend
    a great deal of time doing it. By that I mean they are always 
    reading about it, going to training sessions, talking
    to other trainers, going to field trials, or actually
    training their dog. After all first you have to train the
    Trainer how to train the dog.
    
    Most of them do this the year round. Most of them have familes
    and thats just about all the hobbies they have. They usually
    don't play golf or go bowling simply because there isn't
    enough time to committ to do both correctly.
    
    So if you think you would like to train your own dog
    and do it right its going to take a committment and most
    of us already have one committment ( to our families)
    so There isn't much room for anything else.
    
    Here is another alturnative. Have the dog professionally
    trained by some one who does this for a living.
    
    How much does it cost? It ain't cheap. But I beleive
    that a good dog is expensive no matter how you look at
    it . You will either invest a lot money or a lot of time.
    In the case of the later you may not end up with a good
    dog beacause you didn't learn your lessons well.
                                                    
    Many professionals charge around 300.00 a month.
    Even if he has the dog for 4 or 5 months they will
    ussually learn more than most dogs do in 2 years at
    home. If this is of interest to anyone I will
    post some names of professional trainers I know in the
    area.
    
    Sincerely Bear

    i would like to look into this more i would appreciate the information
    on trainners around the n.h area

    I am sure that are more trainers than I know of but I happened
    to bring in my book of important numbers and I will list
    the names and numbers of the two trainers in the area that I know
    of.
    
    You will have to find someone else to give you a recomendation
    because I have not used either.
    
    Pat Perry  617-249-7115
    
    Mo Gagnon  603-889 2820  Rindge N.H.

    Now heres another number out of my trusty dog contact book
    
    Clarance ( Pigeons )
    
    617-957-2807  Draccut Mass.

    
    .11
    
    I hope you are better with a gun than you are with a ROD
    

    .17 i do pretty good with a gun. i get between 40 to 45 ducks a
    season. i'm not that bad with a rod either i'm at least still in
    the running. 
    
       i hope to see you at massabesic lake this saturday.

    Thanks for all the useful suggestions for obtaining "pigions" (Thank
    God I don't have to spell to work here).  I'll keep you posted on
    how I do under the bridges around here.  
    
    Mark
    

    The pigeons from Clarence in Dracut are going for $3 apiece.
    

    
    I know of someone in the Gardner,fitchburg area that sells pigeons for
    $2.50 each. Send me mail if your interested. LMOADM::MEAGHER
    
    tim