In this case, Northwoods Aerosmith (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2011) receives only praise–not correction–from his owner Ken Taylor.
Even though Gary Larson retired from The Far Side daily cartoon 20 years ago, I still remember many. With clever drawings and simple prose, he succinctly satirized dogs, cats, cows, bears, doctors, scientists and Neanderthals.
Among my favorites was a two-panel cartoon depicting a man admonishing his dog. The panels had the exact same drawing but different headings and different cartoon bubbles.
What we say to dogs Okay, Ginger! I’ve had it! You say out of the garbage! Understand, Ginger? Stay out of the garbage, or else!
What they hear blah blah GINGER blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah GINGER blah blah blah blah blah…
Larson nailed it. Applying strictly human means and psychology when reprimanding a dog doesn’t work. We need to correct in ways that a dog understands.
A well-behaved dog is a partner that’s a pleasure to hunt over and a wonderful family companion. But for safety reasons too it’s essential that a dog responds to corrections. It behooves an owner to master this skill.
Basics
• Be consistent.
• Say the command once and then enforce. You are the leader and must make your dog respond.
Rules
• Timing is crucial. The dog needs to know why it’s being corrected. The best time to correct your dog is to anticipate when it’s going to do something wrong or when just starting to do something wrong. Don’t administer correction afterwards—rather wait until the next time.
• Administer the correction with the right attitude. Use a calm, confident, assertive manner. Don’t get angry.
• Use only enough correction to stop the behavior. Don’t over react or lose your temper.
Options
• Voice: We use QUIT. It’s an easy, one-syllable word and when combined with a low, guttural tone of voice, it gets a dog’s attention. NO isn’t recommended for a pointing dog because it’s similar to WHOA.
• Tools: When the dog is close, try a tug on a leash, check cord or pinch collar. When the dog is a distance away, we prefer an ecollar. Even a rolled-up newspaper whacked near the dog will get its attention.
• Physical: Sometimes, this becomes necessary. Grab the dog by the scruff of the neck, look it straight in the eyes and sternly say QUIT. Never strike or kick a dog.
Some final thoughts…
Consider your dog’s temperament and understand there are differences in learning capability. Dogs can be bold and fearless or soft and timid or some can have a difficult combination of headstrong yet submissive.
Ultimately, you must make your dog respond—whatever it takes.
It’s unlawful to reproduce Larson’s panel but click here to see Ginger and her owner again.
Judging by the news and photos we’ve received from puppy owners, summertime and puppies belong together. From Colorado to Massachusetts, Oklahoma to Minnesota and Michigan, puppies are out and about with their owners.
We are both having the best time, and he could not be a better puppy!
Northwoods Blue Skye is sight pointing pigeons and has been demonstrating a natural retrieving instinct. She has adapted well to her new family and has shown to be a very intelligent and affectionate pup.
Bandit is…great fun. He is a wonderful addition to our family.
And owners are eagerly anticipating this first fall in the woods and fields with their puppies.
I can’t wait for the fall with her. So far we are set for 6 states and 9 or 10 different upland birds.
Jerry and Northwoods Chardonnay (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2009). Photo by Chris Mathan, The Sportsman’s Cabinet.
Many of our clients have met our neighbor, friend and training helper Jeff Hintz. Besides his devotion to pointers and hunting wild birds, Jeff is very active online. He emails and texts to people all over the globe and has 1,145 Twitter followers. He recently sent me this post from an outdoor blog on the Garmin website. While its focus is dog training, clearly the principles apply to life in general.
Here are some highlights.
“Every day, in every way, our attitude greatly affects how each project, idea, communication, or dog training session will turn out. A calm, compassionate, yet gung-ho and positive attitude can achieve amazing results.
“Having a good attitude is very important when we want to communicate. The way we communicate with people or dogs could be the bottom-line reason things generally go well for us . . . or not.
“Using a calm voice and a steady, consistent demeanor will help our dogs…
“…use our happiest voice, even if it sounds like a gushing teen-aged girl, when we’re letting our dogs know how thrilled we are with something they just did or learned.
“…use our mean voice when it is clearly required…
“The person who allows his attitude to get bent out of shape when bad things occur, or when things don’t go his way is going to bring heaping helpings of unhappiness upon himself. And he certainly will not achieve excellent results with his dogs, goals, or the folks around him. It pays all of us to frequently think about our attitude and resolve to keep it at its best.”
Is there such a thing as too much exercise for a young dog?
Jerry and I think, yes, there is. So does Turid Rugass, Norwegian dog trainer and behaviorist.
“It’s a common misconception that energetic dogs need a lot of activities and exercise, but in general the rule is that too much physical training and activities doesn’t use up excess energy, but creates more of it, leading to stress.”
