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Thread: Pointer/Retriever Training

  1. #1
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    Default Pointer/Retriever Training

    I am getting a Small Munsterlander pointer in May and have never trained a pointer type dog. I have trained a few golden retrievers/labs that are all great house dogs and decent in the dove field/duck blind (sit to shot, retrieve birds that they see fall).

    I am wanting our new dog to not only be a good dog in the dove field/duck blind but I also want the dog to be able to hunt and find released quail at our family farm. What are the do's/don'ts of training a dog for both? I have heard people say do not teach a pointing dog to "sit" which is something I will definitely be doing for the dove field.. Are there any good books out there for a versatile dog? Any experiences with Small Munsterlanders?

    How soon do I begin to teach the "whoa" command? How soon do I introduce the dog to live birds? How do I teach the dog the "whoa" command and also teach the dog "place" without him sitting or laying down during "whoa"? These may all be dumb/stupid questions for anyone that has ever trained one but I am needing some guidance.

    Thanks for any help or advice.

  2. #2
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    All I know is teach whoa before sit. Letting the trainer handle it for me.

  3. #3
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    Thier are a ton of good books. Start with Julie Knutson’s books. They are for pointing labs but the concepts are the same.

    Also training the versatile hunting dog

    Dogs can learn the difference between sit and woah just like that can learn the difference between sit and down. I have always looked at laying during sitting as an avoidance behavior. I stop it the first time it is done. Sit means sit and nothing else.
    Last edited by banded_mallard; 03-29-2018 at 01:37 PM.

  4. #4
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    This is my favorite book:

    http://navhdastore.org/thetrainingan...untingdog.aspx

    There a are a lot of supposed do's/don't's that are merely suggestions and not hard fast rules. I have always taught my dogs to sit. I've never had it conflict with pointing. However, I had to teach one dog a "stand" command to correct his propensity to drop or set on point when over-pressured. The "whoa" command is not only "stop where you are" but a specific posture. I use "sit" or "lay down" and "stay" on a dove field. Whoa is useful in a dove field when you want your dog to freeze and not flair incoming birds while out on a retrieve.

    I've heard that you should never play tug-o-war with a retrieving dog and it makes good sense but I've never had much issue with a dog refusing to give up retrieved game. In fact, it's often harder to get them to hold game until you take it instead of dropping it at your feet. In AKC Hunt Tests, a dog must "retrieve to hand" and they are quite strict about not letting them drop a bird at your feet in Master Hunter. Outside of Hunt Tests, it is still a good thing to train so a dog doesn't drop a stunned or slightly wounded bird that might getaway. It also helps to keep them from getting sloppier and sloppier about how close they get before they drop a bird.

  5. #5
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  6. #6
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    Look up Delmar Smith

  7. #7
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    The first few months of this French Brittany I have nows life I did nothing but work on developing prey drive, as many live and dead birds I could get in front of him. At 6 months I let the trainer have him for a month and he got him acclimated to the e-collar and whoa with more bird work. Hunted him a reasonable amount and worked him in the yard a few days a week. He's almost a year old now and needs some fine tuning but he hunts hard, honors, retrieves to hand and is good in the house.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Palmetto Bug View Post
    This is my favorite book:

    http://navhdastore.org/thetrainingan...untingdog.aspx

    There a are a lot of supposed do's/don't's that are merely suggestions and not hard fast rules. I have always taught my dogs to sit. I've never had it conflict with pointing. However, I had to teach one dog a "stand" command to correct his propensity to drop or set on point when over-pressured. The "whoa" command is not only "stop where you are" but a specific posture. I use "sit" or "lay down" and "stay" on a dove field. Whoa is useful in a dove field when you want your dog to freeze and not flair incoming birds while out on a retrieve.

    I've heard that you should never play tug-o-war with a retrieving dog and it makes good sense but I've never had much issue with a dog refusing to give up retrieved game. In fact, it's often harder to get them to hold game until you take it instead of dropping it at your feet. In AKC Hunt Tests, a dog must "retrieve to hand" and they are quite strict about not letting them drop a bird at your feet in Master Hunter. Outside of Hunt Tests, it is still a good thing to train so a dog doesn't drop a stunned or slightly wounded bird that might getaway. It also helps to keep them from getting sloppier and sloppier about how close they get before they drop a bird.
    This. I used the navhda book, also join the local chapter of navhda, I believe there are 2 in South Carolina. I taught my wirehair sit and he has never had a problem. He would occasionally sit on woah but 10 minutes of training fixed that. He waterfowl, Upland, and tracks wounded game

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
    “… duckhunting stands alone as an outdoor discipline. It has a tang and spirit shared by no other sport—a philosophy compounded of sleet, the winnow of unseen wings, and the reeks of marsh mud and wet wool. No other sport has so many theories, legends, casehardened disciples and treasured memories.”
    --John Madson, The Mallard, 1960

    "Never trust a duck hunter who cares more about his success than his dog's."

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by reeltight View Post
    Look up Delmar Smith
    You can't go wrong with his method, IMO.
    At least I'm housebroken.

  10. #10
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    It's interesting how many professional trainers and breeders of the pointing kind do not ever teach the 'sit' command...especially with setter folks, I've noticed.
    At least I'm housebroken.

  11. #11
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    Interesting. The first dog truck I bought I picked up in Colorado from Julie and Paul Knutson. I never new their role with bird dogs
    Bay Creek Kennels- Hartsville, SC
    Owner/Trainer- Rhett Riddle
    Retriever & Obedience Training
    Cell-803-608-2252

    Home of:
    HRCH Ace's Costa Del Mar MH. "Costa" 500 Point Club
    GRHRCH Costa's Signature Blend MH "Crown" 500 Point Club
    3x GRHRCH Crown of Ace's in Costa's Shadow MH QAA “Craig”

  12. #12
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    x2 on the NAVHDA book. There is a guy in NC that does a lot of versatile dog training, I can try to get his name. did a great job with a friends wirehair. Rhett may be able to help with the training as well, but after boarding my shorthair for a long week a couple of years ago, he may be done with the versatile breeds Those Munsterlanders are cool dogs. buddies dad has one and the damn thing can run @ 30+mph, along side the rhino and never seems to get winded.

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