Am i going to "Ruin" him ?

[oilcan]

So a little background i have a GSP that will be 8 months old (35 Weeks) this weekend i brought him home 3 weeks ago as a "Started" dog from an established breeder with very good bloodlines.
I have taken him out 6 times since then to my local preserve ( there is a thread currently in the hunting section with photo ).These have been no pressure outings,no corrections just letting him explore and learn on his own. It has been just me and the Dog, usually no more then 30-40 minutes in a field take a break then move to another field in a couple hours we are done for the day.I am only shooting birds he points although he hasn't really bumped that many.
I have seen tremendous progress just since our first outing from him they way he is using his nose and working the cover.The first couple times there was no rhyme or reason how he was running around, now he is actually working the cover back and forth and he is figuring it out on his own.I have shot 11 birds over him in the last 2 weeks and on Monday he had 3 solid points and retrieved back to hand in just 25 minutes out.

So this is why i ask today a local breeder who i had contacted earlier in the year about getting a puppy came to my wifes store and asked if we still wanted a puppy as her Female had just had a litter.My wife told her i had already gotten one and in fact i was out Hunting with it already.She was surprised and asked how old he was, when my wife told her she said that was to young and i better stop or i would ruin him.

I am new to this but the way we are doing it i don't see how it could be bad.He's not gun shy he's getting experience with birds,i'm not putting any pressure on him basically it's just a fun experience for him I definately don't want to do anything that would hinder his future development.

All opinions are welcome and appreciated

[lahunter562]

I would say keep exposing the young dog to hunting and whatever new experiences that woods would throw at you and your dog. As longest the dog dose not feel negative to the new experiences. The pup will let you know when they don't like something, then you go one step at the time. I have been hunting all my pups as longest they are ready for the gun and woods, never had any problems so far. I have been doing this for almost 20 years now.

[Max2]

Are you just bragg'n about your pup ? Sounds to me like your doing everything right !
Keep up what your doing the pup's going to love you for it !

[ruffbritt4]

Maybe the breeder did not know that you have a started dog. Sounds like he is doing great!

[Carolina Gundogs]

It sounds as though the other breeder's pups don't start as quickly as the bloodline you have. The pup I had from the same bloodline as yours was being put down on a professional guide string at a very young age. As long as you are building good habits and only rewarding his points, I would say to keep on having fun!
The only recommendations I would give is to start making the pup wait longer for you to flush his points when possible so he will learn to hold longer and longer on point.

[Georgia Boy]

It really depends on what you want out of the dog as a "finished product". I don't think you could ruin it but you may make it harder to get the dog steady if it is breaking on the flush or shot now.

[mtlhdr]

I thought I read in an old thread that someone regretted putting his dog on so many birds at a young age. I wonder if finding birds every time out is good, bad, or inconsequential. I have no idea.

Sounds like the pup is doing a great. He sure is a looker. Maybe I'll run into you at the club after the wild bird season closes.

[Quailcommando]

At that age I let them break at flush,personally I don't start breaking a dog until they are 2 years old. I think your doing fine.

[Wildweeds]

My awnser is NO, that awnser can be contradictive though,if you continue and the dog starts to creep in or knock em because he figures out the birds game then you might start to have issues,but that is when the dog is telling you it is ready for a formal training regimen.Sounds to me as if he's doing dandy fine,carry on.

[Sharon]

My awnser is NO, that awnser can be contradictive though,if you continue and the dog starts to creep in or knock em because he figures out the birds game then you might start to have issues,but that is when the dog is telling you it is ready for a formal training regimen.Sounds to me as if he's doing dandy fine,carry on.

x2

[Georgia Boy]

That was my whole point. I prefer not to let them develop bad habits I then have to fix.

[oilcan]

Thanks for all the reply's