# Tail "flagging"



## Sam H (Jan 25, 2012)

What starts/causes tail flagging while on point and how do you stop it , or can you stop it?..Does it hurt anything?...Bella has started it and I don't remember her doing it , at least , as much as she is doing it now?...Is it something I've done?...Is it because of Colt being new.....opinons?

Thanks

Sam


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## wilber85 (Jan 25, 2012)

How old is she and is she hunted on pen raised birds or wild?


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## muckalee (Jan 25, 2012)

hunt her by herself for a while and just let her do her thing.  Maybe only soft words of encouragement.  Sounds like she has lost a little confidence/ became nervous with intro of other dog.  

My Setter has this problem every now and then if I hunt her a lot with other dogs.  Hunt her by herself and it goes away.


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## Setter Jax (Jan 25, 2012)

muckalee said:


> hunt her by herself for a while and just let her do her thing.  Maybe only soft words of encouragement.  Sounds like she has lost a little confidence/ became nervous with intro of other dog.
> 
> My Setter has this problem every now and then if I hunt her a lot with other dogs.  Hunt her by herself and it goes away.



Sam,

I think mucalee advice is good.  My oldest Setter will some times creep on me if I hunt him with new dogs or a large brace.  If I just hunt him and Brigit together  he does fine.  I would give that a try.  Makes sense to me.  She is also still very young.

SJ


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## TailCrackin (Jan 25, 2012)

A myriad of explanations but most commonly due to lack of confidence in what their nose is telling them....poor scenting conditions, pen raised birds, running birds,too much pressure,  too much Brittany in tank

in all honesty..have ya'll not had a good bit of warm weather down there recently?  Maybe the combination of the new bracemate and some marginal scenting conditions is resulting in a bit of uncertainty???  Just a guess.

Some dogs develop the habit and it may or may not be curable.  I have one dog that will flag on pen raised birds in hot weather that would make you think he was waiting on a dog biscuit but on a woodcock or a pen raised bird in good air he is very staunch.


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## BirdNut (Jan 26, 2012)

I would echo what everyone else has already said.  Except the too much Britt in the tank...I had a Brittany that would outhunt every dog on this forum hands down, but she passed in 2007, so you'll just have to trust me on this one.

A couple of other adds:  pen raised birds (been mentioned), but in light cover, where maybe the dog can get a glimpse of the bird.  Definitely pen raised birds that meander (not run) around in front of a dog tend to confuse them and maybe induce the little bit of flagging; wild birds either sit tight or put on their track shoes and run.  I hate pen raised birds, but its a reality we have to deal with these days.

One other suggestion is the presence of stink birds sometimes causes dogs to flag.  Rare, but it happens where stink birds and quail are in the same bit of cover.  Once we had a hard point in a lespedeza patch; dog started flagging, stink birds flew out of the opposite end, we took one more step, expecting nothing and boom big covey of quail followed the stink birds.


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## Jim P (Jan 26, 2012)

x2 on what BirdNut said about stink birds


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## Sam H (Jan 26, 2012)

Jim P said:


> x2 on what BirdNut said about stink birds



What the HEY is a "stink bird"???


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## Sam H (Jan 26, 2012)

Well....After all the above , I think it could be a combo of things....First of all 21mo's..still a pup...and hunted ALOT by herself last year...pen birds and wild birds on occassion...would also retrieve to hand......
Then enter Colt last...March...as Colt got older..I noticed when playing "catch/retrieve" with the bumper, Colt would sometime get it from Bella...fast forward to now...Now that has carried to the field...Colt is real bold...so I think the confidence thing could be a possibility/reality...even though last weekend , she was finding singles buried so deep , would have made a woodcock proud!!!!
I think I'll hunt her this weekend without Colt a couple of time and see what happens...I know it may take more than a couple of times...But gotta start somewhere...I'll let yall know how it goes...Thanks
Sam


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## muckalee (Jan 26, 2012)

Sam H said:


> Well....After all the above , I think it could be a combo of things....First of all 21mo's..still a pup...and hunted ALOT by herself last year...pen birds and wild birds on occassion...would also retrieve to hand......
> Then enter Colt last...March...as Colt got older..I noticed when playing "catch/retrieve" with the bumper, Colt would sometime get it from Bella...fast forward to now...Now that has carried to the field...Colt is real bold...so I think the confidence thing could be a possibility/reality...even though last weekend , she was finding singles buried so deep , would have made a woodcock proud!!!!
> I think I'll hunt her this weekend without Colt a couple of time and see what happens...I know it may take more than a couple of times...But gotta start somewhere...I'll let yall know how it goes...Thanks
> Sam


Letting a dog "steal" a bumper from another dog is a "no no" in my book and the offender might do it once but if he tries to do it again he will get "nicked".  Throw 2 bumpers so both dogs can get a crack at it.


