feather and fishing pole?

[B-dawg]

How do you use this as a training aid? I've heard about it a couple times and want to try it. I'm training my ESS and he's doing pretty good. He already water retrieves, He uses his nose for retrieves in tall grass when I don't let him see where I planted the dummie, and follows my hand signals pretty well. Just wanted try something different.

[gspman]

IMHO, the fishing pole-wing (feather) is good for nothing except checking birdyness in very young pups.(8-12 weeks).

How old is your pup? What training do you intend?

You can use live/dead pen raised birds and launchers to to teach steadyness on whoa, steadyness to wing and shot, and tracking.

lose the fishing pole

[B-dawg]

Ohhh ok, yeah were past that stage. He is definitley real birdy I don't have to worry about that.
I was thinkin more like what you said, teaching steadyness on whoa, and steadyness to wing and shot. He's a little over 9 mos now. I would like to use him this season if he's ready.

[gspman]

If you have your dog up to speed on the whoa command introducing harnessed birds while enforcing the whoa commands is a real good way to steady them up.

[GrouseHunter22]

If you have your dog up to speed on the whoa command introducing harnessed birds while enforcing the whoa commands is a real good way to steady them up.

Yes, but if he is not familiar with the "whoa" command, DO NOT ever teach whoa around birds. This could possibly get your dog birdshy and he will smell it and intentionally avoid it because he is scared that he may do something wrong.

[PA_Sportsman]

I agree with Grousehunter. Do not use WHOA around birds unless your dog is 100% responsive to whoa. If you use a whoa board, whoa him and physically pull him off even though he won't be able to stop it. When he takes the step, correct him. You need to instill in him that when given the whoa command he is not to move his feet at all. Once he has been corrected, give him 2-3 successful whoa's where you pull on the lead but you don't pull him off and then praise the heck out of him so he understands that when he doesn't move his feet, you'll praise him.

[Featherman]

You pointing dog guys have to read the post a little better... this guy has an English Springer Spaniel.

Flushing dogs hup, pointing dogs whoa.

But, with that said, there is no use for the "wing on a string" at this point in your training. Just use PLENTY of good flying birds.

Good luck!

Jon

[PA_Sportsman]

Wow, my apologies. I'd didn't even notice the ess.

Sorry.

[B-dawg]

How strange is it for a springer to point? He flushes but every now and then I will catch him pointing. Is that natural? Also I was under the impression that hup is basically like a sit stay command. Thats how I've been using it, Is that correct?

Thanks for the help everybody!

[icefire]

it is somewhat natural for all dogs/predators to point. that can be brought put in allmost all of them to a certian degree. the pointing breeds just have it more developed. believe it or not, we have a pug that will scent point pigeons in a release and used to hold long enough to let you walk in and flush. (hasn't been worked much lately). only issues I have is trying to get rid of that sickle tail!

[B-dawg]

Wow a pug that would point! Thats something else, did you ever take any pictures of him. My girlfriend wants a pug, its starting to sound a little better. lol

[icefire]

i also know of a german shephard, and afghan that will point. our pointers are just better at it! that is what makes the "pointing" lab thing so funny. yes, there may be some bloodlines that are more prone to it but with bird releases, you can teach almost any dog to point! the pug is funny, and it is fun when folks come over to work dogs with us. they get a really weird look on their face when you come out of the house with a pug on a checkcord all doled up for the field. we may try to gunbeak him this fall, depends on time. he is not our highest training priority!

[Duane M]

Ice your on the spot with all the breeds and pointing it is an instinct in them. I had a Boston Terrier who I had taught to hold staunch on pigeons and ducks and just finished an American Water Spaniel to not just be staunch but steady to wing and wild flush. An old trainer I learned from early on had an apricot toy Poodle that was heck on birds and staunch as a rock. The poodle learned just by going out with Mac while he worked dogs and picked up the game from there. Danged Poodle was so good he had to keep him in the truck when the youngest dogs were being worked cause he found the birds so well.

[Country-Side Breeders]

Most dogs can do whatever they are taught to do, it's just a matter of repitition. Ice is right in saying that it's instinct that takes over for pointing...it's the first stage in trying to pounce onto something new/different/interesting. Watch a cat sometime.

As for training commands, whatever works for you and your dog are the commands you should be using. I personally don't use the "whoa" command to stop, I say "ho". As long as the dog knows what's expected of them for each command is what matters.

[Decoy]

I will 2nd 3r or 4th -- whatever we are on by now that any dog will point. Pointing is an natural instinct that is a pause before the pounce.
What we have to do is extend that pause.
That is where "Whoa" comes in as an obedience command.


My old lab has started to point now -- the reason - he just realized that he cant catch the birds, and if he wants to retrieve them he better not flush it yet.

Dont get me wrong the old fat lab is no pointer!!! He just learned a new trick as he got slow.

[Greg Jennings]

I hunted a couple of times with a guy that had a big standard poodle that he'd trained steady-to-flush.

That SP was a pretty dang good all-around dog!

He kept him shaved pretty close. He didn't pick up many burrs but that rat tail sure was ugly to a fellow used to pointers, setters and labs....