EmilyMiller Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Has anyone had any luck training there dogs on ducks. I can't get sheep right now because I have two very territorial horses and a lake int he middle of their pasture due to all the rain and smelting snow. But I have some dry land up near the house to have a small flock of ducks. Do any of you work with ducks or geese with your dogs? If so, does it teach the dogs to be a little steadier because the ducks/geese move faster, or am I not thinking about this right? Thanks, Emily & Shelby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 I have three different types of ducks that each travel differently, we have runners, campbells and some big blue sweedish, the sweedish are the slowest and are great about staying put, the campbells are a challange to keep together while going in the same direction and the runners are the fastest but stay together like they have velcro on each other. I personally don't try to start training on ducks but I do use the ducks quite a bit once the dog has a good foundation (a good proper flank and a stop). They are a great training tool in smaller areas when you have a dog that is working pretty well correct, not so great if your dog is still in the "Bust them up" stage. Reminds me, I gotta get out and start clipping wings.... Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyMiller Posted March 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 She does well with her stops and flanks, but I thought that it might help her to drive. The horses are more apt to come at her than run from her, so I was thinking that ducks would be easier to get for the small space that I have. Plus, I wanted to be able to practice with her in a smaller space so that I could learn how to handle her better. She is deffinitally not an "eat 'em quick" kinda dog. She has more problems going forward than anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CleverColliesDeb. Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 The uTube Link below is a video of Aled Owen working Indian runner-ducks with his stylish tri-boy "Gwyn" (ISDS 248002). Gwyn is very good at working ducks, but many of Aled`s other dogs are less than happy working the birdies. It seems that as far as ducks are concerned; some dogs will and dogs some wont!....but, you can`t tell until you actually try them on ducks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTC7ORXy428 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRhodes Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 You shouldn't work her on your horses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnandreturn Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Never ever work your dog on horses.....unless you want a dead dog. A dog cannot get away from the front feet of a horse. A horse will chase a dog and strike the dog with the front feet. game over, dog dead. And a horse will bite a dog. A cow won't strike with the front feet or bite. Horses and dogs don't mix. Also you don't want your dog to think of horses as something to work. The dog will drive you nuts and the horses. You will always be scolding your dog. We as soon as the pups start to go with us we teach them in no uncertain terms to leave the horses alone. Not to lie by the fence and eye them....You also might want to ride and take your dogs with you. You will not want them constantly wearing behind your horse. Horse shoes are hard on a dogs body! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Coyote Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Has anyone had any luck training there dogs on ducks. I can't get sheep right now because I have two very territorial horses and a lake int he middle of their pasture due to all the rain and smelting snow. But I have some dry land up near the house to have a small flock of ducks. Do any of you work with ducks or geese with your dogs? If so, does it teach the dogs to be a little steadier because the ducks/geese move faster, or am I not thinking about this right? Thanks, Emily & Shelby Years ago there used to be a man in Oklahoma City who trained his dogs on ducks. And he did very well in trials. He lived right in the middle of town, I think. I don't know how many ducks he used but he was successful. He probably had access to sheep so his dogs could get some practice before a trial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Coyote Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Never ever work your dog on horses.....unless you want a dead dog. A dog cannot get away from the front feet of a horse. A horse will chase a dog and strike the dog with the front feet. game over, dog dead. And a horse will bite a dog. A cow won't strike with the front feet or bite. Horses and dogs don't mix. Also you don't want your dog to think of horses as something to work. The dog will drive you nuts and the horses. You will always be scolding your dog. We as soon as the pups start to go with us we teach them in no uncertain terms to leave the horses alone. Not to lie by the fence and eye them....You also might want to ride and take your dogs with you. You will not want them constantly wearing behind your horse. Horse shoes are hard on a dogs body! I know of one case where some people lost one of their really good dogs to a horse. They were at a trial and had tied the dog up in the pasture there. They did not know that there was a horse in the pasture. And the horse just stomped their dog to death. It was awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indydog Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 I know of one case where some people lost one of their really good dogs to a horse. They were at a trial and had tied the dog up in the pasture there. They did not know that there was a horse in the pasture. And the horse just stomped their dog to death. It was awful. I don't believe the OP say anything about puting her dog on horse. She just said her horse were territorial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 I don't believe the OP say anything about puting her dog on horse. She just said her horse were territorial. She does well with her stops and flanks, but I thought that it might help her to drive. The horses are more apt to come at her than run from her, so I was thinking that ducks would be easier to get for the small space that I have. I took it that she was trying to work her horses too but kinda ignored it after Nicole brought it up. It may have been unintended, sometimes I run sentences together accidently not typing what I mean, even miss it when I go back to proof it. A little later I end up going back and rereading the post and realize that I really screwed it up. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Deb, I read it like you did, and then thought "Surely not," especially given the repeated advice against working horses with dogs that's given on this forum. But since the OP hasn't returned since the mention of horses we'll never know I guess. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyMiller Posted March 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 Just to clear things up, no I don't work Shelby on the horses, but she is always out doing chores with me. I've used the idea of her wanting to herd the horses to teach her "back" and "that'll do", and she has done very well with both of those commands. I learned several years before having Shelby that my horses were not "herdable" horses. I used to work with a girl who would let her dog round up her own personal horses, but that only worked because the horses were afraid of the dog all together. Thanks for the input on the ducks. When it gets warmer I think I will try to get a small flock and see what she does. She is very curious about the canadain geese that land in the cornfield next to us. She thinks basic obedience is boring but listens very well when it comes to herding, go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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