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## BirdNut (Jan 26, 2012)

Sam H said:


> What the HEY is a "stink bird"???



Never thought about it till you asked, but I've never really heard a definition of a "stink bird"  but here goes:

Stink birds are those little brown birds that seem to hang out in the rag weed patched, lespedeza, etc. where quail are, but often just the stink birds are there...I am not sure what kind of bird they are...some kind of little field bird, maybe a wren, often in pretty big groups of 10-15-20 birds.  I think some people think field larks are stink birds too (I also think this is where the phrase "going off on a lark" comes from).  Just like killdees and doves, it seems stink birds and quail are often in close association with one another. 

I have just always heard them called stink birds, mainly because a bored or inexperienced dog will point them.  Maybe they have a quail-like scent.

Even if the dogs don't point them, they often get up and fly just in front of the dog, as the dog runs.  They can cause a dog that is steady to flush a lot of trouble!

As a side note, down in Mexico, the Mexican bird guides always told us that where you find Cardinals, you find quail.  It sure seemed true down there, but there were far more quail than cardinals, and it was unlikely that there was any real association.  I know up here there are way more cardinals than quail!


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## coveyrise (Jan 26, 2012)

Stink bird is a Bachman Sparrow. It smells so much like a quail that many dogs without a lot of bird contacts seem to point them more. I know that when we are having a bad day bird hunting the younger dogs can start pointing these things out of boredome. Can be hard to break once started. Older more experienced dogs seem to never point them. The Appalachicola National Forest is full of them. Will drive a young dog crazy and its handler.


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## Sam H (Jan 27, 2012)

muckalee said:


> Letting a dog "steal" a bumper from another dog is a "no no" in my book and the offender might do it once but if he tries to do it again he will get "nicked".  Throw 2 bumpers so both dogs can get a crack at it.




Well muckalee... I knew this was a "no no"...exactley like you said...but I had been trying to break him of this with an "Ahhhhh" and pull him away , because he was so young (1yr old today) and trying not to "nick" him in the field until I knew, he undrstands whats happening!!...I didn't want to deter his agressiveness...BUT....You're right though...Think I'll do it in the yard a few times first , to see his reaction...then carry over to the field....This one action , could have been the start of her flagging and I didn't realize it...Her thinking..."ok , I'm pointing this bird and when he shoots it , I have to get to it before Colt does"(causing anxiety)....Am I on the right track here??


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## StevePickard (Jan 27, 2012)

Sam,
I think you are on the right track.  I had a similar problem with Bullet and his son Ammo year before last.  I had Bullet almost completely steady to wing and shot, hunting him by himself.  I had the idea that I'd start Ammo (this was during his first season in the field, just like with Bella and Colt) off by running him with Bullet in the field.  Unfortunately first couple of times Bullet went on point, here would come Ammo and bust past him into the birds.  It didn't take but a time or two and Bullet forgot all about steady to wing and shot.  If he saw Ammo anywhere around him, he'd not wait for me or Ammo to flush...he'd break point and flush himself.  I stopped right away hunting them together and spent the rest of the season correcting Bullet and getting him back steady.  It didn't take long to get Ammo in shape on point (steady till flush), but it did take some time to correct the problem with Bullet. 
I'd try working them separately for a while.  As aggressive as I know Colt is (which IMO is a GOOD trait) I think it may be setting Bella back a little, just as trying to work Ammo together with Bullet set Bullet back. 
Fast forward to this season and they hunt together fine  and Ammo now naturally backs Bullet (most of the time) but Bullet still will not back Ammo naturally. If I command backing with whoa he will honor Ammo but he still doesn't like to do it.
 So...separate them for a while and work with them individually. I think this will help.  You'll have many years ahead of you to hunt them together as a pair.
Steve


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## Jetjockey (Jan 27, 2012)

*Ok boys and girls... Here's your answer!!!..:*rofl:

Seriously though, there is a pretty good training book called "The Brittany.  Amateurs Training with Professionals".  Its a pretty darn good book and it interviews several different pro's for references.   Ben Lorenson and Tom Tracy are two of the Pro's referenced in the book.  Their credentials speak for themselves.  They took first and second at the ABC All Age Nationals this year and are two of only a handfull of trainers who have won both the AA, and GD Nationals in the Brittany World.  There is a section in the book on this exact problem.. So, here it is.

