Hello everyone,
I am new to training and have a 9 month old GSP. I introduced him to birds at 3 months and fired a 22 blank while he chased live birds. He didn't seem to be shy at all. Then at about 8 months I started planting quail and having him find them. His point is awesome but when the bird flushes, he doesn't chase and seems somewhat scared. I have done this with him 3-4 times and the results have all been about the same. I haven't shot over him yet because I don't think he is very bold at the moment. He gets very excited when we go but when the field gets thick, he seems to slow way down and walk with me more than hunt. What are your thoughts.
Young dog training/question
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Hotpepper
- Rank: 5X Champion
- Posts: 1490
- Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:30 am
- Location: Southern Indiana
Demeanor
1, What is his demeanor?
2. Is he not interested in the bird flying away.
3. Is he sulking and cowering?
A little more information will help.
If he is just standing there and watching them fly away is not a bad thing. Might be very easy to break to wing and shot.
Continue to bang pans while he is feeding and at times away from the dog. Blanking shots from a long ways off will tell you a lot. Go very slow.
Jerry
2. Is he not interested in the bird flying away.
3. Is he sulking and cowering?
A little more information will help.
If he is just standing there and watching them fly away is not a bad thing. Might be very easy to break to wing and shot.
Continue to bang pans while he is feeding and at times away from the dog. Blanking shots from a long ways off will tell you a lot. Go very slow.
Jerry
2009 NGSPA National Champion R/U
OFA Good 06/09
3 years of Age
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2071
Jeremiah 29:11
God says He has Plans for Me
OFA Good 06/09
3 years of Age
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2071
Jeremiah 29:11
God says He has Plans for Me
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sharptailhunter
My youngest dog was shy around birds even beyond his first year mark. The way we got him over it was just make every trip to the field fun for him. We never overdid it... only 2 or 3 trips to the field each week. Once he encountered a bird, we would make would praise him a little and then quit for the day. As he got bolder each time he saw birds, we would leave him out in the field longer. Once he started chasing the birds, then I introduced gun shots, starting with a blank pistol and then SLOWLY worked up to the shotgun. He's 17 months now and I've been shooting sharptails (I shoot at them, Doug actually hits them) over him all month now he does everything he's suppose to at this age, he retreives, backs, points, poops.... you get it.
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bmacbass
Reply to Jerry
Hello again,
Max is the GSP I'm talking about and he is from imported parents. He is a mild mannered shorthair and noise when he is eating doesn't bother him at all. I have shot caps, 22's, banged pots, the works and he doesn't move. In the field, he loves to chase birds I throw from my hand and loves to retrieve dead. I have been taking pen raised birds and throwing them to help them fly. He loves to chase and will often find and point them. However, when I walk him up on a planted bird, he points awesome and when I flush the bird, he usually will jump up a couple times run a few steps and then return to me. He looks a little scared to me. His tail is usually down when he comes to me and he loses his excited look. I think it has something to do with the flush. I haven't had him flush anything except quail and nothing has scared him but his boldness just isn't there. I don't think he is gun shy because I have shot around him and that didn't seem to bother him but if someone shots close by, he usually returns to me. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your thoughts.
Brian
Max is the GSP I'm talking about and he is from imported parents. He is a mild mannered shorthair and noise when he is eating doesn't bother him at all. I have shot caps, 22's, banged pots, the works and he doesn't move. In the field, he loves to chase birds I throw from my hand and loves to retrieve dead. I have been taking pen raised birds and throwing them to help them fly. He loves to chase and will often find and point them. However, when I walk him up on a planted bird, he points awesome and when I flush the bird, he usually will jump up a couple times run a few steps and then return to me. He looks a little scared to me. His tail is usually down when he comes to me and he loses his excited look. I think it has something to do with the flush. I haven't had him flush anything except quail and nothing has scared him but his boldness just isn't there. I don't think he is gun shy because I have shot around him and that didn't seem to bother him but if someone shots close by, he usually returns to me. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your thoughts.
Brian
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PAHunter
Never had a problem with my dog being scared during the flush, but the perfection Kennel series has a good section on bird into.
Put a few birds in a bird bag pull one out hold it infront of the dog let hm see it and smell it the toss it away from the dog and let it fly away. Do this a few times and if the dog starts to get excited pull a bird out of the bag let the wings flap ( don't let the wings hit the dog in the face) then release the bird. Over a period of time a timid dog with start to get more comforable and start to get excited.
