Shorthairdad911

I just recently saw a german shorthaired pointer in a bad place in life. He was in a 10x10 kennel and never let out so I went and took him. He's a beautiful dog but very timmid. I love dove hunting and have for a while but never had a dog to hunt with me. Looking for advice on how to work thru the dog's timidness and how to start training him on hunting. Is it too late for him to hunt? Either way he is in a better place with a loving family. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Oldtimr

Using a dog to retrieve when dove hunting is a far cry from using the dog for upland hunting birds as pointing reeds are used for. I suggest you buy a book or dvd on training pointing reeds or get advice from a dog trainer. A dog that lived in a kennel for 4 years is going to be a challenge because everything it is exposed to is going to be strange and probably frightening to him. The only advice I will give you is go slow, take him for walks in fields and woods and let him be a dog, start with obedience training and let the dog bond with you first. You are going to have to have patience with him. What ever you do, do not rush shooting around him he needs a lot of training before that and do not listen to anyone who tells you to take him to a shooting range or a trap range to get him use to hearing gun fire and don't take him out to the dove fields in September with you, that is a recipe for disaster. That is one of the best ways to make a dog gun shy for good. If you take your time you could wind up with a good friend and hunting partner. One question, you said the dog was in a kennel and you went in and "took him". With permission I hope.

Rainierrifleco

rogerstv

One of the best retrievers I hunted with was a lab that was owned by two different non-hunters and spent years tied to a tree. My friend got her and turned her into a great hunting dog.

First, they must have the instinct to hunt. Some don't. With time you can produce a great hunting dog. Keep in mind this is a pointer designed for upland hunting not necessarily sitting by your side in a dove field.

Father Forkhorn

First of all, good to you for rescuing the dog.

Oldtimr's advice is sage as always. I'd add that you might be able to call a dog trainer and see what they say.

Jack Ryan

You "took him"?
Many of those dogs that are even hunted a LOT, are kept in kennels when they are NOT HUNTING. I hope you mean "they gave him to you" so you took him.

Oldtimr

Now that I re-read the op it does sound like the dog was stolen, not rescued according to this sentence. ( He was in a 10x10 kennel and never let out so I went and took him.)

LegendHunter

It's definitely not too late to start training with him. I would either start with a dummy with a wing attached, or a tennis ball that's been in a bag full of feathers to pick up the scent, and start trying to get him/he excited about playing with these items/toys. From there, start bringing him/her around pigeons/quail that are confined to a cage. Just keep praising the dog and encouraging him/her to investigate the birds at his/her own pace. Once you see that they're comfortable you can let them fly around the dog. Hopefully, the prey drive starts to activate and they become more and more excited about the idea of birds.

18 car

Bond with him- teach obedience- get him in the field. You may be surprised how well he responds. Good luck and kudos to you for rescuing a neglected GSP.

Oldtimr

From his post he didn't rescue the dog, he stole it!