patience is a virtue with gun dogs.....

[Sprig]

What a perfect day for running dogs. cool and breezy and the dogs responded. The dog in the video made my day today. she is a dog in for training and has not seen a bird at all before she came in a month ago. infact, i was thinking after the first week she didnt have what it takes as she showed absolutely no desire to hunt, range, point or anything at all but i kept working with her and this is what happened today. she aint perfect but for 1 month of training i think she is on the right path. Just goes to show what can be accomplished with a little patience with a dog so anybody that is having frustrations with a dog, dont give up on it because good things can come out of it if your patient and keep working with the dog. this dog is a great example of that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLNnA2IvMro

[AzDoggin]

Wow, you have that dog hunting with a song in his heart, that's for sure. What an awesome setup for training.

You might not have thought that dog had it, but 95% of America would be proud to hunt with a dog trained even to that level. That boy was staunch. Great looking setter, too. Thanks for sharing.

[Sprig]

Thanks. I love running this dog. when the owner dropped her off i didnt think she would go very far as she had no drive at all, didnt even know what a bird was and had no interest in them at all. I was sure I was going to have to give some bad news on the dog but i kept putting homers in front of the dog and just kept working with it and i started to see small changes in the dog and now, one month later, she is a ball of fire. the first few days she just walked around with me not really wanting to leave my side at all, let alone chase a bird. but that is where the patience pays off, i just keep working her on birds day after day after day and let nature take its course, and it did. she isnt even whoa broke yet and she is almost huntable now. as a pro gun dog trainer, i see people try and rush their dogs all the time because they see what other dogs are doing and i keep telling them let the dog develop on its own and dont try to keep up with the neighbors dog, be patient and let the dog's natural instincts come out. this video is a great example of that. a dog with no prior experience can go far if your patient and find whats inside the dog and bring it to the surface. my philosophy on pointing dogs is we really dont teach them much of anything but rather bring out their natural drive and desire to hunt and find birds and at most, we control those desires with a little whoa training and an e-collar but all the rest comes from the dog, we just need to find it in the dog and bring it out.

[AzDoggin]

we just need to find it in the dog and bring it out.

Wise words right there. That dog has a lot "in" him, it's obvious. Good for you for finding it.