As for your pup not ranging out to far in the thick stuff--
Most dogs take alitte time to realize what they are in the thicker stuff for as often times we tend to do more training in an open field environmet. It just takes some time once the dog starts to relize there are birds out there and undersand the game they get more bold. My dog at 8 months would walk really close to me it the thick stuff, but after a month of hard hunting he started to hunt and pattern quite well. It just takes time in the field and a little maturity, the time frame for this varies depending upon the dog and amount of time in the field. It will happen!
Put a few birds in a bird bag pull one out hold it infront of the dog let hm see it and smell it the toss it away from the dog and let it fly away. Do this a few times and if the dog starts to get excited pull a bird out of the bag let the wings flap ( don't let the wings hit the dog in the face) then release the bird. Over a period of time a timid dog with start to get more comforable and start to get excited.
As for your pup not ranging out to far in the thick stuff--
Most dogs take alitte time to realize what they are in the thicker stuff for as often times we tend to do more training in an open field environmet. It just takes some time once the dog starts to relize there are birds out there and undersand the game they get more bold. My dog at 8 months would walk really close to me it the thick stuff, but after a month of hard hunting he started to hunt and pattern quite well. It just takes time in the field and a little maturity, the time frame for this varies depending upon the dog and amount of time in the field. It will happen!
Re: Young dog training/question
Hey, bmacbass, welcome to the site. I see you're from Ft. Wayne too. Maybe we can get together sometime.bmacbass wrote:Hello everyone,
I am new to training and have a 9 month old GSP. I introduced him to birds at 3 months and fired a 22 blank while he chased live birds. He didn't seem to be shy at all. Then at about 8 months I started planting quail and having him find them. His point is awesome but when the bird flushes, he doesn't chase and seems somewhat scared. I have done this with him 3-4 times and the results have all been about the same. I haven't shot over him yet because I don't think he is very bold at the moment. He gets very excited when we go but when the field gets thick, he seems to slow way down and walk with me more than hunt. What are your thoughts.
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TrueBlu Shorthairs
You said, "I don't think he is gun shy because I have shot around him and that didn't seem to bother him but if someone shots close by, he usually returns to me".
But, before that, you said, "I haven't shot over him yet because I don't think he is very bold at the moment. He gets very excited when we go but when the field gets thick, he seems to slow way..."
Sounds like he's not necessarily gun shy, but gun sensitive. I would bet that he needs exactly what was just posted, first, let him chase birds by dropping some pigeons for him to dead chase. Let him chase for a week or two and when in full bore chase, shoot a blank gun. Then, release a pigeon for him to chase and shoot it for him, love him up when he picks it up and don't immediately take it away from him but let him run around with it for a few. Then, release a few quail, let him bump 'em or you kick 'em up, let him get in full chase, shoot one for him. This procedure should happy him up and get him excited again. There are just some dogs that are hard to get to chase and then when the gun is introduced their behavior gets funky.
Because of his breeding, he might not be the "go get 'em" type.
But, before that, you said, "I haven't shot over him yet because I don't think he is very bold at the moment. He gets very excited when we go but when the field gets thick, he seems to slow way..."
Sounds like he's not necessarily gun shy, but gun sensitive. I would bet that he needs exactly what was just posted, first, let him chase birds by dropping some pigeons for him to dead chase. Let him chase for a week or two and when in full bore chase, shoot a blank gun. Then, release a pigeon for him to chase and shoot it for him, love him up when he picks it up and don't immediately take it away from him but let him run around with it for a few. Then, release a few quail, let him bump 'em or you kick 'em up, let him get in full chase, shoot one for him. This procedure should happy him up and get him excited again. There are just some dogs that are hard to get to chase and then when the gun is introduced their behavior gets funky.
Because of his breeding, he might not be the "go get 'em" type.
You say he loves to chase a thrown bird, but when you flush he shys. Have you done any steady training? Are you using an collar for anything at this point? Seems strange he likes to chase when the bird is not pointed. If he likes to go after dead birds you might try holding him while someone stands a distance away and they throw the bird release him and let him retrieve it. When he has done this several days and he is real excited about the thrown bird then shoot a blank and throw the bird. Check his reaction, if he is excited then get a little closer and throw the bird and shoot. Just read your dog and proceed. It does not have to be a bird, anything he is excited about, bumper or ball, ect.
brenda