Flagging..  How do you stop a dog from flagging?

Ben Lorenson:  "Some dogs flag because scenting conditions aren't right, like in the spring when the birds are molting or in the summer when the birds are hatching young and put off little scent.  Ints unnatural to work dogs during these times.
     Fifty percent of dogs flag during the breaking process.  Some of them flag because they want to knock the bird, and some flag from a lack of confidence.  If you finish breaking him, the problem usually clears up.  Most come out of it, but some don't."

Gene Stewart: "You can fix the problem, but sooner or later it'll come back.  I think flagging is genetic.  If the tail's up in the air and flagging, it's genetic.  But if it's down and flagging, it's from pressure-pressure caused by too much voice and too much _whoa-ing_.  Sometimes flagging is the result of picking up the dog and setting him back.  I use the e-collar to stop a dog from moving on his birds, and once I stop him, I don't set him back.  I just leave him there to think about it.  I do not walk over him and put my hands on him.
    You might cure some dogs by shooting birds for them.  I've also tried using the e-collar on the belly.  Some dogs will stop flagging, but then they'll start again in a couple days."

Tommy Tracy: "Flagging is a tough problem because there are so many causes for it.  There's the genetics part.  There's the people part.  There's the dog's part-flagging because he wants to bump the bird.  To fix the problem, you have to identify it.
          If the handler has caused the problem, he should be quiet.  Don't say "Whoa".  In fact, don't say anything.  Let the dog work it out by himself.  People think they're helping him by whoa-ing him before the bird.  Let him take it out if he wants".


So there you go!  Ive had the opportunity to run dogs with a pro a couple times.  Its amazing to me how easy they make it, but its also amazing how simple they keep things.  Ive seen a couple issues where the dogs weren't performing properly and the trainer didn't say a thing.  He told me he just lets the dogs work it out for themselves.  I think a lot of us, me included, talk to much and don't let the dogs figure things out on their own enough.  Notice what they said about "whoa-ing" a dog when its on point?  Two of the Pro's mentioned that we all probably use "whoa" when a dog is on point way too much.  Now, go back and reference the post about "whoa-ing" a dog on point.  It makes you think doesn't it...  Both Tom Tracy and Ben Lorenson will be running dogs at the GA brittany club this weekend.  Ive seen both of them run dogs and they are both very, very good trainers with some of the best brits in the country on their strings.


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## macondaly (Jan 27, 2012)

Are you running trials?  

If not I will refer to Mr. Brain Hayes of Chokebore Kennels.  "If you're looking at a dogs tail, you're looking at the wrong end of the dog".


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## StevePickard (Jan 27, 2012)

macondaly said:


> Are you running trials?
> 
> If not I will refer to Mr. Brain Hayes of Chokebore Kennels.  "If you're looking at a dogs tail, you're looking at the wrong end of the dog".



The last post got me thinking...
Both Bullet and Ammo's tails go like propellers when they get on birds...I actually keep the hair on their knubs a little longer so I can see the action better...its one of the ways I know they are on birds....but as soon as they go on point, the propeller stops and the tail is rock solid...that's how I know they are locked in on the birds. For ya'll with long tailed dogs this probably sounds funny, but its my way of knowing they are hot on birds.  If its not rock solid I know they have not come to full point and are still on the hunt.  I hadn't thought about it much until I read the last comment.  Had she been reacting like what I described with tail buzzing when she gets scent and then completely stopping at point, but now she's changed and flagging all the time? Obviously there has been some change in what you have been use to with the tail flagging. Just trying to make sure we're not making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Steve


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## Sam H (Jan 27, 2012)

Steve and ALL...When Bella/Colt(most dogs) gets on scent...thier tails are usually going 100mph/or helicoptering....I call this getting "birdy", because she picks up on scent.....But then, when she locks up/locks down on scent , she freeze's in place , tail stops , then starts again 100mph...that's what I'm calling "flagging"....BIG differance...That being said...I have a little report from todays hunt...
I put out a few birds and worked Bella for about1.5hrs by herself...she would go on point,tail flagging away...a couple of times I came up to her,very calmly,stroked her back softly,being calm myself....Flagging never completely stop,but slowed down...and retieved to hand on the third bird killed(which she hasn't done all season)...progress , in my opinon!....Will get more of the same sunday!Thanks for all suggestions guys...I'll keep working...
BTW...I did have to let Colt out to hunt a little at the end , before he ripped the kennel door off the hinges


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## Jetjockey (Jan 27, 2012)

macondaly said:


> Are you running trials?
> 
> If not I will refer to Mr. Brain Hayes of Chokebore Kennels.  "If you're looking at a dogs tail, you're looking at the wrong end of the dog".



