whining dog in the blind

B Man · Postby **B Man** » Fri Jan 25, 2002 3:12 pm

hello all,

i am a new member but read with interest before posting once before. i have a problem...my dog, a three year old female lab, sr. certified, is absolutely perfect except for her habit of whining during the hunt. it is not loud enough to scare ducks (from my observation), but is annoying as hell. it appears to simply be nervous energy. i have tried squeezing her paw, pinching her ear, etc. - nothing curtails it and she whines louder if i squeeze or pinch hard enough. i was thinking of a shock collar but wanted to avoid it if there is some trick out there i have not tried. any advice would be appreciated.

go24 · Postby **go24** » Fri Jan 25, 2002 3:22 pm

Milo, Pain is not the way to go here. She is interested and alert isn't she? That's her way of showing excitement and anticipation. It's also a way dogs say, "Can we go now?" In my humble opinion, I'd love on her, scratch behind the ears, etc. If she gets so loud that it interupts the hunt, then I'd take a more forceful plan.

Of course, this season I've done alot of crying in the blind myself.

bullsprig · Postby **bullsprig** » Fri Jan 25, 2002 4:26 pm

in my opinion nothing is wrong except she is excited...i agree...if you will rub on her and sooth her she will be better...i would avaoid any painful reinforcement...i dont believe she would catch on and it would really confuse her...i think deep down we have all done a little whining this year in the blind...anyone agree???? but as far as the dog is concerned i would avoid much reprimand at all. just rub on her and she should be quiet!!! good luck

Anatidae · Postby **Anatidae** » Fri Jan 25, 2002 4:37 pm

Shoot.....you think you have a problem? My problem is gettin' my wife (ace hunting partner) to quit whinin' when the birds get close. Her dog doesn't move a muscle or utter a peep, but my wife's in the other end o' the boat, all 'big-eyed', 'death grip on her stock.....'bout to bust a gut, waitin' for me to call the shot. Age isn't gonna cure that, either.....she's 46.....'still a puppy!

[ January 25, 2002: Message edited by: Anatidae ]

duforester · Postby **duforester** » Fri Jan 25, 2002 7:22 pm

Milo, I agree with the others, pain is not the solution. She is just exicted.

Anatidae, that was funny. You better hope she doesn't read that! LOL

NOHERE · Postby **NOHERE** » Fri Jan 25, 2002 7:37 pm

Don't use a collar. The collar doesnt fix things , it reinforces know behavior.

quite a few dogs do some whining , wether it be on line in a trial or a duck blind.As long as she ain't barking, your o.k.

My male used to whine while hunting, but not while on line in a trial...funny thing though, after we left the blind or wherever we were sitting,and went to the bank, he would hit the bushes real quik!!!So that problem was solved by letting him do his thing before getting in the boat or blind.

Postby **judge jb** » Fri Jan 25, 2002 7:38 pm

let her whine and talk softly to her to calm her down... she is antipating pleaseing you... better than having a dog that lays around and licks his testicles... she will get better with age... this coming from a man with a 14 year old that use to whine...

judge jb

gyver · Postby **gyver** » Fri Jan 25, 2002 7:58 pm

my 4 year old lab whines until he starts bringing in birds on a regular basis. it's not out of the ordinary so live with it. think of having a dog that calls in wood ducks.

backwater · Postby **backwater** » Sat Jan 26, 2002 1:55 pm

I had the same problem this year...this was my dog's first season. Everyone tells me it will decrease with experience. I did notice towards the end of the season she wasn't doing it quite as bad. Give her positive reinforcement...you don't want to discourage her drive. Good luck.

goosebruce · Postby **goosebruce** » Sat Jan 26, 2002 5:50 pm

I gotta call $#!+ on all this. Anything a dog does something you don't like, its cause you havent taught it otherwise. HUSH shudda been taught from day one in the crate, and enforced. If your consistent, and EVERYTIME the dog makes noise, its totally fair to expect dog to be quiet. Why not, she isnt sitting at your feet making all kinda noise right now is she? No. She does it when she WANTS to. Everytime she does it, you stop her with a HUSH, soon shes in the habit of not making noise.
Totally unfair to out of the blue kick your dogs ass cause hes making noise when you've let it go on. You teach HUSH, and enforce it, EVERY single time. Not just cause you got buddies today with you, making fun of your dog whining, but because dogs are supposed to be quiet, today and everyday.
The ideal dog is totally forgotten in the blind until you say BACKKKKKK! travis

Anatidae · Postby **Anatidae** » Sat Jan 26, 2002 6:07 pm

O.K., 'got any tips for what to do 'bout my wife?....I've tried a shock collar but she keeps takin' it off. [img]images/smiles/icon_mad.gif[/img] 'Seems she doesn't whine as much, if she's killin' ducks, though.

