EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

I have a very skiddish dog that I just can't seem to get accustomed to me. He's 8 months old but still very puppy like. I have tried feeding him treats randomly throughout the day, constant affection, taking him to work with me, keeping him in the house. Nothing is working. He is too fragile for any physical discipline so I have been using a shock collar for obedience training and he will listen while it is on but he only comes to me because he doesn't want to be shocked. He constantly has his tail tucked between his legs and runs from me when I try to approach him. This has been going on for two months now, should I just give up and cull him? Am I missing something? I don't want a dog I can't handle, or that won't hunt for me due to lack of bond with me.

Got a gyp that came from my uncle. He was using her on cows. She burned off one day and when she came back he got after her with a BB gun. After that she didn't like any human.acted just like you described. Wouldn't come near nothing. I've had her for 7 months. She finally came around about 3 weeks ago. She's a good dog now and I'm starting her on hogs finally. My advice is if you really like the dog like I do mine, give it time ESPECIALLY, if there's a reason he is the way he is.  Don't ask the dog why he is skittish. Ask your self why what gave you done to make him not skittish. Was my approach with my gyp and it took a lot of time but she came around. Almost sold her twice because I couldn't deal with the skittish but now I'm really glad I held out

 if the dog will hunt and  work  I wouldn't care if he loved me or not .... I don't handle puppies other than feed'n and worm'n so they will jump from you if  you try and catch 'm ..... when  I start hunt'n  them  I want put them in a dog box  if  I can help it ... I ride them tied  right by  me and  it usually  don't  take  long and they get to handleing perty good .....  good luck hope the  dog comes around for you ...

Take her running with you or on a bicycle ride in the woods, dogs love a pack leader that leads them to have fun and adventure


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Have you had the dog since he was a puppy? I picked up a dog that was as friendly as can be with everyone he met. He was around a year old. I got him for a buddy. I took him over there and dropped him off. A week or so later my buddy called saying that he couldn't get hands on the dog and he was all kinds of nervous around people.  This was very strange for this dog. He was the most outgoing dog at the place where he was born. I went and picked up the dog , brought him home with me planning to work with him but he never came out of it. This was about 3 years ago.  I still have the dog just as a yard ornament and he is still nervous around people. Even me. but nowhere near as bad. But he keeps his tail tucked all the time and only comes to me if he feels like it. He bonded very well with my stepson though. Thats why we still have him.  My stepson was 6 or 7 when we got him. He's 10 now. I just chalked it up to the fact that he was taken away from his home and then put into several different living situations and just went stupid about it. I dont know what else it could be.  Anyway if I had plans for this dog he would have been LONG GONE . but he's okay as a loose running yard dog. And he's one that if I hear barking in the middle of the night I will go outside because he dont say much but when he does...somethings up.

That's the thing, I'm trying to start him in the woods but he is never consistent. He will run with the older dogs for a second then shut down and want to be right beside the mule. Then refuses to follow anything or anyone and won't come to you when it's time to load up. I just can't get a good handle on this dog which I don't like because the ones I've raised from pups are always well mannered. He is my first dog that I've gotten older, he was around 5 months when I got him.

Got him around 5 months. Guy was sketchy anyway, but I really want him to turn out because he has an amazing nose and he's super leggy but I don't want to waste half a year or more just to get the basics of obedience down, much less get him going good on finding pigs.

sounds like  you may can train 3  dogs  with the time  you may end  up  putting in this  one ....

Sounds like a cull, I've learned the hard way. Now days if I don't see consistent improvement they're outa here. I prefer a dog that's impressing me when I take him hunting


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Cull

I don't like dogs I can't handle if dog won't do a few simple things I don't waste my time on it no matter how it hunts or looks I am the boss not the dog. This is jmo nothing more. You can waste a ton of time on a dog like that and it still not be worth a flip


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Damn right JP, Cull that sob!

Thanks for the input everyone. I think culling him is my best option. It'll save me the feed bill and the hair pulling out.

If your kind hearted place him in a non hunting home. To were someone has all the time in the world to make a pet :)

I mean I have never laid a finger on him but he will piss all over everything when I just pet him. I can't stand that.

Seems like nobody wants a grown dog.

I've culled a few dogs for various reasons. Had one go coyote on me. But I don't think I could bring myself to shoot a dog just cause he was slow to come to me and wasn't a fan of me putting my hands on it.

Yeah I'm hesitant because he does better every trip to the woods and even on walks he keeps his nose to the ground and ranges out. He still trashes on anything alive lol, but he just doesn't have any sort of handle to him at all. He will go to every single person except me. I'm gonna give him one more shot in the woods and run him with other dogs and if he still wants to be a "scaredy dog" then I'm gonna cull him. Don't need him as a pet just as a hunter. I've got too many just pets.

I think some of you should be careful about what you post about.  Shooting a dog isn't something to brag about and I certainly don't think it is a good idea to be posting about it on a public forum.

X2

It is not about feelings man.

X2

PM sent.  Take my advice or leave it.

have you put him in a bay pen yet?

Not yet. He was supposed to be lightly started so I was just gonna try and woods start him with the finished strike dogs.

The gyp I had like this I've posted about a couple times on here a while back asking for advice. The most popular answer I got was if I thought she was gonna make something, keep her. 7-8 months later she will still lay down when she comes to me, but she will come and she went 400yards the other night and struck her first hog. More than glad I kept her around

Puttin him in a bay pen might make it clearer for you and give the dog a little confidence if it's a small pig


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If I was in your shoes I would either chain or kennel the dog with an older dog that did what I wanted. I would pay attention to see how well they buddy up. I would use the older dog to show it I'm a good thing. It would also help get the dog hunting. I have one I can't catch on the yard but tell him to load up and he will at home or in the woods. I am a firm believer in using the buddy system on dogs. I have 2 packs of dogs. One is loose the other catchy. They are set up in the yard as such. I don't handle young dogs any more than necessary.


Shotgun
Arkansas

That's what I don't understand. I have been letting him run with mine and friends' dogs, hell I even let him run with my house pet pit bull in an attempt to use the buddy system. They run together all day and are the best of pals, but when I call her to me or get her to listen to my commands or just handle her in general, he hangs back with his tail tucked and his chin dragging the ground. I guess really my question should be can I get a dog that doesn't trust or really like me to hunt for me? I have worked so hard on getting a handle on him that in the woods he is afraid to range out unless I scare him off which goes against everything I've been teaching him about trusting me and puts me back to square one.

I wouldn't scare him out either. When the dog is with your others call the other pet and love up the other dog. Treat it and all. Pay no attention to the scared pup. Same in woods. Ignore it. Reward those that do as you want. I would continue to kennel the dog with a dog I intend them to hunt with. It is possible it may never come around. I threaten to part ways with the one I have every time he gets loose at home. Then we go hunt and he does good even letting me catch him. At home tho it sure is a challenge.


Shotgun
Arkansas

Thanks for the advice, I'll try it from now on.

yep...ignore the pup and act calm as if that pup does not exist...call him when you know you have control like he is on a long lead and when you get your hands on him pet him up good and give him a treat...take him for long walks...

I train my pups the easy way...I never call them unless they are already coming to me...never when I know they are giving chase because they won't come to something less exciting...I use hunger and food to my advantage as well...if you are aggravated with the pup but putting on a front that you are cool will never work because you cant fool an animal...you have to really be cool and calm and don't let the dog aggravate you...

Best advice on the thread!