Hi All

Not new to Shorthairs but been a long time for a new pup and am really trying to get this one right straight from the beginning.

Picked up new pup on Monday at 8 weeks. He's been doing really well with crate , housebreak, come. etc. etc. Have given him toys to curb his want to pull on carpets etc. 

Started out with me really working with him and nearly immediately he has learned who is boss and he has been really engaged with me and wanting to please. Wife had some trouble with him so she has been spending time ( too much time if you ask me). He has only been here a week and of course he has been VERY responsive to us calling him etc. It's been great because he is so responsive and wants to be near.  He is now beginning to resist coming etc...he looks at me and often times looks to the side and runs to where he wants to explore...there is a lot of yard to explore. The first day he was off leash in the acre open area. (We have 4 wooded + 1 open acres...at about 4 months he will be in the 1 acre open using an invisible fence)

That said, I get it..he's a puppy and he wants and needs to smell and explore his new surroundings...I try to keep it fun and also let him explore. I completely understand that I was a new and stimulating/ engaging entitiy to him. By nature of a GSP he is exploritory and needs constant stimulation..I get that. What do I do to keep him engaged, wanting to please? I have no birds but wish to heck I did and will remedy that as quickly as I can. He has toys and enjoys playing with them. He loves it when I play puppy with him but I personally believe that can be too much of a good thing if done too frequently because the "puppies" really come out at some point. I want to take him to a family event today...wife says no because he's to susceptible to disease..I say ok..lets go to the park...no..he's too susceptible to disease. He's had his freaking shots and he does not need to be held and fawned over is what I say...sorry I'm kinda' frustrated.

Here's the question..how do I keep him engaged with me and my lessons (mild basic lessons)? Where is the balance between letting him simply explore the distractions and my enforcement of commands at shy of nine weeks with out losing his engagement to me? I just don't want to lose him!!

 Thanks for the replies.

Texas..We give him alot of attention...both my wife and myself. Once home he immediately responded to me in very constructive ways. I was interesting, I was fun, I was safe, etc. He responded to light commands almost immediately but let me be clear...we're not talking about regimented or REAL commands..he's a pup! Come was a piece of cake..he has peed on the floor a few times and within a SINGLE DAY he was signaling to go outside by reading him...literally HOURS after that he sits at the door. Outside, even if distracted I was interesting enough to capture his attention to have him follow. It was amazing. Wife was with the whole time and his response to her was nearly as good as it was to me. While playing I was able to calm him if it got a little to wild or bitey. Did all the dominance things like he FOLLOWS me out the door..he FOLLOWS me back onto the porch to come in. Toys were made available but rationed as well. Wife has been doing all the same things and getting the same responses but in a different way. While playing he began getting out of control..he began humping her..this is a dominance thing. The next couple of days she began spending time with him in an attempt to gain dominance in the pecking order. All of this is mild of course and is kept fun to the best of our ability. While wife was doing this I just pulled back in a way...working outside and such while wife takes him out sorta thing.

As indicated in my first post the trouble is that he has become very unfocused which yes of course is a puppy thing. The trouble is that if I am playing with him and a toy or something we will be doing the I take you take thing but he becomes bored quickly...he is amazingly smart which to me says he needs serious stimulation and really needs to see new things quickly because he "gets it" so darned quick. At first he was outside with us without a leash but we have begun using a leash. He was awesome but now has become difficult. This dog needs to understand that when I go a different direction he must follow. I do not enforce this like I would a more mature dog but rather I just try and quarter myself in such a way to stay my course but also appear in his peripheral and he was responding by sight and following my lead. After a few days he is not doing as good. Now at times he simply wants to go the other way...I stop, I give him no attention whilst facing the direction of my original path..sometimes he turns and follows and some times it takes a here command with a praise. Other times its just not going to happen...he's becoming very headstrong.

Turning the heat up on him at this age goes against everything I believe for a pup..I think I would lose him if I did this because while the groundwork for a bond is there..the bond is not that strong yet and could be ruined if I'm not careful.

I think the ball idea between my wife and myself is an EXCELLENT idea and one I had simply not thought of.

