Reading dogs

[dwalton]

Just a fews thoughts on reading dogs. When I am hiking with 3 or 4 older dogs and a bunch of pups I see the pups getting flighty on a track and notice the old dogs by my side I just tone the pups and they are back with me. The home work has been done before I have gone to the woods.I could of hissed the old dogs so they could help those pups get that track out with a totally different out come. I have seen it done. When I get a hot strike off the rig the dogs run out there and give a little tail kind of looking for a track, I will bet you most any thing it will be a lion or fox, a tone and dogs are back on the box. When I still guided bear and lion hunters I had a dog that would strike from the rig, letting her down she would go to the track and open. If it was a lion or bear she would stand looking back at me. If I turned loose another dog the race was on if I asked her to come back she did and we went on to looking for a bobcat. She would not hesitate if it was a bobcat just run it. A dog hunted on bobcat a lot will give more body language on bobcats then another animal. Dogs do react different to different animals if you look closely at them you can see it by their body language. I have a 10 year old dog that I still hunt. When walk hunting she stays with me until just before the dogs start a cat. She watches the other dogs body language and knows when it is time to get up there to check things out sometimes even before I see any actions that might indicate a track is there. I have run 8 or 10 pups under 14 months free casting with older dogs and never run trash just by watching them and giving direction to them before a dog opens. When I am free casting dogs they hunt with me taking direction from me. When I get to a fork in the trail they wait to see which way to go, all I do is point with the left or right hand as to which way to go and they are off again. They do it out of respect for me not from me controlling them with a shock collar. You can teach a dog to do as much as you want if you take the time to do it and have a trainable willing partners. Some dogs I will not waste my time on. I know what I want from a dog if it does not have it in it you can't get it out. Watch your dogs they will teach you as you teach them. Dewey

[ands]

Great read Dewy, i 'd say it takes a huge amount of time spent hunting to have that -link with the dogs!

[barksalot]

Right on Mr. Dewy. The most often repeated statement that I make to young hunters asking for advice regarding many different problems with their dogs is "Look at, listen to your dogs. Dogs (for the most part) are honest. They don't lie. Try to understand their body position and movement, the look in their eye and the tone of their voice. Also try to communicate in a way that the dog can understand. Being a compassionate pack leader (alpha) makes it all work in shaping a dog's behavior (training).

[horshur]

I would add that my dogs are very good at reading me..my wife would concur. I often leave the dogs at home to go check rds anyway she knows by the dogs whether I have found a track to run or not..don't matter if I try keeping it under my hat either..dogs know. I am not Bs'ing they know by how I pull into the yard....

[dwalton]

I have an 9 year old female that still does a good job on bobcat. Today I hit a cold track with her sons and they got down the road about a mile before I could get a tree cut out. When I got to where they left the road I sent 2 young dogs to them and left the old girl in the rig thinking I would save her a little work. Talk about a attitude she would not look at me the rest of the day walk hunting after I got done with that track without her. If looks could kill I would of been a goner by her body language. She was pissed. Don't tell me dogs can't think. You just got to love them. Dewey

[rockytrails]

Jealous too. Especially of puppies

[rockytrails]

In obedience training, I read once to watch the tail. When it drops lesson is over. Definetly true. Water Dog book.

[al baldwin]

Just a fews thoughts on reading dogs. When I am hiking with 3 or 4 older dogs and a bunch of pups I see the pups getting flighty on a track and notice the old dogs by my side I just tone the pups and they are back with me. The home work has been done before I have gone to the woods.I could of hissed the old dogs so they could help those pups get that track out with a totally different out come. I have seen it done. When I get a hot strike off the rig the dogs run out there and give a little tail kind of looking for a track, I will bet you most any thing it will be a lion or fox, a tone and dogs are back on the box. When I still guided bear and lion hunters I had a dog that would strike from the rig, letting her down she would go to the track and open. If it was a lion or bear she would stand looking back at me. If I turned loose another dog the race was on if I asked her to come back she did and we went on to looking for a bobcat. She would not hesitate if it was a bobcat just run it. A dog hunted on bobcat a lot will give more body language on bobcats then another animal. Dogs do react different to different animals if you look closely at them you can see it by their body language. I have a 10 year old dog that I still hunt. When walk hunting she stays with me until just before the dogs start a cat. She watches the other dogs body language and knows when it is time to get up there to check things out sometimes even before I see any actions that might indicate a track is there. I have run 8 or 10 pups under 14 months free casting with older dogs and never run trash just by watching them and giving direction to them before a dog opens. When I am free casting dogs they hunt with me taking direction from me. When I get to a fork in the trail they wait to see which way to go, all I do is point with the left or right hand as to which way to go and they are off again. They do it out of respect for me not from me controlling them with a shock collar. You can teach a dog to do as much as you want if you take the time to do it and have a trainable willing partners. Some dogs I will not waste my time on. I know what I want from a dog if it does not have it in it you can't get it out. Watch your dogs they will teach you as you teach them. Dewey

Dewey you are no doubt a very knowledgeable trainer, however, have to believe to controll 8 to 10 young dogs free casting, you have to rely on those older dogs to tip you off when those pups get flighty, that is very basic, you also have ecollars to assure control if needed. Most dogs that are freecast or roaded learn to pay attention at road forks, if one or all take the wrong fork a touch on the vehicle horn or a whistle when walking should bring them back. I never expect dogs to stay in sight when walking those skids for a strike, once I have confidence to not trash. How can one gain confidence if they are taught to stay in sight? Dogs that are allowed to leave the road to hunt in my experience often find a desired track. It is not uncommon for hunters to read what dogs are doing differently, as you say we all listen & make up a story as to what is happening, assume that includes yourself. At times it seems you want all to believe you are perfect in reading dogs and the dogs you bred at born trash free. I don/t question your post to be negative and do not believe you are a bad person, just think you sometimes over state your abilities When your dogs box and get down then check and don/t take the track, how do you know that is not a coyote, instead of a cougar or fox?. I too have a hard time writing my thoughts, hope this makes some sense. Thanks Al

[dwalton]

Al my dogs are way ahead of me when they reach a fork and have learned to wait by me taking the other fork that they have passed. I believe dogs do not run coyotes naturally, they have been taught by other dogs hunted by people that don't know what going on. Al if you would have a open mine about what could be done instead of what can't be done you may be able to see a better way of doing things. I post to save people all the mistakes that I have done over the years. I don't know it all and don't have the right way. I hunt because I enjoy it, the easier it is to get where I want to go with a pup treeing bobcats gives me more time to tree more cats with less trash trouble. Believe it or not [your choice] there is always a better way for all of us. Some people enjoy treeing bobcats, some people enjoy running all game. Each to there own, if it works for you keep doing the same o same o. Dewey

[al baldwin]

Dewey have a good finish to the season, hope to see you in june. I too write because I believe most young hunters are never going to as accomplished at reading dogs as you say you are. An give them another opinion. Dewey not many seasoned hunters who hunt this area, believe all you post, maybe that/s our loss. Am sure many do not believe all i post & that is probably their gain. Take care Al