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Subject: Training Timeline

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sug22

Posts:2

12/29/2007 9:10 AM
I just got a GSP a couple weeks ago. He is 3 months old now. He will sit when told most of the time. Sometimes he will come when told. Next week we will start some obedience training. I bought him a pheasant wing and some canvas dummies. I would like to take him out in the field but it is hunting season here in Pennsylvania. Right now he is afraid of loud noises (Christmas Eve Santa came around on a fire truck, we took him out to see, when they beeped the horn on the fire truck he took off back in the house.) This is my first dog and I plan on training him myself, I don't want to rush things but if someone could suggest a training timeline it would be very helpful. Thanks, Eugene

Trey

SW Iowa

MH
Posts:516

12/29/2007 11:18 AM
The fright of loud noises is bothersome. I would be very careful when you introduce this dog to gunfire (very far away with a starter pistol or cap gun at first). Do you know the parents of this pup? I would start with a lot of socialization, tough in the winter, but take him everwhere you can where there are people and noises that he is not familar with. Timelines are tough, they are all so different, but at three months socialization is the most important thing you can do with him. Find some live birds you can introduce him to, or even some fresh dead ones, as he has shown fear, again I would go slow and be careful not to let him get flapped at (he may be perfectly fine, but ime, dogs that are scared of loud noises sometimes have other fear issues as well). Manners are also important, don't let him walk in front of you or run out the door in front of you. I like to put pups up on a table and make them be still (not whoa training) but stacking them like you would in a dog show and making them be still and having your hands on them. If you can get him out in some short grass areas where he might come across some birds that would be great, but birds or not everytime you take him in the field he is learning about smells and scenting, so do as much of that as you can.

sug22

Posts:2

01/02/2008 3:45 PM
I also read that you should not let the dog catch the birds. Tha article said that, that will make them jump birds and the won't hold point. I have a pheasant wing should I let him play with it? I was going to get some live pigeons for him to get used to live birds.

Trey

SW Iowa

MH
Posts:516

01/02/2008 8:31 PM
The only thing I would want to do with a wing is attach it to a bumper and let him retrieve it to get used to feathers in his mouth. If you don't have launchers you can card the pigeons so you don't have to dizzy them to the point that the pup can catch them. But, yes, preferably don't let him catch them. I do let some pups play with one or two on the ground, depends on the pup.

markj

Posts:17

01/22/2008 1:31 PM
Start out basic, I recommend Bill Tarants book on the Delmar Smith method, teach a dog to hold and whoa then do field work. I dont use wings at all, get some birds and let him go after em for awhile. I shoot a bird after dog is on point and knows there is a bird there, most times on flush dog runs after bird so whoa is important on a hen flush or a miss. I try to get mine to wait for a sig after a shot but when its just me I let em out, saw a bird or two fall right into the dogs path, no chance for a loss bird.

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