A good handler can tell a lot from the tail.  If your only looking at the head your missing the big picture.


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## BirdNut (Jan 27, 2012)

StevePickard said:


> The last post got me thinking...
> Both Bullet and Ammo's tails go like propellers when they get on birds...I actually keep the hair on their knubs a little longer so I can see the action better...its one of the ways I know they are on birds....but as soon as they go on point, the propeller stops and the tail is rock solid...that's how I know they are locked in on the birds. For ya'll with long tailed dogs this probably sounds funny, but its my way of knowing they are hot on birds.  If its not rock solid I know they have not come to full point and are still on the hunt.  I hadn't thought about it much until I read the last comment.  Had she been reacting like what I described with tail buzzing when she gets scent and then completely stopping at point, but now she's changed and flagging all the time? Obviously there has been some change in what you have been use to with the tail flagging. Just trying to make sure we're not making a mountain out of a mole hill.
> Steve



I had the same thing with my Brittany:  tail buzzing like a prop when on bird scent, then stock still when birds were pointed-for me really enhanced the hunting experience because you knew when to relax and when to pay really close attention.

One of my pointers does something similar in that there is a standard "I am running in the field, just lookin' for some birds, havin' a good ole time" tail whipping going on, then when there is bird scent, the tail actually goes into almost a figure-8 at a more rapid pace, then stock still once the birds are nailed and point is made.


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## BirdNut (Jan 27, 2012)

coveyrise said:


> Stink bird is a Bachman Sparrow. It smells so much like a quail that many dogs without a lot of bird contacts seem to point them more. I know that when we are having a bad day bird hunting the younger dogs can start pointing these things out of boredome. Can be hard to break once started. Older more experienced dogs seem to never point them. The Appalachicola National Forest is full of them. Will drive a young dog crazy and its handler.



Thanks coveyrise...also, I hear that, when prepared properly, stink birds taste somewhere between Spotted Owl and Bald Eagle.


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## macondaly (Jan 27, 2012)

Ok guys I'm new to the forum but not so new to dogs. I don't know how to quote so here goes. To the OP, in my earlier comment I meant that if you aren't field trialing a "happy tail" might just be a "dawg thing". Just let your dog be a dog. If you are trialing you may have to hold them to a higher standard.

To Jetjockey,
A good handler can tell alot by a dogs tail. Combine that with ear position, posture, and head position you can read even more. As you stated earlier good trainers have a way of simplify things. I was pointing out that the tail isn't the business end of the dog for us old meat hunters.


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## Sam H (Jan 28, 2012)

macondaly said:


> Ok guys I'm new to the forum but not so new to dogs. I don't know how to quote so here goes. To the OP, in my earlier comment I meant that if you aren't field trialing a "happy tail" might just be a "dawg thing". Just let your dog be a dog. If you are trialing you may have to hold them to a higher standard.
> 
> To Jetjockey,
> A good handler can tell alot by a dogs tail. Combine that with ear position, posture, and head position you can read even more. As you stated earlier good trainers have a way of simplify things. I was pointing out that the tail isn't the business end of the dog for us old meat hunters.




Thanks.....I got your message....When hunting , I watch the tail ALOT for reasons stated above...When on point , I look for ears"perked",eyes and head position "locked",body "staunch" still,...if head is moving(still looking/smelling,but strong scent),they're not sure....she's good with this.....Just want to break this flagging tail


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## waddler (Jan 28, 2012)

Sam H said:


> What starts/causes tail flagging while on point and how do you stop it , or can you stop it?..Does it hurt anything?...Bella has started it and I don't remember her doing it , at least , as much as she is doing it now?...Is it something I've done?...Is it because of Colt being new.....opinons?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Sam



If she holds the birds everytime, stopping her from wagging her tail is an ego thing for the owner. If she is a field trial dog, the whole affair is an ego thing for the owner.

Shoot the birds.


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## Jetjockey (Jan 28, 2012)

waddler said:


> If she holds the birds everytime, stopping her from wagging her tail is an ego thing for the owner. If she is a field trial dog, the whole affair is an ego thing for the owner.
> 
> Shoot the birds.



