Need help finishing my dog out....

petrey10 · 03-13-2007, 05:34 PM

I have received a 15month old English Pointer Male(Wrigley). He has the basic fundamentals done in his training by a professional in Oklahoma. I am not wanting to send him back to Oklahoma so I am wanting some help finishing Wrigley out. So I am just curious as to what tips you guys have for me and some things that I need to be doing with Wrigs this summer to get him in top shape for dove season and on into Pheasant season. I have a lot of ground that I could hopefully get some wild birds for him on. I am really wanting to get him good at finding a shot bird and retrieving it to hand as we hunt a lot of tall grass(4-6foot). It is very hard for us hunters to locate the exact location where the bird goes down which is why I got Wrigs and now I need some drills for him to get better at this. Anyone got any ideas??

Phil from Maine · 03-14-2007, 04:51 PM

Does your dog retrieve a tennis ball? If so try putting a small amount of scent on it and tossing it out for him. Start doing this at a short distance and gradually increase it. Then get a bird or 2 from a bird farm or something and try the same thing and see what happens. Remember take your time and encourage him. Do not scold him and if he gets tired of it wait a while or try again the next day sooner or later he should catch on. Good Luck!

petrey10 · 03-15-2007, 12:33 PM

he will play fetch with a tennis ball for an hour straight....the previous owner's wife was pregnant and when she had to stay at home on the couch he played fetch with her ALL DAY....he has the desire I now just want him to get him to do this with pheasants as much as a tennis ball...

Phil from Maine · 03-16-2007, 10:35 AM

With scent on the tennis ball he will have to try and smell it and not just your scent. Then take a a training dummy and attach a couple wings and try the same thing. Then when you come back from a hunting trip and you have a pheasant or 2 try throwing them out and get him to retrieve them. If you can keep at it he should pick up on this.

tailcrackin · 03-16-2007, 05:25 PM

Petry, you will have a hard time, having bird work progress with the tennis ball. You might not, and ya might will. Birds would be better, because its natural, and is what you are going to be hunting, or working with at most times. It would be a little bit before I could take the dog in, but would be able to work with the dog, then work with you to finish. Thats about the only honest advice on this situation that I can give....will make a difference seeing the dog.....dogs will always tell you whats going on in the head....cant read what ya write, need to watch the dog. Jonesy

petrey10 · 03-16-2007, 06:53 PM

do you know of a trainer closer to me??? I would be about 5 hours from you prolly

Phil from Maine · 03-17-2007, 03:52 AM

I agree with what Jonsey said, what I was trying to get him to was use his nose better in that tall thick stuff. That is all and then move up to the birds again. As what he stated tells me the pup couldn't find where it went down that is all.

Mite · 03-29-2007, 05:41 AM

I would ask the trainer since no one would know the dog better. At 15 months, I don't know what he could have trained it. Basic OB, some bird exposure? Steadying? Just make sure the training your giving him is consistant.

Elk2901 · 04-12-2007, 05:12 PM

At this age I normally have them whoa trained. I use a barrell to do this with. There should be something on the internet on whoa training using a barrell. Works great, easy to do and gets the job done fast.

After he is whoa trained on the ground, then you can start intoducing him to a planted bird. Pidgeons work the best to get started with. You can tie some yarn on their legs - maybe about 5 ft on each leg - and this will slow them down when they fly so you can re-use them.

If you don't have a good whoa on them, they will be trouble from now on. Then I put a training collar on them. They are really cheap now. And that really helps to finish them off. I never put a down down unless he has a training collar on. These dogs were field trial dogs that had a lot of go to them and I had to be on top of them all the time.

It is really difficult to start training a dog without someone training you first. My first dog, another field trialer helped me get started. He said I was harder to train than the dog.

Also make sure you are training the dog and not the dog training you. A typical pet dog will train you and you will think you are training him.

Good Luck.