whats the best way to cattle break a dog

[curdogsforhogs]

We have a few we need to break now that we are getting more hunts around cattle. We normally dont hunt anywhere close to any but here lately we have ran into some and woild like to fix a few dogs. Have a shock collar and acess to a cow so plans are to burn her up when she starts to chase a bay her. She doesnt get rough but works them well. Then put her back on hogs so she know what she can bay and not get fried and keep at this over a few days till she gets the idea figured out.

[grunterhunter8]

I prefer to use verbal commands...Take them around cows in a controlled setting and try using a "get out" command.  Might take some patience and a little discipline. Of course the e-collar is handy for the stubborn ones 

[BarrNinja]

Verbal correction reinforced with a few green limbs if needed has worked for me better than 2 decades but a hot collar sure takes a lot less energy.

[leonriverboy]

I have always used a training collar.  Consistancy and exposure to cattle has always worked for me.  From my experience cattle are a lot easier than deer.  I would start the collar on 2 no more than three.  If it is a young dog you can really do some damage with too much electricity.  I always use verbal commands after the shock.

[Nickjones]

I like the get out command and a green limb too. works really good for me too.

[DangerZone]

Ive seen a few bird dogs just ruint with e collars. I would only use them if the dog is jam up other than trashin on cattle and try every thing else first.   IMO dog seem to lose a bound or trust with handler and have a tendence to revolt to the behavior after the use of an ecollar (seen and have used them to force break bird dogs to retreive, then when the collar is not on in trial or they think their out of range the dog is headed to the next county in fear of getting shocked )JMO. but it will work on a hard headed stubburn dog

[Reuben]

make sure the dog is baying hogs (dog must know that it is ok to hunt hogs) before using the e-collar. You don't want him to associate all baying as bad or it will set him back.

First I would try the command to get out using a deep voice cause dogs submit to that (has been my observation). If he gets out and comes to you pet him real quick and move on to hog hunting....

I would do this about 3 different days. After that it would be e-collar time.

Make sure the catch dog never catches a cow because it is hard to break a catch dog once he catches one, at least I couldn't ever trust mine after that episode. Before he could walk right through cattle but once a friend of mine bought a pack of hogdogs and they were on a cow and this ruined my pit. E-collar didn't work on him.

[Nickjones]

I had one catch a cow under the jaw once. I didn't like to do it but it took a few kicks and a hell of a stick to get him off. And that cow was doing everything in her power to kill me and him both.

[coach]

Practice, practice and consistancy. I prefer my old methods some think they are too strong but if you have a dog that enjoys hunting he will learn quickly. I use the shock collar after the the older methods for reinforcement.

[NoLove]

PVC About 4 foot long by 1"

[Noah]

I hunt mainly on woods cattle(angus/brangus) properties... cattle have free range to go deep into the swamps... 

Always fun when a lone 300# black bull calf jumps out of the bushes, way down in a bottom, in front of young dogs the first few times....

I try to just keep putting a dog in the hogs and hope they don't decide to go cow dog on me .. but when I do have one that gets too interested in cattle, I will fry him on the max setting once or twice just to make a point.... other than that, I don't care to use e-collars at all.

If that don't work, they go to the cowboys!

[johnf]

this dog is a young dog shes hunted her but off from the start.now things seem to be clicking for her.shes all business.shes figured out how to work a track realy well now.but she does like beef.dont think it will take much to straighten her out.thanks from curdogs huntin partner.johnf

[cajunl]

Boot to the rear works well here.

They learn from day 1 that cows are off limits. I show the puppies tons of exposure to cows.

I think it works, I can walk every dog through the cow pasture without even a second look.

[gottagettem]

verbal commands.. or a stick....... if that dont work taz em.. that works great.

[TinyTexasCowgirl]

Something that I have found out with grace and her e collar, is to keep her from resenting me, she gets a special treat when I put the collar on her, and a treat when I take it off. That way she isn't thinkin "you stupid b*tch" when I put it on her. Or, I make my evil husband, LOL, put it on her. Then he takes all the blame when I mash the button.

[Bryant]

Personally I like the e-collar, but you need to use it properly.  First, I wouldn't use one at all on a green dog until that dog knows that baying hogs is acceptable.  Lots of people swear by "putting a handle" or whatever on a young dog from the start, but in my experience I think this can hinder the hunt.  I like to let the dog be a dog, get it going pretty good then get it tuned in to the intended quarry.

When the time comes to work my dogs off cows, I usually will set them up.  Key is to put the collar on the dog a day or so ahead of time.  Dogs will get smart to a collar VERY quickly if you put it on and go right to buzzing with it.  Where trash breaking is concerned, I personally do not care for verbal commands.  I want the dog to understand that baying cattle hurts, and not to associate that with me in any way.  The problem with verbal commands as I see it, is that just like a dog learns what a collar is they can also learn that if your out of sight they might just sneak some cow work in here and there.

Just my opinion.

[gutpile]

I like to e-collar stock break my dogs. I send a newby out around cattle, or whatever I want to break for, and never say a word to the dog. I may not even get out of the truck. My reason for this is that I want the dog to treat that stock the same no matter where I am. If I am across the ranch from the dog I dont want that dog to get the idea that this is a good time to chase something. I gave a dog back to a buddy one time that I had broke the old fasioned way. Told him he did not have to worry about that dog ever chasing stock brcause he was totally broke, which he was for me. After an episode of cow chasing and mag-light therapy the dog was stock broke for him too. Dogs get bright ideas just like people do!

[chainrated]

Tri Tronics is the best tool a dog hunter can have in my opinion. But like anything else it can ruin a dog in the hands of an idiot.

[huntin4bigboys]

Tri Tronics is the best tool a dog hunter can have in my opinion. But like anything else it can ruin a dog in the hands of an idiot.

X2

[curdogsforhogs]

Thanks for all the responses, I have used the Tritronics to break dogs off deer with some success. The dog  I am refering too is almost two and hunts like you wouldnt believe and has been finding hogs out the box on every hunt if they are anywhere around and gets alot of praise and knows she is doing the right thing. She just likes cows. Want put teeth to them but will bring in a stray and put them bck with the herd and circle them up quick if we happen to get too close to a pasture which we do very seldom. I dont have cows myself but a friend has one he is feeding out in his pasture so i will give it a shot with it.   thanks again. let you know how it goes.