Working home required

Claire · Working home required

I have a 5 year old entire male weimaraner that sounds like he would be suited to a working home. I have yet to assess him so currently can only go on what his owners are telling me.

They have had him since he was 6mths old, he was returned to his breeder as he had been sold to a very inexperienced family Rolling Eyes

His current owners are farmers with 20 acres of land with cattle and sheep. The dog is stock broken, great with kids and can be funny with other dogs depending on how they are with him, although the owner did confirm that he is fine with various dogs of both sexes that belong to their friends.

The problem is that this dog has a tendency to bog off Rolling Eyes

Apparently he can be away for up to 2 hours Shocked

Owner says he has a very strong hunting instinct, he puts his nose down and he's off. But also the family are to blame and the owner agrees nothing is really the dogs fault. An example of a scenario is the kids will leave doors open, dog gets out, goes off on a scent and then the farmer down the road rings up to say come and get your dog he's a bl**dy nusiance. Dog isn't actually doing anything but he is on the farmers property which is annoying.

I have gone down the usual path of suggesting training, putting him on a long line, attempting to manage the situation etc. etc. But it would appear that the dog is causing family rifts, seems its a case of blame the dog for everything Mad

The wife, who seems to be the only person that cares for the dog, is concerned that a farmer will shoot him, not because he is doing anything wrong but just because he is on their land wandering about.

I'm just sending out the assessment forms tomorrow and then I need to go out and see this dog. But I thought I would make preliminary enquiries as to whether there are any working homes out there that might be interested in channeling this dogs hunting skills in the right direction. He has had no proper gundog training but has attended shoots and will flush and retrieve just about anything.

Please let me know if you are interested or know someone who could be. The dog has only just turned 5 yrs, is in fit condition, fully vaccinated and wormed.

BritAnnie

Hi Claire
I take it you've already spoken to Gordon and Barry on this? I'm sure they'll try to help find a home for this poor lad.
Annie

Claire

Thanks Annie. I have emailed them both Smile

BenB

Would castration not help????

BritAnnie

BenB

hidden boundary? Just ideas.

BritAnnie

Round 10 acres? yeah right - Rolling Eyes

pensions won't stretch that far Laughing

Good idea if ground cn be restricted - a neighbour has done that with her Lab.
Thanks
Annie
(maybe I should get that gun Wink

)

tashap

hidden boundaries using collars can destroy a dog, stinks of lazyitus to me when they are used. I watched a lovely happy puppy with no people issues become a fearful mess that bites first because of a hidden boundary system using an ecollar.

Ghilliegumdrop

My sister used a hidden boundary fence when she got her labrador, now when she wants to take her for a walk she has to put her in the car and take her through the gate because the dog will not pass the fence. Mind you the dog won't go out and get lost so there is some advantage to it I suppose Twisted Evil

Jan

lagopuslagopus

Why is it that it is acceptable to use one of these fences but not a collar?

josie

I think these fences are worse than ecollars because you can't be in control of the associations the dog is making - dog sees another animal or a child or a man on the other side of the fence and runs towards that person/animal and then gets a shock. Dog then thinks the dog/animal/child caused the shock and can become fear aggressive towards dog/animal/child.

At least if someone is using an ecollar they are completely in control of the training, not just leaving it up to some system of sensors!

lagopuslagopus

I quite agree. I wonder why these haven't been banned already then in Wales, like the collars have.

josie

Are ecollars banned in Wales??

lagopuslagopus

I'm not so sure now Josie. I was told they had been but I've just been looking for proof and haven't found any yet.

BritAnnie

I've just been thinking about these things - Brittanys tend to rush around at speed, so wouldn't they just rush through the pain or noise whichever it is they use?
Annie

Helen S

We have an Innotek e.fence here and it is the best solution to our situation.

