Lab ranging far ahead

[tacklejunkie]

He was fine during the grouse season but the last few weeks I've noticed than he will go pretty far ahead on our walks down the dirt road. I would say about 30 some yards ahead. He comes back when called but the he runs ahead again. He is pretty much used for grouse only and I want him to get back to that closer range. Is this just because we are not in the woods and the temptation to range further is there or is this a new habit that he may carry into the grouse woods that needs to be fixed and how would I go about doing this?

I realize that range he is at would be good for pheasant hunting but I need to make sure that he doesn't go that range this fall in the grouse woods

[TylerS]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. You're not hunting, you're walking. Plus, 30 yards isn't far at all, even for a flusher.

He's just sniffing around, being a dog. If he's getting too far from you and it's dangerous (car traffic) get a leash. Or, teach him to heal off-lead. My dogs do that. You can call the dog, set him at heal, then release him on the all-clear.

It might be a product of a different environment, too. My wirehair ranges a lot further in CRP than the grouse woods.

I have a feeing if you donned blaze orange and grabbed the scatter gun, he'd be acting a tad differently.

[tacklejunkie]

Thanks,Tyler.

I haven't had him in the woods since early Dec. and while walking with him yesterday I was wondering if the big snowbanks along side both sides of the road and a long stretch of nothing interesting may be encouraging his ranging.

We'll see what happens come spring when we walk in the woods. If he does range far in the woods, how would I correct that?

[DaSwede]

Never too late for a 30 ft check cord.

[onthefly]

My lab ranges farther ahead in open fields, too. In woods or high grass, he doesn't go as far. A lot of them, in my experience, naturally "check in" with you. In open areas, they see you from a greater distance. My guess is you'll have no issue on grouse since you'll be in the woods.

My lab was taught range control for upland by a pro trainer. Basically, with either his name or two blows of the whistle, he circles back and checks in. That's awesome for upland. Spent too much time running with dogs to keep up with them or watching birds flush out of range. That's not good for anyone,

My advice is get the Dokkens book on retriever training. He does a good job explaining range control for upland.

[DaSwede]

When my pup (10.5 months) starts getting out where I start getting "the feeling"...the one where you wonder if he's getting out too far, if he looks back, I change the direction of my shoulders, and he'll go that way, cutting off his previous path. That's kind of how I've gotten him to zig-zag through grass. Now he's pretty much doing it on his own. I'm lucky though that he "checks in" every couple seconds to see where I'm at.

Going down a fence-line with him is a whole other story though...

[Ufatz]

I do not claim to be a serious dog trainer but can I offer a couple thoughts and observations.

For some reason a dog will tend to mimic/follow the motions of its owner/handler. This is not something that happens when the dog is five months old, but it will develop; when you turn left watch the dog-he will turn left too. They will do it to a certain extent even when young pups. When upland hunting I walk slowly (most people walk too fast) and move back and forth and my dog does too.

The other way I control ranging begins at a young age with the whistle. When dog gets out to far simple call it back with whistle. After repeatedly having to drag his butt all the way back to you he'll learn to stay in a little more and instantly turn back toward you when you give him a couple toots on the whistle.

This generally gets my dogs doing what I want them to.

However I have had a dog take off after a flushed bird and when I finally caught up with him he was in Canada mooching munchies from a mountie.

[tacklejunkie]

Thanks all for the tips.

I picked up a whistle and we went for a very short walk and when he got out of grouse hunting range, I tooted the whistle and switched directions and it didn't take long for him to keep a closer eye on the distance between him and I.

From reading some of the replies, it appears that I shouldn't turn walks into a hunting situation and allow him some freedom as long as he is safe. Am I reading that right?

[onthefly]

Yes, I would agree. Don't treat walks like hunts. You want to avoid the dog finding a bunch of birds you never intend to shoot. He could lose confidence. Personally, I dissappoint my dog enough with my shooting while we are hunting!