# Stopping the head flipping?



## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Lana -- I have seen dogs do this and it's because #1 they are terribly unsteady and have no manners at the line (trainer's fault) and #2 their owners are trying really hard to restrain them and the dogs desperately want to get free. You need to change your whole regime at the line. 
If she were mine to mess with I would put her on a pinch collar and a 8-10" tab attached to the pinch collar. First work with her in the yard by yourself. Get her in heel position, hold the tab, with NO TENSION on the collar AT ALL. My guess is she will not be able to sit still for a minute in heel position without being restrained...she has not been obedience trained enough. Anyways, while holding the tab with your left hand, tell her SIT and toss a bumper with your right hand, maybe 10-15 feet. Invariably she is going to go for the bumper before being sent, you are going to give her a BIG correction with the pinch collar and very firmly say NO - SIT and put her back in heel position. Let her fetch the bumper when she will sit still for 1 full second. Repeat this until you can toss the bumper without her going for it before you send her. You can then take this into the field and do EXACTLY the same thing for a mark that is thrown by a gunner.
The key here is she feels NO restraint from the collar while in heel position -- it is her obedience training that keeps her in heel position. She gets a BIG correction from you if she breaks. She learns that stillness gets her the bird and because she is not being physically restrained she will not struggle and flip out to get the bird.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

She will flip even on a loose line, but she's gotten in trouble for it too. We started working on 'no bird' and she will honor without a fuss, so I'm thinking it's her wanting to go NOW instead of waiting. But over the next week we're doing lots of drills on manners so I'm hoping she'll clue in. I think having the bird removed if she breaks will clue her in quite fast that it isn't going to fly with me and she'll figure it out though. I hope! 

Lana


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Bender said:


> She will flip even on a loose line, but she's gotten in trouble for it too. We started working on 'no bird' and she will honor without a fuss, so I'm thinking it's her wanting to go NOW instead of waiting. But over the next week we're doing lots of drills on manners so I'm hoping she'll clue in. I think having the bird removed if she breaks will clue her in quite fast that it isn't going to fly with me and she'll figure it out though. I hope!
> 
> Lana


Letting her get all the way to the bird or the area of the fall is a very bad idea. She is not steady so should not be off a tab or slip line -- she should not be allowed to break. If you let her break at this point -- it is the handler's fault. How will she know that the bird is "gone" because she breaks, without her knowing that she shouldn't break? It will take a very long time for her to connect the dots on that one. That should really only be used if a normally steady dog DOES break and the handler cannot stop them on the way out, the bird boys should know to run and pick up the bird. It is a bailout maneuver, not a training method. Use a tab and make it very obvious to her that breaking or creeping is not allowed. I would do this rather than a lot of things where she is not allowed to have the bird at all. That is a real quick way to zap a dog's confidence and marking. Clearly she doesn't understand the rules now -- you need to show her what you expect rather than tricking her with "maybe you'll get the bird, maybe you won't."


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

I would have her in a prong too (I've got my young one in a prong now and wish I had done so early on with Ruby). If she goes nuts, I'd tell her no and take her off the line (bird boy picks up the bird, or you even if you have to put her in the crate or tie her between potential marks). Only ever let her run out to/get the bird when she sits nicely/quietly until sent. In the beginning, don't try to make her sit for any extended amount of time, then gradually increase the time. Heck, I might even treat her like a little puppy for a few throws and send her while the bumper is in the air (wouldn't do that very long...we *are* trying to teach her to be steady). 

I think you *really* need to find someone to throw for you while you are working on this. It's hard to throw the bumper, control the dog, AND be responsible for picking up no-birds. Your bird boys don't have to be good, just willing to take a little direction. Kids would work just fine.


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