Saving a bird dogs hearing

hunter5425

hunter5425

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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Regina SK
Gun dogs are exposed to a lot of noises that can harm their hearing, many of which cannot be avoided. One thing I do to help a bit is to modify the beeper locator collars so as to have a lesser effect on their hearing. First I attach the beeper to their vests which moves the sound away from their ears and secondly I add and elbow ( 1" PVC) to direct the sound back. This setup still allows for a powerful locating sound but is far easier on the dogs hearing.

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Good idea, I'm sure it would help, hearing damage from beepers ( and gunshots) is a real thing with dogs. there is another effective alternative. I prefer to train and hunt with traditional methods, no beeper, just a bell. Works for me, and I don't need any extra gadgets.
 
I hunt in very thick cover like 10 acre cattail sloughs where a dog on point can be hard to find for a long time, it took me 45 minutes last year to find my old guy on point without a beeper which turned out to be hen of course.
 
Good idea there. Those beepers are pretty loud. My old wirehair didn’t even flinch when he had it on, but my DD recoils a bit when the hawk scream goes off. I’ve taped over the hole with duct tape to mute it a bit.

Regarding bells, I stopped using them too. I found birds would flush distant upon hearing them. I also figured my dog couldn’t hear stuff with them constantly ringing. I run my dogs silent and only have sound when on point or if I am locating/recalling them.
 
He won't bust a bird for anything, one time i called and he wouldn't come so I nicked him a couple of times with the e-collar and still no dog, I got over the ridge and there he was pointing some huns. I still feel guilty over this.
 
Good idea. I only use the beeper to locate my dog, when he is out of sight, I wouldn't put him through having to listen to the beeper continually for hours.
 
hunter5425 said:
He won't bust a bird for anything, one time i called and he wouldn't come so I nicked him a couple of times with the e-collar and still no dog, I got over the ridge and there he was pointing some huns. I still feel guilty over this.
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Thats awesome! What a great hunting companion. He can certainly teach us humans a few things
 
hunter5425 said:
He won't bust a bird for anything, one time i called and he wouldn't come so I nicked him a couple of times with the e-collar and still no dog, I got over the ridge and there he was pointing some huns. I still feel guilty over this.
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My two would bite me and stop hunting with me :)
Then again totally different with french britts they stay in view mainly and the bell works just fine even in real thick stuff since they stay close. The americans are a totally different animal IMO how they hunt
Cheers
 
I'm surprised manufacturers do not provide a harness similar to what a guide dog would wear... on such an arrangement, the beeper could be positioned on the dogs back, behind his shoulders... directional add ons as shown would concentrate the beep emissions toward the dog's tail.
 
I like a protective vest on my dogs every since the personal dog of a trainer I knew was killed running into a broken branch so I have the vest already. I suspect manufacturers would have trouble getting a vest everyone would like but deflecting the sound should be an easy option to add. This is the only picture I could find of Bug showing the beeper attached to his vest.

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That's a great idea! Ive had a previous dog lose his hearing and its an abrupt end to bringing along your favourite hunting companion. I try to keep distance between my shoots and where my dog is. For instance when waterfoul hunting I keep her behind me in thicker uncover leashed to a tree away from the immediate firing. I understand that hardcore waterfoul hunters may not find this favourable but it works for us! I find grouse hunting not bad, if we are on a trail I have trained her to walk behind me and if she gets a scent and wants to go in the bush I let her, shots won't be too close to her in then.
 
I've hunted 2 dogs that were stone deaf and used the vibration mode and hand signals to control them, at the vibration they'd turn and look for me and then take the hand signal or return at multiple vibration. It wasn't ideal but kept them in the field which they lived for.
 
I quit bells and beepers when I got a Garmin Astro. Now linked to a Fenix watch. Great system but pricey.
That's a great idea having the beepers on the vest. I liked the tradition of a bell. My dog gets out there and I'm sure the bell made it hard to hear me when he was on the move.
With the Garmin I can tell if he's responding to recalls when I can't see him and avoid unnecessary corrections.
 
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