We've both had a hard time letting ducks 'work', this year....'havin' a hard time gettin'em to 'finish'......fraid they won't make that last pass.....been guilty o' shootin'em on the 'dip', occasionally.....the dog's frustrated, too!

Good advice, Travis......(have a crappy hunt this morning?....'sound kinda 'grumpy', man.)

[ January 26, 2002: Message edited by: Anatidae ]

goosebruce · Postby **goosebruce** » Sat Jan 26, 2002 7:03 pm

Actually had a good hunt this morning. Juvie hunt. Drews hunt, drew chooses what we do. He chose fatdawg. Fat slut whined and carryed on ALL freggin morning. Started working some geese, and she just walks off, shes 15 yards in the field behind us when I kill a goose that lands 80 yards out, crippled. In her prime, shed smoked dat goosey ass. In her retirement, sheeez. Black dawg from now on. But the point is the same, even in her prime, she whined and got on nerves. Black dawg is totaly quiet, totally still, totally ate up with it. Couldnt move where the ducks where today, mainly cause she was with us. In the am, we get their ass. Drew missed 6 or 7 shots, hopefully getting on them, will get them a lil closer, and he can get his pintail. 1500 pinnies on the farm right now, and a season high of maybe 50 mallards! Lots o teal and widgeon. travis

Anatidae · Postby **Anatidae** » Sat Jan 26, 2002 7:31 pm

So, you're sayin' I oughta get a younger wife and teach her the 'hush' command, early-on?.....and leave the other one at home? [img]images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] 'Don't think that'll go over too good.

'Bout your hunt, this morning? 'Been there....slowest season EVER, no ducks, finally get ducks, three days left, your intensity level is high, no room for mistakes, make sacrifice for others, missed opportunity, blood pressure rises, lotta head shakin' goin'-on. But it probably meant the world to Drew (and for that matter, Fatdawg), to get to go with Daddy,.....'guess that's how we get through it, huh?.

I gotta tell you 'bout my hunt, yesterday. It was Fubab's hunt. Fubab sets-up under a tree he can't shoot thru.....facing the sun. Gadwalls (4) come into decoys.....'get below tree line......Fubab makes his move and gets hung-up in vines. Fubab shoots three times and misses ducks at 20yds. Dog's goin', "uh, aren't you spose to hit'em when they that close?" Wife has sense enough to know she can't see ducks well enough to shoot.....scolds Fubab. Later, she shoots a woodie.....its flappin', tryin' to get away and Fubab takes it upon himself to finish it off....('costs Fubab 'bout $3.00). Later, Fubab hears geese coming but can't get Bismuth BB's in, in time. Geese too high, anyway. Fubab removes Bismuth from gun and wood ducks swarm Fubab, but wife gets her second woodie. Geese leave. More wood ducks swim within 40 yds and 6 line-up on a log sayin' "shoot us". Fubub thinks 'bout it and changes to Tungsten-polymer 4's.....but even Fubab won't stoop to linin'-up heads for the sake o' killin his duck ('only smart thing Fubab does all day). Two honkers come back....LOW....Fubab's sittin' there with 4's in his gun. 'Manages to get one Bismuth BB in the chamber. Limbs are too thick.....'can't get a clear shot. Fubab switches back to Supreme 2's. At 9:00 Fubab hears wings...looks up and sees 4 mallards.....'starts hyper-ventilating. Fubab calls and gets them looking, but they pitch behind him [img]images/smiles/icon_mad.gif[/img]....Fubab blows'em up with his patented 'don't land back there, you Sunny Beach' call, and they come over at tree-top level. "Should I shoot or try to get'em in the decoys? Naw...that hasn't worked all year!" [img]images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]. Fubab's had enough o' this...Bang, Bang, Bang.......["assorted explitives"]. Fubab gets 'chewed-out' by wife, who was tellin' him', "Don't shoot, don't shoot," the whole time. 'Dog even cusses Fubab for bein' so stupid. Fubab goes home empty-handed. [img]images/smiles/icon_sad.gif[/img] Poor Fubab. [img]images/smiles/icon_sad.gif[/img]

See....you didn't have sucha bad hunt, did ya? Good Luck in the morning! [img]images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

[ January 27, 2002: Message edited by: Anatidae ]

go24 · Postby **go24** » Sat Jan 26, 2002 11:14 pm

Goosebruce, I hear what you're saying about "hush" or else. That was what I had in mind on my other post about "a more forceful plan". There comes a time when I say "shut up before I slap the crap out of you". My dog seems to know when I'm had enough.

Jeff · Postby **Jeff** » Sun Jan 27, 2002 2:32 pm

Hush or else is the way to go with this problem. My Lacey dog had the same problem. This was her first season and she was just so damn excited she couldn't help herself. Started whinin' and shakin' just waitin' on ducks. So I had to come up with something and now we are starting to get her to be quiet in the blind. However can't enforce it some of the time it has got to be all of the time. Otherwise dog will have the ability to give you the finger in the blind one of these days.

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