I have a 13 month old German Wirehaired Pointer who is usually very obedient to the whistle - done lots of obedience and gundog training.  This week she has turned into a crazed thing when she spots any kind of bird, and goes totally deaf to any recall.  I've tried walking her on the lead but all she does is scream and struggle to get free to chase birds.  Even putting her in the garden is a nightmare has if she can see a bird in the tree the screaming starts. Does anybody have any ideas on how to stop this obsession with birds?

Tracy

Have you tired using a lemon collar?If thats doesn't work then you must have a very strange dog!!:D
Joan

Joan how can you call a HPR Gundog "strange" for hunting out birds, which the dog was bred for???? ;)

Rox

I don't want to stop her pointing and hunting, just ideas on how to channel her enthusiasm and to listen to me, ie stop chasing when I tell her.

Tracy

I have same trouble with ned with cats no matter what i do he is off on prey drive

and yet its only the cat that runs not the old cat who says up yours and sits there

Sorry I've been so long answering this but I have had to go out today and have only just found time to answer.

Mattie.
Very obviously there is no aggression involved, he just enjoys the chase! Poor lad tries to chase the old boy but he won't play! I've even seen cats instigate the chase. A friend's young Flatcoat was a big offender. She was quite worried until I pointed out that if the dog stopped then the cat stopped too, moved back closer to the dog until it could tempt him to start chasing all over again.

Tracy.
This is a lot harder. It is something which often happens if a young dog is taken beating before being really steady. HPR's and Spaniels are always going to be more at risk to the chase than a retriever because of their natural hunting instinct. Remember, it is always so much easier to work with a dog's natural instincts than to try to modify them. Chasing is something I would get a little tough on because if it graduates to livestock his very life is in danger.

Steadiness exercises such as tossing a ball or dummy around whilst he sits and stays will only go so far in helping. It lacks the excitement of a real live chase. You also have difficulty training "In the wild" because you never know when you are going to come across a bird so when you do it takes you by surprise. What you really need is to set up a training situation. A lot of Anna's early steadiness training was outside and later inside my cousin's chicken run! I'm also lucky in that I have access to pheasant release pens. If all else fails maybe there is a stream where you can guarantee finding some ducks? Start on lead with stays at a distance, gradually working closer as you get success. After a short stay turn and heel away with a quiet "Good boy". Keep the praise quiet because you don't want any excitement creeping into it. If a bird flies get him use to a command, people often use "Gone away", turn and heel away and give him a "God boy". As things work progress to the same off lead. Really work on the "Gone away" command.

GWP's have a strong working instinct. Chatting to a friend at training who apart from having Labradors also has GSP's and GWP's, she says that a walk with her GWP's is a very stop start affair, progressing form one point to the next! This is the whole point behind the "Gone away" command. When he goes on point, you tell him to stay and hold him with eye contact whilst flushing whatever it is and tell him that it's "Gone away"

It is never so easy for the general public to train this kind of thing as the "Professional" trainers who have access to such things as rabbit pens and the like. But with a little thought places are freely available. I know a place where I can just about guarantee finding rabbits at around dusk. Also a wood close by which is alive with squirrels. A stream with a fair colony of ducks where I can do water training. Places like this are worth their weigh in gold because it is then possible to set up the situation you are trying to train.

Hoping this gives you a few ideas.

Best wishes, John

Many thanks for your reply John.  Where we have just moved to there is a pool with loads of ducks and geese, which I have just started walking Briar around, the first time she screamed all the time and walked on 2 legs, we now have progressed to walking on 4 legs so I will use some of your suggestions whilst out with her.  She has started her 1st season today so I will be limited to what outside training I can give her for a few weeks, but I can do a lot in the garden as she is facinated by all types of birds.

Many thanks again

Tracy

I've only just seen this thread but echo everything John said. 

I have a 3 year old gwp who has just finished his grouse counts.  When he first went onto the moor, he would hunt, point and then chase the birds - which most "bird dogs" do.  To get him out of this, we put him on a long line so when he went on point, we would hold the end of the line and he would be unable to chase and we would encourage him to hunt around where the grouse got up.  It took a while but he soon learnt that pointing and hunting were more fun than chasing.  He is now at the stage when he flushes a grouse, he will watch it go and then start hunting around.

He is now far easier to work than our pointers as he is a very steady dog.

Helen

Just to let you know I've seen it Tracy. I'll post tomorrow when I have more time.

Best wishes, John

I have similar trouble with Honey (XBreed), mainly with deer and kites (!), though she is okay on the lead - just goes very stiff - we have improved steadily through her maturing and me consistently expecting the same behaviour, i.e a instant down on command, which needed to be trrained fully before any distractions, then with minor distractions and so on, must say for us the hardest thing is the kites, because she can hear them so much earlier than me, it is okay if the kite is a stunt kite and the person can keep it still, she will then listen, but in the early days I forget how many Bob The Builder kites we had to replace!

Good Luck!

This is a timely reminder for us about not chasing - with Manic Morse his rabbit obsession has been stoked by him catching 2 when out with OH and his dog walker. Needless to say hes now nicknamed Morse the Bunny Slayer by my ex friends who have now revised their opinion of him as a lovable, friendly dog.  Ive always stopped him chasing cats/bikes etc, but have found rabbits and tree rats much more difficult as he has a high hunting drive .  Being a coward I just dont go near livestock areas, although I have introduced him to them on a lead at the fence. I really need to get the self employed hunting knocked on the head or we will never get started on WT. Our relaxing runs into the woods will have to go for a while I think, or will this just drive us both mental? Mind you it wil make a change to practice stays with distractions that cant ask what youre up to - we used the Church Social as just such an opportunity this week and Morse stayed rock solid down as the joyful crowds arrived at the church hall ( on his long lead naturally to prevent breaking) A little old lady came running up to me asking what was wrong with my dog as he was lying down :D when I thanked her for her concern and explained, she went off shaking her head and said she didnt approve of dogs being taught TRICKS! lol