Training a pointer
 

I have a 14 week old Weimaraner and would like to train her to point, I will be using her to hunt pheasant and quail. Where I live now I don't have anywhere to take her to get her in the field to work with her. I will be moving to KS this winter and will be hunting w/ her next year hopefully. I have the whole month of December off work so I have plenty of time to get her started but will have to be something I can do at the house and w/out an actual bird. I am new to this and can't afford to pay someone to train her so hepefully I can get enough advice and help from here to get her going. Thank you.
Brandon

RE: Training a pointer
 

oddly enough, my buddy trained his pointer with a fishing poll. In or out of the house, tie a pheasant wind to the end of a pole and old it in front of the dog and dont let him move. Then move to letting the dog walkl up to the wing on his own, but if he doesnt stop and point and tries to get it, pull the wing away and tell him NO.

Its a good way to teach them the basics of pointing, not being able to get it. Then we moved on to pigeons. You can catch them or buy them. Spin them around and they will get dizzy, then set them in some cover. they wont fly untill you flush them cause they are dissoreinted (sp?)

Hope this helps

RE: Training a pointer
 

Well, the first thing is, for it not to be Gun Shy and then comes Obedience. With mostbreedsof the pointing family, pointing comes natural.

RE: Training a pointer
 

I know she knows how to point as every once in a while when I take her out to walk her and use the bathroom, she will point at her poo once she finds a pile! Not exactly what I want her to to point at but it is pointing none the less. As for gun shyness, what do you all do other than shoot around her? Will small firecrackers work such as blackcats or something? Thanks fellas, keep em coming, open to any ideas. Also, does anyone know where I can get a pheasant wing if I don't have access to birds right now? Someone on here have some they have kept and would be will to get rid of one?

RE: Training a pointer
 

Now that's funny!! Try looking into some of the books and dvd's. They will give you a plan and idea of what you want to get done. Good Luck!

RE: Training a pointer
 

"Best way to train a bird dog:delmar smith method" by bill tarrant.. buy it.. read it cover to cover

RE: Training a pointer
 

Thanks, I'll try and find that this weekend.
Brandon

RE: Training a pointer
 

[quote][ As for gun shyness, what do you all do other than shoot around her? Will small firecrackers work such as blackcats or something? /quote]

I would advise not to use this stuff until she is on birds for a little while. You have to be carefull getting your dog use to noises and I find it best while they are on the birds. I think with the excitement of it all they tend to ingnore the noise more. Good Luck!

PM me your mailing add and I will send you a wing, I have a pen full of them I use in training.

RE: Training a pointer
 

I did the old wing on a pole trick with my old gps (sure miss that dog) I made the mistake of telling him to stop when he was trying to point so i had to re-teach him that he needs to point on his own, not me telling him. My ex was trying to help so i think it confused him more on that command. After awhile he got the idea. I would take him down to an dry river bank with lots of quail (can't hunt there, go figure) so i thought it might be an good idea for him to try out his new skills. He did his first point and he was happy as i was :D

RE: Training a pointer
 

You cannot train a pointing dog without real birds...it is impossible. The only thing that teaches a pointer how to handle and point birds is birds. Don't worry about it for now, wait until you get her on birds, when she gets birdy don't say anything, let her bump them. Soon she will start to point (it is genetic, NOT trained). Once she holds her point and lets you flush the birds kill them. Don't shoot bird she does not point.

It is really that simple. Let nature and instinct do its thing.

RE: Training a pointer
 

I agree alot wiyh what Alaska has said, however I find working a wing around young dogs help you out alot. As long as you do not let the pup catch it. Alot of young dogs here are started on wings and then the birds. It appears to help with pointing and the whoah comands some.

What happens when they take it on their own to catch them? Mine did and they were wild birds. He got the idea and caught four in 2 weeks. This caused another problem for me getting him to hold on point. I am glad that he has now passed that stage but, it did create alot more work getting him out of it.

RE: Training a pointer
 

To keep the dog from gun shyness, I would start early.

While the dog is feeding, make sudden noise (banging a pan lif if you are in the house, buy a toy cap gun (or starter pistol) and pop a cap). If you make the noise while they are pre-occupied, it won't startle them as much. You definitely don't want to start shooting a bunch over the dog with out getting them used to noise.

Working with a wing and fishing pole is a very good method to start the dog on. I did that wiht my GSP and it worked well. Of course you do need to get the dog on birds and work him.

God luck. There is nothing more fulfilling than to see a dag working and on point.

RE: Training a pointer
 

This is how I trained my GSP to not be gun shy.

I bought a very inexpensive blank pistol and tied her up on a lead about 30 feet long. I tok her out for a walk into a crp field. I let her get as far out on the lead as she could and then would fire the cap pistol while walking behind my back the first time and act like nothing happened. She turned back to look and see what happened the first few times but realized I was paying no attention to it and just kept going. The next steps are to bring her closer in each time and do the same thing. Eventually the dog will be right underneath you and should not care about the noise.

Then I moved up to a 20 GA shotgun and fired blanks thru it with the same method, and then the 12 gauge.

As was stated before most pointing breads know how to point. You can only teach them to listen to what you want them to do like Woah, Heel, Come. I did the old fishing pole Pheasant wing thing as well.

Then just started taking my dog hunting and only shooting birds that she pointed. She is still only a little over 2 years old but is progressing very well. She is amazing to watch, especially since I trained her myself. Very gratifying.

RE: Training a pointer
 

Get them on the birds first!, alot of dogs become gun shy because of the stuff mentioned above. You let the dogs build up the excitement and then introduce the noise. Just going around banging pans and things can confuse a dog very quickly and the next thing you know you have a gun shy dog. So becarefull on breaking in the noise.

RE: Training a pointer
 

I have sent you an e-mail as your PM box was full. Good Luck with them, Phil.

RE: Training a pointer
 

Thanks bud, I appreciate it.
Brandon

RE: Training a pointer
 

I have 3 year old GSP. I used a few wings and a dummy with scent to train him to point, but really he did it on his own. As for gun shy. I made him a few loud toys he liked. pennies in a milk jug stuff like that. I have shot a bunch of birds over him. He points and retrieves. I don't think you have to do much but spend time with the dog. Praise good stuff and discourage bad. I never had a pointer before this one, never read anything about training him, just took it the natural route.

RE: Training a pointer
 

Yes, for most of the pointers it does come on natural to point. The training is mostly firming up what they do, as some will try to sneek up on them when what you realy want is for them to stay on point.

I am glad you got the feathers today Brandon, just remember not to let your pup catch them. Not until you are ready for retreiving excersizes any ways. Good Luck with the pup, Phil

RE: Training a pointer
 

Whoa training can be done on a bench so dog is chest high. I do it with all my pups every day when I come home or let them out of the pen, they enjoy it because it gets them up to your level where they like it (its why dogs jump up on you they want to be up there with you)Then when they have that down pat you can use it to reinforce the Point to make them stay on point and not creep or bump. Pigeons are easy to catch and keep. They will home after a month or so in the pen/cage you build. They have cheap orange mesh releases you can buy to release the bird when you want. Tie dog off when he is on point to hold them there then release bird. A video beat a book because you can see hwat they are talking about.