dog not packing up

Northwind Kennel · Post by **Northwind Kennel** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:19 pm

I haven't tried this, but you could put her on a tie out right in the middle of the action with the strange dogs driving and let her go when the timing is right i.e. she's showing frustration that she wants to go and they bring the rabbit close and better yet if she could see it and then let her go right as they are coming through. I would think it would build desire to go strange dogs or not. You could also let her run solo for a half hour or so and catch her and then put her on a tie out and have her watch the other dogs run the rabbits right by her. That way she had a little taste and was picked up before she was ready to quit. You could even leave her on a tie out a few times and not let her go. That way she goes from the box to maybe running for a little to a tie out and watching and hearing the others run and it maybe a few days before you let her join in when she's ready and can't take it any longer. The excitement and frustration may override her reluctance to join in…

My .02
Chris

When she was corrected for backtracking with the training collar, do you think she understood what she was getting corrected (shocked) for?

bgalmania · Post by **bgalmania** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 12:44 pm

Put her in a pen with different dogs from time to time and get her to socialize more with other dogs. Pick dogs that are laid back and easy going as not to cause fights. Soon she will not be shy with other dogs. Is she kept in a pen by herself or with others? When she gets used to one dog being in the pen with her, switch another dog in until she learns to accept being part of a 'pack'. Brace her with another dog for awhile and then switch dogs. When she is bracing good add the 3rd dog, etc. etc.
Just some more ideas, the other replies were all good.

Another thought is that the pack might be causing too much pressure on her. Put her on the ground with a dog that she can take the front on.

Rick

Wilson Creek Dad · Post by **Wilson Creek Dad** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 4:07 pm

I think part of the problem is that she was always in the pen with the same dog ever since she was about 6 months old and every time we took her running that same dog was with her. For the past few weeks she has only been in our pens for a few days and there were different dogs in with her. Different people are taking her and running her with their dogs and putting her up with different dogs. All the ideas sound good and we are going to keep shifting her to different places for a while and see if that helps.

As for the pressure bothering her she seems to do her best when running with our best dogs so I am not sure that is a problem but we will keep watching her just to see. Thanks to all the comments and help. We really hate to give up on her because she can really get it done when she wants to.

joe kaschak · Post by **joe kaschak** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 8:11 pm

Shock collars can be a real good tool for training hounds. Great for breaking off deer and for getting a hound to handle well. However they can also be the worst invention by man if inadvertantly used wrongly. In my humble and honest opinion: backtracking is not a trait that is learned by running with other hounds-- this usually shows a lack of intelligence if persisted in for extended periods. Any hound can take a back line if it hits the track in the middle or in some cases, if young especially, on a check. Shocking the dog while it is chasing a rabbit scent will only teach it that it is wrong to chase rabbits. The dog cannot tell the difference between getting shocked for running a true line verses a back line. Also, unless you actually see the direction the rabbit took and can confirm without a doubt, you cannot prove the dog actually took a backline-- it may have been running a double. If the dog was starting to learn to pack, and it got shocked for running a rabbit scent, all your teaching just went down the drain. My suggestion would be to start over, doing what had been successful, and only use the shocker if on a confirmed off game(read that DEER ) chase. Good luck with her.

Wilson Creek Dad · Post by **Wilson Creek Dad** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 7:06 am

Good Point Joe. We did make sure it was an actual back track before we shocked her but I never thought of it as shocking her off of a rabbit. I can see where that would be confusing to a young dog and is probably where we started her down the wrong road. A mistake we won't make again and I agree that the shock collar can do more damage than good if used to easily or for wrong reasons. Any suggestion on what to do if you think a young dog is back tracking?

bgalmania · Post by **bgalmania** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 10:52 am

I agree with Joe, do not shock her for backtracking. Get up there with her and get her turned around. Scold her gently if you have to, but head her in the right direction. Helps to have a dog that keeps the tracking in the right direction.

rick