In addition, the more exercise a dog gets, the more it needs. When the excessive activity level begins at a young age, the pattern can carry into adulthood and the result can be a stressed-out, high-strung, wound-up dog.
That stress can manifest itself in a couple ways in dogs. Some can’t maintain a healthy weight despite the proper amount of food. Poor digestion can lead to intermittent bowel problems.
We allow groups of puppies to spend half of each day in the exercise pens. They sleep as much as they play. Both rest and exertion are necessary for good health, mental stability and physical development.
Fenced-in back yards and invisible electric fences are wonderful options for dog owners. It’s easy to simply open the door and let a dog out. But it’s not healthy to allow it to free run all day.
As with most things in life—whether for people or for dogs—balance is essential.
Northwoods Rum Rickey, age 3, Blue Shaquille x Snyder’s Liz Northwoods Chablis, age 6, Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice Dixie, Georgia February 2015 photo by Chris Mathan, The Sportsman’s Cabinet
Within the last two weeks, our English setter and pointer puppies headed off to their new homes. Puppy buyers drove to the kennel from Illinois, Michigan, North Dakota and Oklahoma and from various parts of Minnesota. Other puppies flew to new homes in Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, North Carolina and Oklahoma.
It is 4:26 and Blackhawk has landed. Thank you for this opportunity. ~ Bill
For many of these families, this puppy will be the second they’re bought from us so it was fun for Jerry and me to see the first dog again and to spend time with these friends. Other owners are new to us and we enjoyed getting to know them.
We love her already!! She is doing great and is a good girl. Sleeping in her crate without too much hysterics!! Now if we could just pick a name. Right now I am sitting on the couch with Rose sleeping on my lap and the puppy curled up to Rose. Progress!! ~ Laura
While it is a traumatic day for the puppies, they very quickly adapt. Within hours of getting to their new homes, they were inside cuddling on couches and playing on soft rugs or outside in the backyard.
She arrived in perfect shape and was happy to see me. She is amazingly bright, obviously well socialized, incredibly friendly, non-stop playing and sound sleeping. Neither Carol nor I recall a puppy that seems to have the smarts of a big dog in such a small package. She is a joy! We put her in a crate at night next to the other dogs and she goes right to sleep. ~ Bob
Even though it means little, it’s still fun to see a puppy’s pointing instincts. Northwoods Louis Vuitton, male out of Northwoods Carly Simon by Nothwoods Grits, points a rag on a string at 8.5 weeks of age.
It’s amazing how quickly eight weeks can fly by. It seems like yesterday that Jerry and I were up in the middle of the night, keeping vigil while Northwoods Carly Simon, Northwoods Vixen and Northwoods Chablis whelped their litters.
The Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Carly Simon litter of eight puppies at 7.5 weeks of age.
At first, caring for puppies is a breeze because the dam does all the work. She feeds them, ensures elimination and keeps her puppies and her nest clean. All we do is make sure the dam is healthy and that all puppies nurse and gain weight. It becomes messier and more work when we start weaning the puppies off the dams beginning at about four weeks.
The CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen litter of nine puppies at 6.5 weeks of age.
This year, the trip from our winter home in Georgia back to Minnesota further complicated things but when the puppies were 5 – 6 weeks old and mostly weaned, it was safe for them to travel.
Now is the bittersweet time when puppies must go to their new homes. Many buyers come to the kennel to pick up their puppy. Some puppies arrive at their new homes by airplane when buyers live too far away.
The Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis litter of seven puppies at 6 weeks of age.
Even though we’re always sad when puppies leave our kennel, we know they are embarking on their new lives. Equally gratifying, though, is seeing broad smiles on the faces and hearing joy in the voices of their new owners.
Lulu (CH Can’t Go Wrong x CH Houston’s Belle, 2008) is so good in the grouse woods that it is embarrassing as Lulu finds every bird and has done so for years. Lulu varies her range naturally with the cover and if I am not hunting she know it and just messes around like a fou fou dog. She is most adaptable and smart. ~ Bob, Wyoming
Finn (Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis, 2014) turned 1 year old last week. He made his first trip to Upper Red Lake in December. We were about 3 miles out and he had fun slipping and sliding around all day. ~ Todd, Minnesota
Izzie (CH Westfall’s Black Ice x Northwoods Prancer, 2011) and Pal getting ready for the breakaway this morning. ~ Jeff, Arizona
Spent New Year’s on Sanibel with my parents. Kally (CH Can’t Go Wrong x Cold Creek Pearl, 2011) is my dad’s constant companion/shadow and spends her days pointing geckos, ibis, pelicans, etc. She also goes fishing every time he heads out. She lays at Dad’s feet when the boat is in motion and otherwise is at the front looking for birds. ~ Chris, Wisconsin
It’s impossible to beat your pointers. Here’s Ginger (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2013). ~ Wayne, Mississippi, hunting in south Texas
Allie (Northwoods Parmigiano x Northwoods Rum Rickey, 2014) is a very smart pup and very nicely mannered. We went through obedience class with my middle daughter and it was fun watching them interact. ~ Mark, Minnesota
The old guys, Abbie (Gusty Blue x Houston’s Belle, 2005) and Sonny (Blue Chief x Forest Ridge Jewel, 2003), get it done. ~ Wayne, Mississippi, hunting in south Texas
Scout (CH Houston’s Blackjack x Northwoods Highclass Kate, 2013), as an Easter Bunny, points a tweety. ~ Joel, Minnesota
This week the woodcock arrived back in Duluth and Hartley (Northwoods Grits x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2014) took things to the next level! In total for the week, Hartley pointed 28 birds, 6 or 7 grouse and the rest woodcock. It was so fun to watch. It seemed like he learned something new with each bird he pointed. The hands-off approach is simply the way to go. The wild birds are teaching him everything he needs to know and it’s easy to see there is no reason to interfere with that. ~ Nick, Minnesota
Tom Beauchamp proudly displays the big red ribbon won by Northwoods Iron Maiden (Northwoods Grits x CH I’m Blue Gert, 2014) for her second place finish in the Grand National Grouse Futurity Puppy Classic.
