Perfect Start VS Great Beginnings

[Keith White]

I will pick up my 7 week old GSP pup this Friday. I have never trained a pointing dog so I have really been trying to do my research and get prepared before I got my pup. I have my pigeon coop and my homers and I'm a excited about getting started. I purchased the Perfect Start and George Hickox Great Beginnings and have watched them both from start to finish and then watched them again. After watching them both, I thought I would most likely follow the Perfect Start method because it seemed to be a little more straight forward and easier to understand and to follow. Then again I watch the Great beginnings and like the idea of starting the pup earlier with the clicker training and such. I really want to do this right and turn out a good finish product the first time. I was hoping that some of you more experienced guys could help me out on which one a new trainer would be better off to follow. I know both methods will produce a quality gun dog but do you think one method over the other would be easier for a new trainer. Do you think you could some how combine the two or stick to one or the other. I would like to also here from anyone who has tried both methods if anyone has. I appreciate any advise you guys can offer.

[AzDoggin]

I will pick up my 7 week old GSP pup this Friday. I have never trained a pointing dog so I have really been trying to do my research and get prepared before I got my pup. I have my pigeon coop and my homers and I'm a excited about getting started. I purchased the Perfect Start and George Hickox Great Beginnings and have watched them both from start to finish and then watched them again. After watching them both, I thought I would most likely follow the Perfect Start method because it seemed to be a little more straight forward and easier to understand and to follow. Then again I watch the Great beginnings and like the idea of starting the pup earlier with the clicker training and such. I really want to do this right and turn out a good finish product the first time. I was hoping that some of you more experienced guys could help me out on which one a new trainer would be better off to follow. I know both methods will produce a quality gun dog but do you think one method over the other would be easier for a new trainer. Do you think you could some how combine the two or stick to one or the other. I would like to also here from anyone who has tried both methods if anyone has. I appreciate any advise you guys can offer.

Congrats on getting a pup, I'm jealous!!

It's hard to beat clicker training for the young pups for crate training, place training, stand and wait, here, and so on - you can't hurt anything with motivational methods like that - and it's amazing watching the little buggers trying to problem solve and figure out how to make that clicker click. Not all traditional bird dog trainers use clicker (also called marker) training, but with young pups it's a win/win IMO. Don't forget lots of socialization and exposure to people, other dogs, places, situations - those first couple months are crucial for creating a dog that doesn't react to new environments. I have both of those videos, and like you, I find the Perfect Start a little more complete in terms of early steps with birds and training sequences that are easy to follow. The folks on here are amazingly helpful and most of them have raised and hunted/competed with dozens of pups over the years, so keep asking questions. Finally, if you have a training club around (e.g., NAVDHA or breed club or whatever) you can get the benefit of interaction with other dog owners through the process. Good luck and HAVE FUN.

Here is a good article on clicker/marker training - it has wwaayyyy more info than you need right now - just some light reading for you over the next several months. http://leerburg.com/pdf/markers-clickers.pdf

[Chukar12]

I would follow the one that you have the confidence in, but realize that the clicker training will not contradict your other training. You can use it to shape some behaviors early that will not hurt and might help you later.

[RoostersMom]

I'm a huge fan of the Perfect Start - and Jon and Cindy are great to work with and open to questions, even if you don't use them as a trainer... they will visit with you via phone if you are having trouble following the video.

I'd also take a look at letting that pup hang out with the litter until he's 8 weeks old. There is a lot of new research out there to show the benefits of socialization with the litter until at least 8 weeks and a lot of breeders are going to 10-12 weeks old. They are showing a lot of benefits to pups staying with the littermates to teach bite inhibition and other dog=dog socialization. Just do your research - just because "we've always done it this way" doesn't mean that is the best way to do it. Used to be, pups would go to new homes at 5 weeks old.