Dog Stays Close in The Field

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Vikingoo168
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Dog Stays Close in The Field

Post by Vikingoo168 » Mon Jun 30, 2014 12:19 pm

I have a 8 month old GSP and until recently he would run all around the field during our training sessions. He would explore every corner, bush, etc and come back when called. Now he stays within 30 yards of me and sometimes walks right next to me when he should be looking for birds... He seemed to start this after I put some pressure on him with whoa training and bird introduction. He loves birds and does a really well at pointing, but now wants to stay close to me rather than run wild looking for birds. I have stopped putting pressure on him and now just letting everything be fun in the field. Has anyone else had this problem with a dog that seemed to have the right stuff?? Any ideas on solutions or maybe is he just to immature and I should hold off on his training for a while??

Neil
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Re: Dog Stays Close in The Field

Post by Neil » Mon Jun 30, 2014 12:25 pm

You answered your own question, back off on the pressure, go slow, and watch the dog's reactions as you go forward. You can and should continue the training, just not the pressure. The dog will be fine.

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RoostersMom
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Re: Dog Stays Close in The Field

Post by RoostersMom » Mon Jun 30, 2014 12:27 pm

Added to Neil's point, don't ever call him back in the field unless you absolutely have to. Let him get a taste of freedom.

RayGubernat
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Re: Dog Stays Close in The Field

Post by RayGubernat » Mon Jun 30, 2014 1:17 pm

Vikingoo168 wrote:I have a 8 month old GSP and until recently he would run all around the field during our training sessions. He would explore every corner, bush, etc and come back when called. Now he stays within 30 yards of me and sometimes walks right next to me when he should be looking for birds... He seemed to start this after I put some pressure on him with whoa training and bird introduction. He loves birds and does a really well at pointing, but now wants to stay close to me rather than run wild looking for birds. I have stopped putting pressure on him and now just letting everything be fun in the field. Has anyone else had this problem with a dog that seemed to have the right stuff?? Any ideas on solutions or maybe is he just to immature and I should hold off on his training for a while??
Training should be done in the yard...not in the field. You are pushing waaaaay to hard and expecting waaaay to much, waaaay too soon. the puppy....YES I SAID PUPPY!! is eight months old.

Give the dog a break. Please. a dog in the field should be about exuberance, excitement and freedom. Far too may folks just cannot let a dog roam free and independent. It freaks them out if they are not in control. If you want a dog that loves to hunt, you have to let the dog follow its nose, keep that joyous exuberance and develop that independence. You gotta let go in the field to have tha happen.

OK... I'm done beating you up. It happened...it's done. Now how to fix it.

A bag full of pigeons will go a long way toward this. Take a half dozen pigeons with you on your next walk. When the dog is out front, toss a pigeon past him. If he wants to chase...LET HIM CHASE! If he hesitates...encourage him... run toward the bird, tell the dog to "GIT EM!" , blow your send out whistle...in short...do whatever it takes. Put the FUN back in the run.

And as much as is humanly possible...keep your mouth SHUT and your hands in your pockets when in the field.

Your dog hunts. You know that.
Your dog knows what a bird is. You know that.
Your dog is not afraid of gunfire. You know that.
Your dog will point. You know that. It will stand its birds when it is ready. Believe it.


Your dog REALLY wants to do what it thinks you want it to do. You just found that out.
Your dog likes you. You know that. If it did not, it would not hang around you.
Your dog trusts you. You know that.

NOW for the hard part....

It is getting to be time for YOU to trust the DOG. Remember...the dog is the one with the nose. Let him do what God and the breeder put him on this earth to do, which is to find birds...for you.

Watch and enjoy. Your dog will hunt with you and for you...if you will let it. I have hunted behind some lunatic pointers in my time and guess what??? They hunt far and wide and then...they come back for me. Not because I want them to, but because THEY want to. THEY want to hunt with me...because they trust me, they want to be a team with me and because they get to wrap their gums around a bird every now and then... and it is FUN.

If a dog likes you, trusts you and respects you...it will come back for you. If it don't...it won't.

TRUST the dog. Let him grow into a true partner. The rewards for doing this far exceed anything that you could gain through strict control, IMO. I have found that if you do it right, you actually get both...a dog that hunts hard and hunts everything and everywhere...and hunts both with you and for you, pretty much the way you want it to.


Take your time. It is supposed to be fun...for both of you.

RayG

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Donnytpburge
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Re: Dog Stays Close in The Field

Post by Donnytpburge » Mon Jun 30, 2014 1:59 pm

+1 ray, good points all the way around.

The trick is knowing when to NOT apply pressure. We are all working on that so don't
Feel like the Lone Ranger.

Also give the dog time to be a dog! Lots of free time
To build independence.

Db

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Sharon
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Re: Dog Stays Close in The Field

Post by Sharon » Mon Jun 30, 2014 3:14 pm

Nothing else to say. Excellent posts.

Vikingoo168
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Re: Dog Stays Close in The Field

Post by Vikingoo168 » Mon Jun 30, 2014 4:11 pm

Thank you all for the input!! I really appreciate it.

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MillerClemsonHD
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Re: Dog Stays Close in The Field

Post by MillerClemsonHD » Tue Jul 01, 2014 11:34 am

Vikingoo168 wrote: He seemed to start this after I put some pressure on him with whoa training and bird introduction.

How do you put pressure on a dog during bird introduction? If you did then you completely messed up "bird introduction".

Why are you whoa training an 8month old puppy?

You need to let him knock and chase some birds. He can even catch a few it wont hurt anything. He needs to learn to hunt, find birds on is own. Then you can worry about learning obedience. He needs to be developed not forced "pressured" into doing what you want him to do. He has to learn what you want him to do and the time for correction or pressure will come later.

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