I got a female weim just over 2 years old. She has simple commands down, sit, stay, wait, leave it, (the difference from wait and stay is a matter of me leaving the area/room) anyway, She needs to earn her keep. She swims and fetches out of the water like no other. She also flushes brush pretty good too, but all on instinct. Any ideas of a trainer, or some training aids I could use with her. I am in the Camp Lejeune area of NC. I would like to use her for retrieving and for flushing if thats possible. She loves to learn and im not one of those wierdos that talks about their dog like a person, you can just tell that she loves doing things right. Plus I could use a good bird dog. Feel free to email me [email protected]
Thanks in advance

As I recall theWeimaraner is a pointing breed but don't know much about them. I do know they are versitile dogs and many people recommend the NAVDIA blue book for training them.

They are VERY versatile, I have 2 but my male is a little older and he can be really lazy. I think he would be happier sleeping in than going hunting. I will check out that book, thanks for your help.

Boy. I don't know where to start here, Bloodstayn. A Weim is a pointing breed and the cardinal sin of a pointing dog is flushing birds. Does your dog show signs of pointing instincts?

I've owned and trained my own dogs for close to 50 years and I hate to say this, but your dog fits the profile of the really bad ones I've seen-- an adult dog with no training and an owner that needs as much help as the dog.

I'd find a local pro and ask him to evaluate the dog for hunting. Let him guide you in the right direction. Training bird dogs isn't as difficult as a lot of folks make it out to be, but it's a hands on art. One you can't learn over a BBS.

Good luck. Check back in if you can find a pro and let us know your progress.

Damn, take it easy on me. I dont really care about what the breed isfor, I am not looking to enter in any field trials or competitions. I go bird hunting and I would love to take her with, flush or point, I could care less. I just figured to teach off of what she already does, instead of un-teaching and re-teaching. I dont even really care how "good" she is at it, just as long as she doesnt flush birds 200 yards away, that would be a waste. She does show signs of pointing, but when she flushes birds, shes not looking for them, she justs likes running through the tall grass with my other weim and finds them. And By the way, how exactly does her "profile" match those of "really bad ones" that you have seen. The only profile I gave was that she knows how to sit, stay, wait, leave it, fetch out of water, and flush birds when she stumbles upon them. How exactly does that make her a "really bad one"???

I wouldn't worry aboutthe profile. Ialso thought that this is your first dogand want to know how to train it for hunting. You failed to mention that you alreadyown another experienced hunting dog.

Most young dogs will learnalot from experienced dogs. But if your young dog ismind set then the moment something turn on in its head, ie. actually catches a bird or finds birds really fun, then you will find her flushing everything including the bird your otherdog is pointing.Also, I have seen two dogs, both with no bird training, just take off. One wouldn't listen and ran offlooking for birds. The owner never hunted him again. The otherran off and never came back. You will also have to consider gunshyness also.

The profile of bad dogs I've seen is a grown dog that has received no training, little or no exposure to birds or gunfire. Not that it can't be done, but it's going to take a lot of patience and someone who knows what they are doing or is willing to learn. Most dogs aren't really good bird dogs until their third year afield.

Sporting dogs are the products of generations of selective breeding to produce certain desired traits and it's difficult to train out what's bred in. If your Weim is from good hunting lines and has ability, it should have natural pointing and retrieving instincts and some run in her-- to much to be a flusher unless you reel her in. She should be bird crazy and search for them, not just stumble over them.

Again, I'd get a local pro to evaluate the dog and see if it has potential to be a meat dog.

Good luck with the dog and I hope she grows into your expectations.

the problem I see with allowing a pointing breed to flush instead of point is this:

It is in a pointing dog's nature to range out and quarter a longer distance from the gun. If your dog is out of gun range, where most pointers work, and flushes a bird you will not have a shot at it. Further more if you attempt to hold the dog in gun range you are going fighting trates that have been bred into the dog for gerartions.

good luck if it is what want to do but advise is what you came here for so mine is if you want to train this dog train it to be a pointing dog like it was designed.

I agree and think foremost its important to understand that even tho a Weim is a versatile dog,it is bred with 'pointing instincts'..Therefore your field training should be structured for a 'pointing' dog.

If there isnt enough upland oppturnities there to satisfy your hunting desires,then concentrate on water training for waterfowl.1 suggestion I do make to anyone who has a versatile dog is concentrate on 1 form of training weither it be uplands or waterfowl.To much back and forth between the 2 often confuses a dog and it takes longer for a dog to understand being taught 2 things at the same time.

By all means join a NAVHDA club if theres one within reasonable distance or if theres a any kind of dogclub that does training,1 on 1 training goes a long way..Theres also many many books and vidoes out there that are helpful.

If you want a reasonable successful hunting dog,keep in mind it takes a certain amount of time and training and the training should be done in steps to assure the dog understands what its been taught in 1 stage before moving onto the next.Take your time go 1 step and atime and dont rush things.Every dog is different and learns and devlopes at its own pace and as a trainer its important to remember that at all times.Good luck,take care,Paul..

Wow, what a coincidence, I was going to ask the same question about my Visla that I got from the pound. He is about 15months and shows strong pointing instinct, and boy can you read him when he is birdy on small birds in the alfalfa field next door. My problem has been time; just haven't had enough time/access to get him on some pheasants or pigeons to get him pointing and holding afield. My plan, though, is to hunt him primarily on farm terraces and ditches this year where I can see and control him well and get him steady this fall. I won't even mention the cardinal sin of making him a flusher.....!!!