Training your dog to hold/pin down wounded deer?

[forestgimp1]

Has anyone got any tips on training a lab to hold down a wounded deer by the neck/throat?
My dog is only 18 months old and I wonder if he will become more aggressive? Currently he will bay and worry, he is more aggressive towards roe but I suppose thats a natural instinct.
I've heard of covering food bowl with deer skins, is this worth trying?

 

[Wolverine]

Your dog will use whatever method of pulling them down works for him when he is fired up
Try cutting the windpipe out and let him rug at that still attached to the deer this gets them interested in that area,along with the blood there
He will become more aggressive as he gets more experienced on wounded ones,not necessarily a good thing either
Your dog seems to be quite sensible by standing and baying and worrying,however roe will not always stand
As i say your dog will use whichever method works for him and he will keep using that method as he gets more experienced
I'm sure in time your dog will be fine

 

[devilishdave]

my lab being a soft natured dog just sits next to them and wags his tail. I also have a fairly small lurcher and she takes them by the neck in the blink of on eye. I think there must be a fair bit of natural predisposition to do it but would be interested to hear how people train a placid dog like my soft lab to be more agresive.

Dave

 

[Wolverine]

As devilish says a lot of it is natural disposition,all my labs will take by the neck and shake until dead(roe),that is what i have done by getting them wound up around the neck in already dead deer,by cutting one end of wind pipe and letting them play with it,my eldest dog has always done this and the younger ones have learned it from him i think,as devilish says a lot of natural instinct required,a dog will also go for the haunch or gut as well as this is very natural for them too
I only let the younger dogs go wounded ones with the eldest dog twice or three times because he starts too bully them off the beast,then take them on at their own pace themselves,it gives them the confidence and see what is required,the oldest one then doesn't get the chance to do all the work

 

[forestgimp1]

Definately going to try the windpipe and see if that makes a difference. He does show more interest in the head/ neck area and has never gone for the gut or haunch as yet. The only wounded deer he has experienced so far have been spine shot above shoulder so have been paralysed, hopefully he'll never get a runner that needs taken down or pinned.

 

[nell]

When training, always offer the young dog the throat, if it goes anywhere else big no, they soon learn if they want to PLAY with it its throat or NOWT...

Moving on, a skin with head attached,hung over a gate or up a height so the dog has to drag it down to the ground before worrying it...

The wind pipe trick will work for some, but i know MY labs would eat it along with any other exposed flesh

 

[forestgimp1]

Thanks nell, your advice makes sense to me. It will be interesting to see what the dog makes of a skin with head, not sure he'll be over-enthused by it!

 

[nell]

Thanks nell, your advice makes sense to me. It will be interesting to see what the dog makes of a skin with head, not sure he'll be over-
enthused by it!

Tie it on a long pole, fishing rod style,its easy to keep it out of his reach and tease him with it, shouldnt take long to wind him up,let him catch it for a tug o war,by the throat of course hope this helps