Newbie dog questions

cantona1111

Hi guys, Im a long time admirer of this forum and I have learned a lot from reading the posts, I have started shooting this year, i have two friends that are experienced and I have being going out with them (Sometimes as a third dog) ha ha, Im going to purchase my own gun in the next few weeks, But where I need help is with a new dog.

Tomorrow I am taking possesion of a 2 year old pointer, he has been out a few times but has not been worked because the owners, who are relations have a good few good dogs and he was at the back of the que.

My problem is I havent a clue where to start training him, I want to try and do a good job, Where do I begin to get info. What should my expectations be, I have been told pointers arent the easiest to get to do what their told.

All help and tips greatfully recieved

jwshooter

cantona1111 wrote: »

Hi guys, Im a long time admirer of this forum and I have learned a lot from reading the posts, I have started shooting this year, i have two friends that are experienced and I have being going out with them (Sometimes as a third dog) ha ha, Im going to purchase my own gun in the next few weeks, But where I need help is with a new dog.

Tomorrow I am taking possesion of a 2 year old pointer, he has been out a few times but has not been worked because the owners, who are relations have a good few good dogs and he was at the back of the que.

My problem is I havent a clue where to start training him, I want to try and do a good job, Where do I begin to get info. What should my expectations be, I have been told pointers arent the easiest to get to do what their told.

All help and tips greatfully recieved

with any luck the dog has not got too many bad habits yet .i would try your local library or google it there is so many books,dvds out there mostly they say the one thing ,go as slow as it takes the dog to learn . the dog been a pointer has to work on a whistle and be steady .most dogs want to please and love been out in human company.a dog will learn noting locked in a kennel for 9 months of the year

cantona1111

jwshooter wrote: »

with any luck the dog has not got too many bad habits yet .i would try your local library or google it there is so many books,dvds out there mostly they say the one thing ,go as slow as it takes the dog to learn . the dog been a pointer has to work on a whistle and be steady .most dogs want to please and love been out in human company.a dog will learn noting locked in a kennel for 9 months of the year

Thats why he has been given to me, got very little attention, was shooting with this dogs mother and she was one of the best I have seen,

I plan to spend alot of time with him, should I bring him out staight away or wait till he has some whistle training

jwshooter

dont bring a dog to the hunting field that you dont have control of you will ruin it .i know your mad to get going ,but you should spend some time with your new mutt .try get some where you can run it and train it where there is little or no game .best of luck with him

cantona1111

jwshooter wrote: »

dont bring a dog to the hunting field that you dont have control of you will ruin it .i know your mad to get going ,but you should spend some time with your new mutt .try get some where you can run it and train it where there is little or no game .best of luck with him

I was thinking that would be the case, thanks for the help, much appreciated

Cbeirne82

Hey Cantona1111.

I agree with jwshooter about not bringing the dog to the feild unless you have control over him. I am currently reading a book on training pointer its called "The Best Way to Train Your Gun Dog: The Delmar Smith Method" and I would recommend you give it a read to give you an insight into the process of training. In the book he says that other than having the dog trained on the lead and to kennel he doesnt do any training on the dog until they are a year to a year and a half old.

So basically if I were you I would forget about using your new pointer this season and concentrate on getting him trained for next season. I know that might be a bit disappointing but better miss one season and have a good dog for the next 10 than have a dog that will drive you mad for the rest of his career!

Oh and one other thing i probably should have said at the start. It would be worth while testing your dog out in someway to see if it actually will scent out a bird and set (maybe by using a planted or caged bird hidden in some cover and bring the dog on a lead up toward it from down wind and see does it scent anything) because if he doesnt have a good nose there isnt much point putting alot of time and effort into training the dog. But hopefully that wont be the case.

Good luck.

cantona1111

Cbeirne82 wrote: »

Hey Cantona1111.

I agree with jwshooter about not bringing the dog to the feild unless you have control over him. I am currently reading a book on training pointer its called "The Best Way to Train Your Gun Dog: The Delmar Smith Method" and I would recommend you give it a read to give you an insight into the process of training. In the book he says that other than having the dog trained on the lead and to kennel he doesnt do any training on the dog until they are a year to a year and a half old.

