Thread: Focus?!

Ayejay get your dog under complying without any dogs around, then slowly expose your dog in a hunting environment and get the same controls to be reliable in that situation.
Start off with areas where there is no game & no other dogs, once you've got the solid control there, go to areas where there is a bird or two (no other dogs again). When you are all happy there, then bring in a second dog as a distraction (find someone who has a well mannered dog to start off).
If you have some one with a pigeon launcher, you might want to use them to create some time of stimulus while still having a control of your training environment (get someone experienced to help you out with it).

No point training at the dog park when there is 10 other dogs interfering with what you are doing, it only leads further frustration on your part and chastising the dog in return, when it can all be avoided. After all I'm assuming you want to train your dog to be compliant in a hunting situation, not in the park?

Another thing, as you start exposing your dog to different environments you will notice he will be more compliant when he is in a hunting mode and works closer with you. As opposed in the park he is just chilling around and wants to sniff some bitches...

Get him working with you alone - build some type of hunting rhythm and rapport between you to, leave the rest of the world behind for a moment.
They are pretty smart, they know the difference between a hunting scenario and a stroll through the park.
It becomes quite simple. Give him one thing to focus on which is you, and not you + 20 other dogs... Learn from my mistakes, I'm still suffering

After reading the posts and doing some more research I have come to the conclusion I have been too lax on the 'accepting nothing but compliance' mindset. So im starting back at the start with him.
At the park I normally run him on a lead for a while then start working on sit, recall using the line if he doesn't come back to haul him to me. I am not confident enough to let him go not so much that he wont come back but more that he will piss someone off or worse knock some kid over.
If I was to suggest the ideal outcome for him and me I want a dog I can take to the park / beach knowing I will get 100% recall regardless of what is around and then be able to take him to hunt birds knowing he has the basics for hunting sorted.

Originally Posted by Petros_mk

.. Learn from my mistakes, I'm still suffering

Weve all made those screw ups Pete that we end up paying for as time goes on .....your not alone lol