Red Setter false setting.

Spaniel heaven

Lads I was given a red setter a while back, hes 2 years old, hes setting woodcock and snipe like a pro, no false setting just straight in and job done.

With pheasant trails he breaks my heart. Hel keep setting trail all day, hel set move five feet and set again. This could carry on for quiet a while.

Not putting the dog down hel make a fine woodcock dog but its impossible to hunt green fileds etc with him.

Im wondering if there is anything I can do or is it just more work and hope for the best.

Ive little to no experience with setters so any advice welcome.

Double Barrel

Are you using a whistle to turn him when quartering?

If so and you think or know it is a false point then use the whistle when he goes on point , if it's a false point he will move on and if it's a bird he will ignore you ,you just need to break his concentration.
Give it a try and report back.

hathcock

Spaniel heaven wrote: »

Lads I was given a red setter a while back, hes 2 years old, hes setting woodcock and snipe like a pro, no false setting just straight in and job done.

With pheasant trails he breaks my heart. Hel keep setting trail all day, hel set move five feet and set again. This could carry on for quiet a while.

Not putting the dog down hel make a fine woodcock dog but its impossible to hunt green fileds etc with him.

Im wondering if there is anything I can do or is it just more work and hope for the best.

Ive little to no experience with setters so any advice welcome.

Stickyness is a very serious problem indeed,had an english setter one time with the same problem,he could literally be picked up while set,turned and pointed in the opposite direction,all he would do then was throw his head in the original direction, very frustrating,I tried but failed to rectify what is in my view incurable.Spoke to many setter and pointer trialling people on the subject and the overwhelming view was that it couldn't be cured.

irish setter

Try running him with a Springer or other non pointing dog for a while when pheasant shooting.

Dawggone

Out of interest what breeding is the dog?
Lot of reds getting very birdy nowadays.

EPointer=Birdss

irish setter wrote: »

Try running him with a Springer or other non pointing dog for a while when pheasant shooting.

+1

Spaniel heaven

No idea of breed lads, hes the small fast trial type setter, no papers, friend who gave him to me swapped him for a springer pup but found him too lively.

He exercises with the springers but never hunted with them, its worth a try though ive nothing to lose.

warehouse1

When you say false setting do you mean setting old trails where a bird has been. If a setter sets and there tail is not locked( the tail is still wagging) it usually means there was a bird there and it has left.

Or do you mean the dog is setting the birds far away then moving on a few yards at a time when you walk up to him until he fully locks over the bird.

irish setter

warehouse1 wrote: »

When you say false setting do you mean setting old trails where a bird has been. If a setter sets and there tail is not locked( the tail is still wagging) it usually means there was a bird there and it has left.

Or do you mean the dog is setting the birds far away then moving on a few yards at a time when you walk up to him until he fully locks over the bird.

The dog should pin his birds. If it's old scent he should know it's old and not give it much notice. If it's a trail he should road in till he has the bird pinned. Sounds like a very birdy dog which can be made worse by too much game too young or over eagerness by owner to get him pointing.

blackpearl

have reds 35 years never had this problem had stickey dogs when they got real old but false setting, seen it in English setters was their a problem with parents or grand parents,some say it can carry trough the breed line.