always wanted a hunting dog
12-20-2004, 01:29 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Iowa
Posts: 779
always wanted a hunting dog
I've always wanted a hunting dog for hunting pheasants and coon. Now that I don't trap anymore I really only need a pheasant dog though (unless theres some dog that could do both). I have enough money and a place to keep the dog, but i have absolutly no idea how to train or anything like that. How much work does it take to get a dog ready to hunt? How many years does it take? Any thoughts and suggestions are welcome!
12-22-2004, 02:18 AM
#2
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manning, Iowa
Posts: 307
RE: always wanted a hunting dog
You asked a lot of question there I will give you my opinion on as many of them as I can.
First is what kind of Dog?
There are several breeds that are believed to be versatile dogs meaning they are bred to hunt fur and feather. The one I am most familiar with is a German Shorthaired Pointer since I own one my self. While I have only trained and used her for pheasant hunting there have been several times that we have ran across a yote hole and she has gone on point and she tracked a coon couple of times near creeks until I call her off as a tangle with a coon in water would most likely be followed by a large Vet. bill or worse put me in the market for a new dog. That being said, IMO the GSP could be trained to hunt both. I can only really give suggestions about training for birds but the principles are the same.
Length of Training and amount of work?
First off I would suggest you look into purchasing some books on the subject. They can be invaluable information tools to direct you. Also by buying them instead of borrowing them or checking them out form the library you are able to go back and review the books on what ever area of training you are working on. The amount of time it takes to train a dog in many ways is minimal when you thing about it. However, it does require a commitment, I will explain. You can plan on holding a dog’s attention for about 10 or 15 min at a time. Where the commitment comes in is you must do it maybe twice a day every day. Of course if you miss a day or two it will not be the end of the world, try to not make it a habit. I would say if you got your self a puppy soon say in the next month or two and the puppy was 6 weeks old when you got it you would be able to hunt over it in the fall. Keep in Mind you never really stop training a dog, there does come a point, and when that will be is up to you, in which you will no longer have to work on things regularly. Also one of the best training tools is a wild bird. The only way to encounter them is to get out in the field if your state allows it in the off season.
How do I go about training a dog?
I did touch on that when I suggested you buy some books and now I realize I should suggest which books to buy. The first if you are going to get any kind of pointing dog is a book called Gun Dog by Rickard Walters I believe. The book was written in the '60s but is the back bone of Bird dog training and while there are several new methods of training that were non-excitant at the time of original publication it really teaches the basic fundamentals. Also I really like Bill Tarrant as a gun dog training Author. He was a writer and I think editor for Field and Stream in the dog department. Tarrant offers a different perspective on the subject. Now the Following are some Basic principles I have formed for my self from the books I have read, other trainers I have worked with and my experiences.
1. Praise 2. Praise 3. Praise. When ever he is doing what you want him to do praise. And ignore what is happening when he is doing what you don’t want him to do.
This helps to get the dog working for you and looking to please you. While Correction is needed I would suggest trying to keep it about 90% praise and only 10% correction. Doing this will keep you training sessions up beat and something your dog will look forward to. A heavy hand may get the dog to do what you want it to but it would not get the dog working for you only working in fear of you.
I know I got a bit long winded here, the story of my life, but I hope you can find some things informative and helpful! Good luck on finding and training your dog. Let us know how it comes out.
First is what kind of Dog?
There are several breeds that are believed to be versatile dogs meaning they are bred to hunt fur and feather. The one I am most familiar with is a German Shorthaired Pointer since I own one my self. While I have only trained and used her for pheasant hunting there have been several times that we have ran across a yote hole and she has gone on point and she tracked a coon couple of times near creeks until I call her off as a tangle with a coon in water would most likely be followed by a large Vet. bill or worse put me in the market for a new dog. That being said, IMO the GSP could be trained to hunt both. I can only really give suggestions about training for birds but the principles are the same.
Length of Training and amount of work?
First off I would suggest you look into purchasing some books on the subject. They can be invaluable information tools to direct you. Also by buying them instead of borrowing them or checking them out form the library you are able to go back and review the books on what ever area of training you are working on. The amount of time it takes to train a dog in many ways is minimal when you thing about it. However, it does require a commitment, I will explain. You can plan on holding a dog’s attention for about 10 or 15 min at a time. Where the commitment comes in is you must do it maybe twice a day every day. Of course if you miss a day or two it will not be the end of the world, try to not make it a habit. I would say if you got your self a puppy soon say in the next month or two and the puppy was 6 weeks old when you got it you would be able to hunt over it in the fall. Keep in Mind you never really stop training a dog, there does come a point, and when that will be is up to you, in which you will no longer have to work on things regularly. Also one of the best training tools is a wild bird. The only way to encounter them is to get out in the field if your state allows it in the off season.
How do I go about training a dog?
I did touch on that when I suggested you buy some books and now I realize I should suggest which books to buy. The first if you are going to get any kind of pointing dog is a book called Gun Dog by Rickard Walters I believe. The book was written in the '60s but is the back bone of Bird dog training and while there are several new methods of training that were non-excitant at the time of original publication it really teaches the basic fundamentals. Also I really like Bill Tarrant as a gun dog training Author. He was a writer and I think editor for Field and Stream in the dog department. Tarrant offers a different perspective on the subject. Now the Following are some Basic principles I have formed for my self from the books I have read, other trainers I have worked with and my experiences.
1. Praise 2. Praise 3. Praise. When ever he is doing what you want him to do praise. And ignore what is happening when he is doing what you don’t want him to do.
This helps to get the dog working for you and looking to please you. While Correction is needed I would suggest trying to keep it about 90% praise and only 10% correction. Doing this will keep you training sessions up beat and something your dog will look forward to. A heavy hand may get the dog to do what you want it to but it would not get the dog working for you only working in fear of you.
I know I got a bit long winded here, the story of my life, but I hope you can find some things informative and helpful! Good luck on finding and training your dog. Let us know how it comes out.
12-24-2004, 03:54 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location:
Posts: 860
RE: always wanted a hunting dog
I have a couple of Dave Duffey books I don't really need. They are written back in the mid 70's. Not the best of shape. Books are:
Expert Advice on Gun Dog Training, David Michael Duffey, Winchester Press, 1977
Dave Duffey Trains Gun Dogs, Sporting Dog Specialties, Inc.,1974 pretty beat up.
Don't remember how much I paid for them but you can have them for $5 + shipping for both. Email me at [email protected] if you're interested.
Expert Advice on Gun Dog Training, David Michael Duffey, Winchester Press, 1977
Dave Duffey Trains Gun Dogs, Sporting Dog Specialties, Inc.,1974 pretty beat up.
Don't remember how much I paid for them but you can have them for $5 + shipping for both. Email me at [email protected] if you're interested.
