How to stop chewing on bird?

[trasmuson3]

So I took my 4 month old GSP on her first hunt this weekend grouse hunting and she did an awesome job. Had no problem with the gun fire, ran hard learning from the other dogs and showed a lot of prey drive towards the dead grouse we had. She hasn't been introduced to live birds yet, I just wanted to get her out and let her get some experience with the environment and gun shots but with the birds that we shot I would let her hold it to see if that drive was there and no doubt it was, the only problem is she would sit and chomp on them. How can I get her to stop the chewing on dead game?

[DogNewbie]

I if she ever sits down, I'd go and take the bird away, or encourage her to walk around showing the bird off. Maybe you and your hunting partner can take turns calling her to you and loving her up for simply holding the bird. Whenever she's about to sit and chomp on it the other guy can call her over and love her up again.

[birddogger]

Chewing is what babies do!!! You are going way too fast! IMO, slow down and socialize the puppy by introducing him to different environments, people, noises, etc. Take him to fields alone and let him have fun and gain some independence and forget any kind of serious training at this age. Also, you took a big chance by taking him hunting and shooting around him at this point. You could have very well created a gun shy dog that could have been ruined as a hunting dog forever. Please don't take this wrong, I am only trying to hopefully give some good advise.

Charlie

[laxhcky4]

+1 on the gun shy comment. Intro to gun needs to be done in a controlled environment when the pup is concentrated on birds!

As far as the chewing goes, I would only have the pup retrieve birds in a controlled environment with a check cord on.

[Doc E]

How can I get her to stop the chewing on dead game?

Wait 2 months and Force Fetch ------------ As difficult as it might be for you, I wouldn't take her hunting again until FF is done.
Letting her chomp now is instilling a very bad habit that's hard to fix later on.



.

[DogNewbie]

How can I get her to stop the chewing on dead game?

Wait 2 months and Force Fetch ------------ As difficult as it might be for you, I wouldn't take her hunting again until FF is done.
Letting her chomp now is instilling a very bad habit that's hard to fix later on.



.

I don't have much experience in this stuff but from what I've read most lab/retriever guys suggest ff once the dog loses it's baby teeth and most pointer guys suggest waiting on ff until after the dog's first serious season of hunting. I think it's a difference in breed personality.

[brad27]

I think it's a difference in breed personality.

Or breed responsiblity/purpose?

[gotpointers]

I keep some birds in the freezer. After about ten minutes of yard work i will swap it out before it thaws. My thinking is don't give it a chance to sink its teeth into it. It should be bringing it back at a rapid pace not letting it hang out as a chew toy. I have had many live birds delivered to hand unharmed.

[Trekmoor]

I think you are trying to put an old head onto very young shoulders. Your 4 months old puppy is a next shooting season dog, give it time to mature a bit inside it's head before taking it shooting. At the age your pup is and without it being thoroughly accustomed to retrieving to hand with no fuss or bother I'm not surprised a wildly excited pup on a hunting day treated a bird as a toy to be played with.

So far the pup has only done this on one day. Don't give it the chance to do it again anytime soon. Train the retrieve first.

Bill T.

[trasmuson3]

Its is hard to give all details when trying to explain my situation. My question was more how can I help stop her from chewing on the bird? I've heard a lot of people say FF is what I will have to do, but what can I do in the meantime leading up to FF? Using bumpers, what should I focus on with her? At what age should I start FF? I didn't give her much time at all to sit and chew on the birds, I gave it to her one time to see how she would react and it wasn't a reaction that she wanted to rip it to pieces, just excited about it is all and after about 10 seconds of her holding it, I took it from her and she didn't hold it again, so I'm not too worried about her getting into a bad habbit or bad manners on how to handle birds, I am just curious how I can introduce them to her with out her wanting to play with them in her mouth.

As far as a lot of comments on shooting over her, again it is hard to explain what happened. It is not like I just took her to the field and starting shooting 10 shotguns over her. No. I have been shooting around her since the day I got her and she has no negative reaction to the shooting. Doesn't even flinch at all. I'm sorry if I wasnt clear on my activities, but I felt very confident in her being able to handle it, and maybe, luckily she did great.

Thank you everyone for your comments. I really do appreciate it, as I am a total newbie to training my own personal gundog.

Thomas

[DogNewbie]

I think it's a difference in breed personality.

Or breed responsiblity/purpose?

Yeah maybe that too. I was just thinking that I don't think my GWP would have been able to handle the pressures of FF at that young a age, but I feel like labs can?

[trasmuson3]

Yeah maybe that too. I was just thinking that I don't think my GWP would have been able to handle the pressures of FF at that young a age, but I feel like labs can?[/quote]

Agreed. I dont think my GSP would be able to handle it either...

[DogNewbie]

Its is hard to give all details when trying to explain my situation. My question was more how can I help stop her from chewing on the bird? I've heard a lot of people say FF is what I will have to do, but what can I do in the meantime leading up to FF? Using bumpers, what should I focus on with her? At what age should I start FF? I didn't give her much time at all to sit and chew on the birds, I gave it to her one time to see how she would react and it wasn't a reaction that she wanted to rip it to pieces, just excited about it is all and after about 10 seconds of her holding it, I took it from her and she didn't hold it again, so I'm not too worried about her getting into a bad habbit or bad manners on how to handle birds, I am just curious how I can introduce them to her with out her wanting to play with them in her mouth.

As far as a lot of comments on shooting over her, again it is hard to explain what happened. It is not like I just took her to the field and starting shooting 10 shotguns over her. No. I have been shooting around her since the day I got her and she has no negative reaction to the shooting. Doesn't even flinch at all. I'm sorry if I wasnt clear on my activities, but I felt very confident in her being able to handle it, and maybe, luckily she did great.

Thank you everyone for your comments. I really do appreciate it, as I am a total newbie to training my own personal gundog.

Thomas

I think at her age, just keep doing this and repetition will eventually get through to her. Nag her with the check cord to keep moving every time she starts chewing and she'll start to get it I bet. My pup is 15months old and I will FF him this winter. Most pointer guys will recommend waiting until the dog is handling birds well and has had a full season of serious hunting (aka not just playtime hunting like you'll be doing this season.) Of course every dog is different so you'll have to be the judge as to when you think your pup is ready to move on to a more aggressive training regime.

[birddogger]

Thomas, I guess my main point was, in order to keep her from chewing on birds, just don't let her get any birds in her mouth at this point. Again, she is just a baby at 4 mos. old with almost no attention span. What is your hurry?

Charlie

[Francois P vd Walt]

SLOW DOWN !

Let the pup be a pup ! Pups will always eat the birds when you let them lie around. After the retrieve put the birds away as they mature and learn they will stop eating the birds.

Have fun !

[cptn]

This puppy has only been on this earth, alive for only four months. That's it. The only thing that needs to be developing is basic obedience and some hardcore play. Good thing is puppies are drawn towards anything that's a game! I'd introduce clicker/reward training/ games by having the pup pick up various objects you ask, click for holding in mouth for a second without chewing and gradually increase until she's holding it for longer periods of times withoutmoving her mouth!