Went Hunting...looking for some advice

Mo123 · Post by **Mo123** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 8:49 am

Bailey, our 7 month old GSP, went out hunting with us at a Game Farm. She was excited and couldn't wait to get out in the field and look for birds. We have taken her 3 times now. The first time was to introduce her to the envoirnment. She did fairly well for her first time in the training area (not fenced). We planted a freshly killed pheasant and she found it immediately and retrieved it perfectly, dropped it at my feet. In the succeeding hunting sessions she will find a bird, circle it instead of point the bird. (Too bad it isn't a cat , she points our house cats (3) constantly - perfect point).

After the bird is shot, she will circle the bird instead of picking it up. She does extremely well with a winged dummie. I know she is young and this is my first hunting dog and want to make sure she is starting off on the right foot.

jhoughton · Post by **jhoughton** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 9:26 am

I wouldn't run her too much on birds at that age or worry too much about her behaviour. Just enough to get her excited about them. Is she excited about birds and like to chase when they get up? Exposure to wild birds or good flying pen raised birds will bring the point out. Once she learns she can't catch them the pointing instinct will really kick in.

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 9:41 am

I have seen that behaviour once or twice in young dogs, and when I have seen it, the dog is trying to induce the bird to get up and fly. I have a 4 year old GSP, and when she was about 18 mos she went on point on a wild rooster. As I was walking up, she broke point and ran around to the other side, where she went on point again. Then she broke point and completely circled the bird. She knew she was not supposed to grab it, so would not go directly in and flush. But she wanted it to fly so she could chase it.

I cured it fairly easily with some planted bird/check cord work. She got the idea from that she was supposed to point and hold, and that is what she does now. I have lost her on point for as long as fifteen minutes and she is still standing when I get there.

So that is my diagnosis. A regular regimen of training for whatever dog sport/discipline, etc. you choose will quickly overcome the problem.

snips · Post by **snips** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 11:12 am

I have a little different advise. You are training your pup not to point by planting dead birds and dummies with wings. If pup runs out there and smells scent of a bird and it is laying there, he can grab it. If he smells a bird and it takes off he learns he CAN'T grab it, then he will start pointing. A bird that sits there long enough for him to circle is not teaching him anything. I would get him off game farm birds and get him on wild birds, or a launcher that will fling the bird as soon as he hits scent.

birddog · Post by **birddog** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 3:31 pm

Brenda, I'm with you. To plant dead birds or put wings on dummies only teaches a pointing dog to go in and grab. It can really set you back in the pointing department. You got the right answer when you say, use launchers or wild birds.

Janet