So what do I need....

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JoePaTurfShoes
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So what do I need....

Post by JoePaTurfShoes » Sun Apr 01, 2012 3:12 am

I will be picking up my Boykin Spaniel pup in December/January and will be training her and myself over the winter, spring, and summer.

Never haing owned a gun dog or done much upland game hunting before what equipment do I need to purchase related to taking care of the dog as well as training/hunting with the dog?

Looking for a comprehensive list to get me started.

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SHORTFAT
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Re: So what do I need....

Post by SHORTFAT » Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:12 am

1. Patience, persistance & consistancy
2. Check Cord
3. Patience, persistance & consistancy


There ya go... Ya might want to find some proven resources as there are a TON of informative books out there, and no shortage of experts that frequent this forum. Good luck, enjoy and post some pictures! :D 8) :D

oh... and did I say patience?..
Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.
- Mark Twain.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
-Abraham Lincoln

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DonF
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Re: So what do I need....

Post by DonF » Sun Apr 01, 2012 8:26 am

Good start from Shortfat. You'll want to get a light weight check cord to start out with, cc is check cord. I start puppy's on a cc the day I pick them up. That young 10' ot cotton clothes line works fine. Most people also get a collar, I don't. My pup's don't go out the door without a check cord on so I tie it on them with a knot I can adjust every day if needed, untill they get bigger and I don't have to buy a new collar every couple weeks. The cc will be a 10' extension of your arm and allow you to guide the put into what you ask if to do with no chasing or praying, you have it on a cc and all you need do is to call him and lead it gently to you. At about 12 wks increase the cord to 15'. At about 6 mos, get a collar and a heavier cc. 20' of 3/8th woven nylon with a hard core. Get stiff as you can to srart and it will get stiffer as you go, soaking up water and dirt.

Probably be a good idea to get it chew toys also. They won't keep it from eating ramdom target's but will slow it down a bit. It'll also drive you nuts getting it these fantastic toys and he still eats your shoes! Don't worry, he'll grow out of it.

I've never done it but a dog pillow for it will give it it's own place. Get a crate too and put the pillow inside the crate, in the house and keep the door of the craqte open unless you need it shut up for some reason. I don't have a friend that would object to a puppy mauling them when they visit, you might! A little trick I learned right here is to let the pup sleep in bed with you. When it needs out it'll get ressless and wake you up. Helps with house breaking. Sleeping in its crate will also help but, that's an old barbarick trick watsed on a puppy unless you get a pointer! Just don't get to big a crate.

If the pup is about 8 weeks when you pick it up, get it a puppy shot. I would also ask that your pup have a shot at 6wks if you know which pup it will be, pay for the shot if you have to, they are cheep for a breeder to give. It would be cheap for you to give but I suggest you watch a couple times first. At about 6 wks, the mother's immunity will start to wear off the pup. Probably won't be a problem but a shot to make sure. If you've never seen a pup go thru parvo, you are not missing a thing. And the younger they are the worse it hit's them. I suppose it's happened but, I've never seen a puppy that age make it thru parvo, get the shot! Then the breeder should give them all one at 8weeks or before sending them hiome. Get another at 12 wks and another at 16 wks. No more than they cost, better safe than sorry. Only dog I've had in over 20yrs get parvo was about 10 months old. I brought him home to care for him. 1'2 bag of liquid twice a day, two different shots twice a day and drive yourself crazy with fear that it's not working till the pup is up and around well. Then you'll think it was for nothing when it passes a huge pile of blood. That is the good sign and your about out of it. For me it was either leave the pup at the vet till it was well or dead, or take it home. $800 at the vet, $400 if I took him home. GET THE SHOTS!!!!

There's a lot to do with a puppy but not a lot at the same time. Your pup will be learning from the moment you pick it up. But it's mostly learning how to deal with life. Let it do that. It needs to get it's legs under it. But while your outside with it, don't forget the check cord on the pup, it will allow you to lead the pup where you want,,,gently. I give puppy's a lot longer to grow up than most people. Most start training really young, I wait till they arte about a year old. In that year the pup can learn to come when called, find the areas that hold birds 9sparrow's are as good as game birds for this) and you can make a game of play retrieving. Ask before you start that, there are things you should not do. There will be nothing the pup can do wrong but some things you can do wrong.

When your pup eats your or your other halfs shoes, keep in mind that you have to love a puppy, it's the law! Have a hoot with it, it'll only be a puppy once!

I almost forgot one very important thing. Watch everything it does. It will teach you how to know what's coming next if you watch close. Called reading your dog, very important.
I pity the man that has never been loved by a dog!

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Francois P vd Walt
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Re: So what do I need....

Post by Francois P vd Walt » Sun Apr 01, 2012 10:58 am

In all the advice , books, dvd etc. remember puppy needs love and a friend and it is a long term 10-16 year partnership.
He will have good and bad days rember above all let them grow into their own personality and mature within themself, basic dissipline is all you need they bred to hunt, learn to know him well the trust will come with time ......

Enjoy the puppy breath and little mistakes they great moments to cherish.

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Ricky Ticky Shorthairs
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Re: So what do I need....

Post by Ricky Ticky Shorthairs » Sun Apr 01, 2012 9:49 pm

Francois P vd Walt wrote:In all the advice , books, dvd etc. remember puppy needs love and a friend and it is a long term 10-16 year partnership.
He will have good and bad days rember above all let them grow into their own personality and mature within themself, basic dissipline is all you need they bred to hunt, learn to know him well the trust will come with time ......

Enjoy the puppy breath and little mistakes they great moments to cherish.

+1....Very well said!

Doug

Trekmoor
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Re: So what do I need....

