Opinions on what to train next...

[ltsheets]

Well I was finally able to pick up my dog from the trainer yesterday. So far he knows HERE, will point and retrieve birds with a soft mouth as he's been force fetched. I don't have live birds so most of my training at the house will be yard work. Once he is adjusted back to the house, I'm thinking PLACE will be next followed by beginning WOAH training using the barrel method. I'm all ears if anyone thinks there's a better order or something I should do first! Thanks in adv

[CDN_Cocker]

What did your trainer tell you was your next steps?

[ezzy333]

You would have to provide so much more info before anyone could provide pertinent advice and even then they couldn't help near as much as the trainer you are working with as CDN suggested.

Ezzy

[setterpoint]

sounds like you need to hunt the dog did your trainer teach whoa i would cll the trainer and see what is next for you and dog

[Trekmoor]

Impossible question to answer without more info....such as the dogs age and maybe it's temperament.

Can a pointing dog advance much further in it's work without some access to live birds ? I know I couldn't do much more than recall to voice and whistle and stop to whistle if I had no access at all to live game. I could advance the dogs general obedience and it's retrieving but that is about all I could do.

Is it general obedience training you are enquiring about ? I.M.O. too much obedience and no game to enliven it makes Jack a dull boy.

Bill T.

[RoostersMom]

Why teach a pointing dog "place?" What purpose does that serve? As for the barrel - just ick. Use a leash and a collar - teach Whoa anywhere. No tricks or gimmicks needed. If you don't have a plan to follow, then anything will do - so maybe your trainer has a program for you to follow. I'm not a fan of the "gimmicks" - whoa post, whoa barrel, etc. Just a leash and a collar. Works pretty well for my dogs, if I do say so myself! I follow the Perfect Start and Perfect Finish program.

[ezzy333]

As a rule, gimmicks are tools we don't use. I trained for years without a check cord but it really helped when I found how to use it. Same with the whoa post, e-collar, GPS, leash, comb, brush, and nail clippers. I to don't like to many gimmicks but when used separately to teach a specific lesson they all work if you learn how to do it. I also agree that there is little use to teach a pointer to roll over so do find out what you need to teach to get to the goal you are heading to.

Ask, read, watch, and most important listen to your peers and your dog. They all know things you don't. Your job is to sort what will get you home with the lease work and the best results.

Ezzy