Pointing question

Buzz · Post by **Buzz** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:18 pm

I need some opinions on pointing. I have a 9 month old dog that is doing, in my eyes, pretty could. Mind you, I’m new to hunting and this is my first bird dog. He loves birds, hunts hard, retrieves and swims. but he does not point. He busts in and chases. I’ve heard some advice such as check cords..whoaing the dog ect. Here’s my instinct, I don’t want to “command” him or teach him to point. I don’t mind commanding or teaching him to hold a point longer then he wishes, but I have this gut feeling his learning to point naturally would serve us both better. What do you folks think? (For those of you thinking launcher, it’s not in the budget at the moment.)

HUTCH · Post by **HUTCH** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 8:43 pm

what kind of dog do you have? do you shoot the birds he busts? if you have been he thinks this is what you want sense it gets him his reward in the bird. he needs to know he cant get the bird unless he points. I would research the Bill West/Bill Gibbons training method. it is a system that doesnt use a verbal whoa. there is a chat every wednesday on www.higginsgundogs.com at 6 oclock pacific time I beleive. good luck.

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 9:39 pm

Well I would keep in mind that chasing stuff is fun for a dog too. Hutch is right... if you shoot and your dog gets the bird then "flush, chase, bang, go get the bird" is the game and why point. If you want "point, wait, flush, bang, (opt wait), go get the bird" to be the game you should make it boring if he doesn't play by the rules. Even if you didn't shoot though I'd bet the chasing would still be fun. I have one that has caught so many he "knows" he can just go in and get it and why Point?

snips · Post by **snips** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 7:15 am

Both of these things are what make a dog not want to point. Most times they just catch too many birds. I would take this pup completly off birds unless you can have him on wild birds until he is training age. Bad birds are much worse than no birds at all. If he is on wild birds don`t shoot anything he does not point and hold.

Buzz · Post by **Buzz** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:48 am

snips wrote:Both of these things are what make a dog not want to point. Most times they just catch too many birds. I would take this pup completly off birds unless you can have him on wild birds until he is training age. Bad birds are much worse than no birds at all. If he is on wild birds don`t shoot anything he does not point and hold.

Yeah, I know you are right, but geez that is hard to do. Just watching birds fly away.

Yawallac · Post by **Yawallac** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 11:36 am

Get used to it.

original mngsp · Post by **original mngsp** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:21 pm

Whatever you do don't go saying "Whoa" to a young dog around wild birds that doesn't absolutely know the meaning of the command.

Lot's of 'Whoa" and having a youngster then chase will make your future work at steadying the dog much more difficult.

Post by **Ayres** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 2:46 pm

If you can read your dog well enough, get some remote release traps. Then, as soon as you know he scented the bird and starts toward it, pop it up in the air and let it fly away.

Popping the trap right when the dog scents the bird lets it know that if he takes a step after scenting, the bird goes bye-bye. Pointing is 90% instinct, and 10% teaching the dog that if they don't do it, they don't get birds.

wildman · Post by **wildman** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:03 pm

Buzz

I know exactly how you feel I have had the same problem I have a six month old pointer that she will point hold and then flush and chase. It just takes lots of reps. Take her back to where she first scented the bird set her down whoa her kick around in front of her and release her. She will figure it out. If you just cant stand losing birds take about 20 inches of string and about 6 inches of old water hose tie it to the birds leg it cuts down on flight distance and lets you go pick the bird up.