Pointer in the off season
Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 2:32 pm
I am new to having a bird dog. I bought a GSP puppy last July and raised him until December when I sent him to a trainer to get started with hunting. When he was a pup I crate trained him and took him to the farm with me and let him run, sniff stuff and lean basic commands like sit and come. After he returned from the trainer in late January he would point quail so I hunted him for the rest of the season. He did really well and we killed birds. When we were hunting I was strict and didn't let him chase rabbits or mice etc.
Now that hunting season is over I try and take him out to the farm which is (15 minutes away) to let him get some exercise where I follow him in the Ranger. I make him ride in the bed of the pickup when I am feeding cows and let him wonder around when I am fixing fences etc. I am just treating him like any other dog that I have had in the past.
I have an acquaintance that is a quail guide and has quite a few dogs. He said that he keeps his dogs in their kennel basically until next season and when he pulls them out they are ready to hunt.
Is taking my dog with me to do other things besides point quail going to hurt his hunting ability in the future?
Now that hunting season is over I try and take him out to the farm which is (15 minutes away) to let him get some exercise where I follow him in the Ranger. I make him ride in the bed of the pickup when I am feeding cows and let him wonder around when I am fixing fences etc. I am just treating him like any other dog that I have had in the past.
I have an acquaintance that is a quail guide and has quite a few dogs. He said that he keeps his dogs in their kennel basically until next season and when he pulls them out they are ready to hunt.
Is taking my dog with me to do other things besides point quail going to hurt his hunting ability in the future?