The system involves a boundary wire which sends an electronic signal to the collar. When the dog approaches the boundary wire the collar beeps, (you can adjust the proximity to the wire that this happens) you train the dog on the lead to move away from the boundary, inwards, when the beep sounds using a clearly described programme over ten days or more. You are instructed to make the boundary visible in any gateways or open areas initially by laying a tape or having flags that the dog can easily see. During this process you never let the dog loose near the boundary without being present with the collar. Once the dog knows where the boundary is (some days later), you put the collar on the dog and let it loose but supervised. The dog only gets a shock if it ignores the beep and/or continues to approach the boundary. The shock will ramp up if the dog continues toward the boundary - this is what prevents the dog from running through the signal.

Obviously the dog will at some point test the boundary but if it is done under controlled conditions when you are present with an outside distraction ie you don't go through the boundary yourself and call the dog to you; the dog should understand.

I trained Liesel right from the beginning that she could walk safely at heel through the back gate out of the garden with me. I never take her out through the main entrance, if I need her out there I take her out of the back gate and walk around, or I could put her in the car. If I walk out of the main entrance I always say "Stay", this has worked to reinforce "Stay", she never tried to follow me out because she already knew what "Stay" meant.

As you are advised not to try to train puppies to the system until they are over six months, they should already be socialised and should not associate people with getting a shock on the boundary. I can see that it could conceivably cause a dog to be more territorial but would this not also be the case with a high fence? And certainly in my experience dogs that are left tied up can be extremely defensive.

I found this system to be easy to install, reliable and damn near foolproof (I am no technician!). It works well for us and allows my dog a large playground, Liesel can have complete freedom within the garden area and my mind is at rest that she will not venture out onto the road. I may add that I do not leave Liesel loose when I am not around, either working out of earshot or away from home. I would not put her in the situation where she may feel responsible for guarding the premises alone from an innocent caller.

Helen S

lagopuslagopus

Hi Helen,

That was a good write-up. I think I have read previously that you use the e-collars anyway (sorry if I'm wrong) and I can't see much difference between the two other than as Josie said the handler has conrol over one and not the other. I only asked the question in the first place as it seemed that people who might be against the collar didn't seem to mind the fence and I just wondered why.

josie

I'd still never use one - I've also heard of dogs running through the fence chasing a rabbit or a cat and running through the shock because they were hyped up and the pain didn't register, as they were so aroused. Then they are unable to return home because they can't get back in again.

I think dogs can still make the wrong connections between things after they are 6 months old.

Then there's also the issue that a dog might not be able to get out, but neighbourhood dogs, cats, strangers and anything not wearing a collar can get in! And then your dog is trapped there with them.

Kids can tease the dog, chuck things at it, because they can see it clearly and there's no fence.

Etc, etc!

BenB

Strewth - I was only coming up with some ideas to help this dog.

Discuss electronic collars on a diferent thread maybe??? and come up with some suggestions rather than shooting down other peoples?

Sad

tashap

its good that you did training to introduce the fence so few do they see it as a quick fix for lazyitus when it comes to training their dog.

I can see the benefits of having a fence system especially in open spaces but having seen the worst case senerio it has coloured my view of them. I suppose like everything its a case of a good tool in the wrong hands.

Helen S

Exactly Tashap it is very much the hands that use the tool! Innotek provide a very good training programme which makes the e.fence almost foolproof, why would you not use it?

As Lagopus stated, I have used the ecollar on occasion when my girl was going through a very headstrong teenage stage but it was not the root of my training and I was very careful with my timing.

Josie, I stated that the e.fence worked for us in our situation. We live in a rural area and everyone around here knows about dogs. If I thought my dog would be teased by anyone passing the driveway I would put the boundary well back even out of sight so she was kept out of the way. I'm not sure it would be such a good idea to have an e.fence in an urban situation anyway. As for chasing cats or rabbits, isn't that just training too? Liesel chases sparrows wildly in the garden but treats the e.boundary like a brick wall and doesn't crash into it.

Helen S

Claire

Thanks guys for your thoughts and suggestions, it is much appreciated. I am still waiting for the paperwork on this dog to be returned and then I will go out to see him.

Can't see them using a fence of this kind anyway as I too think its a case of lazyitis. I'm sure these fences can work, but I have known weimaraners to simply ignore these fences.