Question: I have a two-and-a-half-year-old male Brittany that I'd like to get an A.K.C. Senior Hunt test title on. My main problem is getting the dog to honor another dog's point. He will not back another dog that's on point. Any suggestions?
Doug B., South Lyon.
Answer: After having Doug bring the dog to my shooting preserve, we tried setting birds and running his dog with one of mine on the birds. When one of my dogs found a bird first, it became obvious what Doug was talking about. The young male Brit did everything possible to ignore the English Setter pointing the bird. What we have here is a dog who doesn't want to back another dog.
Backing or honoring is a situation with pointing dogs where when one dog finds a bird, the other dogs hunting with it must stop and ‘honor' the pointing dog's point. The backing dog must not encroach upon the dog on point or the bird, and must stay back at a reasonable distance so as to not interfere with the dog on point. An ‘honor' should be held through the flush, shot, and retrieve. Many dogs do it naturally while others, such as this Brit, must be taught. There is also honoring for retrievers. With retrievers, ‘honoring' usually involves holding back while the lead dog completes a retrieve.
Not all problems with dogs are fixable. It isn't like fixing your car where everything is replaceable, so don't assume that the problem will be easy to remedy.
We tried several times with different dogs to make it clear on what we waned. Many times, Doug ‘whoa'ed his dog when it wouldn't acknowledge or stop for the other dog on point to no avail over several sessions. The dog clearly understood what we wanted, but refused to comply. If Doug didn't whoa the Brit around another dog on point, it would simply steal the point, advancing in front of the pointing dog.
I advised Doug to go home and make a wooden cut-out of a dog on point with a detachable tail. I also advised him to paint one side brown and the other side black and white to resemble different dogs depending on which side he had facing his dog. I told him to make the Brit ‘whoa' the cut-out every time he saw it for a few weeks, and then try a live dog again.
Charlie Linblade
Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club
Michigan Pheasant Hunting
Michigan Bird Dog Training