Waddler.  Have you been to many trials?  Usually when I hear someone make a comment like that it usually means that person tryed to run trials, and couldnt hack it, or just doesn't understand what trials are about.  My dog runs trials, and believe me, its not an ego thing to me.  I don't care if she wins or loses.  Its simply another way to enjoy letting our dog do what she was bread to do, just like hunting is.  If I had to chose between hunting or trialing only, I think Id choose trialing.  IMO killing a bird has very, very little to do with it.  I prefer watching the dog work, and do what it was bread to do.  Flagging is an issue, just like other issues such as creeping, hard mouthing, not handling, etc.  To many of us, its not about killing birds, its about the joy of being in the field with our dogs, and good dog work.  If a dog has an issue that the handler doesn't like, it needs to try and be fixed.


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## waddler (Jan 28, 2012)

Jetjockey said:


> Waddler.  Have you been to many trials?  Usually when I hear someone make a comment like that it usually means that person tryed to run trials, and couldnt hack it, or just doesn't understand what trials are about.  My dog runs trials, and believe me, its not an ego thing to me.  I don't care if she wins or loses.  Its simply another way to enjoy letting our dog do what she was bread to do, just like hunting is.  If I had to chose between hunting or trialing only, I think Id choose trialing.  IMO killing a bird has very, very little to do with it.  I prefer watching the dog work, and do what it was bread to do.  Flagging is an issue, just like other issues such as creeping, hard mouthing, not handling, etc.  To many of us, its not about killing birds, its about the joy of being in the field with our dogs, and good dog work.  If a dog has an issue that the handler doesn't like, it needs to try and be fixed.



I am glad you enjoy it, ask your dog to post how he feels about it.


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## Jetjockey (Jan 28, 2012)

waddler said:


> I am glad you enjoy it, ask your dog to post how he feels about it.



Umm.. While she can't exactly speak, her actions tell us she LOVES it!  We don't do it for us, we do it for her.  If you've never been there to watch a dog road off a 4-wheeler, train, or run against another dog in a brace, then you just wouldn't understand.  Our dog is not only my hunting buddy and field trial dog, she also sleeps in the bed with us when shes home.  I would NEVER send her off to the circuit if I didn't think she loved it.  You should see how crazy she goes when she sees the trainers!  Again, if you've never seen it, you wouldn't understand!


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## waddler (Jan 28, 2012)

Jetjockey said:


> Umm.. While she can't exactly speak, her actions tell us she LOVES it!  We don't do it for us, we do it for her.  If you've never been there to watch a dog road off a 4-wheeler, train, or run against another dog in a brace, then you just wouldn't understand.  Our dog is not only my hunting buddy and field trial dog, she also sleeps in the bed with us when shes home.  I would NEVER send her off to the circuit if I didn't think she loved it.  You should see how crazy she goes when she sees the trainers!  Again, if you've never seen it, you wouldn't understand!



I have talking Brittanys.


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## Sam H (Jan 28, 2012)

waddler said:


> I have talking Brittanys.




Man Oh Man...what have I started...britt guys bragging about thier dogs.....Well...while waddlers Britts are are calling us to dinner and Jets are racing to the dinner table...Bella and Colt have cleaned and finished cooking the quail for all of us........So there!


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## Jim P (Jan 28, 2012)

Only from Britt guy's. I guess mine will do the dishes.lol


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## Setter Jax (Jan 28, 2012)

Jim,

You should tell them that after the dishes, Abbey brings us a cold beer.  Top that fellas.

SJ


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## Jim P (Jan 28, 2012)

Only after your bridgit opens the frig, Abby is to short.


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## waddler (Jan 29, 2012)

When I finish answering this post I am going to take Waddler his morning coffee. 

Roy the Wonder Dog


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## StevePickard (Jan 29, 2012)

Waddler you've really started something now with your last post!  Bullet must have read your post cause he's insisting that I go to town and get Chicken Buiscuts for him, Ammo and Shadow!


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## waddler (Jan 29, 2012)

StevePickard said:


> Waddler you've really started something now with your last post!  Bullet must have read your post cause he's insisting that I go to town and get Chicken Buiscuts for him, Ammo and Shadow!



Don'tcha just hate it when they leave pawmarks on the keyboard?


