Blood Dogs

[Backcountry_HDO]

Wasn't sure where to post this.

I've seen a lot of people losing animals lately due to bad hits or bumping.

For those that have blood dogs, I've got a question for you.

I've got a 5 year old lab that has high drive for hunting. I was young and dumb when I first started training him for ducks I made him gun shy. My fault 100%.

Is it possible to get him on the trail and trained for blood? Like I said he's got a ton of drive to hunt. I'm hoping this may help getting into tracking.

 

[FlGunner]

#1 thing to do is put him every deer you can. Even the ones that are not hard to find. #2, allow the dog to work…. To many people ruin a dog because they think they're smarter than the dog. The scent ain't always right on the animals track…. The scent cone can move due to a number of things. I use Blackmouth Curs and I can tell ya that every track with be different and present its own challenges. Not every hit animal is going to leave with "blood" to start on. I can tell you I've found a good number already this year with no blood.

 

[philipbrousseau]

Good advice above. Use a good harness and a 30 foot check cord. Some dogs don't want to be crowded. Let the dog lead. If people tramp all over the place they will lay false trails confusing the track. As said by figunner use the dog on every deer possible so he can understand what he's doing. You can also save blood from your deer and lay practice trails and reward the dog at the end of the track.

 

[Bucklowery]

Yes sir just like they said. Only way to find out it put him on one

Thanks

Buck

 

[26Reload]

Not gonna ask how you gunshyed your dog.....but taking it with you everytime you go hunting will help...even if it has to be on leash...try putting little ear plugs in the ears around the house..let the dog get used to them..take it hunting and use the plugs....
If that dog gets to watch others retrieving birds it will increase its enthusiasm and should want to join in the retrievals.....
If it's having problems picking and holding birds...that's corrected on the training table at home.....takes time but sometimes it's a win/win....
You get your hunting buddy back and the dog gets "it's job back"....instead of both of you becoming couch potatoes

Blood trailing is fun teaching....chunk of hide with fresh blood....tarsal gland.....something to drag on string behind you.....big field...even soccer fields...snow covered....tall grass....
Start with short trails..then get bigger....then crossover pathes...
Eventually that dog will again learn it's nose is valuable.....fun too..get your kids involved.....send the kids out of the house to hide..tell the dog to find your kid....did this a lot with my son and his yellow lab....
Great retriever..switched to pointing pheasants.....last pheasant from a kids shoot got away from the shooters....I put that dog on point to last spot that we saw the bird flying thru the trees....sent him.....45 minutes later that dog came back with that pheasant...alive....unmauled
True test to training.....
As to other dogs in the past knowing that quail were really good eating.....lol

 

[FlGunner]

Another thought is your dog needs to be in shape…. If they don't have any stamina you're wasting your time and the time of whoever shot the deer. I've put on a number of deer that people's dogs had done quit…they had the track right, they just was tired. Most of my experience is that the track goes to a live deer and has to be finished off. I free run my Curs. Lead in my opinion is a complete waste of time. I make sure I got all the needed permissions to go after the deer before I cut em loose. I run a Garmin 200i with Tt25 collars and can control them at all times and I can stop them off needed. And remember that people will most of the time tell you they hit the deer vitally or whatever. I've known guys that have completely missed and will swear up and down that they "knocked" him down…only to get the same deer back on camera the very same night. It's a safe bet to assume they ain't telling the whole truth and some won't tell you they've already put dogs on it. Bottom line is give the dog as many tracks as you can and trust em. And remember, not all dogs pan out. So will and some won't, can be from same litter, don't matter.

 

[Montana'eer]

#1 thing to do is put him every deer you can. Even the ones that are not hard to find. #2, allow the dog to work…. To many people ruin a dog because they think they're smarter than the dog. The scent ain't always right on the animals track…. The scent cone can move due to a number of things. I use Blackmouth Curs and I can tell ya that every track with be different and present its own challenges. Not every hit animal is going to leave with "blood" to start on. I can tell you I've found a good number already this year with no blood.

Truer words never spoken. I've got 4 GSP bird dogs and you have to trust the dog. They figure things out pretty quickly- don't heavy hand them.

When my dogs are pups I start them on tracking drills. I use a hot dog on a string- drag it around and leave bits and pieces here and there. I get their nose down to the ground and use the command "Track". I did three short videos for a friend of mine that wanted to teach his dogs how to track. I would recommend starting any dog on learning the command and task for "Track" first before throwing the dog into a 'live' scenario. You want to set your dog up for success as much as possible so neither dog or hunter get disappointed. You just throw a dog into a live scenario and expecting a positive result isn't too helpful.







