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Marshall Thomas
Posts:3
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| 10/16/2011 5:14 PM |
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Good day all from the desert southwest,
I just added a member to our family yesterday, he is an eight week old pup named Jethro. Jethro daddy is a German wirehaired pointer while his momma is a GSP. What I have read so far is that there is not much difference, but the wirehair has some Airdale in them... I am newly retired and have plenty of time to spend with him, hoping to turn him into a fine Gun Dog,hunting mostly quail....Should I start at eight weeks to teach commands such as sit,stay, come, whoa, and what advice do you have for housebreaking? What is the advantages and disadvantages of crate training ? Any suggestions on reading materials? I have heard that if I wanted to hunt him,I need to kennal him,and not make him into a family dog,I am hoping that is a crock,because after one day he is already the little"prince" of this humble castle... Any advice on this truly amazing being would truly be appreciated... After all I am the dumbest guy in the room....
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7921
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| 10/16/2011 8:25 PM |
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First, the German's bred the GSP to be first and foremost a family dog, but to also be versatile in hunting. So, what you heard is a crock, and you should throw that out immediately. As for training, I start obedience and bird work right away. Some hunters will not teach sit, but so far mine know the difference between sitting for me and hunting and I have not had any problems. I would also recommend Perfect Start and Perfect Finish as two excellent videos on how to teach hunting for your pup. They are not cheap, but I think worth the investment. You can find them by googling Perfection Kennels. As for house breaking, just remember that puppies need to go after they eat, after they sleep, after they play and in general at least every two hours. If you keep that in mind and take him out accordingly, you will get him trained very quickly. I also never let them out of my sight when they are little as there is so much they can get into and it is just easier to prevent it up front, than to try to fix something later.
As for crates, I would strongly encourage you to crate train your puppy. Crates come in handy when you have to contain the pup for whatever reason and also if they have to visit the vet they are used to being crated. Starting now with crates is easier than waiting until they are older. There is a video that is called Crate Games I that I would recommend. Allot of agility and obedience folks use it for motivation, but it works just as well if all you are doing is crate training your puppy.
Good luck with your new pup, and we would love to see some pictures of him. |
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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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Marshall Thomas
Posts:3
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| 10/16/2011 9:23 PM |
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| Thanks for the input,it's appreciated,and Jethro just woke up so it's time to go out...I'll get a crate tomorrow, |
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4474
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| 10/17/2011 4:25 AM |
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Hi and welcome to the forum.
Your GWP should have the same breeding as the DD, which would be -
Stichelhaar, Pudelpointer, Griffon, and the Deutsch-Kurzhaar - But I'm not a GWP person.
No reason not to keep the pooch in the house. Anyone who says they have kept a dog in the house and the dog turned out to be a poor hunter - well, I'd say we'd have to question more than where the dog slept.
Obedience is good - but teach before you train.
Best way to get a great hunting companion is to hunt the pup. No guns just yet, but you guys are out there in the fields and woods encouraging cooperation,search nose, pointing,independence,boldness and trust.
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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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DrWiffel
Prior Lake, MN
MH
Posts:175
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| 10/17/2011 10:54 AM |
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Here’s what I did for potty training.
First you want to watch him like a hawk. Don’t let him out of your sight at all if you can help it, that’s when the accidents happen. If you have to do something where you can’t watch him. Put him in the crate (they don’t like to go where they sleep). Keeping him on a leash tied to you is a great suggestion from Belle. When you see him squat to pee/poop. Let out a stern “NO” pick him up and run him outside and give your potty command. Wait until he goes and give him praise (treat maybe) for going. Until he gets the idea, I placed newspapers where ever he would go on the floor. They tend to go in the same spots so the paper also helps with cleanup. I think at one point I had more paper then floor, but this only lasted a few weeks for me. I still get accidents every once in a while, but he’s still learning and every once in a while needs reinforcement.
Congratulations on the new pup! Hope to see some pictures up sometime soon!
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Marshall Thomas
Posts:3
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| 10/17/2011 1:58 PM |
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| Thanks for all the advice,I have pictures of Jethro,just haven't figured out how to load them,any suggestions? |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7921
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