GSP Tracking Problems

markerdown · Post by **markerdown** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 1:57 pm

My GSP pup just turned 11 months old. I've been getting him ready for his NAVHDA NA test next month. He must be having a testosterone surge lately because his attention span and focus isn't what it was a month or two ago. His water work is good and he'll point at birds in the launcher but he seems too pre-occupied to follow thru with his tracking. Any suggestions? ......................markerdown

Post by **pear** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:27 pm

Marker, How are you training your pup on the track? What bird are you useing, to lay the track? Are you using a live or dead bird? ...."pear"

Ruffshooter · Post by **Ruffshooter** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:45 pm

With what you are saying about attention span; I would shorten the tracks.

You can hook up a live pheasant to a rope and drag it to a spot 20 yards away and plant the bird. Runn him on a check cord or at least have one on him to help control the situation. Then gradually move it out more and more till he looks like he knows what he is doing then move to a real loose bird track. It doesn't take much to get them past this.

schultz's honor · Post by **schultz's honor** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:58 pm

Are you saying that he has tracked fine before?
How much have you practiced this excercise?
I have heard that if you run this excercise to much they will get bored with it.

markerdown · Post by **markerdown** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:01 pm

Previously I have used a dead chukkar and a dead duck. He didn't have any problems. Yesterday we used a live pheasant. There was enough feathers put down for him to get the scent. He followed it a bit then lost interest. he would go back to the feathers once in a while but after the third time he gave up and decided just to romp around. The previous training sessions with a dead bird, the track was about 40 yards max. I guess I need to work him a bit differently and use a check cord to keep him focused. One sniff of a female, in season or not and he's done.

Post by **pear** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:19 pm

Remember, they will pull the flight feathers out of a bird (pheasant) and then make it attempt to fly,and not be a straight line, which will cause a broken zig-zag track or scent trail. If I recall correctly you will have the option of letting your pup see the bird before the track is laid to increase his/her excitment. Your pup will be "blinded" while the track is laid. Most tracks aren't but about 20 to 30 yrds.. Your dog will only be required to track to the cover, and not required to track beyond the cover. I'd work with a live bird and attempt to keep up the bird excitment. Should make a lot of difference. Just make sure the pup is not condition to a straight line track. ..."pear"

gonehuntin' · Post by **gonehuntin'** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:00 am

You may run into problems if you're starting a young dog out on dry, barren land. When it greens up, get him in short green cover and turn the bird loose. Now, let the bird go in 6-8" high cover so that the birds body scent is on the grass as well as the ground.

Ruffshooter · Post by **Ruffshooter** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:13 pm

The tests I have been in have been up around 75 yards. It varies with the test site. They will also watch the dog the whole way to the bird if he finds it. Some time the bird keeps going and a dog can make up for some early mistakes if it was not focused on the beginning. Never seen one 20 or 30 yards. In the aims book I think it has the recomended length of a track. I think for the most part you do not want your dog to see the bird before the track. If you have intorduced him to pheasants or chuckars enough he won't need it.

Don · Post by **Don** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 3:44 pm

gonehuntin' wrote:You may run into problems if you're starting a young dog out on dry, barren land. When it greens up, get him in short green cover and turn the bird loose. Now, let the bird go in 6-8" high cover so that the birds body scent is on the grass as well as the ground.

Do it early too, hopefully there will still be dew on the grass, it'll hold scent better. Wouldn't hurt either to take a spray bottle of water and get the bird damp.