Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:57 pm Post subject: GSP Puppy. guidance please
Hi, I have a 5 month old GSP puppy who is fantastic and everything I ever wanted in a dog. I want to train and use her as a gun dog, however I am concerned that I expect too much. I can happily get her to walk, sit and come back when she is near me, but as soon as we get on the moors she is off. She seems to lose track of who I am and just wants to roam. I have therefore put her on a 5 metre lead and she seems quite happy with this. At this stage should I be concerned that she roams and does not listen to me or am I worrying unecessarily. What should I be doing with her at this stage, just walking and playing with her or training her properly with others help ( hopefully.)
With a pup of 5mths I am just starting to make step up from the play stuff I have been doing from 7wks. I would be working on getting her to understand basic obedience comands -- Sit, Stay, Recall etc. At a young age distractions need to be kept low to allow her to learn, once she is getting the idea and 99.9% at following comands in a low distraction environment (back garden, empty paddock with no stock) I would move the training to a more stimulating/more distracting location (local park with other dogs etc ) only much later would I be aiming to train on the moor where game scent and livestock will be a big distraction factor.
This method tests if your puppy really understands the comands being used .. it is only a trained response IF you get the correct response to comand, every time, in every location regardless of distraction. If you find the pup doesn't listen or doesn't respond in a different location you need to go back a few steps and repeat steps already undertaken. Taking her onto the moor and expecting her to listen as this stage is probably asking too much if she isn't 99% in less interesting areas.
I would certainly not let her run off and self hunt, if she learns that you are really not a very important componant of the hunting game at this point you may have problems later. If you want to take her out for walks on the moor I would certainly use a long line to re-enforce recall and keep her out of trouble etc.
With youngsters I also like to go to the KC Good Citizen Bronze classes - not gundog focused but classes based on basic manners and basic obedience. Working in a village hall situation helps test the pups focus on you as the handler, and response to basic obedience comands given distraction of other dogs. I find it gives a good base on which to add further gundog stuff later.
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:44 am Post subject: GSP Puppy. guidance please
Hi Karen, Just the sort of reply I wanted, I so want to do the right thing but just need a bit of help to get there. By the way the picture you show is the spitting image of willow. If someone told me it was my dog in action i would have believed them, the likeness is uncanny. I think i will try to find someone who runs the bronze courses. Thanks again. kevin
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:34 am Post subject: GSP Puppy. guidance please
I have just moved house and can only use my work laptop which I cannot get pictures onto. As soon as I have set up my home laptop I will get them on-line. Willow is currently asleep at my feet whilst I am typing this. Probably the wrong thing to do but very nice. Kevin
Hi Kevin, I agree with what Karen says. I would go as far as you can with pet obedience classes, alongside the gundog work. And the recall is one of the most important things to practise from now on.
You might want to look at www.apdt.co.uk for a list of trainers in your area.
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