Sending dog OFF

[WillieELk78GSP]

I have a question about when to send your dog off to a pro trainer, my dog is 5 months old almost 6 months and the trainer wants her asap when she turns 6 months but it will be at the beginning of November? Is that good or bad? Should I wait to send her until April or may? I live in Washington and the weather in eastern Washington is unpredictable at best. So is it better to send her now or wait tell spring? Thanks all

[DonF]

Six mos sounds awful young to me unless he's just gonna do some kind of puppy class. Where is the trainer?

[cmc274]

Has the trainer seen the dog? There is nothing magical about 6 months, all dependent on the dog.

What are the goals? bird intro, gun intro, steering wheel, recall, ecollar intro?

If you have birds and gun out of the way, I'd be spending my time trying to run them on wild birds and shooting the ones they point

[mountaindogs]

Is this a retriever and/or does the trainer train mostly retrievers? Otherwise better be motivational style training or a puppy exposure program.

[WillieELk78GSP]

This is a GSP and it is a very highly recommended trainer out of moses lake WA, I would like her to do ducks as well as upland hunting. Yes the trainer hs seen her, says she is bird crazy and he would love to have her around 6 months of age. It is a 2 month program and he told me he coverage most things In that 2 months , he also said it depends on the dog. I had bailed on another trainer because I didn't trust him with my dog, this guy I feel I trust. I know he knows what he is doing because I asked on here and everyone said go with this trainer so I did.

[bb560m]

I wouldn't use a trainer for bird intro, just watch Perfect Start - unless you don't have time for the dog. Steadying at a trainer at an older age after a season of wild birds seems more worth it.

[Wildweeds]

I use this very same trainer,he has a very good reputation with trial dogs and hunting dogs,his program is the same for both,it's tailored and tweaked to each individual,the program fits the dog ,not the dog must fall in line and get with the program.I've got dogs there right now.I've used him for close to 12 years for 8 dogs now.Some years ago I was there working dogs with him and there was this GSP that was an exceptional animal,that dog was 8 months old and had been through the 2 month program and was broke wing and shot in the programs time frame.That dog was exceptional in the fact that he was a quick learner,with tons of inherited point and drive.I thought the dog was somewhere close to 2 years old because of his maturity between the ears.

[PntrRookie]

...this guy I feel I trust...

There is your answer...especially if he has seen the dog. Trust the professional.

[Kiwi50]

I sent Kiwi off at 5 months for 2.5 months of training. She and I had already been working through the tri-tronics book so she wa already doing sit, down and kennel commands when I took her. As well as kennel trained. It was a good age for her and her trainer is amazing. I think like they said it's based on the dogs maturity and the trust you have in the trainer. He wasn't real thrilled, but he allowed me to come visit on Saturdays for about an hour which I felt kept our bond strong. I would recommend doing that if at all possible.

[WillieELk78GSP]

Thanks guys for all the info