caithness hunter
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pointing advice 4 1/2 month pupThe last few weeks have seen my GSP pup really come on in her pointing and she is now regulary finding game on our walks and pointing them well, the only problem is with the cover being so high and the game being mainly last years cock birds they are not keen on flying and are resorting to running long distances rather than sitting tight and then flying, the pup isnt running in on them she will walk/stalk and then stop and point again, but i feel this continuos scenario could possibly be teaching her the wrong lessons??
maybe im way off the mark, just looking for advice, id like to get her on a tightly sat bird as opposed to these runners 
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BritAnnie
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Trap one and keep it caged for a bit?  Sorry, probably not helpful but I'm not experienced enough, just thought of our TANS on caged quail and it seemed like an idea. 
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caithness hunter
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| BritAnnie wrote: | | Trap one and keep it caged for a bit? Sorry, probably not helpful but I'm not experienced enough, just thought of our TANS on caged quail and it seemed like an idea. |
Hi britannie, thanks for that i will probably resort to dizzying a pigeon or the likes, but i was concerned too much exposure to wild runners will make her pick up bad habbits?
i had hoped for more replys, thanks for yours 
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BritAnnie
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What about a long line? So you can steady her if birds get up in front of her - it sort of encourages a point if they strain against the line, even if the bird has gone, because the scent is still there. You can use the 'steady' command too.
Maybe everyone else is in bed lol 
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BritAnnie
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Is the GSP group not meeting just now? They can help, surely?
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windem bang
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Hi , don't use a long line to "steady" your dog to a long gone bird - you would be encouraging unproductive pointing.
At the age your pup is at I would wait until winter kills the plantgrowth and then work her. At this time of year many hen pheasants still have chicks that can hardly fly - leave the pheasants alone or take the risk of teaching your dog to chase, catch and kill.
Bill T.
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caithness hunter
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| windem bang wrote: | Hi , don't use a long line to "steady" your dog to a long gone bird - you would be encouraging unproductive pointing.
At the age your pup is at I would wait until winter kills the plantgrowth and then work her. At this time of year many hen pheasants still have chicks that can hardly fly - leave the pheasants alone or take the risk of teaching your dog to chase, catch and kill.
Bill T. |
thanks for taking the time to reply bill, 
it has deffo been dog savvy cock birds, as i have seen them up ahead running, but i see your point with regards to the youngsters. 
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Tommy
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Re: pointing advice 4 1/2 month pup | caithness hunter wrote: | The last few weeks have seen my GSP pup really come on in her pointing and she is now regulary finding game on our walks and pointing them well, the only problem is with the cover being so high and the game being mainly last years cock birds they are not keen on flying and are resorting to running long distances rather than sitting tight and then flying, the pup isnt running in on them she will walk/stalk and then stop and point again, but i feel this continuos scenario could possibly be teaching her the wrong lessons??
maybe im way off the mark, just looking for advice, id like to get her on a tightly sat bird as opposed to these runners |
Your pup is far too young at 4 1/2 months. You will ruin a young dog at that age if you want to trial it later on. The pup has another 12 months before its fully grown, and capable of hunting/pointing and retreiving. Stick to socialising the pup and all the other basic stuff till its old enough. 
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windem bang
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I.M.O. it isn't the natural things like hunting, pointing and retrieving that you have to be careful of with a 4 1/2 month old puppy but the unnatural things such as steadiness to thrown retrieves or to the flush of game.
Bill T.
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DesO'Neile
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I look on early training runs as an opportunity to "tick boxes" One of those boxes is the first find and once I know my dog can do it, could be one find could be five finds, I really don't make that much effort to get more finds. I would rather look for the opportunity ti tick more boxes like first drop at a distance etc.
To my mind if I were in your situation, now knowing that my dog can do it, I would steer well away from anything other than nearly ideal conditions and last year's cocks in tall grass aren't ideal.
There is some debate over here as to what is the ideal game bird to train on. Some of the old hands, a group I am fast becomming a member of, prefer partridge while I prefer grouse. I would be taking my dog to grouse and avoiding those pheasants like the plague.
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caithness hunter
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Thanks Bill and Des.
to be honest Des you have pretty much summed it up, i just wanted to see what she had in her, and she pointed naturaly so i put less focus on trying to achive this, but if she found a point what am i to do? the area with the birds in it now has the poults out, so we have not been there for a good few weeks as lots of scatty poults and a young dog would spell trouble, instead now i know she will point willingly i have put more of a focus on her retreiving and discipline and will take your advice des and work her on some moorland where there is a chance of some grouse.
atb Will
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