I would do this even with an older dog so they become used to the task when you shout "Track!". I still run these drills with my dogs- they love it and get a snack to boot.

 

[cajun]

Training is a huge time investment. Most guys down here run curs off leash with the garmin setup. There are a few labs. Get on fb and see if there is a local group of guys you can connect with. Buddies grankid gut shot a deer this year. Dog ran that deer 2 miles and bayed it. They have a network of guys down here. They stay busy.

 

[Montana'eer]

I've got a 5 year old lab that has high drive for hunting. I was young and dumb when I first started training him for ducks I made him gun shy. My fault 100%.

You may be able to fix the gun shy issue. We've turned a few around (my NAVHDA group).

Get some T-posts and set up a rectangular run about 10x5.

Close both long ends and one short end with snow fence or wire fence. Leave one opening- one way in and one way out.

Get some pigeons and either lock the wings or zip tie them. Dizzy it a little and put in the back of the run.

Let the dog get birdy and let 'em at the bird. Praise, praise, praise.

Repeat that a few times, getting the dogs attention to face you. Praise praise praise

Time to introduce and fire a starter blank. Get the dog back in there with a fresh and fiesty bird. Make sure the dog is facing you and have someone fire a blank maybe 20yards away.

Usually the dog will look up after the shot but with luck will immediately focus again on the bird. This time super praise and hollering. Repeat this only a few more times then call it a day.

Run this a few more times- the dog should now associate a shot with a bird. Move the gunner closer with each subsequent bird.

 

[victor3ranger]

#1 thing to do is put him every deer you can. Even the ones that are not hard to find. #2, allow the dog to work…. To many people ruin a dog because they think they're smarter than the dog. The scent ain't always right on the animals track…. The scent cone can move due to a number of things. I use Blackmouth Curs and I can tell ya that every track with be different and present its own challenges. Not every hit animal is going to leave with "blood" to start on. I can tell you I've found a good number already this year with no blood.

Love the black mouth curs, I had them for a long time.
Ended up breeding my own mix for pigs and farm dogs.
My best mix started with the tallest leopard print with white eyes and natural bob tails.
I would cross them with a American Bull.
Those things are amazing dogs
My very best tracking dog ended up being a dog I never thought of, she was a small red nose pit bull. She would never make a sound until she found the deer then she would sit on it and bark until you found her. Miss Molly was her name

 

[338 dude]

Wasn't sure where to post this.

I've seen a lot of people losing animals lately due to bad hits or bumping.

For those that have blood dogs, I've got a question for you.

I've got a 5 year old lab that has high drive for hunting. I was young and dumb when I first started training him for ducks I made him gun shy. My fault 100%.

Is it possible to get him on the trail and trained for blood? Like I said he's got a ton of drive to hunt. I'm hoping this may help getting into tracking.

Yes

 

[nwmnbowhunter]

Save blood, guts, hooves.

Lots of short little track jobs and lots of love when they find it.

Start stretching the distance.

Don't practice into the wind very often where the dog can easily just smell the end point with the wind and not trail. Also make sure they aren't just tracking you.... dogs learn all kinds of tricks!!

Our dog loves tracking anything.

She can also find my arrows lost in the grass that I've missed target practice with. Not joking.

 

[buzby]

"Blood tracking" is a bit of a misnomer. If there is blood, you most likely won't need a dog. It's the bad shots, and the ones without blood that the dogs can save you. The best tracker I know trains his dogs to track the tarsal gland scent.

United Blood Trackers

United Blood Trackers is dedicated to promoting resource conservation through the use of trained tracking dogs in the ethical recovery of big game. United Blood Trackers United Blood Trackers (UBT) welcomes you into the world of tracking dogs for the recovery of wounded big game. We are all...

www.unitedbloodtrackers.org

These are the guys you need to hook up with and learn from.

 

[cajun]

"Blood tracking" is a bit of a misnomer. If there is blood, you most likely won't need a dog. It's the bad shots, and the ones without blood that the dogs can save you. The best tracker I know trains his dogs to track the tarsal gland scent.

United Blood Trackers

United Blood Trackers is dedicated to promoting resource conservation through the use of trained tracking dogs in the ethical recovery of big game. United Blood Trackers United Blood Trackers (UBT) welcomes you into the world of tracking dogs for the recovery of wounded big game. We are all...

www.unitedbloodtrackers.org

These are the guys you need to hook up with and learn from.

As far as training goes John was a pioneer. His work is great. I will say that the guys down here have gotten away from on leash dogs to off leash dogs that will run a deer down and catch it or bay it. The recovery rate on marginally shot deer who may take days or weeks to die has gone way up.