Wont leave my side.

zacharias · Wont leave my side.

I read a while ago on another forum or club page (think it may have been the WCGB) about a lady who commented to someone that her HPR 'was going through the not leaving my side phase'

I am experiencing this with my 2 year old Hugarian Vizsla when out in the shooting field, this his first working season and up until the last two weeks I have took him beating and convinced myself it was because the drives were down wind or the scenting conditions were poor and that he his still relatively young.

For next season I have secured a gun in a walked up shoot on moorland and fellsides predominately into the wind, which I attended the last two weeks of the season, one guy had to excellent GWP which ranged as far as a HPR should and came onto genuine points consistently,

No excuses this time round then for me but my dog would still not leave my side or range very far in front of me (not even as far as a spaniel!!) he didnt even but one bird up at all, very frustrating and has got me very confused..

I even thought he may be gun shy but I have watched his reaction many times, and there is absolutely no signs of that..

The guys GWP were 4 & 5 and he said 'once they go they just go' and 'he is only still a pup'

Could anyone please advise ? or please tell me this common amongst HPR's !!!!!!!!!

Many Thanks

Rob.

kiwi

may be a bit of control overload for him, whats he like with game eg his prey drive ?

shirley cooper

Hi Rob

It was me with the weimaraner who was not leaving my side. I think I have mentioned it on this forum before and also it is on the working page of the WCGB site.

We had overdone the obedience and not introduced hunting early enough and Henry just would not move away from me whatever I tried. Someone then put me in touch with a trainer who turned it all around and he is now a very different dog. Whereabouts are you located?

The basics of what he told me to do were to take him different places where there was scent and completely ignore the dog so he had to find his interests elsewhere. Put your hands in your pockets and dont talk to him and dont look at him, no eye contact whatsoever. You need to try to put as much distance between you and the dog as possible so if he goes one way you go another. Over a short period of time it changed him so much.
I hope I have explained this properly and I am sure there are others on here who might be able to explain better but feel free to pm me and I can give you the trainers details.

DesO'Neile

I don't have the knowledge of HPR's to be able to talk about your predicament as it relates to them in general but there are at least two potential reasons. As said above an element of over training or an element of gun nervousness. Irrespective of which it is I would be doing my damdest to get my do into cover where there is game, get them flushing, running in in these circumstances is desireable but not mandatory and is deffinitely permissable. The idea is to get them so interested in hunting that anything else is a distraction. Then introduce the shot in the form of a starting pistol and work at building up the dog's drive. Also broaden the dog's horizon. Thake it to the high street on Saturday afternoon and any other strange places you can think of. The Rugby club while games are being played. Meeting other dogs in non-confrontational situations is also a help and if you think it might be overtraining lighten up on the dog in general.
result is a happier more confident dog that will wish to range further.

windem bang

This has never been a problem among my own dogs but I have often seen it in other peoples dogs.

I agree with the above posts that the reasons for it happening are overtraining for obedience and possibly a hint of gun nervousness. Your breed is one of the more sensitive H.P.R. breeds which isn't helping.

I agreed with the "cure" given in an earlier post, take your dog into gamey areas and don't give it much in the way of physical, vocal, whistle or eye contact. Cut out trying to give arm signals, make the dog feel it is a bit of a free agent. If the dog were mine I would prbably allow it a few chases on game until ,when released to hunt, it tore off looking for something to chase ! Then I'd worry about "curing" the chase !

To be honest I usually end up with the opposite problem to you ! Laughing

Bill T.

magyar viz

Hi Rob
vizslas are one of the more sensitive hpr's (from what iv'e read & personal exp) maybe the beating line was to much control, I would get somewhere to work him large enough for him to range, with scent not nessersery game (esp fur) as he may chase & you'll end up back where you are now,
As shirley says hands in pockets (i do keep whistle in me trap to stop the waffling & if you have a need to stop him) the confidence will build between both of you & watch him go and believe me you will have the biggest grin when he goes Very Happy

sinan

Find another person who is not familiar with your dog and long leashed your dog. This person will hold the leash and three of you begin to walk in the field. After gradually walk away from your dog and go on like this until the distance comes to your desired level.(but don’t come to your desired distance at first day, do all the work gradually day by day. The long leash keep the dog far from you and other person.) This will accustom your dog to stay away from you in the field. Use bird launchers and make the dog find and point the birds while far away from you and after go to his point and shoot. If you don’t have bird launchers do like what we are doing here. Get the quails and cut tip of their wings and leave them in the ground. The quails will not fly long and will stay around where do you leave them. Another way is teaching the dog to go away from you with your command and provide him to find the planted bird after send him to distance with your command.