How to get a GSP to point

German pointer

Hi there, I have a 2 year old GSP who will point birds in the garden and out on walks but wont hold the point for long.
He is great at bringing birds back, he brought 4 duck back his first day out last year. Would love some tips on this

Glensman

German pointer wrote: »

Hi there, I have a 2 year old GSP who will point birds in the garden and out on walks but wont hold the point for long.
He is great at bringing birds back, he brought 4 duck back his first day out last year. Would love some tips on this

I think if you google steadyness training it should put you in the right direction.

deeksofdoom

How is the dog at basic obedience like sit, stay and stop?

If you have these mastered then you can get the can give the dog the stop command when he is on point and then walk up gently behind him telling him to stay and hold him on point he will get the message.

German pointer

deeksofdoom wrote: »

How is the dog at basic obedience like sit, stay and stop?

If you have these mastered then you can get the can give the dog the stop command when he is on point and then walk up gently behind him telling him to stay and hold him on point he will get the message.

He is good on basic obedience but very head strong and lively. I know I will have to put in the time but did not get much time this year as built an extension to the house and have a new 6 month old baby. but now the house is finished I will have more time.
should I use pigeons? or let him find wild game?

deeksofdoom

Sharpen up on the obedience, make sure he is obedient before bringing him out and that he will stay when told to do so.

If you can get a pheasant in a crate or you have access to a pen, in the summer, dizzying pigeons or pheasants works too. Walk the dog up to the bird and then get it to stay and hold it on the bird while it points by encouraging it to stay.

German pointer

deeksofdoom wrote: »

Sharpen up on the obedience, make sure he is obedient before bringing him out and that he will stay when told to do so.

If you can get a pheasant in a crate or you have access to a pen, in the summer, dizzying pigeons or pheasants works too. Walk the dog up to the bird and then get it to stay and hold it on the bird while it points by encouraging it to stay.

Thanks I will try that, I don't have access to pheasants but pigeons I can get hold of.

garyc007

if you have access to pigeons you should be sorted.try using a long rope i found it helped until they learn to hold

kemen

give the dog time, it will come with age

German pointer

Brought him out a few times with the pigeon and he was not really intersted it them. At 30-40 yards picked up scent (strong enough wind) Maybe because my sent was mixed up with the pigeon?. I Will be going out with other pointer next week hopefully that will help sort it.

EPointer=Birdss

Deeks is right above in conjunction with a long lead.
Ive no meas in pigeons. Easy get your hand on pheasant poults coming into the summer
Exposure to game is the main thing & I wouldn't be shooting anything unless the dog holds until your ready. That's where the long lead comes in also. I let my dogs drag it to slow them & pick up the lead once the dogs comes on a scent.

dodderangler

What my dad used to do to get the dog to sit still on a point was as a pup he'd put the food out and not let the dog go near it he tell the dog to stay and dog would focus on it until he said go on
And the dog would do this on point then and when u want the bird to rise he'd tell the dog to go on

TriggerPL

dodderangler wrote: »

What my dad used to do to get the dog to sit still on a point was as a pup he'd put the food out and not let the dog go near it he tell the dog to stay and dog would focus on it until he said go on
And the dog would do this on point then and when u want the bird to rise he'd tell the dog to go on

This is normally done when you have a pointer that's sticky on point . And well explained .

The long lead should sort this , Just keep bringing him out and try snipe during the year nothing steadys a dog like snipe . Even tho alot of hunters dont like there pointer on snipe . God knows why .

EPointer=Birdss

TriggerPL wrote: »

This is normally done when you have a pointer that's sticky on point . And well explained .

The long lead should sort this , Just keep bringing him out and try snipe during the year nothing steadys a dog like snipe . Even tho alot of hunters dont like there pointer on snipe . God knows why .

I am no god but I could meet a hundred a day some seasons & the dog would be pointing every 2 minutes. I don't generally shoot them so for me these are the reasons.

charlie10

I also tried the pigeon theory and to no avail he showed no interest. My lad more or less done it for himself . Plenty of trips out to the field to learn his trade and plenty of obedience . I wouldn't try snipe as like e pointer said he could be pointing all day and also it tends to keep them out in the middle of a field when you want him near cover/ditch s. Just my opinion not gospel

TriggerPL

charlie10 wrote: »

I also tried the pigeon theory and to no avail he showed no interest. My lad more or less done it for himself . Plenty of trips out to the field to learn his trade and plenty of obedience . I wouldn't try snipe as like e pointer said he could be pointing all day and also it tends to keep them out in the middle of a field when you want him near cover/ditch s. Just my opinion not gospel

I under stand what your saying about coming across lots of snipe , But effectively you teaching you dog to ignor game by not pointing snipe . I enjoy snipe as much as anything else . Your pointer should be covering the whole Feild not just ditches and cover . @ e pointer I did point out that alot of pointer men don't like it lol so your not alone . How the pup coming along mate ?