So basically if I were you I would forget about using your new pointer this season and concentrate on getting him trained for next season. I know that might be a bit disappointing but better miss one season and have a good dog for the next 10 than have a dog that will drive you mad for the rest of his career!

Oh and one other thing i probably should have said at the start. It would be worth while testing your dog out in someway to see if it actually will scent out a bird and set (maybe by using a planted or caged bird hidden in some cover and bring the dog on a lead up toward it from down wind and see does it scent anything) because if he doesnt have a good nose there isnt much point putting alot of time and effort into training the dog. But hopefully that wont be the case.

Good luck.

Thanks, i will google that book, just picked the dog up, he is not in great condition, he is 2 1/2, and a bit skinny looking, he is going to need a bit of tlc before i do anything with him,

mallards

The series of videos by Derry Argue are the Bible to pointer trainers. Try googling them.

Good Luck.

Mallards.

cantona1111

mallards wrote: »

The series of videos by Derry Argue are the Bible to pointer trainers. Try googling them.

Good Luck.

Mallards.

Thanks mallard, will check it out

jwshooter

go on to the shooting times and country magazine wed site ,go to gundogs there is some interesting reading and a dvd to watch

Donalmit

Greetings cantona1111,

I have the Derry Argue video at the house somewhere. PM me your details and I can loan it to you for a while. Its the best pointer training vid that I have come across. All good advice to you from the posters above. Concentrate on the dog this year and you will have a good one for the next 10. By all means hunt him in the new year but WITHOUT the gun. Can be just as much fun just watching him work a bird correctly and responding to your commands.

Rgds,

Mitch

cantona1111

Donalmit wrote: »

Greetings cantona1111,

I have the Derry Argue video at the house somewhere. PM me your details and I can loan it to you for a while. Its the best pointer training vid that I have come across. All good advice to you from the posters above. Concentrate on the dog this year and you will have a good one for the next 10. By all means hunt him in the new year but WITHOUT the gun. Can be just as much fun just watching him work a bird correctly and responding to your commands.

Rgds,

Mitch

Thanks Mitch, I will be in touch. Had him in the garden at the weekend, he is very timid, just tried him on a lead for a while, He allways seems to come when you call him, and shows a bit of interest in sniiffing around where i keep my chickens (Dont know if that is an indication of hunting prowess), I hope to bring him for a few walks in the fields at christmas,

cantona1111

Well guys, thanks for all the info, after alot of feeding and worm doses, baths, a few long evenings on the lead and alot of walking, a bit of phesant smelling, and introducing the dog carefully to the noise of the gun.

I decided to take him out today, i was concerned that he wasnt showing enough interest, but we brought him out to a field of kale and he hunted very well, much better than i expected, he put up a couple of phesants, then we hit the bog, was a little less interested, but we shot a snipe, and he retrieved it, brought it staight back to me! , i nearly fainted, tried a bit of retrieving training with him at home but showed no interest,

I was very happy with him and im really looking foward to having him firing on all cylinders for next year, but i have a couple of questions if anyone could help


Is there anything i can do to help him point, he is a pointer, but he just ran in and put the birds up, didnt point, is this a big problem?


Also he has no interest in going into ditches, or very rough ground, how can i encourage this, or is he just not ever going to go into ditches?

irish setter

your dog was 2 when you got him so i think you should be realistic about how much you can train him. the only training i would do is the recall. if you can call him back you have control of him. you cant teach a dog to point but you can give him opportunity to. once you can call him back just expose him to as many wild birds as possible and if you can bring him out with more experienced dogs all the better. a pointer or any gundog cant be thought to hunt its just in their blood. interest will grow the more they hunt and meet birds and the more experience they get the better they know how to handle birds. my experience with pointers is they are not the best in heavy cover but they can make up for it in other ways and every dog has strong points and weak ones. the important thing is to accept any limitations and enjoy being out with him. best of luck