Gun Dog Forum

A little about myself. I have a 15 month old GSP and got started into NAVHDA in July of this year.
Have done a lot of yard work with him but only recently exposed him to planted birds as of last month.

I have been working with my dog on learning all the basic commands and have begun Whoa training. Navhda has helped a lot and he has been exposed to planted birds on the last 3 weekends and does well scenting birds, pointing hard and holds for 5 seconds or so and has a lot of bird desire. He isn't steady enough to be hunted without a checkcord and all his work has been with a check cord and me under control of him once he gets birdy so he doesn't rush in on any birds. He hasn't pounced on any or caught any birds so that is good.

He has been around gunfire, other Navhda events, but has not had anything shot directly over him yet.

My question is this, should I take him out on wild birds, grouse and woodcock, (I'm in New York State) and run him in the woods in hunting situations without the gun just to expose him to birds?

My only issue is if he gets out too far from me he will point and bust a bird for sure before I could get to him. Also because of the woods I wouldn't be able to run him with a long check cord for fear of him get tangled up. Will busting birds at this stage be a detriment or set back to his training??? or should I hold off on the wild birds until he gets steadier to point. I plan on starting work with pigeons and getting him steady to flush and well as going to some preserves and strictly work on getting him steady and holding his point and exposure to more birds.

Thanks for any help and great site.

Collar condition to "here", then take him to the woods. Wild birds will do all the teaching. Shut your mouth, lose the whistle, and let the birds make him into a huting dog.

Your pigeon launchers, planted birds, and check cord are there to substitute for what a dog chasing wild birds can do. The birds will fly away as he busts them, and he will learn more about WHY he points from that than what you could attempt to replicate with navhda.

Agross wrote:A little about myself. I have a 15 month old GSP and got started into NAVHDA in July of this year.
Have done a lot of yard work with him but only recently exposed him to planted birds as of last month.

I have been working with my dog on learning all the basic commands and have begun Whoa training. Navhda has helped a lot and he has been exposed to planted birds on the last 3 weekends and does well scenting birds, pointing hard and holds for 5 seconds or so and has a lot of bird desire. He isn't steady enough to be hunted without a checkcord and all his work has been with a check cord and me under control of him once he gets birdy so he doesn't rush in on any birds. He hasn't pounced on any or caught any birds so that is good.

He has been around gunfire, other Navhda events, but has not had anything shot directly over him yet.

My question is this, should I take him out on wild birds, grouse and woodcock, (I'm in New York State) and run him in the woods in hunting situations without the gun just to expose him to birds?

My only issue is if he gets out too far from me he will point and bust a bird for sure before I could get to him. Also because of the woods I wouldn't be able to run him with a long check cord for fear of him get tangled up. Will busting birds at this stage be a detriment or set back to his training??? or should I hold off on the wild birds until he gets steadier to point. I plan on starting work with pigeons and getting him steady to flush and well as going to some preserves and strictly work on getting him steady and holding his point and exposure to more birds.

Thanks for any help and great site.

Where in NY are you?

Bluesky2012 wrote:Collar condition to "here", then take him to the woods. Wild birds will do all the teaching. Shut your mouth, lose the whistle, and let the birds make him into a huting dog.

Your pigeon launchers, planted birds, and check cord are there to substitute for what a dog chasing wild birds can do. The birds will fly away as he busts them, and he will learn more about WHY he points from that than what you could attempt to replicate with navhda.

X2
and if it legal,take the gun.
and if the dog does everything right ,shoot the bird

My opinion would be a big YES!

I'd definitely take the pup hunting wild birds. They are the best dog trainers in the business.

Bill T.

twistedoak wrote:

Bluesky2012 wrote:Collar condition to "here", then take him to the woods. Wild birds will do all the teaching. Shut your mouth, lose the whistle, and let the birds make him into a huting dog.

Your pigeon launchers, planted birds, and check cord are there to substitute for what a dog chasing wild birds can do. The birds will fly away as he busts them, and he will learn more about WHY he points from that than what you could attempt to replicate with navhda.

X2
and if it legal,take the gun.
and if the dog does everything right ,shoot the bird

+3

Thanks for the advice. Will do.

Also, Rich K. my place is in Chenango County, Town of Coventry

Have you been to the Southern Tier NAVHDA training days?

The more birds you can get the dog on, the better off you will be! I have a good GSP that didn't get birds til later in the game like your dog and it took a lot of work to get him to a solid dog. If I would have started him earlier, who knows what he would be capable of!

Rich K

Yes I am a member of the Hudson Valley NAVHDA. Just joined July 2014