I also think at times I do begin expecting more from him simply because he catches on so quickly...perhaps the lesson for me is that yes..he catches onto the NOTION of things quickly but that does not neccasarily mean it has sunk in. I do understand this but if I lose his captivation and willingness to please with these things so quickly how the heck can I get it to sink in. (Treats are the answer here I think) His name, come, go potty, and kennel are the words which have been used so profusely and consistently without strong enforcement but rather patient persistance. This dog is not soft but will turn off quickly if too much force is administered...I can see that in him and it will break the bond or bond establishment due to a loss of trust....at least at this age. Where I'm having trouble is FOCUS and he is losing his eagerness to please...this is not a good combination.

I also very much like the idea of trying to actually TEACH things indoors with as few distractions as is possible while mildly reinforcing outside. I also understand and appreciate that I have to try and keep myself an interesting and captivating figure...I totally agree!! This is a smart dog and this is going to be tough! 

I would also like to add

kpwlee:

If I read my post I would likely have the reaction you had but I'm not so sure you realized the intent of my post and what my q's really were..."He's just a puppy..my gosh!!" and "Welcome to the world of ShortHairs"...you will find no stronger supporter of this approach and attitiude.

I am not nessacarily trying to INSIST on commands as much as I am trying to use the commands that will serve him well and will ensure he know's who is boss. His feet are getting wet at this point with these commands and we are mildly trying to make him UNDERSTAND that these things are to be taken seriously. I am trying to teach him as he progresses in a way to bring out the best he HAS in him....not make him something I want him to be outside of manners. I believe in fostering the individual to bring out and support his/her greatest natural capabilities which are inherent and this is what is so great about a GSP...there talents, affection, and intelligence are amazing but aptitude toward cooperation is the fundamental here.  He can not conform to what he does not understand. This dog will receive all of the love, support, care, and affection he could ever want. He will do this while following my lead. He will know that there are boundaries and this will serve him well later in life. If I walk he will follow if I turn he will follow and he will also be afforded the freedom to go absolutely ape-shit bonkers jumping running chasing and bouncing that only a ShortHair can conjur...he will also work and he will have a purpose.

I have seen the life cycle of a GSP from birth thru his/her belonging to the ages...this is not our first GSP...I have raised several and a better breed there is not! I can think back to puppyhood of some of our babies in the past and I can see what mistakes we made and how it affected them later in life...this is a huge responsibility. I have NEVER had a GSP whom had focus issues like this, and that is the crux of my questions. I want this pup to become all the Shorthair he can become but he NEEDS to know there are boundaries.

 Appreciate the comments and advice...definately catch myself expecting too much at times and expecting him to speak (so to speak) a language he doesn't understand. Definately easy to be lead into by his wonderful moments that's for sure. Treats are working but I'm just a little taken back at how many treats it takes at this point to get him back on track....we'll get there I suppose. 

Now there was one comment saying Focus is a bunch of malarky...wow..I don't even know how to respond to this. To suggest a lack of focus cannot be a real issue with a working dog shows nothing more than absolute ignorance and inexperience....I don't care how many posts you have on the internet.

Texas Belle...I'd love to have the recipe for the super-treats because I think that's a great idea (and less expensive)..treats for this one may be the answer and I'll check out your site. We didn't use treats with any of our dogs in the past outside of praise and affection being the treat...this little guys a little different but that's ok...we'll get it worked out.

Yeah.. I can definately appreciate this. We discuss often to try and stay on the same page and try to stay as consistent as possible. We've raised several in the past and have had success in raising well balanced, happy, and fun cooperative dogs (even if it did involve some colorful experlatives at times...lol). I have to admit that they were all of basically the same brood and I guess it's true...the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...Not only that but the last one was never away from us from birth to the end which I believe does make a difference...this little guys a little different and we have to adjust our strategy outside of what we're used to but we'll figure him out...we already are beginning to me thinks...(maybe)...even if it's a little slower than we had hoped. We had very good hunting stock in the past but I have to say I think this little guy's in a different league...his drive to hunt is absolutely relentless. He LOVES obstacles and responds like..immediately which says to me he is simply task oriented PERIOD...he WANTS to WORK. A dead critter or something smelly..his nose will not allow him to get sidetracked by ANYTHING and that is THAT...this actually be a good thing...we just have to adjust to this drive to encourage it but make it jive with home too.