EPointer=Birdss

TriggerPL wrote: »

I under stand what your saying about coming across lots of snipe , But effectively you teaching you dog to ignor game by not pointing snipe . I enjoy snipe as much as anything else . Your pointer should be covering the whole Feild not just ditches and cover . @ e pointer I did point out that alot of pointer men don't like it lol so your not alone . How the pup coming along mate ?

I run ditches primarily & cast the dog into fields as required based on type of country I shoot. When rushy I get the dog to quarter. With experience he has started to run the ditch & cast back in an arc or visa versa based on the wind. I wouldn't see it as ignoring game just one type of it. I know lads that would sell on a dog near me if pointing snipe. Just not their thing.
I think whiles young the happy medium is to let them point snipe away & only shoot what you want. The dog will learn what your after.
Pup is doing well, gettin bigger & bolder. Doing a few handy retrieves a few times a week & she is bringing back to me & covering it & trying to keep it from as opposed to running around in circles with it which bugs me. She will give it when I stand up & take it.
Still doing nothing major in the field. Letter her run around. Recall is good, walking on the lead is good.
Letting her get a smell of a few pheasants & stock breaking her to horses, cows etc
Quick walk in a shallow river yesterday with the others to introduce water but I'll be slow on that til it heats up a bit.
Have a few hen pheasants at home now that I will use to plant for her in a few weeks & start point training on the lead.
The long evenings now will afford me more time. Been tippin away at her new house & run for last while so that's nearly done which allows extra few hours a week.

TriggerPL

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

TriggerPL wrote: »

I under stand what your saying about coming across lots of snipe , But effectively you teaching you dog to ignor game by not pointing snipe . I enjoy snipe as much as anything else . Your pointer should be covering the whole Feild not just ditches and cover . @ e pointer I did point out that alot of pointer men don't like it lol so your not alone . How the pup coming along mate ?

I run ditches primarily & cast the dog into fields as required based on type of country I shoot. When rushy I get the dog to quarter. With experience he has started to run the ditch & cast back in an arc or visa versa based on the wind. I wouldn't see it as ignoring game just one type of it. I know lads that would sell on a dog near me if pointing snipe. Just not their thing.
I think whiles young the happy medium is to let them point snipe away & only shoot what you want. The dog will learn what your after.
Pup is doing well, gettin bigger & bolder. Doing a few handy retrieves a few times a week & she is bringing back to me & covering it & trying to keep it from as opposed to running around in circles with it which bugs me. She will give it when I stand up & take it.
Still doing nothing major in the field. Letter her run around. Recall is good, walking on the lead is good.
Letting her get a smell of a few pheasants & stock breaking her to horses, cows etc
Quick walk in a shallow river yesterday with the others to introduce water but I'll be slow on that til it heats up a bit.
Have a few hen pheasants at home now that I will use to plant for her in a few weeks & start point training on the lead.
The long evenings now will afford me more time. Been tippin away at her new house & run for last while so that's nearly done which allows extra few hours a week.

Gud to hear ! Haha ! That the difference between us you have big green fields I have big rushy ones lots of hiding spots .

charlie10

trigger i dont think having my pointer in a green field was much use when i could see myself that there was no phesant there but nearly always a snipe so different strokes for different folks i suppose.thats the reason i bought a springer

TriggerPL

charlie10 wrote: »

trigger i dont think having my pointer in a green field was much use when i could see myself that there was no phesant there but nearly always a snipe so different strokes for different folks i suppose.thats the reason i bought a springer

You bought a springer to hunt green fields
I'm just pointing out that having a dog running round a ditch / parameter of a Feild green or not , isn't good for the dog if ya go into a Feild full of crop or rushes , you should be quartering that Feild . Any Feild it keep your dog in check , so if you go into a Feild of two or three meters long you won't loose sight of your dog . And you limit the time between dog leaving you and returning , so ya know if your dog doesn't return with in 20 sec , and you have lost sight of him that he on a bird

TriggerPL

Any way that gets away from the point that he has a dog that not steady and snipe being a very edgy bird is ideal for steadying a dog , dog will learn that if he rushes the bird will flush and will slow him self down . Use a long lead . You could also try partrige and a spring box

charlie10

bought a springer as we dont have anything only green fields and heavy cover

EPointer=Birdss

Are those spring traps expensive Trigger? Remember looking at one once & they were very dear.

Here's the pup as of tonight

TriggerPL

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

Are those spring traps expensive Trigger? Remember looking at one once & they were very dear.

Here's the pup as of tonight

It belongs to the lad I run the dogs with , I'm out tomorrow with him , it a gud one the floor springs as well and flings the partridge into the air

TriggerPL

www.gundogonline.com

dogtra bird launcher

http://youtu.be/CmGnwmw3_cc

there is a manual one for $57 bucks

automatic one is 250 bucks

pigeon shooter

TriggerPL wrote: »

This is normally done when you have a pointer that's sticky on point . And well explained .

The long lead should sort this , Just keep bringing him out and try snipe during the year nothing steadys a dog like snipe . Even tho alot of hunters dont like there pointer on snipe . God knows why .

Totally agree my german pointer wouldnt hold birds either for long untill i got him up on the heather after snipe this now has him rock steady on both pheasants and snipe!