Training a Shih Tzu for Quail?

[rodriguezpoultry]

I just have this ODD idea (I mean REALLY odd) that I could train my Shih Tzu for quail retrieval.

She stays when she wants to surprise something and we say "Sick Em" when we want her to do the "pounce" routine. She fetches RIDICULOUSLY. She brings the ball, string, rock back to your hand and drops it. We did a loose water balloon and she didn't puncture it, so apparently has a very soft mouth.

Any possibility of this working?

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Like a live one?

I dunno.... Depends on the dog. How is her prey drive? I mean she's not stupid, she knows a water balloon isn't alive, but a bird...hmmm

 

[Brindlebtch]

Sure, why not. I trained my old AmStaff Lulu (RIP) up to Junior Hunter. She was a great retriever, marked and everything.

Do you think your Shih Tzu would have trouble with rough terrain or seeing above cover?

I know somebody up Notheast that trained a GSD as a pointer. Dog did a good job.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Quote:
HAHA another one of BYC's substitutions... I'm assuming you wrote Shi.tzu?

 

[Brindlebtch]

Yup! Went back and edited!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I think the seeing above cover would be my issue. She would be able to move a bit more easily through it and would probably make a decent rabbit hunter.

She will chase anything that moves, except for chickens which I trained her not to do. When she was young, she chased them to see them fly. She was all of what...2 lbs? lol But I realized she'd get big quick so I trained her not to go near the birds.

Terrain I'm not so worried about, she's more athletic than either of my labs. One lab is 13 years old, the other is a moron...has a hard mouth, but makes an excellent tracker.


nah, she'd be going after dead ones...the ones I DO manage to shoot!

 

[Redyre Rotties]

I would worry about eye injury in brush. Plus the length of muzzle is not really conducive to carrying a bird.

But hey, you never know until you try!

 

[gritsar]

Me thinks Miss Rodriquez needs to get a real dog, something bigger than a dust mop.

You have BIG chickens, but little dogs?

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

LOL!!

I have 3 big dogs...1 Shih Tzu and 1 poodle that I tolerate because I made a promise...

The 13 year old 90 lbs. lab
The 3 year old 120 lbs. lab
The 11 year old 50 lbs. lab (female)
The 9 year old miniature poodle
The 2 year old 10 lbs. Shih Tzu (female)


We thought we were going to lose Thunder, the 13 year old last year, but since we got Marley, Thunder has been acting like he's 7! Citra, the female lab, has heartworms and the vet prescribed treatment, but we all know that she would not survive the injections. So she's on HeartGuard to kill the adult heartworms slowly. We talked and agreed it would be the only thing that would kill the heartworms without killing her. We felt awful and now all the dogs are on preventative (again).



I have to have SOMETHING to sleep on top of my head at night! Clyde would daggum near crush my head if he slept on it!

 

[Brindlebtch]

Two potential field dogs and you want to train the Shih Tzu??????