Puppy under foot?

[Onk]

Do any of you have any helpful pointers on how to keep a pup from being under foot when off the leash or check cord? I know all pups do this to some degree but I am starting to think this pup secretly wants to be a shoe sole!

[rapid fire]

Give it time and don't call it back to you. My setter was like that till about 5 months old and then all of the sudden one day she figured out she could run.

[Redfishkilla]

Walk out there with a lawn chair and sit down, totally ignore her, once she's bored she might start exploring. If she leaves and goes very far move closer to her, then when she looks for you, you're right there, everythings fine and she keeps hunting/playing.

[solon]

Not sure how old your pup is, but whatever the age, get some birds. If a very young pup, start with a wing locked quail planted in the grass. Let the pup sniff out the bird and get after it. An alternative is to put a quail in a harness on a string and pole. That way you can make it flush and tease the pup to entice it to hunt the bird. Take care on the first exposures to prevent the bird from frightening the pup with flapping winds. Secure the wings in the initial drills until you see the pup is bold and not intimidated by the bird. Then move up to birds that fly. Plant them and let pup find them and start to hunt. You need to turn on the pup to hunting, then it will start to range out, explore, and look for game. If your pup doesn't take to that quickly, you might have a long road ahead to making a hunting dog out of him. Many pups are pointing and chasing by 10 weeks old or younger. If your pup is well bred, there is prey drive and hunting desire lurking in her brain somewhere. If you have access to an older dog, you can let pup learn from the older dog. Don't over do the older dog so as to avoid any dependency. You want your pup to be bold and show independence for exploring and searching for game.

The issue is don't wait for something to happen, make it happen.

Solon

[ezzy333]

The pup will move out when it feels secure to do it. They all start underfoot but it will be only a month or so till you will be wondering how to keep it close. Don't dream up problems when a pup is small. You will have enough real ones soon enough. Isn't it nice the pup wants to be with you? And you would have a real problem if it didn't.

Ezzy

[Ron R]

The pup will move out when it feels secure to do it.

That pretty much sums it up but it doesn't change how annoying and frustrating it is when you have a pup constantly trying to trip you.

They all start underfoot

Not all of them do but alot of them for sure do. I may be the only guy on here that dislikes puppies. I would love to just fast forward their first 6 or 7 months. Try to be patient.

[kninebirddog]

To add
Do not say a word at all...talking in any manner will only further the pup to be under foot. Just walk around and ignore the pup walk to bushes walk to hedge rows..just make movements to areas where birds maybe in the future..pretend you are the lead hunting dog. Stop and stand again do not say a word the pup may hand near you and then get bored with you not moving and seek something near you when the pup starts to move out go with the pup again No words at all by going with the pup the pup isn't going to have to look back as you will be going with them but lag behind a bit.

Go back to areas where pup will feel more comfortable

If you know someone else with a pup about the same age...put the pups down together that also will help them to ramble and play and be more investigative majority of the time

Have fun and most of all be patient

[Vman]

Do any of you have any helpful pointers on how to keep a pup from being under foot when off the leash or check cord? I know all pups do this to some degree but I am starting to think this pup secretly wants to be a shoe sole!

Onk, I agree with the previous posts and comments but I would like to know how old this pup is. CC work too soon or too often in a young pup can also cause this. I would rid the CC until the pup learns how to get out and search. Let the pup be a pup. Let him check stuff out on his own as long as it is safe. The first thing most people teach with the CC is "COME". The pup wants to go and the owner is saying "Come" and reeling the pup back in. Sounds like your pup has some confusion with this and has learned that the safe spot is right by your side.
Find another pup that is a little older and let them go run and play and just let them go. Keep your mouth shut and just watch them run and have fun. THe worst that is going to happen is the pup becomes out of control. Now you have something to put a CC on.
But telling us how old the pup is would really help.

[Onk]

Pup is about 12 weeks old, the CC is just used as a walking tool to let him range out a bit more than with a leash. I don't correct him on the leash, CC, or under foot. He explores when I take him out and I don't use a leash or CC when only in the yard such as play time or potty time. I just kind of let him do his thing while I stand there, I'm sure the neighbors think I'm nuts standing in my yard at 4 in the morning.

[Vman]

Thanks Onk, has the pup ever been allowed to just go run around in a field and be an out of control pup?
I may be misunderstanding your use of the CC,, but 12 weeks is very young for a pup to be pulling a 20ft. CC around. Not sure why one would be required.
Find another pup and go too the field and let them run and have fun. Just so he can learn that it is OK to do this and dad won`t get upset. Make sure both of you are having fun. Make sure that he thinks he is the best pup in the world.
Don`t get hung up on the obedience at this age. Once he has learned that he can run and let it out and it is a great time to go too the fields and chase "bleep" birds around then you can start to put controls on him. Until then let him go as long as he is safe.

[hotrod13]

I had a older dog who kept under foot all the dang time, I took off the checkcord and let him run, experience and explore. He still checked back often (he would run out and come right back), but now after a month he is getting more secure and is checking back less frequently and really rangeing out. Let the dog run and explore, if he comes up to something that scares or he acts skittish about, just re-assure him and let him have fun, he is a puppy and young let him have fun.

Rod

[Onk]

Vman, He never has to pull the CC around like I said its more of a extended leash for our walks since we live in town and there is way too many cars. Other than that he has total run of our double lot in town and our 47 acres out side of town a couple times a week. The only training he is really getting is potty training and toy training. ( learning the differance between granddaughter toys and his toys). None of which is harsh, in fact I think he teases me now by acting as if he is about to attack the grandaughters toys and pulls up 6 inches short and B lines for his! The under foot is only when he is off a leash of any type, I think he knows leash/ CC = walks and he is always up for that! I know I am his security big buddy of types and that is why he is always at my feet, but if he or I don't end up injured from this it will be amazing. Thanks for your help!

[GUNDOGS]

Onk, we are in the same position as you as far as living area..we also use a 20 ft cc in place of a leash..if i am understanding what you are saying you use it as a leash so the pup can wonder farther from you than say 4 or 6 ft which is what most leash lengths are..we do the same..we walk ALOT..and take the dogs with us..i also have a 12 week old pup(GSP)..i use a cc so my dogs can explore and have more freedom to roam but i can reel them in if a car is coming or something..also where we live and some other places we walk there is not lots of acreage to just let the pup go because if they decide to run and dont obey they will become road kill..what we do because of this is we drive every other day to let the dogs run in an area that has a creek(shallow) and has lots of fields ect so they the ability to be off lead and i would have time to get them if they roamed to far or did not respond to FAR ENOUGH..i have been working on FAR ENOUGH with our pup since we got her, just for this reason and my other dog is VERY obedient so she learns from him as well..she is only 12 weeks old and knows the command..i want her to be able to roam and enjoy being a pup when we go for walks off lead but i also dont want to have to chase after her if she gets too far ahead and wont come or stop when i call her..you will see your pup will enjoy venturing out away from you when he feels more secure of his surroundings and noises and he gains confidence..he will venture out away from you by being exposed to more and more things, this will come with age too..just bring him EVERYWHERE with you and in time he will feel comfortable running and exploring on his own cause SOCIALIZATION/EXPERIENCES/TRAINING=CONFIDENCE...heres a few pics of our pup exploring and she too stayed close until she gained confidence from lots of exposure and your pup will too just be patient ...goodluck.....ruth