Where and when do I begin?

[roadkingclasic56]

I recently picked up a German Shorthair pointer in the hopes of making a hunting companion. I have had other hunting dogs in the past but they have been flushers. I have no idea where to begin with a pointer.Is there a good book on the market that would explain things? How old should she be before I begin training? How should introduction to guns go? My other dogs were natural hunters. There was very little they needed to be taught. They never blinked an eye at a shotgun blast, but I don't want to take that for granted and end up with a gun shy dog either. The dog is 10 weeks old now and we are working on the very basic obedience stuff and doing a little fetching in the house. I don't have very high expectations now, realizing she is a pup and is easily distracted. She is smart, learns fast, but is extremely hyper. Hope that settles down and she pays better attention as she gets older. I want to train her up right.

[mamohr686]

A great place to start with your first versatile pointer is a local NAVHDA club. You can do a google search on the web and find their HSOforum. The club's training is based out of a book called the care and training of the versatile hunting dog and you can also get a video that goes along with the book. This is a great way train, meet people who have the same breed, get access to birds, and even get involved in testing your dog. I also have a DVD called the perfect start and the perfect finish that is very detailed and availabile where most gun dog supplies are sold. This system is primarily upland and obedience training and works really well with soft dogs. The introduction of guns and birds is very detailed in this system. If you plan on using your dog for waterfoul I would teach by the NAVHDA sytem and if upland is your only style of hunting you might think about the perfect start system.

[rundrave]

have to give another recomendation for NAVHDA. I picked up my first pointer a little over a year ago and joined NAVHDA. I have learned so much and most of it was first hand experience with other trainers and handlers.

Also the having access to buying birds, barrowing bird traps, etc was a great tool for training my dog.

[dashhound]

extremely hyper. Hope that settles down and she pays better attention as she gets older. I want to train her up right.

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Remember one thing GSP's are very hyper dogs. They take a lot of patience. It is almost like they have ADHD. Other than that great dogs.

[MWard4400]

Roadking,

This first year puppy can do no wrong in the field, pointing is an natural instinct in these dogs. Let puppy chaise birds, run around, and just have fun, you can reel them back almost any time, let pup range out some distance then call her back, If he or she are smart they will start to figure things out. I have been letting the wild birds teach my GSP how to hunt, keep exposing your pup to birds and let your puppy figure out how to pin birds down.

Mark

[Harmonica Bear]

How to Help Gun Dogs Train Themselves by Joan Bailey - She is big on NAVHDA. Highly reccomend it.

[roadkingclasic56]

I'm noticing she is a little head strong. Once a command is given and obedience is expected I get a little sassing in the form of a growl, some head tosses, and maybe a little snap, but compliance comes eventually with some patience and a stern command. It's a little comical at times but causes some reservation. Something to worry about?

[MWard4400]

At 10 weeks training lessons should be short and brief, Don't expect or demand to much. Come, sit, stay should be about all. Fetch with a check cord (so puppy will be lead through the check cord back to you).

As for the growling.... that might be puppy stuff. A certain amount of spirit I think is desirable in a dog, however "anger growling and snapping" when given a command might be something undesirable.

E-collar's (when puppy gets older)

I would be very cautious with the collar, to much E-collar can stop the dog from following scent.... dog learns that following scent leads to flushing bird, dog has fun by chasing bird = dog getting shocked..... no fun for dog.

IMHO I think you have a typical 10 week old puppy.

[roadkingclasic56]

I appreciate the input from all of you. I have been to the NAVHDA web site and went ahead and ordered "The Green Book" as they called it. Anxious to get it. I looked for a local chapter and could only find 2. Both are in the southern part of Minnesota and I live in the north. I would like to expose the dog to birds but will have to find something closer. Are there any recommendations for a game farm close to Grand Rapids or Hibbing?

[TRITC]

RoadKing,

Go to the DNR HSOforum and you will find a link to a doc that has all the game farms/preserves in the state. There are some up in your neck of the woods; give them a call or look for a HSOforum.

TRITC

[gspman]

A couple dvd's to look at are the "Perfect Start" and "Perfect Finish" dvd's by Perfection Kennels. Perfect Start video is very good for getting a pointer up and running in the business of finding and pointing birds. Do a google search on perfect start and the first hit should be a place that sells that dvd.