Post by Trekmoor » Tue Apr 03, 2012 6:05 am

Basic equipment for the cockers and springers I train consists of 1 lead, (I don't use check cords much), 1 whistle, 2 or 3 dummies (bumpers) of various types and weights and textures and about 10-12 tennis balls. A starting pistol or "party poppers" are used later on to make "bangs" and that is about it. The pups are encouraged to hunt for tennis balls among progressively thicker cover ..... no jaggy stuff to begin with. Later on at about 6 -9 months , the pup is taken to hunt for game in places where I know a very short hunt will have it finding some. The pup will think it is hunting for tennis balls and the game birds or rabbits will come as a nice surprise to it ! :lol: I think it is important that all hunts are kept very short to begin with ...... as little as 30 yards and that the pup has rewards in the form of fairly frequent "finds." That is where the tennis balls help a lot to begin with.
By training in this way most well bred pups "go" like the clappers as they expect to have only a short run and only a couple of minutes to find the "rewards."

I am envious of your Boykin , we don't have them here, or not that I have ever seen anyway.

Bill T.
The older I get, the better I was !

adogslife
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Re: So what do I need....

Post by adogslife » Tue Apr 03, 2012 7:27 am

You have lots of time ahead of you.

Being new to the sport I would spend this spring and summer watching gundogs at tests and training days.
Listen and watch.

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DonF
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Re: So what do I need....

Post by DonF » Tue Apr 03, 2012 8:09 am

Trekmoor wrote:Basic equipment for the cockers and springers I train consists of 1 lead, (I don't use check cords much), 1 whistle, 2 or 3 dummies (bumpers) of various types and weights and textures and about 10-12 tennis balls. A starting pistol or "party poppers" are used later on to make "bangs" and that is about it. The pups are encouraged to hunt for tennis balls among progressively thicker cover ..... no jaggy stuff to begin with. Later on at about 6 -9 months , the pup is taken to hunt for game in places where I know a very short hunt will have it finding some. The pup will think it is hunting for tennis balls and the game birds or rabbits will come as a nice surprise to it ! :lol: I think it is important that all hunts are kept very short to begin with ...... as little as 30 yards and that the pup has rewards in the form of fairly frequent "finds." That is where the tennis balls help a lot to begin with.
By training in this way most well bred pups "go" like the clappers as they expect to have only a short run and only a couple of minutes to find the "rewards."

I am envious of your Boykin , we don't have them here, or not that I have ever seen anyway.

Bill T.
I just recently read something about using tennis balls with scent on them. Wouldn't matter to me if the scent smelled like a bird or not, they would be learning to use their nose. Do you use scent on the tennis balls?
I pity the man that has never been loved by a dog!

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birdshot
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Re: So what do I need....

Post by birdshot » Tue Apr 03, 2012 11:26 am

Trekmoor's method will get you everything you want in a fine spaniel. I used to train in a field beside a little league practice field. Once walking my dog passed the baseball field, I was asked if my dogs could find a lost baseball. Unsure if she could find it, I released my best dog and asked her to hunt it up. She dives into the dew berry vines and after a short hunt comes up with the ball. She went on to locate and retrieve about five more in quick order. After that everytime we passed that field I released the dogs into the briars behind the backstop. You would be amazed how many balls litlle leagures lose.

smoothbean
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Re: So what do I need....

Post by smoothbean » Tue Apr 03, 2012 12:49 pm

Phil will have it ready to hunt when you pick it up at six months old. Really though, I bet you will be ready for birds by then. You will have different needs than someone getting an 8wk. old puppy. Your best bet would be to talk with Phil and he can let you know what you can expect him to have done and things you will need to work on. It would be didfficult for people on here to guess what level your pup will be at by then. One thing for sure you will be getting a good dog from Phil. Good Luck

JoePaTurfShoes
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Re: So what do I need....

Post by JoePaTurfShoes » Tue Apr 03, 2012 6:24 pm

One thing I agree with is that Phil has been great to work with. Thanks for all the advice guys. I can't wait to get out of this place. It was over 100 degrees yesterday here in April!

I think I'm under 270 days left! Can't wait until double digits. Can't stop thinking about this dog and birds either.

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SHORTFAT
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Re: So what do I need....

Post by SHORTFAT » Tue Apr 03, 2012 6:44 pm

Joe, I am sorry! I didn't even look at your location! Thanks for your work and God Bless! Get the job done and come home safe! Thanks again! Can't wait to see pictures of yur pup! 8)

-Dan
Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.
- Mark Twain.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
-Abraham Lincoln

Trekmoor
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Re: So what do I need....

Post by Trekmoor » Wed Apr 04, 2012 2:10 pm

DonF wrote:
I just recently read something about using tennis balls with scent on them. Wouldn't matter to me if the scent smelled like a bird or not, they would be learning to use their nose. Do you use scent on the tennis balls?

Hi Don. Sorry about the rather slow reply to your question. I normally use tennis balls with only human hand scent plus maybe the scent of other dogs mouths on them. If a pup is a bit slow to catch on to hunting for and retrieving the balls then I either smear the balls with a little liquid cheese from a tube or I rub a bit of cheese on them. I never use the so called "game-bird" scents ...I.M.O. they are a waste of money.

Pointing breed training doesn't work so good using tennis balls. Since the balls are usually placed out fairly close to the trainers route into the wind it encourages the pups to hunt close. If the balls are placed further out then too many tend to get missed thus depriving the pup of it's rewards for hunting.
I usually use tennis balls only for spaniel training . Even with spaniels an occasional ball gets missed by the hunting dog. Even knowing this has happened I don't hunt the pup back towards the ball again if this means disrupting the pups pattern over the ground. It is better to keep the pups flow of movement going and then to send out an older experienced dog to search for any missing balls as blind retrieves.

Bill T.
The older I get, the better I was !

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