Thread: Is the Deer Dog Blueprint any good?

Hey team.

I'm looking at getting into bow hunting towards the end of the year and thought I'd bring my 3 year old heading dog along. I found the Deer Dog Blueprint training system online and it looks the part to teach someone new to hunting, like myself, how to train a dog to track, indicate and then find a downed animal.

Mu question is: has anyone used this system, is it effective and if you have used it what do you think?

Any replies are appreciated

Cheers

Got a mate who is following it currently and its working wounders for his dog. I know a couple of his mates had used it to great success

not sure if its the best way but it seems an easy to follow program and that's probably the most important part in terms of effect. thinking many ways to get to the same end goal

I am sure some who know way better then me when will come in with many opinions, dog training threads can go crazy haha

I have successfully used the blue print to train my boy and I still go back to it time to time to do a refresher.

This is my first time training a dog so the videos and guidance are very helpful. What I did realize is that every dog and trainer is different so you need to be prepared to change things a little to suit and incorporate some of you own methods.

I used the blueprint to train my dog and highly rate the outcome - found the videos to be a bit tedious and repetitive, but can't argue with the result.

A thought to ponder - Is it a good idea to be learning to bow hunt yourself and teaching a dog at the same time? I would offer that you may be best served to spend some time hunting alone (while keeping the dog's training to at home or very separate to your hunting expeditions). Once you are a bit more confident in your own abilities, you will be able to put more energy into getting it right for the dog and less into your own learning.

Did it with my first hunting dog, great to steer you in the right direction if you are starting from scratch. I find it hard to make the training stick with the kids and wife doing everything you shouldn’t but still pretty good results overall.

Originally Posted by Jake77

Did it with my first hunting dog, great to steer you in the right direction if you are starting from scratch. I find it hard to make the training stick with the kids and wife doing everything you shouldn’t but still pretty good results overall.

How do you find it with a Mrs and kids? I've got a Mrs and I'm a farther of 3, so there's plenty of distractions in my house. Plus, as you mentioned, plenty of people who will not be treating the dog the way the system teaches you to. Have you found the Mrs and kids interacting with dog in a way that differs from the system to be detrimental to getting the dog through the program and is it worth using this system when you have others in the house with the dog?

If you want your dog to be a hunting ‘tool’ then yes, works very well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by JoshC

If you want your dog to be a hunting ‘tool’ then yes, works very well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This. I've seen a few dogs that have gone through it and they have all been very good hunting dogs but to a point where they are like robots, very uptight and sterile personalities and basically just a tool for hunting. I found some of the basics good but he wasn't reinventing the wheel there anyhow. I watched a bit of it before deciding what I would do with Bo and we just felt our way other than that and he's a machine now on deer but still has a personality and a free spirit

It works no doubt about it. And yes you finish with a hunting tool. A great system, BUT its a repetitive and I believe its pretty hard on the mutt. The poor dog just about spends the first 6---9 months on the end of a longline doing sit drills or in its kennel. Any free time the mutt is alone in a dog proof area. If you want a hunting tool go for it it works, but if you want a mate probably not the best system. Just my opinion

OK I have said this before....and will probably end up saying it again...
if your dog will walk at heel,shut the heck up and just stay put when told to and most importantly of all...has a rock solid no bullshit SIT that will sit when told NO MATTER WHAT...... take the plurry dog with you......
its company,you will probably read the dog anyway when something is around...and 99% of dogs will help you find a dead animal anyway....if you do manage to shoot an animal and make big fuss of dog after it has led you into it...and food reward....tit bits off animal etc and dog will then KNOW its job..help the boss find the things he shoots,and then lets me have a bit to eat.
win win.
heading dogs make life easy because they are naturally quiet to begin with.

I use the blueprint with my dog and take her bow hunting. It is a bit of a mission with both a dog and a bow, but she has got me close to several deer I would have walked past other wise. She has only cost me one deer when she scragged a possum as we stalked in on a stag.
I just signed up for the monthly version of the blueprint, don’t know if he still does that.

Originally Posted by stug

I use the blueprint with my dog and take her bow hunting. It is a bit of a mission with both a dog and a bow, but she has got me close to several deer I would have walked past other wise. She has only cost me one deer when she scragged a possum as we stalked in on a stag.
I just signed up for the monthly version of the blueprint, don’t know if he still does that.

How useful do you find the dog with bow hunting? I know the dog will track and indicate the same as if you were using a firearm but how do you find having to get so much closer to shot with the bow whilst you have the dog present?

Originally Posted by BobbyP

How useful do you find the dog with bow hunting? I know the dog will track and indicate the same as if you were using a firearm but how do you find having to get so much closer to shot with the bow whilst you have the dog present?

With the right training one option is to get the dog to sit with a hand signal while you move in closer. I have sit, lie down, and come hand signals for my dog

Originally Posted by Cigar

With the right training one option is to get the dog to sit with a hand signal while you move in closer. I have sit, lie down, and come hand signals for my dog

Do you know if this is something that the Deer Dog Blueprint teaches?

Originally Posted by BobbyP

Do you know if this is something that the Deer Dog Blueprint teaches?

I'm pretty sure it is in there, but it's pretty easy to teach. Lots of practice, starting with verbal commands, then adding the hand signals, then drop the verbal command. The hardest bit is getting the dog to stay (quietly!) until you give the release signal