Thread: What to breed to

el borracho, re the blinking...is it really a matter of softness? I still believe it is probably lack of experience...hyperthetically, if a dog blinks a bird and the bird either flies up or runs, what does the blinker dog do? does he chase the bird, is unsteady to the flush? What happens there? Perhaps it is not a matter of softness but undeveloped prey drive.


You didnt answer my questions...

a dog that has been handled too hard around birds can be taught to blink game.
but inexperience can also produced a missed game incident that could be wrongly termed blinked.

In my experience, true blinking is the result of a dog being overly pressured around game ie harsh steadying to wing and shot.

Originally Posted by el borracho

If you trial and your dog points fur your out!When I hunt which has been little for the past few years I only hunt upland game birds hence also why I discourage fur

Pointing fur is fine as long as they handle it correctly (ie don't chase/catch etc). Quin retrieved a dead possum in the trial today and it was deemed perfectly acceptable as it was dead when he found it.

Originally Posted by el borracho

If you trial and your dog points fur your out!When I hunt which has been little for the past few years I only hunt upland game birds hence also why I discourage fur

Dude, I have no idea where you get your information from, but you certainly do not get kicked out for pointing fur during Trials!

Originally Posted by kawhia

a dog that has been handled too hard around birds can be taught to blink game.
but inexperience can also produced a missed game incident that could be wrongly termed blinked.

But he isnt being taught, though is he, it is more a response, yes? How do you mean handled too hard? I do not see that if your dog has good prey drive where is the need to be hard on him...if he locks on point and is steady, how could a handler jeopardise this?

Originally Posted by EeeBees

But he isnt being taught, though is he, it is more a response, yes? How do you mean handled too hard? I do not see that if your dog has good prey drive where is the need to be hard on him...if he locks on point and is steady, how could a handler jeopardise this?

depends on the standed of control your after , some are fine with a dog that will run in when your approaching some are not fussed with steady to shot or flush , over or miss handling when trying to get these things my result in a dog that blinks game

just because a dog locks on point does not mean its steady , can you walk circles around your dog when its on point ??
(edit to add) the resin i ask, because if they are not,,, how will you correct them so you can walk around them,,,,,, with out them thinking your correcting them for being on point ??............. thats a example of how you can train a dog to blink game

Originally Posted by Kaimaicockher

depends on the standed of control your after , some are fine with a dog that will run in when your approaching some are not fussed with steady to shot or flush , over or miss handling when trying to get these things my result in a dog that blinks game

just because a dog locks on point does not mean its steady , can you walk circles around your dog when its on point ??
(edit to add) the resin i ask, because if they are not,,, how will you correct them so you can walk around them,,,,,, with out them thinking your correcting them for being on point ??............. thats a example of how you can train a dog to blink game

Agree entirely Danny! You couldn't have worded it better!

Originally Posted by Kaimaicockher

depends on the standed of control your after , some are fine with a dog that will run in when your approaching some are not fussed with steady to shot or flush , over or miss handling when trying to get these things my result in a dog that blinks game

just because a dog locks on point does not mean its steady , can you walk circles around your dog when its on point ??
(edit to add) the resin i ask, because if they are not,,, how will you correct them so you can walk around them,,,,,, with out them thinking your correcting them for being on point ??............. thats a example of how you can train a dog to blink game

How would you correct this flaw? Maybe it has more to do with prey drive afterall and not about softness...to answer your question, I can walk around my dog when she is on point...

Originally Posted by gqhoon

Dude, I have no idea where you get your information from, but you certainly do not get kicked out for pointing fur during Trials!

yes correct ,its been many years away from trialing I forgot --I still will not have my dog acknowledge fur by choice if possible as I don't shoot it.
Today was the first day back at a P&S trial --good to see what I have work on other than the obvious cleaning off my mutt after pissing off for a self hunt and rolling in dead animal
Great to meet up with Kawhia and RCGSP

Originally Posted by EeeBees

How would you correct this flaw? Maybe it has more to do with prey drive afterall and not about softness...to answer your question, I can walk around my dog when she is on point...

Kaimaicockher nailed it, nothing to do with prey drive or softness, although a softer dog may be predisposed to it, I can't answer that one. The reason why people use a long line to stop a dog chasing at the flush was twofold, firstly the obvious one, it makes it easier to get your dog back, and the most important one, to stop you using voice or whistle. When the dog hits the end of the check cord at full speed, he associates the cartwheel he has just involuntarily done with the chase, as opposed to you stopping him by whistle or reprimanding him at the flush, which he may associate with game. From what I am told, once you have create a blinker, it can be hard to fix, often easier to start again.

At trials, are observers allowed?

to correct blinking you change negative association to a positive one-- do what you have to make you dog like birds-food ,praise ,lead him in behind experience dog on point and take it slow

Yes, they are and some, well, most judges are usually happy to allow people to walk behind them when the judging is being done...

I'm confused, what does blinking have to do with breeding again?

Yes Dougie they are accommodating and rather encouraging to observers

Originally Posted by el borracho

to correct blinking you change negative association to a positive one-- do what you have to make you dog like birds-food ,praise ,lead him in behind experience dog on point and take it slow

I cannot imagine trying to make my dog like birds more...it would be like asking an andaconda to squeeze tighter!!!!...