New to Phez

[BillGraves]

Hi All,
I have a 6 yr old GSP that has never hunted before. Pheasant season opened here yesterday and a buddy of mine who has a good hunting GSP and I are planning on heading out to the field on Tuesday. I am planning on taking my boy with me. He has not been on birds before and I will have him on a CC the entire time. He quarters well but I don't want him just running around like he always does. My plan is that if he points something, I will hand the CC to my partner whose dog will back, walk up, flush and shoot the bird. I know this might not be the best way to do things but am I totally out of my mind to try this?

Bill

[gittrdonebritts]

Bill,
give it a try no sense in not if you want to good luck !

[ultracarry]

you might want to see if your dog is gun shy first....

[gittrdonebritts]

you might want to see if your dog is gun shy first....

+1 forgot that.

[BillGraves]

He has been properly introduced and has no gun shyness. Steady on whoa. Just need some birds for him to find!

[peteymit]

My plan is that if he points something, I will hand the CC to my partner whose dog will back, walk up, flush and shoot the bird.

First of all, that is one talented GSP your partner has there. If my Brit did all of that I would just teach it how to drive the pickup and send it out to bring home supper while I watched football.

Kidding aside, how did this go for you?

[Don]

That is a heck of a tolerant buddy! Why not just hunt over his dog awhile then give it a rest and turn your's loose. No offense but I would not put my dog down with a completely green dog. I would let you hunt over my dog and I would put mine up to let your's go. But not both at the same time check cord or not.

[Sprig]

He has been properly introduced and has no gun shyness. Steady on whoa. Just need some birds for him to find!

if birds is all he is lacking then i would say take him hunting. it might turn into a "training session" but he wont learn anything if he is left behind at home. good luck, let us know how he does.

[BillGraves]

Turned out pretty well. My buddy's dog pointed one and mine was off on his own searching. My guy just didn't know what he was looking for so when we got one we called him over and let him sniff, lick and mouth it a little bit and then used the fresh kill for training. He went from "Happy timing" to nose to the ground searching and I felt as if he finally realized what he was meant to do. His tail was rigid and wagging like crazy and he was going nuts just looking for birds! It was awesome.

[tommyboy72]

Afraid his dog might find more birds than yours Don?

Just kidding. I have never seen a well broke dog ruined by hunting with a green dog. I take my young dogs with the older ones all the time to teach backing and to hold their birds rather than busting them. Works for me but may not be for everyone. Also helps young dogs to range farther till they find their own comfortable range to hunt in.

[Don]

I put Duke down with my guy's all the time. Difference being he's young and has some experience on birds. Training birds. He's also run wild birds in the off season. Bills dog is 6yrs old and never been hunting before. Around my dogs he would be an interloper. If that dog was down with my old Hannah and it either stole a point, took her bird out or sniffed a dead bird she was carrying, there would be a fight. If it took out or stole point on Drifter there would be a fight also. Best to avoid those situations and put up my dogs and go fool with the new comer till we have an idea what it's gonna do. One thing I'm sure of is I have shot my share of birds in this life and I don't mind putting away my dogs to help with a new dog. One other thing is his buddy has a gooh hunting dog, not necessarily a finished dog. My old Lefty was a finished dog and he would tolerate a world of grief from another dog. Most guys don't hunt with finished dogs.

[fourtrax]

Normally a dog is not gunshy unless MADE that way.
Your pup will need exposure to gunfire first if it has not already been done.
The methodology is available through many sources.

[fourtrax]

Bill Graves,
Never mind the gunshy part.
I saw your "already done it" later.
ooops.