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Subject: Here's where i am, what's next?

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hattrick

JH
Posts:29

08/08/2009 8:29 PM
My girl is four months, and her water retrieving is steller and is great around gun fire. She also finds planted birds easily, and points, but once locates then brakes point an goes after her target. How do i get her to hold point on a bird longer? Her whoa on the table is awesome, and whoaing on the ground is okay. but i just can't seem to get her to do that when she's on a bird. She wants that bird bad. Shes not a hyper dog at all just steady works when its busness time. At ten and twelve weeks i did a lot of bird drags, i believe this contributes to her not being able to hold point. I`m not sure where to take my training from here with her being so young. I dont want to be to harsh with punishment before i know what i`m doing right or that she won't know what she's doing wrong.

Ken Lynch

Hudson Valley in NY

MH
Posts:201

08/09/2009 6:32 PM
Do you have access to good flying birds? Has your puppy been introduced to bird launchers? If yes to both I would work the puppy with a check cord. Only work the puppy on windy days so that the dog locks up at a distance from the trap. Do not let the dog get within 5 yards of the trap. At first sign of dog detecting bird sent apply gentle pressure to the check cord so that the dogs forward movement is stopped. If dog struggles to go forward launch bird and hold onto check cord preventing chase. If dog locks up with gentle pressure on check cord do nothing and say nothing. At the first movement from the dog, launch bird and hold onto the check cord to prevent chasing. Once the bird is launched pick up the dog immediately. Walk away from where the bird was in a different direction than where the bird flew. Do all of the above without saying anything to the dog. However, once the dog is picked up, praise the dog and make it fun. Make a big deal out of it. Treat the dog if you reward with food. Repeat above procedure until you have extended the point hold time to a length you are very happy with (5 – 10 minutes). Once you are happy with the hold time, work on the ability of walking out in front of the dog without it breaking. Primary things are say nothing, launch bird on first movement of dog, and hold onto check cord to prevent chasing bird. There are several ways to skin this cat and the above in mine. Others on the board will suggest theirs. Choose which ever makes sense to you and you feel comfortable with.

hattrick

JH
Posts:29

08/09/2009 9:06 PM
ok yes to access on good flying birds (pegions) a little intro to a launcher with dummies with no birds. The windless day thing is vary helpful i had this exact problem on Saturday high humidity an no wind dogs were on top of the birds before they could pick up the sent. This was the first time this has happen, i guess in the future on those days we need to work on something different. Using a cc is what we been doing so this reassuring in that i`m heading in the right direction.. Thanks a bunch

pixie bee

MH
Posts:4452

08/10/2009 10:50 AM
What you have done so far is great. I would be careful about check cording a 4 month old puppy around birds,about adding any pressure around birds and I would caution your formalization of whoa. What seems like little - no pressure to us is really a lot of pressure to them. If you want to increase the bird contacts put the puppy on strong flyers,no check cord and no words,even better, if you can be quit a distance from the puppy when the contacts are made,fantastic. A 4 month old puppy usually will not hold point for more than a few seconds. They have no experience to draw from to tell them otherwise. I have seen potentially good dogs turned to usless sacks of bones,in the field,due to eager parents. Just some thought, Francine

"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

hattrick

JH
Posts:29

08/10/2009 8:02 PM
Thanks guys, that`s why i`m asking dont want to go down the wrong road. Really i have no experience training a dog just trying to grab what info i can.. Ur probably right on trying to whoa on birds at her age, us it were i can control it. In this situation it does 2 things puts her in a position were she Will break whoa with out release command an interrupts her bird drive. I will take all of this in consideration in future training. Both you guys have given me some sound advice. THANKS again Barry

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