riley90
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Posts:50
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| 06/22/2010 2:27 PM |
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Hello, i am new to the forum and i currently have a problem with my 2 year old GSP named Riley.
He seems to have a obsession with squirrels. He goes to the back windows and goes absolutly CRAZY if he sees a squirrel outside. He is always looking out the windows to see if their is squirrels. He cries and barks and its starting to get really annoying and ive tried lots of different things. I tried blinds but he just breaks them, ive tried sitting there and everytime he goes over there telling him to leave and showing him its not OK to do what hes doing. Its not an energy or excersise issue because he is walked and taken to the dog park on a daily basis and still does it when he gets home. Its to the point where i am ready to tint all of my windows so he cant see outside. Please give me any pointers on what i canj do to stop him from going nuts for squirrels outside. I know he is a hunting dog but not to the point where he is looking out the window 24/7 looking for them.
Thank you,
chris |
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Navilla
Lawrenceburg, IN
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Posts:980
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Navilla
Lawrenceburg, IN
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Posts:980
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Navilla
Lawrenceburg, IN
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Posts:980
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unowhoandwhy
Middleofnowhere, NH
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Posts:1805
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| 06/23/2010 10:54 AM |
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Both of mine are squirrel-obsessed to the point that when a couple moved into the houes, in the crawlspace near my bedroom, they dug a hole through the wall to try & get to them!
Prey drive is bred into them, I'm not sure how you get them to stop, so I just poisoned all the ones in the house & let the dogs catch as many as they want outside.  |
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Daniel Yankee Flyer - 8/2002
Lady Layla - 1/2006 |
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pixie bee
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Posts:4473
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| 06/23/2010 11:22 AM |
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You can try a sorta desensitizing approach. Like teaching a dog to duck hunt.
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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bravepoint
North Gower, ON Canada
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Posts:894
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| 06/23/2010 11:26 AM |
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Mine hunt squirrels and chipmunks in the yard. If it gets too noisy, I bring them in. They don't spend all their inside time looking out the windows. If they happen to be looking out the window and see a squirrel, they do react but I can distract them.
Sounds like your guy is carrying it to extremes! |
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Gail, Moka, Avery, Terra & Rayne
Bravepoint GSPs
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riley90
SH
Posts:50
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| 06/23/2010 12:42 PM |
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aha Thanks for all the replies. I guess im not alone on this issue. I can usually distract him by just pinning him down and just letting him relax but he just goes back to the door. He needs something else to entertain him. Maybe i should train him how to hunt and take him hunting maybe hes just dying to do it. There has been lots of close incounters where he almost jumped the whole fence to get one. It amazes me. And one of my neighbour complain s that my dog barks to much but like what am i supposed to do its a dog its obviously going to bark.
Anyways thanks for the help guys.
I will have to try a few different other things i guess. Nice to see a forum for these beautiful dogs, they are pretty rare in mississauga ontario so i barely ever see them.
chris |
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everbell
Kanata, ON
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Posts:3180
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| 06/23/2010 3:24 PM |
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Hey Chris -- our breeder lives not too far from Mississaugga (Georgetown). They have quite an active GSP Club and i think there's probably a NAVDHA chapter near there as well.
P.S. Did you feel the earthquake today? |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
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Posts:3152
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| 06/23/2010 3:30 PM |
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| My older dog is pretty interested in the squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks and birds outside. He looks out the front window much of the day and asks to go in and out all day long. He loves keeping the backyard free of animals! Though he pretty much is either looking out the window or going outside I don't have a problem with what he does cuz he doesn't whine or bark at the window. When he wants to go outside he will look at me and maybe make a quite whine and I let him out and he patrols. By 7pm or 8pm at night he is ready to curl up in his doggie bed and go to sleep. We are pretty active as a family and we are outside alot or over at my parents ranch or going to the dog park so he does get out and away from the window alot too. |
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riley90
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Posts:50
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| 06/23/2010 3:50 PM |
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Splat when you described how your dog is all i said to myself was that is EXACTLY how my dog is. And about 8 his eyes get red and then i know its bed time for him. Maybe i will train him how to hunt and take him hunting so that he can get some of his "prey drive" out and not go so crazy over a squirrel passing by.
