Thread: Gun shy

Originally Posted by Dougie

This is a really great point, Possumer different horses for different courses. I think I may have said something earlier about self-rewarded behaviours. Like the sheep dog - he loves chases sheep, so his job is self rewarding. My dog however, he would love to eat sheep. I am sure with training I could get him to round them up without touching them, but the actual act of doing the job would not be the reward for him. Probably a tug toy afterwards would be the reward.

For your pooch, the hunt is the reward. With CC and association, also changing the dogs emotional response to the activity, we can as handlers manipulate our dogs to enjoy the hunt. And I think that is kind of where jord's mate's dog is at. And probably a lot of hunting dogs out there too - being out with Dad and pleasing him is the reward, not necessarily the hunt.

Dougie, for the gundog, the retrieve of the bird, hare, rabbit is the major reward and of course for the handler it is a big one too. Gundogs enjoy the hunt, hence ones under little control tend to self hunt which is simply an euphorism for lack of control and connection....their middle toe is saying expletives, but the dog with good connection, good basic controls, deep and meaningful prey drive is enjoying every minute of it all...but the retrieve is the pinnacle. To me the prey drive is what catches me...for without prey drive, you simply have a fine looking dog. With prey drive, your fine looking dog becomes a beautiful hunting machine...what the originators of the breed had intended for him to be.