# Holy prey drive, Batman! (Newbee warning)



## tobysmommy (Jan 9, 2011)

Toby's prey drive has been slowly awakening over the last few weeks, and on today's walk it was unbelievable. He chased after every bird in sight, flying across the fields at top speed, head up, totally focused on the birds overhead (who were no doubt laughing at the silly young pup). He was determined to catch one! :doh: And then we came across the geese...oh my! Thank goodness his recall is good, because he wanted them badly. I had to put him back on the leash to prevent him from going into the fast-flowing Grand River after them.

This is obviously in his DNA - he's a retriever, after all! But it's new to me, because my sweet Rusty, though part retriever, was a bit dense about these things and generally oblivious to the critters around him (unless they were dogs). Not so with Toby, it appears. And I, alas, am not a hunter. Not because I'm about to waggle my index finger and preach about animal rights, but because firearms scare the bejeebers out of me. 

Toby and I play endless games of fetch with balls, bumpers and his favourite: his rubber duckie. Obviously, it's not enough to satisfy his desire to hunt and retrieve birds. Is there some sort of hunting game/training/activity I can do with him to honour his hunting instinct that doesn't require me to touch a gun (*shudder*)?

Thanks in advance for your replies (and my apologies if this is a really, _really_ stupid question).


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

My guys have only a moderate prey drive but I think as long as the games you play exercise his body and his mind he will be a happy camper. I had a golden/setter mix years ago that was a bird brain too. She once ran after a flock of Canadian Geese in a field and got about 10 feet away and realized that they were not going to fly off. She did a U-turn and slunk back to me.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Doggy DNA.... It is fun when you see their instinct kick in isn't it. 

However.... I too am TERRIFIED of guns. I had a loser brother who had one in our house unbeknownst to my parents, and it went off when he had friends over. So I have seen up close and personal what a gun can do in the wrong hands. That being said, I plan to do hunt tests with my dogs. Right now I plan to get the low level titles, JH - AKC, and SH - UKC, and then will see from there. I know if we go farther in UKC my husband will be running Gabby. UKC after started requires handling of a gun. In AKC the guns are in the fields, and while one might be close to the start line, the handler doesn't have to handle.... or so I understand. They mostly fire blanks except when they need to fall a live flier. Again not the handlers job. So it is something to consider.


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## tobysmommy (Jan 9, 2011)

Oaklys Dad said:


> I had a golden/setter mix years ago that was a bird brain too. She once ran after a flock of Canadian Geese in a field and got about 10 feet away and realized that they were not going to fly off. She did a U-turn and slunk back to me.


Heh! : I bet you were doubled over laughing! That must have been so cute.



Maxs Mom said:


> That being said, I plan to do hunt tests with my dogs. Right now I plan to get the low level titles, JH - AKC, and SH - UKC, and then will see from there. I know if we go farther in UKC my husband will be running Gabby. UKC after started requires handling of a gun. In AKC the guns are in the fields, and while one might be close to the start line, the handler doesn't have to handle.... or so I understand.


Unfortunately, I'm a complete novice at this and haven't a clue how to go about getting into hunt trials, or whether CKC hunt tests require me to handle a gun. But I'll look into it! Do you suppose that going only to a certain level (where guns are not involved) might reinforce a dog's prey drive and frustrate him if he never actually gets a real bird?


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## AKGOLD (Nov 9, 2010)

Toby's mom,

I may be mistaken but I don't believe CKC has a handler handling a live firearm at any point. As with AKC you are not carrying a loaded firearm on the line, rather you are using a mock up or an unloaded gun when at the line for an AKC test. The gun is held at shoulder as if you were shooting for the marks at a MH test. Once you have released the dog for the first retrieve you either hand the "mock" gun to the judge who places it in the gun stand or you place it in the stand. 

I hope that provides some insight into the hunt test world and the gun issue. Best of luck and I hope you get into the game.


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

I would just find a CKC or UKC training day and give it a go. You will not have to handle guns at a training day. Be careful once you take your boy to a training day and really see his instinct kick in you will be hooked. It is amazing to watch. Then next thing you know you will be buying bumpers, a whistle..... camo. I never expected to be training field but I love it.


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## tobysmommy (Jan 9, 2011)

AKGOLD said:


> I may be mistaken but I don't believe CKC has a handler handling a live firearm at any point.


Good to know! That makes me feel a lot better about the prospect of hunting trials. Thank you!



hollyk said:


> Be careful once you take your boy to a training day and really see his instinct kick in you will be hooked. It is amazing to watch.


Uh-oh! LOL! Just what I need - another GR related addiction! : I'll see about getting out for a training day next time there is one in my area. Thank you!


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

That was what happened to us. We went to a hunt test to talk to people about labrador breeders, and we saw the dogs working and we were hooked. Even if only for the training aspect, it is a blast. We have not run a test yest (just a WC) If is anything like agility we are goners. LOL 

It is just so much fun to see the dogs do what their DNA tells them to do. 

Have fun!


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