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## Nitram4891 (Jan 29, 2012)

Jetjockey said:


> Waddler.  Have you been to many trials?  Usually when I hear someone make a comment like that it usually means that person tryed to run trials, and couldnt hack it, or just doesn't understand what trials are about.  My dog runs trials, and believe me, its not an ego thing to me.  I don't care if she wins or loses.  Its simply another way to enjoy letting our dog do what she was bread to do, just like hunting is.  If I had to chose between hunting or trialing only, I think Id choose trialing.  IMO killing a bird has very, very little to do with it.  I prefer watching the dog work, and do what it was bread to do.  Flagging is an issue, just like other issues such as creeping, hard mouthing, not handling, etc.  To many of us, its not about killing birds, its about the joy of being in the field with our dogs, and good dog work.  If a dog has an issue that the handler doesn't like, it needs to try and be fixed.



You can keep your trial dogs that you are breeding for trials.  I'll keep my bird dogs that love what they were bred to do, hunt. 



> IMO killing a bird has very, very little to do with it.



LoL...is this not the reason bird dogs were created?


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## Nitram4891 (Jan 29, 2012)

waddler said:


> When I finish answering this post I am going to take Waddler his morning coffee.
> 
> Roy the Wonder Dog



Hey Roy, this is your boy Sam.  I just got done dropping Nitram off at work and now I'm going to wash his truck.

Sam the Wonder Pup


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## Jim P (Jan 29, 2012)

And there knobs keep going.


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## waddler (Jan 29, 2012)

Jim P said:


> And there knobs keep going.



The uninformed among the bird hunting fraternity believe that Brits briskly wagging their tails exhibit pleasure, excitement and a love for the hunt. Actually dyed in the wool Brit owners know they are using their tails as Semiphore Flags to communicate info such as how many birds and which direction they are likely to fly.


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## Jim P (Jan 29, 2012)

Waddler I knew that. lol That's why the smart bird hunters have Britts. (boy this will start some dooky)


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## Jetjockey (Jan 29, 2012)

Nitram4891 said:


> You can keep your trial dogs that you are breeding for trials.  I'll keep my bird dogs that love what they were bred to do, hunt.
> 
> 
> 
> LoL...is this not the reason bird dogs were created?



You seem to think trial dogs aren't bird dogs.  You don't breed trial dogs.  You breed bird dogs with the hope that you might get one or two from a litter with the drive, nose, stamina, speed, bidability, and trainability to be a trial dog.  Otherwise, there is no difference between a bird dog and a trial dog.  Besides, brittany's were bred to be versatile dogs who could hunt anything, we have pushed them more towards the bird only hunting arena....  And no, IMO bird dogs were not just created to shoot birds over.  They were bred to find birds, killing birds over them is secondary.   Most trialers are in it for the sport of bird dogs, not the kill.....  

But back to the original post.  Some people want a dog fully broke, some want their dogs to retrieve to hand, some don't care if the dogs bust birds as long as they get to shoot birds over them.  Neither way is better or worse since its all based on what the owner wants from their dogs.  Sam stated that he would like to find a way to fix his dog from flagging.  In his opinion its a problem.  I agree with him, I wouldn't want my dog flagging either, just like I hate it when my dog used to pick up a bird, mouth it, and then move on without retrieving it.  We should help him try and identify the problem so it can be hopefully fixed, not tell him to just deal with it.


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## coveyrise (Jan 29, 2012)

Don't mean to sound stupid but why do they dock the tails on Britts. Cockers and GSP's and  when did they start it?


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## waddler (Jan 30, 2012)

coveyrise said:


> Don't mean to sound stupid but why do they dock the tails on Britts. Cockers and GSP's and  when did they start it?



Many Brits are born with little or no tail. The Brits that I have seen with long tails are disproportionate. The tails being incongruent with body size. It is a cosmetic thing, however it does help with their semiphoric communication. Especially when there is a very large covey or the birds are facing more than one direction before flush.


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## Setter Jax (Jan 30, 2012)

Jim P said:


> Waddler I knew that. lol That's why the smart bird hunters have Britts. (boy this will start some dooky)



Jim,

I have the best of both worlds.  I own Setters and my friends hunt with Britts and GSP's.  Doesn't get any better then that.  lol

I think we got it covered.  lol

SJ


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## Jetjockey (Jan 30, 2012)

coveyrise said:


> Don't mean to sound stupid but why do they dock the tails on Britts. Cockers and GSP's and  when did they start it?



The general belief is that the brittany was bred by poor people in Northwestern France.  Often times they hunted their dogs in places they weren't supposed to be.  They docked the tails so the dog wouldn't be noticed as easily.   I believe the practice started in the late 1800's when the brittany breed came about.


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## Jim P (Jan 30, 2012)

Good point Shon


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