Newbie in WI

[tjhauge0629]

Hi all,

Just wanted to introduce myself here. I'm not likely to post much as I tend to lurk and search the forums more than anything to see if I can hunt down answers, but more likely to send a PM if I want to pick your brain on something you've said that is pertinent and could use some clarification.

We adopted a weimaraner a couple months back when she was ~1 year old. Weimaraners had peaked my interest a while ago and I was really just in the early stages of thinking about finding a breeder when our girl, Mischa, popped up on a rescue site that my girlfriend follows. Keep in mind, she sent me dogs on a daily basis that I generally ignored, but when I saw Mischa I said "Yes" without hesitation. She was adopted by someone else the very next day. 2 weeks later, she popped back up after being returned for being "too affectionate." We jumped on the opportunity, and she was ours.

According to the rescue she was a puppy mill pup who didn't take to breeding (somewhere in her 6-9 month range) so she was dropped off. The foster mom had her "insights" that she was a grazer on food, could never be a hunting dog because she "has no prey drive" and would be gunshy because "I think she's scared of fireworks," among other things. Everything thus far has been 180 degrees from her "insights."

Mischa has already fulfilled her obligations to me as far as being a great dog to have as a pet, and being a rescue I didn't have a high bar or requirement that she be a birddog. I grew up with labs we pheasant hunted with, but they didn't get much in the way of work or training and I've been more big game focused my whole life, so there wasn't a built in feeling of "Poor me" if she didn't go beyond her being a good companion.

Being new to the breed, I knew about the "velcro dog" factors as well as the exercise and mental stimulation side of things from some research. Also, from lurking around here the past few weeks, I've learned about the breeding issues in regards to hunting ability. None of that concerns me for the reasons above, and if she can be even a mediocre gun dog by some people's standards on here she'd likely be the best bird dog I've ever hunted.

She's taken to fetch extremely well. Treats are pointless in that game as she's too busy waiting on me to throw the ball again to be bothered by eating. Started with a tennis ball there. She's taken to swimming in the pond pretty well, and retrieving the canvas dummy out of the water is much like fetch - a lot of intensity and would do it all "bleep" day if Dad let her.

About a week ago I got her used to the check cord being on her, as well as started using a pheasant scent on the dummy and tennis ball to see if I could get her using her nose more with some short scent trails and fetch in the long grass. She's done well there and again, has a lot of drive to find what's out there.

Added some pheasant wings to the dummy on the scent trails and she's gone from dropping the dummy at my feet ready to go again to deciding she really likes those wings and would prefer to hang onto it. I make sure she gets back to me, gets praise, and I get the "bird," but I'm seeing that as a good sign simply because those wings are having an effect on her.

I'm most way through Training with Mo, just received The Perfect Start DVD yesterday, and am also digging through Paul Long's Training Pointing Dogs. There is a local Hunting Retriever Club and NAVHDA I'm going to be checking out as well for guidance and training opportunities.

Have I mentioned I'm long winded.

Anyways, I'm just excited about the possibility I may get to hunt with her some day, she loves what I've tried with her so far, and it's lit a fire in me on this path that I didn't see coming. If nothing else, finding training that keeps her active and happy is my next big goal. Hoping to introduce birds in the next couple of weeks to see if making her birdy is a possibility.

Thanks in advance for any guidance I can get and for the knowledge I've already found.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Makintrax73]

The local NAVHDA by me is an excellent resource for training. You should get out with them to a training day ASAP! Get your dog on some birds and get some help with introduction to the gun will go a long way to making a good bird dog.

[JONOV]

That's awesome! I've had probably 10 fosters for GWP and GSP rescues. One that I thought would never make more than a companion dog has turned into the Uber-Predator (her new Dad's description) and spent a good part of her winter pointing preserve pheasants. Their other dog is a DD and they say she makes him look lazy.

I can't speak for Weims, but most GSP's and GWP's will search and point naturally, just like almost every Lab, Golden, etc will swim and carry things in their mouth.

Honestly, as a whole they don't seem to exhibit more problems or concerns than what I've seen come out of so-called "reputable breeders." That said I'll always buy my primary dog from a breeder as a puppy.