Not Shooting Birds

Here is my comment and my comment comes from a Labrador retriever trainer’s point of view that knows little to nothing about upland dog training. However both types of dogs will be trained following proven sequences and will be conditioned to meet those standards of the sequences…

To my point… The word/term that you will hear throughout the retriever’s life from puppy to retirement is BALANCE (a crude summary; if the dog is too wild on retrieves than more obedience is needed and the opposite is true, if the dog is not wild to retrieve than less obedience and more retrieves again a very crude description).

So I would like to believe that your scenario will have a negative impact on the dog short term. Meaning if your dog is conditioned to point, then retrieve in a high excitement environment like actual hunting and it is being denied the retrieve due to not killing birds (happens to us all) than yes I believe it will affect the dog negatively and balance is needed.

Like I said before I know little about upland dog training and I can only offer up a simple suggestion for the balance aspect. That would be throw a bird for the dog to complete the retrieve or duplicate the scenario in training guaranteeing the retrieve. Again this is very crude advice…

I suppose if my hunting lab was repeatedly denied retrieves in the marsh due to my lack of aim and I demanded everything of him while he sat steady. Then I promise you I would throw a simple bumper back at the truck or guarantee success when training the following day.

There are many times in a dogs hunting life,[retrievers] in which they do not retrieve , not only due to it's owners poor shooting, but also to the fact that ducks or geese do not always commit and there is no shooting done .
In the meantime your dog only hears you calling either the ducks or geese, watches them with eager anticipation and then, nothing, so they just wait till the next time , it doesn't do them any harm, they are just happy to be out there with you.

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Originally Posted by jaycee

There are many times in a dogs hunting life,[retrievers] in which they do not retrieve , not only due to it's owners poor shooting, but also to the fact that ducks or geese do not always commit and there is no shooting done .
In the meantime your dog only hears you calling either the ducks or geese, watches them with eager anticipation and then, nothing, so they just wait till the next time , it doesn't do them any harm, they are just happy to be out there with you.

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i agree with “they are just happy to be out there with you” part and there’s no arguing that. However I still believe that a finished upland dog like the one the OP is referring that has been trained to a high standard and those high standards are applied while hunting will be negatively affected by consecutively being denied the retrieve
Whether it’s an upland dog or a duck dog when the dog complies to the high standards then reward the dog with the retrieve/bird. If it’s not possible during the hunt than guarantee success in training.
I know my dog is happy to hunt with me but I also know he’s happier with a bird in his mouth. So if I can’t kill a bird while hunting he will get a bird in training.

Respectfully

Good lookin' dog!!!!

It doesn't matter to my dogs and doesn't seem to affect any dogs I've been around.

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Originally Posted by G note

i agree with “they are just happy to be out there with you” part and there’s no arguing that. However I still believe that a finished upland dog like the one the OP is referring that has been trained to a high standard and those high standards are applied while hunting will be negatively affected by consecutively being denied the retrieve
Whether it’s an upland dog or a duck dog when the dog complies to the high standards then reward the dog with the retrieve/bird. If it’s not possible during the hunt than guarantee success in training.
I know my dog is happy to hunt with me but I also know he’s happier with a bird in his mouth. So if I can’t kill a bird while hunting he will get a bird in training.

Respectfully

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I tend to disagree with your statement [bolded part].
Our dogs Labradors, are involved/participate in "Hunt Tests " after a dog does his or her run, they have to sit and " Honour " the next dogs run. They have to [ must ]sit, mark and not move and they do not get to retrieve . There are also " poison birds ", which are marked but not to be retrieved. This does not hurt the dog what so ever in any way shape or form, this is "part of the hunt test. "

Also , when hunting there are times when your dog may not be able to make the retrieve "safely" and you yourself have to make the retrieve, and again your dog just sits there without retrieving just watching. It is all part of hunting and your dog no matter how highly trained is not always able to make the retrieve, and it with not hurt him/her in any way.

Well I work my gsp on spring woodcock every year and of course it’s no shooting. But that doesn’t seem to effect her enthusiasm to find the next bird. You will be fine and nice looking shorthair.

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Originally Posted by jaycee

I tend to disagree with your statement [bolded part].
Our dogs Labradors, are involved/participate in "Hunt Tests " after a dog does his or her run, they have to sit and " Honour " the next dogs run. They have to [ must ]sit, mark and not move and they do not get to retrieve . This does not hurt the dog what so ever in any way shape or form, this is "part of the hunt test. "

Also , when hunting there are times when your dog may not be able to make the retrieve "safely" and you yourself have to make the retrieve, and again your dog just sits there without retrieving just watching. It is all part of hunting and your dog no matter how highly trained is not always able to make the retrieve, and it with not hurt him/her in any way.

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I feel I need to be clear here, I don't believe that missing 14 consecutive birds while hunting will hurt a upland machine like Jupiter's ability or desire in anyway!
However I do feel that he would be out of balance as the bird is everything to the dog (it is to my retriever and I assume it is to Jupiter). So rewarding the dog with a retrieve of a bumper immediately after or what ever reward would be suited for Jupiter would help achieve balance. Or guaranteeing success in training with a bird would also achieve balance.

Like many have said they are not worried and the dog will be fine and I'm sure they are correct. For me it's good training to keep the dog balanced and it would certainly not harm the dog to throw it a bird.

I wouldn't compare a honour to conservatively being denied 14 birds while hunting in the field. Not getting the bird in a honour is a taught sequence that the dog has learned and understands. During the honour of a hunt test you have cued the dog verbally "no bird" and perhaps you have cued the dog by placing the dog on your non retrieving side and also used a sit command. Basically the dog knows he's not getting a bird in the honour and your right not get that bird would have no impact what so ever. while hunting the dog has complied and done its job the reward is the bird and consecutively deining 14 retrieves that it expects to get puts that dog out of balance. If it was a day of hunting here and there when he/we miss a bird or the birds are not to be found then sure I would call that just hunting and no concerns but 14 denied retrieves would concern me.

That's just me and I'm no expert.

What is he going to do?
Attachment 37368

The Op said the dog had 14 finds/points, only a couple of shots/misses, I'm sure the dog is still well balanced