Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums  

Go Back   Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums Non-Parker Specific & General Discussions Man's Best Friend

Notices

Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
Unread 03-13-2018, 04:25 PM   #11
Member
C.O.B.
Forum Associate
 
Rich Anderson's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,072
Thanks: 2,217
Thanked 6,320 Times in 2,082 Posts

Default

I have always used a short leash. Remember he has the attention span of a gnat. Training sessions should be short and sweet. Don't try to teach to much (come,sit,stay,whoa ect) to soon.
__________________
There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter...Earnest Hemingway
Rich Anderson is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Rich Anderson For Your Post:
Unread 03-13-2018, 04:35 PM   #12
Member
Gary Laudermilch
PGCA Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,327
Thanks: 3,037
Thanked 2,099 Times in 673 Posts

Default

You might want to rethink the "sit" command. I never teach a pointing dog to sit. Nothing more frustrating [to me] than a dog sitting while on point. I do teach a "stand" command which means stand still beside me. Useful when burrs need to be combed out, ears cleaned, or belling-up in prep for a hunt. No horsing around - stand still.
Gary Laudermilch is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Gary Laudermilch For Your Post:
Unread 03-13-2018, 05:08 PM   #13
Member
Brett Hoop
PGCA Member
 
Brett Hoop's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 592
Thanks: 1,591
Thanked 899 Times in 370 Posts

Default

I have found "heel" seems a bit easier for pups to grasp the concept initially, if they have just a tad of the edge off them. Allow pup to burn off some energy first and he will be a little less distracted and better able to focus on what you are expecting of him.
Brett Hoop is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-13-2018, 05:11 PM   #14
Member
Southpaw
Forum Associate

Member Info
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 653
Thanks: 634
Thanked 275 Times in 197 Posts

Default

No kidding about setters and burrs. I swear it must of been a setter in the burr patch that gave the swiss engineer the inspiration for velcro. Our setters were always dang good on points and honoring, I think told them whoa and standstill more picking burrs. Hard to believe how much energy they still have after long day hunting and full of burrs how squirmy they can be. Don't blame them though, it hurts having them things matted in and trying to get em out. Wore out at least a pair of shooting gloves a year picking burrs. I will say having pointers in the south is a benefit on burrs alone.

Velcro was invented by George de Mestral a Swiss electrical engineer in 1941. This idea of inventing Velcro came to him when one day he returned after a walk from the hills and found cockleburs stuck to his clothes and his dog’s fur. George noticed its natural hook and loop quality and started making a fabric fastener on the same quality.

Gary, forgot that was also a valid point the old timers told me about not teaching a pointing dog to sit, about sitting on point. I have never seen that happen but we did teach brittanies to sit and stay and never had that problem.
Todd Poer is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-14-2018, 08:41 AM   #15
Member
Hixie
PGCA Member
 
Ted Hicks's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 345
Thanks: 189
Thanked 818 Times in 198 Posts

Default

This is all really good information and lots to consider. I knew there would be a wealth of info to be found here and thanks to all for sharing. I will employ all of it as appropriate and according to how Grayson responds. Probably one of the key realizations for me is that he is still very young and there is time to take to get it right with him. If he doesn't respond well now, I'll keep at it at a slow pace and we'll get there. As Dean mentioned, patience and consistency are important.

The suggestions to keep the training sessions to 10 minutes or less and to let him run off some energy before a training session I think will work well with this pup. He's much more biddable after a mile or two.

I too know of many gun dog owners who have no need for some of the obedience commands. Their dogs are kennel dogs whose main purpose is for hunting, which is perfectly fine. For me, “Whoa” and “Come” are critical and should be fully ingrained as the foundation for further training whatever it may be.

As a gun dog strictly, “Heel”, “Stay”, and “Sit” are perhaps unnecessary. I like the suggestion for the “Stand” command as an alternative for “Sit” for the reasons stated (thanks Gary!) and I will be forever disappointed if Grayson sits when he points a bird. I don’t want to even think about how to try to correct that! My hope is that his pointing instinct is strong (there have been plenty of signs of this,) and he will lock up nicely. However, since Grayson is also a family pet, I am going to need him to heel and stay reliably. My wife and kids love to be with him indoors and out, but trying to keep an unruly dog under control and safe is not fun for anybody. So I will continue with these commands and get to the point where he is reliably compliant.

Lastly, thanks to all for your suggestions on collars and harnesses. I am going to try as many as needed to figure out which one works best.
Ted Hicks is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-14-2018, 09:24 AM   #16
Member
Dean Romig
PGCA Invincible
Life Member
 
Dean Romig's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 31,557
Thanks: 35,430
Thanked 33,039 Times in 12,321 Posts

Default

You won't have to worry about Grayson sitting on point. He comes from a long line of fine bird dogs and they are known for their intensity on point. To me, a dog that sits when he has a noseful of bird scent indicates a lack of interest or intensity. It won't happen with Grayson.





.
__________________
"I'm a Setter man.
Not because I think they're better than the other breeds,
but because I'm a romantic - stuck on tradition - and to me, a Setter just "belongs" in the grouse picture."

George King, "That's Ruff", 2010 - a timeless classic.
Dean Romig is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-14-2018, 12:43 PM   #17
Member
C.O.B.
Forum Associate
 
Rich Anderson's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,072
Thanks: 2,217
Thanked 6,320 Times in 2,082 Posts

Default

I have seen some Setters that actually lie down when they point. I was told (by the dogs owner) it's a trait some dogs have. Seemed a bit strange to me.
__________________
There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter...Earnest Hemingway
Rich Anderson is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-14-2018, 02:48 PM   #18
Member
Gary Laudermilch
PGCA Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,327
Thanks: 3,037
Thanked 2,099 Times in 673 Posts

Default

Setters were originally bred to lie down in front of the bird and language of the time called it "setting the bird", hence the name English Setter.

I have seen extremely intense bird dogs sit on point. It is not relegated to any one breed. I assisted a guy with a shorthair this past summer that had all the bird drive one could ask for. Unfortunately, he had moved from retrievers to pointers and he started this shorthair on what he knew - retrieving. It took me a long time to get the dog to stand his birds and then every once in a while he would relapse.

As in all dog training personal preference plays a significant role in the training. Personally, I would sooner avoid problems than try to correct them. I see no useful need for an English Setter or pointer to sit.
Gary Laudermilch is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Gary Laudermilch For Your Post:
Unread 03-14-2018, 03:17 PM   #19
Member
John Taddeo
PGCA Member
 
John Taddeo's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 383
Thanks: 301
Thanked 437 Times in 121 Posts

Default

What a beautiful dog !!!!
John Taddeo is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to John Taddeo For Your Post:
Unread 03-14-2018, 06:25 PM   #20
Member
Dean Romig
PGCA Invincible
Life Member
 
Dean Romig's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 31,557
Thanks: 35,430
Thanked 33,039 Times in 12,321 Posts

Default

I'm sure I am the only one with this opinion but I see sitting on point as a result of a flaw in the dog's training.





.
__________________
"I'm a Setter man.
Not because I think they're better than the other breeds,
but because I'm a romantic - stuck on tradition - and to me, a Setter just "belongs" in the grouse picture."

George King, "That's Ruff", 2010 - a timeless classic.
Dean Romig is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:10 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 1998 - 2023, Parkerguns.org
Copyright © 2004 Design par Megatekno
- 2008 style update 3.7 avec l'autorisation de son auteur par Stradfred.