Spring is a welcome season throughout snow-weary, northern parts of the country. It is true for all whether commuters, merchants or gardeners but perhaps it is even more so for sportsmen and women who own bird dogs and like to get them in the woods to match them against others during the spring field trial season.
Even though Jerry and I don’t compete as much, we anxiously await results of the various venues and are thrilled when others place—especially when the puppies, derbies and older dogs are out of our kennel. Equally exciting, though, is when winners are:
• owners who are new to field trials
• dogs that are older, experienced and much wiser
• dogs out of favorite pointer males
Tom Beauchamp of Fishers, Indiana, had never competed in a field trial but was keen to run his nine-month-old female setter puppy out of multiple grouse champion I’m Blue Gert by Northwoods Grits. As a practice run, Tom drove up to the Michigan Amateur Field Trial Club’s stakes held near Gladwin, Michigan, on April 3. It was well worth the effort for he earned an Honorable Mention.
After the conclusion of the 68th running of the Grand National Grouse Futurity Puppy Classic, judges and winning handlers pose with their puppies. From left: Judge Dick Brenneman, Dave Hughes with Springfield’s Side Kick, Tom Beauchamp with Northwoods Iron Maiden, Dave D’Hulster with Willwoods Squig, Mark Hughes with Springfield’s Dark Knight, judge Eric Locher.
That was merely a preamble, though, for the next weekend Tom headed to Marienville, Pennsylvania, where the 68th running of the Grand National Grouse Futurity Puppy Classic was held in the Allegheny National Forest. Eric Locher and top-notch veteran Dick Brenneman judged 28 puppies from which four placements were awarded.
How sensational for Tom and his puppy. He said, “What the hell. I just let her roll.”
2nd Grand National Grouse Futurity Puppy Classic
Northwoods Iron Maiden
(Northwoods Grits x CH I’m Blue Gert, 2014)
Owned and handled by Tom Beauchamp
Randy Ott is proud of Northwoods Creek (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2013) and his first place in the Open Derby at a Minnesota Grouse Dog Association spring trial. The rotating silver cup is filled with engraved names of past greats in the grouse woods.
The Minnesota Grouse Dog Association held the first of two weekend field trials beginning April 10. The stakes are always run in the Rum River State Forest near Mora. Several placements are especially noteworthy.
1st Open Derby
Northwoods Creek
(Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2013)
Owned and handled by Randy Ott
1st Open Shooting Dog
Merimac’s Adda Girl
(CH Long Gone Nixon x Grouse River Princess, 2006. She’s 9!!)
Owned and handled by Ben McKean
1st Amateur Shooting Dog & 2nd Open Shooting Dog
Goodgoing Hannah Montana
(Dashaway x Goodgoing Elhew Moxie, 2007. She’s 8!!)
Co-owned and handled by Brett Edstrom
2nd Amateur Shooting Dog
Satin From Silk
(I’m Houston’s Image x Blue Silk, 2006. She’s 9, too!!)
Owned and handled by Greg Gress
3rd Open Puppy
Miles
(CH Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2014)
Owned and handled by Matt Forgit
Matt Forgit and his son happily pose with Miles (CH Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2014) after his third place finish in the Open Puppy at a Minnesota Grouse Dog Association spring trial.
Meanwhile, beginning April 11, the Minnesota Bird Hunters Association held their spring trial at Four Brooks Field Trials Grounds north of Milaca. Chuck Brandes entered his young female in two stakes and came away with two ribbons.
1st Open Gun Dog & 3rd Open Derby
Ridge Creek Pied Piper
(CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013)
Owned and handled by Chuck Brandes
