5 month GSP busting birds/ poor field manors

[Krwtek1]

Hello I am unable to get my GSP to stop busting birds. She will point and hold some and point then bust others. She will generally hold on the first bird of the run and allow me to whoa her and stroke her up while the bird is flushed by my wife. After the first bird she will generally wait till I get a few feet from her and bust. How can I train her to not bust? She knows basic commands and listens well on cc. Off cc at home she still listens well. In the field it's hit or miss. Somedays she will listen other days not at all. She has also developed a habit of darting around me on the whistle or come command. She will get within feet of me the dart around me. How can I get her to make contact and complete the come command? I have a g3 collar but have note turned it on yet. I've thought about starting over with her off leash training using the e collar as the tritronics video suggests but am weary of introducing the collar too early.

Thanks

[Sharon]

WElcome to the forum.
You are asking how you can control the dog on point and when farther off in the field.
I'm no expert, ( Did pup get a chance to chase flushed birds when younger so he could learn he can't catch them ?) , but I keep that CC on when the dog is searching a planted bird so I can control the dog when on point.
5 months is not too early to transition to an e collar for longer range control... depending on the dog.
You have a good e collar model, one I used for years.
I'll send you a plan for conditioning to the e collar. jmo

[whatsnext]

At 5 months just let her have fun and save training for yard work, if she is pointing and holding some at 5 months thats nothing to worry about.

[RoostersMom]

Get the Perfect Start DVD and follow that program - it will do wonders for your pup. She is still young!

[Winchey]

If this is on planted birds use a checkchord. If it is on wild you can let him drag a checkchord, or not. Sounds like the pup is doing great.

[buckeyebowman]

As the last 3 poster said, don't sweat it too much just yet. You can't really expect a 5 month old pup to perform like a finished dog. Above all, don't get in a hurry, get frustrated and blow up at the dog. Plenty of time. Just keep working at it. Slow and steady wins the race.

[Sharon]

WElcome to the forum.
You are asking how you can control the dog on point and when farther off in the field.
I'm no expert, ( Did pup get a chance to chase flushed birds when younger so he could learn he can't catch them ?) , but I keep that CC on when the dog is searching a planted bird so I can control the dog when on point.
5 months is not too early to transition to an e collar for longer range control... depending on the dog.
You have a good e collar model, one I used for years.
I'll send you a plan for conditioning to the e collar. jmo

edit/addition : Just dealing with your problem with handling the dog in the field - a dog that won't come when called in the field at 5 months won't come when called at 7/8 months either. That's one reason why I believe that 5 months is not too young for at least collar conditioning the dog to come when called . A dog that won't come when called in the field is setting itself up for all kinds of possible trouble.

[ACooper]

Careful with how much pressure you put on her at this point.

Do you have access to remote launchers and birds?

[mask]

Careful with how much pressure you put on her at this point.

Do you have access to remote launchers and birds?

Yep, any pressure may be to much pressure for a five month old pup. If you are that concerned keep her on the check cord.

[QuillGordon]

[birddogger]

I would expect a 5mo. old puppy to flush and chase birds. You are expecting too much too soon. You need to slow down, find a proven training program and follow it. Bird intro is fine but right now your focus should be on basic obedience and socializing. You need a plan and some controlled bird work. JMO.

Charlie

[Krwtek1]

I appreciate all the reply's. I retread my first post and realize that it all sounds like I expect a finished dog at 5 months. That's is not how I feel. I would just like to have some input on how to train her to overcome these undesired actions. Over time of coarse. I believe in low/ no pressure environment and training. My goal is to use as little or no force when working with her.

Thanks

[ACooper]

Do you have access to pigeons and launchers or lots of wild birds?

[brad27]

"Training with Mo" by Martha Greenlee. Where are you located?

[ezzy333]

I sure wouldn't be upset with a pup npt pointing at 5 months let alone be steady. The pup should be having fun with birds at that age and not be worried about doing something right. As far as the come is concerned I have no problem using an E-collar at that age if done properly but that is a completely different thing than the holding point. Pups like kids are going to have fun sometime and it is far better to get out of the way while they are still young.

Ezzy

[Sharon]

good training programme: google " Perfect Start.Perfect Finish- dog training".

[campgsp]

For five months your dog is doing great in my opinion.

5 months is the perfect time to alternate from the cc over to the e collar. When a dog is acting up you want to beable to get your hands on them, and the ecollar is your extended reach. To go with that woah is essential as well. Because when they cant move you can go to them.

[Krwtek1]

Well I took Briley out last night after work. Just her and myself. I watched her chase tweety birds as much as she wanted. Being later in the evening she was pushing them out of the bushes and having a great time. She didn't get bored but began to chase for a shorter distance as she started to figure out she couldn't catch them. I gave five commands and she listened to every one of them! I used the whistle twice to signal direction change, she turned on a dime. I used the come command twice, she came to me both times. The first time she darted but returned to me, the second time she came straight to me. I used whoa once at the beginning of the run. I whoa'd her up, turned her beeper collar on, stroked her, and released her. She did great. Evening went exactly as I planned. With the days getting longer I'm gonna have to do this more often.