Pup Taking Off

[ourhunters]

Hi guys,

I've been asking a lot of questions about training my weim and my GSP. Most answers have been to get them out hunting. Which sounds great to me. Except for 1 little thing.

I'm really scared that when I take our 8 month old GSP out, he's going to run and run and keep on running. I'm so scared to let him off leash, because once he's out in the open, he's got his mind on one thing, and that isn't ME! Is it just my overprotective nature, or does he just need to be let out to figure things out on his own? He's not a velcro dog like the weim, so maybe that's why I'm having a hard time.

What do you guys do?

Caren

[PA_Sportsman]

If you're not confident that he'll obey you, then I would work on control. While desire is a good quality, you need to work on "here" or "come" (which ever you prefer). When that dog runs and you think it is getting too far away, you need to be confident that he will return when called. That was one of the first commands I taught my pup and I worked on it when she was very young.

If she is running out quite a ways and she can hear my whistle, she'll turn on a dime and return to me.

[icefire]

typically i will let a pup run wild until it starts really ranging and prefereing to be on its own instead of with me. I start this early though so that going out to the field is not a new thing. by 8 months old, they really should betaught what ever recall comand that you are going to use. If i was starting with an 8 month old, here is what i would do.
#1. buy "the perfect start" from perfection kennels.
#2. teach the dog here.

put your e-collar on the pup and the choke chain but leave the normal collar on. put a check cord on the normal collar and go out into the field for about 10-15 min. hold on to the CC and just have fun/play with the pup. olet it get used to wearing all the jewlry and being on the check cord out in the field. everything is good. after a couple of days of that, put the chck cord on the choker and walk around the field. when the dog is facing away from the direction you want to go call its name and give a short tug, get it to turn around on its name and head out in front of you again. when the dog starts staying to the front and changing direction with you then start here. i tend to start this in the road but you can do it in the field. give sharp but short tugs on the choker while wsaying here until the dog come ALL THE WAY in to you. keep doing thi until the dog will do it instantly without you giving any tugs. then, at the lowest setting that the dog can fell, do the same thing but use the command, the tug and stimulation at the same time. after a while use just the stimulation and hold it until the dogt is on its way. it should not be very long before you get a fast response without any stimulation at all. now, it is time to turn the dog loose but for a while, maintain tight control. don't expect a new pup that knows here from 20 feet to respond correctly from 1/2 mile. leave the check cord on and let the dog run but start calling it back to you only the check cord distance away. the dog should know by now that turning and coming in to you will turn stimulation off and a fast response will result in no stimulation at all but you may have to turn it up a bit as the dog will get a bit more distracted running around. gradually lengthen the distance until the dog is responding well at 100 yards. don't forget to keep changing your direction and bringing the dog around front with its name as it gets further out there. one it will do well at 100 yards or so go ahead and remove the check cord.

short lessons
many repitiions
end on a good note
if the dog makes a small improvement in a session, praise it up and stop until next time
end the session with a little play retrieve or just wrestling around having fun.

now, buy the perfect finish!

Ice

[ourhunters]

I know this is something that should be done by now. We had him at a trainer and don't think he worked on this. Not sure. He knows here, he just doesn't obey it in the field or at a distance. Thanks for the advice. Makes a lot of sense.

Caren

[icefire]

i wqould get your money back from the trainer if he really did not work on that. he may have though, one big problem with pro trainers and owners is transfer and consistancy. it is very important, when you have someone else do any level of training with your dog that you spend a good deal of time with the trainer and the dog together when you pick them up. some times several sessions. you need to learn exacty what the trainer taught the dog and more omportantly how he taught it and how he handles it. then, knowing that, you must be consistant in the way the dog is handled. before i started learning how to trin them myself, i had a dog trained by a pro. went and picked her up, spent only 1/2 hour there and took her home. well the next trial season, this dog that had thousands spent on her in training acted like a wild untrained pup in trials. back to the trainer, me and the dog. he walks out after not seeing this dog in 4 months and she just acted perfect sith him, did not miss a step. we spent the weekiend working together and me learning more then the dog. big lesson learned! this is the responsibility of the trainer to offer that but also of the owner to put in the time to do that. just because a pro has trained a dog does not always mean that it is ready to go home and do things right for the owner right away.

[catfishsteve]

The dog needs to learn what come means and be trained to a whistle for this.

I always hunt and train with young dog dragging a 30 ft checkcord for the whole first year. Works great and makes it easier to catch them.

GSP's are high energy dogs that will go and go. What you are going through is normal. You just have to train the dog and get it under control.

[llewgor]

Caren
I agree with Icefire about "the perfect start" video,it has really help me. I also use a check cord out in the field, or in the yard. Obedience training is very important, once you get your confidence in the dog being obedient it's suprising how things move along from there. Never give the command if you can't back it up, so the check cord in hand does that. The e-collar becomes the check cord once you've trained them about the e-collar. I wouldn't let your young dog run around without the check cord until you are confident it will obey. There are obedience classes you can take your dog to train you and your dog. I enjoyed those it's cheaper than a pro trainer and fun. You get to see the progress in you and your dog.

[ourhunters]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Eight is doing a lot better. It just comes with age, I guess, and with bonding. Since he's been back from the trainer, we've had a whole lot of time to bond and get him back into the swing of things around here. He's a good boy!

Thanks
Caren