Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (the abandoned brane) — Sat, 16 May 2009 23:16:38 GMT

My dog is a pest. He annoys me and other fisherman. And loves to swim though prime holes and has this habit of drifting freely with the current past fisherfolks. I catch more fish without him than with. Having said that, he goes fishing with me almost always. Unless its winter and the water is icy(he has arthritis), I'm heading to an area where there will be crowds or I'm traveling to unfamiliar waters.

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (Dewardian) — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:53:49 GMT

Max our five year old Wirehair Pointing Griffon is an occasional fishing companion. Though his main focus tends to be exploring and frogs.
In boats on lakes he is a disaster......... in the boat, out of the boat........ the happy medium does not last long. WPG's are an energetic, curious breed, very much at home in the water. When kayaking on rivers he will run the bank, swim along, and climb aboard when he gets tired, ( Which is not often). The key is to not go faster than he is...

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (MFRS) — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:03:18 GMT

RPL wrote:
Speaking of risking one's life to save a dog, I was wondering if anyone has advice on teaching a dog to be a well-behaved fishing companion. When I take my dog with me fishing, he instinctively jumps into the water and chases my fly line. If I leave him on the bank and wade in, he will bark incessantly at me or jump in and swim to me. I think he senses that I'm in some kind of danger and becomes alarmed. So...

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (pmag) — Tue, 05 May 2009 08:09:03 GMT

On a trip up the Cour de Alene several years ago with my lab, Emma, I was catching small trout on dry flies. I would bring them in and Emma was right there waiting. I would bring in a fish, unhook it, and Emma would give it a sniff as it swam out of my hand. I was catching fish about evey cast and Emma was beside herself in expectation. I walked downstream to where I could see some large trout nymphing. I was there about five minute trying to take a trout with Emma at my side. Soon Emma ran...

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (fishnbanjo) — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:37:25 GMT

Get a pointing breed.............

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (mtn) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:24:31 GMT

Both dogs I've had in the recent past both had issues with fishing and water. The first Ashley an aussie was just scared to death of it, stayed a comfortable distance along the bank and wait for me and would relax and have here own fine time. The second a husky, Tanner was the opposite, loved to swim and spook fish, even when I'd take the boat out on the lake he'd immediately jump out swim about until he had his fun then climb back in and shake soaking me and covering the...

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (ayres654) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 20:54:47 GMT

Not even a little bit related to fishing,but I recall a young black Lab many years ago on a small public beach that was most insistant on reteiving me.I am a fairly decent swimmer,but it became a bit difficult with one arm being gently mouthed and being pulled to shore.Never did find his owner,but I was one of many that "got saved that afternoon.

neat memory,
Bill H

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (Wyfish) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:22:43 GMT

STAY....

I find few things more pleasant than fishing with my dog. I have not been tested by retrievers, but have some experience with Airedales and now a Rotteweiler. I have fished with my dogs for many years and have found it is largely a matter of patience and practice. Young dogs have little patience and soon are distracted by birds, bugs, or just curiosity. They do not get to go fishing. By a year and a half, most dogs can be acceptable fishing companions. Training just...

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (bluejayee) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:13:54 GMT

Hi Guys, Get a hound. They hunt, therefore they're gone all the time. Of course, they do swim. My dumb hound swam right next to a rock face I was fishing, Oh well, forget that hole. But, but, wait what's this, a fish? An 18" Brown it was. She usually walks up and jumps right in the water I'm fishing ending all hope. I always take her. Jay Edwards

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (RPL) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:13:37 GMT

Southbranch -- That's funny. I can imagine a dog doing just that. Wow, wouldn't it be something, if you could teach a dog to point out fish the way that setters point to birds.

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (Southbranch) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:07:24 GMT

After watching me wade and fish dry flies to rising fish a few times, Rufus, my first German Shepherd, figured that he would "help" me find trout. He would sneak upstream and spot them from the bank. The fish would get spooked and come tearing downstream toward me (and keep right on going). I would holler at him and order him to sit and stay on the bank behind me, while I went further upsteam past the stretch he had worked. He would get bored, and fifteen or twenty minutes later,...

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (bearbutt) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:22:52 GMT

Thats's odd--my doberman LOVES water--though to be fair, she's only part doberman. The other half is Paraguayan jungle mutt:

This was on the Big Blackfoot in Montana when she was 9. Now that she's 12, she's a little more laid back and content to play ghillie for me, as she's doing in my avatar. However, she does fish, by which I mean: she'll...

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (RPL) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 20:34:27 GMT

To All -- Many thanks for your insights, which have given me an idea. My German shepherd, unlike a lab, should probably not feel genetically compelled to jump in the water and retrieve. So I was going to try to train him to sit and hold while I cast on the lawn. If I succeed, I'll then try it on the water. If he can't manage to behave on the lawn, then the river is hopeless. The lawn is also a place where it's easier to experiment, and it's easier to get to. It also helps to...

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (quashnet) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:26:27 GMT

I see what you mean. Although you would reward the dog for carrying out a good "fetch," in part the "fetch" is itself part of the reward for carrying out a good "sit," because a retriever breed is to some degree hard-wired to go into the water and retrieve. It is hard to know how you would effectively reward a water-loving retriever for sitting patiently on the bank for hours while you fish.

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (kimk) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:01:10 GMT

Quashnet, you are exactly right. Retrievers are taught to hold on "sit" until commanded to "fetch". But they expect that command and will sit there shaking and quivering in anticipation until it is given. It is what they live for and denying them the game is just cruel. I think it would be a bit like sitting on the banks of a river, with an awesome hatch, rod in hand, only to be told that you can't fish. If I were made to sit on the bank under those conditions I think...

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (quashnet) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 13:52:16 GMT

There must be some variation of training a dog to behave appropriately in a duck blind that would apply to this situation. A duck hunter can't allow his dog to leap randomly into the water whenever it wishes. It seems to me that in fact you would want the dog to be still and silent as the ducks are approaching, and of course you need the dog to be absolutely immobile and under control at the most exciting moment - when the hunter rises from concealment and fires the shotgun. You can't...

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (gofish60) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 13:33:26 GMT

My experience with my Labs was about as stated above. They'd get into the water, and when a fish is on, try to retrieve it.
gofish

Re: You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (kimk) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 13:24:04 GMT

I grew up with golden retrievers and had a few myself over the years. I could never take them fishing. They are water dogs, and if they see water they just have to get in it. And if they think you threw something in the water they just have to retrieve it. Bucky was trained well enough that he would obey and stay out of the water but it just wasn't fair. I decided it was kinder to leave him at home.
AgMD

You Can Lead a Dog to Water, but Can You Make Him Fish?

feeds@yuku.com (RPL) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 12:49:38 GMT

Speaking of risking one's life to save a dog, I was wondering if anyone has advice on teaching a dog to be a well-behaved fishing companion. When I take my dog with me fishing, he instinctively jumps into the water and chases my fly line. If I leave him on the bank and wade in, he will bark incessantly at me or jump in and swim to me. I think he senses that I'm in some kind of danger and becomes alarmed. So it's impossible to take him along on most fishing trips, and we've...