Archive for category Dog Behavior Advice
In Dog We Trust
Posted by Boomer in Dog Behavior Advice, Dog Humor, Uncategorized on January 28th, 2009
Dear Boomer,
I read an article in an important magazine about a hunter who wanted his dog to “handle” pheasants. It seems this person wanted the dog to know everything about the bird. The dog was supposed to know which way the bird was running, whether the bird was sitting tight or had just sat in a place then moved on and when a running bird made a sharp turn and was sitting tight. The title of the article was “Point or Creep?”
You are an experienced pheasant hunting dog. What is your opinion on dog handling?
Signed,
Puzzled in Montgomery County
Dear Puzz,
Dogs have a saying, “One dog is a better hunter than a dozen humans.” We also say, “A bad day hunting is usually caused by a human.” You’ve never seen a dog lose their temper and shock a human have you?
A smart human will form a strong bond with their dog and train the dog to hold point, back, and retrieve. The dog will then show the human what the bird is doing if the human will pay attention and learn.
Contrary to some human beliefs, dogs are not able to “hypnotize” a bird into staying still. Pointing dogs do naturally freeze (point) when bird scent becomes strong enough. A smart human will encourage their dog to point with praise and stroking from the time the dog is young. A young dog must learn to stay still until their human tells them to “go on.”
Any pheasant dog will tell you that pheasants (and quail) run from the dogs and hunters. Sometimes the birds “sit tight” and hope you’ll walk by them.
Allow your dog to “run” the hunt. They will not “bump” the birds unless their basic training is weak. Establish with your dog that when you call, they have to come. Use that habit to keep your dog within gun range.
My canine compadres report that skilled human hunters take years to develop. So remember, Puzz, “If the dog you trust, the more birds you will bust.”
It Happened to Me!
Posted by Boomer in Advice for Humans, Dog Behavior Advice, Dog Health, Dog Humor, Unusual Hunting Experiences on January 14th, 2009
Dear Readers,
I took my human hunting today. I found a rooster in the tall grass, and pointed him. Old “Frequently Falls Down” kicked around upwind until Mr. rooster flushed with much cackling and pooping. FFD fired his gun and Mr. rooster dropped dead. I didn’t even have to track him down or retrieve him. FFd has fed and watered me and I am curled up next to his computer dictating this blog.
From my vantage point in the back seat of the pickup truck I listened to old FFD and his hunting buddy, “Three Shooter” swap stories and theories about hunting (more validation of my idea that a dog’s viewpoint is needed to balance human thinking.) That gave me an idea! If humans would comment on this blog and tell what unusual experiences they have had in the out doors, I will comment from my point of view if needed or I will just pass it along by p-mail if the canine community needs to know.
Write me and tell about unusual experiences you’ve had in the field. Happy hunting!
Boomer
Ask Boomer
Posted by Boomer in Dog Behavior Advice, Dog Humor, Upland Hunting on December 28th, 2008
Boomer, a German Wirehair Pointer, lives on a farm in central Illinois.
Boomer can answer questions about dogs, hunting, the environment, or anything else of interest to you. Boomer cannot answer all of his mail because his priorities. Eating, sleeping, exercising, training, and hunting do not leave much spare time. If your question is chosen for an answer by Boomer, it will be published in this blog. Please give your name and state.
Dear Boomer,
My bird dog, Jack Daniels, likes to drink from the toilet bowl. I read in the newspaper that some toilet bowls are cleaner than the salad bar at some restaurants. Is there anything wrong with letting Jack drink from the toilet bowl?
Signed,
Clean Gene
Dear Clean,
That depends, my friend, on whose health you’re guarding. I personally don’t see a down side to refreshing myself from a toilet bowl now and then, but I don’t make it a habit as one never knows where humans have been.
When I work or train, I often pick up poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, ticks, fleas, and juice from road kill on my fur. My fur touches the toilet bowl when I drink. Long story short, if you don’t mind, I don’t mind.
Signed,
Boomer
This letter is from Ashley Bishop, Litchfield, IL.
Dear Boomer,
Bath time is a big problem at our house as our dog, Crissy, does not want to take a bath. She refuses to go in the tub. When we put her in the tub, she jumps out. Last time she went hunting, she got sprayed by a skunk. How can we get her to get in the tub?
Signed, Ashley
Dear Ashley,
Great question, Ashley! Coincidentally, I am about to launch my own line of dog fragrances and shampoos based on what dogs like. Your dog probably just doesn’t understand how stressed “Eau De Skunk” makes humans feel and doesn’t see the need for deodorizing. Crissy would like it much more if you splashed on some of my “Sun Baked Mashed Marsupial.” Also, I recommend you roll in some of my “DB #1 or DB#2. You read it right, you roll in it, not roll it on. If you follow my advice, neither of you will feel the need to bathe anymore. However, your family may need some retraining. But that’s another column.
Bathing Crissy in the bathtub is a noble thing to do because you can regulate the temperature of the bath water. When we (dogs) are in the field and retrieving from water or searching in wet grass, we feel the cold water but ignore it because we are born to hunt.
If Crissy is obedience trained, have her heel, walk at your side, come up to a barrier and tell her, “go in”. Change the barrier to a low sided box (card board), then use a box the same “jump over height” as the tub. After she is successfully jumping into the box, you can take her to the tub. Before you have her jump in the tub, wet a towel and lay it in the empty tub. After bathing, drain the tub and lay that towel down in the bottom of the tub so Crissy won’t slip. Remember, to get anywhere in life, you need a little traction.
This next letter is from a young man, 15 years old from Minneapolis Minnesota.
Dear Boomer,
What do you think about spaying and neutering in relation to hunting?
Signed, Curious
Dear Curious,
Spaying and neutering does not interfere with humans desire to hunt and they will be easier to work with.
Signed, Boomer
The next letter is from a female hunter, 16, from Kansas City, Kansas.
Dear Boomer,
What do you think about hunter safety?
Signed, Careful Hunter
Dear Careful Hunter,
Make sure any humans you hunt with have graduated from a hunter safety course.
Hunter safety courses can be hard. I use positive reinforcement with my human. I reward my human with positive attention from time to time.
Signed, Boomer
We Can All Get Along
Posted by Boomer in Advice for Humans, Dog Behavior Advice, Dog Humor, Dog Natural History, Political Commentary on February 3rd, 2009
A Strong Siamese...Modest Too
MARCIMOM9@aol.com wrote:
Dear Rebel,
Humans have perpetuated myths for as long as they have been on this earth. I counted two myths in your letter that have been made up and passed down by humans. Dogs do not discriminate against cats when it comes to superiority. Dogs just know they are superior to every living thing. I’m sure you can relate to that.
According to canine ancestral memory, dogs and cats are co-equal races, having a common ancestor. Humans have “muddied up the water” by breeding dogs for hunting, fighting, pulling, and much more. Cats have been historically bred for their looks. No human should tolerate a dog as part of his family or pack that would assault a cat. The same is true of cats and their human subjects.
Your question is so excellent, if you don’t mind, I will post it on my blog, <boomerdadog.wordpress.com> for everyone to read. You are the first cat to write me. Would you be the first on my blog? Puuurhaps together we could show how compatible dogs and cats can be. To paraphrase Alphonse de Lamartine, “The more I see of the representatives of the people, the more I admire my dog /and cat/. ”
Boomer
Dog Behavior, Dog Training, humor
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