1st time training help...

[jer_allen27]

I have an 11 month old GSP that I got from charles rose. I have not trained her yet but also can't afford nor find a trainer close to my town in new mexico. So I was wondering is it to late to train her? I have taken her on one quail hunt and loved it. Just wondering what to do first.

[RayGubernat]

I do not know Charlie Rose personally, but I have bantered back and forth with him for several years. In my opinion he is committed to his dogs in a very special way.

I am quite sure that if you contacted him and asked for help, he would do whatever he could to make sure that the dog became all it could be for you. As far as pro trainers are concerned, there are a fair number of folks who, for a reasonable fee, will instruct you on how to proceed. There are also clubs associated with organizations such as NAVHDA who hold training days. There are also some dedicated amateurs who would be happy to show you some training techniques.

Call Charlie Rose... surf the net for training groups...go to a hunt test or a field trial in your area. There is lots of help out there if you know where to go and are willing to share expenses for training birds and such.

RayG

[kensfishing]

Your dog is still puppy don't hurry it. Charley is in Texas which is a litt far. In Albq. there are a couple of shorthair clubs. I've run there in Bernardo a number of times. Just search the net. There is a pro in southern New Mexico. Terry Chandler. He can be a big help, he's in the White Mountains every summer at camp. He loves to help new comers. Hope this helps. Also there are several clubs that holds trials in the Flagstaff area along with the Arizona Pointing club.

[AzDoggin]

Your time and patience are the most valuable commodity in training a dog. It's not too late and you don't need alot of $$ but you will have to get creative and seek lots of information.

NAVHDA (North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association) has a chapter in Albuquerque: http://www.navhda-zia.com/ They are having a handler clinic March 26. This is from their website:

Who Should Attend?

* People with their first pup see how other dogs work and gain insight into what their pup is doing and why. This helps them to develop their pup's talents and improve performance in weak areas.
* Novice handlers learn how NAVHDA evaluates versatile dogs, and are better prepared to handle their dogs in a test
.
.
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Be a good way to meet some other folks in a position similar to yours.

Read, read, read. Use the search function on this forum - there is a wealth of information here. Look up "best training books" for example...You can often get used books cheap on ebay or amazon.com

Here's Terry Chandler's website: http://www.rugerheim.com/

Markus Gonzalez is a crony of Chandlers - they are both in Las Cruces although Terry travels with the trial circuit unless I'm mistaken. Markus's website is: http://www.wranglerkennels.com/

[Sprig]

you are still in great shape with an 11 month GSP......your first step would be to get her on birds, birds and more birds....pigeons work great for a new dog to the scene if you can find any in your area.