Gun Dog Forum

As some of you may know I am in the process of getting a new pup (Vizsla). I am also the father of 4 wonderful kids, 3 girls & 1 son. My son who is 13 has been hunting with me the last 2 years.

Anyways I was wondering if you involed your kids in the training of your dog & if so to what point???

I am also the parent of 4 kids...3 girls and 1 boy! My daughter (who is also 13) is involved in every step of training. She helps with the retrieving, whoaing, pointing, everything, also including feeding and cleaning up after them and getting to sleep with them at night. And then she gets the reward of hunting behind them. The more time they put into training the dogs, the better they understand what all is involved in getting a good hunting partner as well as learn to appreciate hunting more as well as have more respect for the dog and visa versa. And, it's great time to spend with the kids!

In my opinion, the younger they are the better they are at helping with the socialization process, and also in my opinion that is the very foundation good bird dogs, and well rounded families are built on........."pear"

I got an opinion about this too. :roll: Here goes, hope I don`t get in trouble again. There is nothing better for dogs than kids, IF, you teach them to have the utmost respect for the dog and try to not allow lots of commands that are never inforced. Some of the worst dogs I have had in to train were vertially "raised by the kids" and did not think they had to do anything you tried to teach them. They are pulled and tugged on all their life and are dulled to any correction given them. If raised right it`s the best, if wrong, the worst.

Very important for dogs to be socialized into the "family". They have to learn their place and the family has to learn how to enforce that. EVERYONE that is going to handle that dog either in the field or at the home needs to be involved in the training.

SNIPS I know exactly what you are talking about. Got invited to go hunting last year - his dog was a 4 yo GSP, "..great bloodlines, cost me a ton of $$...yada yada yada...." That dog SUCKED! My dog was on his 1st season and ran circles around this dog. Nice enough dog, great nose, fantastic disposition, but completely undiciplined and untrained.

This guy figured if he spent $800 on a pup it ought to hunt great for him. All he had to do was make sure the wife filled up the hopper on the autofeeder. Sickening.

Pretty comical watching this dog respond instantly to anything his wife said but completely ingnoring him as long as she was around. I wish she was a hunter!

Kids and dogs are better when raised together.

Best regards, Greg

I have my 10-year-old son help out by flushing birds and firing the blank gun. I figure it’s a win win for both of us. He gets to learn how to approach a dog on point and learn some gun safety via the blank gun at the same time and I get to concentrate on running the check cord and training the dog by having both eyes on the dog at all times.

Lets talk about the negitive about this? Hmmm

Can't think of anything!

The dogs are much easier to train

but seriously...To be able to raise a child doing the outdoor things is great ..not only are you doing more with your kids which hoipefully keeps them out of any serious trouble when they get older it should help to provide a stronger family bond which this country is needing to get back to

snips wrote:I got an opinion about this too. :roll: Here goes, hope I don`t get in trouble again. There is nothing better for dogs than kids, IF, you teach them to have the utmost respect for the dog and try to not allow lots of commands that are never inforced. Some of the worst dogs I have had in to train were vertially "raised by the kids" and did not think they had to do anything you tried to teach them. They are pulled and tugged on all their life and are dulled to any correction given them. If raised right it`s the best, if wrong, the worst.

VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY valid point!!!! well said and very true!!

Thanks for all the replys!