Fieldwork:

  Working Gundog Using the Wind Handling the Dog Understanding the Dog

 Members Gundog Articles

A selection of articles from our members about working their weimaraners:
Article by Sue Knight

  The in’s and out’s of dogging by Sue Knight

This is not a risqué article on the dubious pastime of ‘dogging’ but rather an account of using my Weimaraner for ‘dogging out’ release pens (to check for vermin) and ‘dogging in’( to push straying pheasants back towards their pens).
By summer, those who work their Weimaraners will no doubt be reinforcing whistle work and looking forward to another shooting season. But I wonder how many people stop and think how much work has gone in to preparing the birds beforehand to provide healthy high fliers for the Guns and challenging retrieves for the dogs?
Pheasants are birds that require the most care. When they have reached the stage of poults (young pheasants), they are put into release pens which are large fenced areas of natural habitat. First these pens need to be checked for vermin by ‘dogging out’. Georgie, my extrovert 9 year old Weimaraner is ideal to ’dog out’. Quartered throughout the pen and made to investigate every thicket, he will indicate by pointing anything untoward (ie muntjac deer or fox) which is dealt with by a waiting Gun. Once cleared, the pen is then protected by electric fence and the poults allowed to grow in safety, fed and watered at least twice a day. Their flight feathers, which were clipped on one wing prior to being put in the pen, gradually grow back, enabling the birds to fly up to roost in the trees at night.
‘Dogging in’ starts once the pheasants begin to roam from their release pens which usually coincides with harvest time. Obviously a shoot wants to keep their pheasants within their territory, but pheasants are natural wanderers. They fly out of their pens early morning to roam and this is where a good ‘dogging in’ team helps to prevent them from straying onto neighbouring estates or the danger of roads. Georgie and I set off about 6.30am in the Land Rover. It is a guessing game where the birds will be, as weather conditions, livestock and crops all affect their movement. Once the birds are spotted, on stubble or in hedgerows, we go into ‘One man and his dog’ mode and Georgie stalks the birds to drive them back to home territory. If the birds prove stubborn, he will go in to flush and encourage them to fly.
I know how hard it can be to ‘get in’ with an HPR friendly shoot and ‘dogging in’ can be a good entry, leading to working your dog in the beating line. However, keepers zealously guard their birds and reputation, after all they have put many months into rearing. They will want to see your dog work to ensure he in under control, obeys the whistle and does not chase or disappear over the horizon. Good luck and good dogging!

Top of Page