Thoughts on dog barking on finding deer

[norma 308]

My second deer dog sadly lost my old girl
New lab just a year old and thinking of giving the speaking out thing a go ! Any thoughts and pointers
Thanks

 

[Jon P]

Personally I never really encourage a dog to bark. I find that if the deer is still alive on finding they bark naturally anyway. I have pretty much stoped mine ragging dead deer now as game dealer was complaining, however as a downside to that she won’t stay with the dead deer for long.

 

[norma 308]

Personally I never really encourage a dog to bark. I find that if the deer is still alive on finding they bark naturally anyway. I have pretty much stoped mine ragging dead deer now as game dealer was complaining, however as a downside to that she won’t stay with the dead deer for long.

My old dog didn’t speak even on a live deer on a dead one if I didn’t get there she’d find me and take me back ! She did rag them but I don’t bother with dealers so wasn’t bothered Thankyou for the input great to have different angles

 

[Jon P]

My old dog didn’t speak even on a live deer on a dead one if I didn’t get there she’d find me and take me back ! She did rag them but I don’t bother with dealers so wasn’t bothered Thankyou for the input great to have different angles

GWP are probably a bit more vocal then Labradors , so that could bring in the need to encourage barking with Labs .

 

[Paul 600]

My second deer dog sadly lost my old girl
New lab just a year old and thinking of giving the speaking out thing a go ! Any thoughts and pointers
Thanks

Dougie, be careful what you wish for! Once you open that box you can’t put it back in. Think carefully, do you need it to bark, will it be on a long line, are you going to teach it to show you the deer? Barking on a chase or at a live deer is very useful. Barking at a dead deer is useful if the dog stays with the deer to alert you of its position. Barking for the sake of barking will lead to a noisy dog in other situations.

 

[norma 308]

Dougie, be careful what you wish for! Once you open that box you can’t put it back in. Think carefully, do you need it to bark, will it be on a long line, are you going to teach it to show you the deer? Barking on a chase or at a live deer is very useful. Barking at a dead deer is useful if the dog stays with the deer to alert you of its position. Barking for the sake of barking will lead to a noisy dog in other situations.

Thanks Paul very useful info mate

 

[trucraft]

Dougie, be careful what you wish for! Once you open that box you can’t put it back in. Think carefully, do you need it to bark, will it be on a long line, are you going to teach it to show you the deer? Barking on a chase or at a live deer is very useful. Barking at a dead deer is useful if the dog stays with the deer to alert you of its position. Barking for the sake of barking will lead to a noisy dog in other situations.

Totally agree with the sentiments.
Barking at a dead deer is only useful if they are off-line and subsequently stay with it. In that case, it’s very useful unless you use a tracker.
Old dog would stay with a wounded deer and bark at it if it was dead, she just licked it
My current Dog will only yelp and yip when she’s chasing which is handy as you’ve got a good idea what’s going on.

The last thing you want is them barking at every deer they see

 

[Bowland blades]

We have bred Labs to not bay at game from day 1 in the UK ! Does this surprise anyone that UK Labs only really bark when you pass the kennel at feeding time LOL!
BTW None of my Labs have bayed ! I just use them to find the deer not tackle injured deer I don't officially do call-outs for others .
I know plenty Stalkers who work their labs similar on the tracking line or if culling at night they sit by the dead and wait ,changing to the next when sent .

 

[slider]

My old dog didn’t speak even on a live deer on a dead one if I didn’t get there she’d find me and take me back ! She did rag them but I don’t bother with dealers so wasn’t bothered Thankyou for the input great to have different angles

My Lab bitch is like that - pretty much mute but once she finds the deer she will come back and lead me to it.

 

[BuckleyR]

If you’re looking for notification they've found the deer you could consider training the bringsel. That way you can avoid opening that ‘box’ as Paul 600 said

 

[paulbshooting]

My 4yr old lab is only used for deer and those I shoot. Trained him on some basic blood trials and worked him on a long line in the early days. Once he settled, he is off lead and steady. He waits until release then goes to find the deer. No barking or ragging, just licks the exit wound!

 

[ColinBr]

I have a GWPxLab.
Up until the other week, all he had to do for me was find the deer, which he had no problem doing.
The other week though I unfortunately had a deer step forward as I shot and gut shot it.
My dog went into the heavy woods and started barking until I got in there (I had to cross a boggy burn) and kept the deer there until I could dispatch it with a close shot.

He has never barked before. So I can only presume it was natural instinct for him, for which I was more than happy with.

 

[carthorse]

I think the barking is useful on vast landscapes or dense woodland of Europe, but realistically in the UK we don’t have vast tracts of land where you can’t work closely with your dog. I try and keep mine in sight or hearing distance, ish, and train them to stop, heck back on you and wait for you if they get too far ahead…..someone mentioned in the threads about once you have the barking in them it’s hard to stop, and I fully endorse that sentiment, I like mine to work quietly in case there is another opportunity near by to stock the freezer.
I know of a few people using Korthals Griffons for deer work, some like me keen stalkers and a couple full time keepers, we all agree, a quiet dog is a better dog.

 

[Ranger22]

I’ve stayed away from training a dog to bark when it’s found a deer. I’d rather it found the animal did what it has to do and come get me. If you have to go locate the dog, in my head you are training it not to come back to you. Plus I don’t want a dog that thinks barking is ok

 

[norma 308]

Very useful information excactly what the sd is for
I’ve decided to stay as the old dog was quiet and comes and gets me If dead and stays put if she requires help .

 

[paul o']

A barking dog can be bloody annoying at times trying to get your attention! Why can't they just be trained to use the phone like her indoors has to!

 

[wag]

Surely you'd be better to train them with a 'Bringsel'.

 

[rem284]

I trained one gwp to report by barking. It was a mistake. It made it more vocal all the time. I use garmin gps tracking collars now. I have not found a better system.