Everbell yes im on the edge of milton and missiauga so im about 20 minutes from GeorgeTown.
sorry i am new to the dog thing since this is my first dog. what does NAVDHA stand for?
also no i actually didnt feel the earthquake and neither did my mom who was at work in toronto but she said some of her co-workers felt it? i dont know how they felt it and we didnt but it was pretty random? we also apparently have a tornado warning? |
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bravepoint
North Gower, ON Canada
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Posts:894
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| 06/23/2010 3:59 PM |
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Chris,
I have a good friend who lives near Bradford and trains GSPs for the field. Send me a PM if you want her contact info.
North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association, www.navhda.org
We're in Ottawa about 50 km from the epicentre so we really felt the earthquake here! |
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Gail, Moka, Avery, Terra & Rayne
Bravepoint GSPs
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everbell
Kanata, ON
MH
Posts:3180
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| 06/23/2010 4:11 PM |
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Riley, Gail's contacts down there are probably much better than mine .
If you send me an e-mail, I can pass on the breeder's name and she can give you more info on GSP-related activities in that area as well. |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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riley90
SH
Posts:50
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| 06/23/2010 4:13 PM |
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I would love for him to learn how to hunt but is it too late? he is 2 now? and i dont know who could go hunt with him? im only 16 and my dad is too busy for something like that? How old do you have to be to hunt in ontario?
Ya i heard ottawa got hit pretty bad, my uncle lives up there so he will probably be telling my dad all about it. so this NAVHDA, what is about like what happeneds there?
Also Bravepoint and Everbell what do you feed your GSP? i feed Riley Authority real chicken for adults since he loves chicken. It makes his coat shiney but sometimes when i cut his nails i notice they are a little split or chippy, like they arent fully soilid? is that because of his food? is there and brand you would recommend that i can find in my area and wont be hard to change over too?
Thanks for the help!
too bad you guys live far or id love to see another few gsp's since ive seen like 3 since ive owned Riley 
chris |
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everbell
Kanata, ON
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Posts:3180
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| 06/23/2010 4:19 PM |
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I think these guys can learn at any age. You might be too young to carry a gun at this age, but the NAVDHA folks can do a lot of training without anyhow.
We use TLC for Bogart and Shiraz. It is available on-line and was recommended by the breeder. |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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everbell
Kanata, ON
MH
Posts:3180
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| 06/23/2010 4:20 PM |
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| BTW -- I would say in general that GSPs aren't that common in Canada. Given your age, you might find agility or obedience more interesting ... I'm sure Gail could provide contacts for those as well. |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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riley90
SH
Posts:50
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| 06/23/2010 4:30 PM |
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i think agility would be pretty cool, hes pretty quick like at the dog parks i havent met a dog that could catch him yet. But is training for something like that expensive? I wish i was older and could hunt with him. I went hunting for the first time when i was in malta with my family a few weeks ago. My uncle has 3 gsp's and they were great at ghunting it was amazing to watch.
As for the TLC is it expenisve? i pay about $50 for a bag.
I have to agree they are a very rare dog in canada but my dog has 8 brothers and sisters out there somewhere, im trying to contact the breeder now to see if we can arrange somewhere to meet and have the dogs see eachother again.
I fell in love with this breed the moment i saw them and just wish i could see more of them! |
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riley90
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Posts:50
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| 06/23/2010 4:31 PM |
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| BTW-- lol , do you find it better to own 2 GSP's then 1? |
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bravepoint
North Gower, ON Canada
MH
Posts:894
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| 06/23/2010 5:01 PM |
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Chris,
I'm not sure how old you have to be to hunt but I know that there are special courses to get a firearms licence and then a hunting licence. I don't hunt my dogs but do do field work with them. NAVHDA is all about training for the field. The other Ontario chapters probably aren't too close, near Port perry and then southern Ontario. The GSP Club of Canada hold events in Toronto area.
I feed Acana Adult which is available at Global Pet foods. It's $49.99/bag.
Try owning 4 GSPs.... They get a lot of exercise playing with each other that's for sure but it obviously costs a lot more (food, vet, training etc.)
Where is Riley from?? |
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Gail, Moka, Avery, Terra & Rayne
Bravepoint GSPs
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everbell
Kanata, ON
MH
Posts:3180
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| 06/23/2010 5:05 PM |
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Yup - 2 is even better than 1. As for 4? Well, Gail has acreage 
TLC is available at tlcpetfood.com (free delivery to your door). I think it is app. $60 for 16kg. |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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