Over bonding

[Cicada]

Can a dog bond too much with his master?

My new pup ( 1 1/2 years old ) has had more time with me at this point than all my other 6 GSP together combined due to the fact I am now retired. He hunted well last season a bit week on retrieving but great on holding point. I guess my only concern is that he will get distracted from hunting by checking in too much and not cover the whole field when hunting with my partners.

The real good thing is he rarely out of ear shot and has not run away......yet,,, hopefully the T 2's won't be as bad as some of his predecessors

Thanks
Grant

[Neil]

Generally he will stay as close as his breeding and you dictate. Never found you could spend too much time with one, it is all good. I prefer one that gets out and hunts, so I say very little.

[Max2]

I don't think it possible to over bond. Unless you were the only person the pup knows. Being able to take max to work with me I think could be considered over bond. My finding's were just the opposite. I also gave him every social opportunity possible. meet as many people & thing's along the way as possible. At the end of his 7 week on earth he has been with me. I threw his little butt on the front seat of the work truck and off we went. If I went into the lumber yard he went into the lumber yard. As far as checking in while hunting I can't say that he checks in to much.

[mnaj_springer]

Yeah, I'm not sure that's how attachment works. In fact, in humans (the species I study ) when a parent is responsive and consistent to the needs of a child, the child has more confidence to explore and solve their own problems, and goes back to the parent when things are really scary or difficult.

Not sure if the canine psychology is the same, but I can't image it would be too different, considering we're both mammals.

[Neil]

Yeah, I'm not sure that's how attachment works. In fact, in humans (the species I study ) when a parent is responsive and consistent to the needs of a child, the child has more confidence to explore and solve their own problems, and goes back to the parent when things are really scary or difficult.

Not sure if the canine psychology is the same, but I can't image it would be too different, considering we're both mammals.

In most cases the human - canine analogies do not hold, but I agree with your observations. Never sure of the why, but the what is clear; the more time you spend with a dog the better for you both.

[Cicada]

Yeah, I'm not sure that's how attachment works. In fact, in humans (the species I study ) when a parent is responsive and consistent to the needs of a child, the child has more confidence to explore and solve their own problems, and goes back to the parent when things are really scary or difficult.

Not sure if the canine psychology is the same, but I can't image it would be too different, considering we're both mammals.

In most cases the human - canine analogies do not hold, but I agree with your observations. Never sure of the why, but the what is clear; the more time you spend with a dog the better for you both.

X2
Thanks for the great pointers

Grant

[setterpoint]

I think bird desire will win over the dog is bred for this I don't think you can bond to much as soon as the dog knows you and him are a team your in bis .

[DonF]

When I go hunting I like to watch the dog work. A dog almost always out of sight has nothing to show me. A dog that generally stays withing about 300 yds is generally always in sight. I don't care for a dog that doesn't check back in, well I shouldn't say that, I've got Bodie! But in the end, all your doing is going out recreating and hopefully to enjoy your dog. Unless you pester your dog to the point it turns you off or won't get out from under your feet, your probably going to get what the dog has to give in the end. I've watched a lot of competitive dog's and the most useless of the lot to me are the all age dog's. Problem is most are not really all age dog's, they are pushed gun dog's! A true all age dog has a desire and sprit that make's it very hard to handle if it is handle able at all. Your young dog just might surprise you and turn into one of the best you ever owned. I have a theory about trial dogs. For the best trial dog you can get, make your dog the best bird dog you can. From there your dog is either gonna go or not depending on what's inside of it. One of our greatest pointer's was given up on early until seen by a guy that became his owner. He liked the pup and turned him out to see what he had. he had what most people would have turned their back on, he named him Guard Rail! If it's in the dog, it will surface at some point. Guard Rail was retired because he was getting to big and they were afraid he'd might be lost and killed. If it's in the dog, it will come out. Of course if it's not well you just want a hunting dog any way don't you?