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Maxwell

JH
Posts:26

04/05/2013 5:54 PM
My gsp is 9 weeks and I was wondering if there's a sort of timeline I should follow as far as obed training/hunting training. Im currently clicker training and he knows sit (if not super distracted) and is pretty decent on laying down, all while having no clue what his name is yet.. Anyways how do I better his name learning, introduce to hunting training (and how to start for that matter) and is there a type of timeline I should be teaching stuff with

Texas Belle User is Offline

Austin, TX

MH
Posts:7839

04/05/2013 6:09 PM
First don't worry about the timeline. Every dog and trainer team is different. I suggest you sit down and list out your goals. Then get you some books on how to train to achieve your goals. There are lots of good obedience books on Dogwise.com. For now clickers training and fun and games type training are perfect for a puppy. I wouldn't necessarily work on specific training like recal, but instead play games that reinforce the skills for a good recall. For instance, play hide and seek where the dog is finding you. I love to go on walks and when the puppy gets distracted hide and wait and see how long it takes the pup to notice and find me. When he does find me then we have a big party. Playing retrieve games where you toss a ball back and forth between you and someone else and when the person catches the ball, call the puppy. When he gets to you play with the toy and the pup.You can make up dozens of these types of games and the skills the puppy is learning will make it much easier when you get down to more serious training when he is older. For hunting I would introduce the pup to birds, but make sure the pup doesn't get scared by flapping wings. So I usually use quail at this age and hobble the bird so it can't fly away (I usually tie a long ribbon on a leg). Then let the bird loose in a contained area with the pup and let the pup have some fun with the bird. I also take mine out and just walk bird fields with them too. In a month or so you can start introducing the gun, and finding and pointing. I would highly recommend Perfect Start and later Perfect Finish as the methodology used in these videos is very easy for folks that are new to training pointing dogs. As the pup gets better at the simple games, make them harder and more challenging. The more the puppy learns now with this method the easier they will learn new things later on. Also, now is the best time to socialize your puppy and take them to all kinds of places and let them meet all kinds of new people and animals. So, introduce your puppy to everything you can now and have fun. Don't worry about true formal training for several months.

Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna) Yellow Rose GSPs "A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato

smatulewicz User is Offline

Michigan

MH
Posts:1190

04/05/2013 8:35 PM
Great advice above, I just wanted to add how I taught Bella her name (and also the word "focus"). I began by saying her name and then holding a treat to my nose so she would make eye contact. Once she did, "click", and treat. I did this several times until she was holding contact waiting, and then I would do something else to get her mind off the task at hand. Once she wasn't fixated on me, I would repeat the exercise and reward the correct response (making eye contact at her name, which once she had her name, I later changed the exercise to teach the word "focus"). Once your pup is picking up on his/her name more, stop holding the treat at your face (you can still treat after the eye contact is made, but you shouldn't need to use the treat to get the eye contact for very long. These are smart dogs!). Other than that, your dog is going to pick up on its name just by hearing it. Even as a young adult dog, I still will not use Bella's name for anything that is negative to follow. I try and keep her name a happy word for her. Meaning, I won't use her name if she is getting reprimanded or told not to do something. So no saying "Bella, NO!" lol.

Texas Belle User is Offline

Austin, TX

MH
Posts:7839

04/05/2013 11:29 PM
Good advice on the name and focus. Since I have 4 shorthairs and sometimes train them together their name is important for letting each one know the command is for them. Once they get the game I play Simon says with them and will ask one to do something and the others are not supposed to respond. At first they all want to execute on the command. Later the really do get into the game and it really helps improve the drive and focus with my gang. My two youngest are very competitive. Another game I play with mine is with the recall. Once they have the command down I will set one up for a formal recall and then call out their name as well as whatever word pops into my head. If they break on anything but the command I win. This really improves their focus. Lot's of fun games to play with these guys because they are so smart.

Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna) Yellow Rose GSPs "A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato

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