couple of things and a update on progress

[chris o]

hi all. after asking endless amounts of quetions about things on here got a few dvds on trainning and seeked advice off pro trainners and breeders for my springer at 5 months old now he is a craking little dog.

i have eased off on somethings which i was going to quick with. so thought would do a update on mine and mitches progress.

 

were do i start. he now sits and stays very well with the odd mistake wich i expect. he is following my hand and voice signals along with whistle commands. he is retrieving to me almost perfectly he just drops his dummy or ball at my feet but i am going to work on his holding the retrieve at a later date. his quatering has improved dramaticly all play based obviosly but when i take him out you can see he is quarteing with out any direction to do so.

he is also very steady aswell.

 

right now for a few minor questions.

1st am i doing well to have him doing these things at 5 month old or am i pushing him to hard?

 

2nd what age should i introduce gun fire to him? i attend a clay shoot and when the time comes will take him there and walk him closer to the fire.

 

3rd when can i give him cold game to retrieve? i want be getting him on warm game till the upcoming season doing picking up or beating on a local shoot.

 

any help you guys can give will be greatfully taken and put to great use.

oh and also i intend to use him as a stud when he is older but he doesnt have papers and not k.c regd how can i go about that? and could i get him k.c regd or is it to late?

[chris o]

30 people looked at this topic and no comments. whats the heckers is going on?

[jimmyb79]

It all sounds pretty good, and I reckon you're at the right stage for the age. Don't push it at all until at least 6 months old when you can start the 'formal' training (providing he's ready for it, which it sounds like he will be.)

Try and crack that retrieving problem of dropping it asap. It can be done by playing the game of retrieve and then running from the dog when he comes to you. Hopefully he won't drop the ball/dummy, but instead chase you with it in his mouth. Let him make his own game of holding onto the dummy and encourage him holding anything wherever possible - I know its not difficult when its your mobile/slippers/dinner - but praise all the time he's got something in his mouth.

 

Gun fire - don't introduce it too early. I'd avoid the clay shoots too. My lab went totally off the rails at a clay shoot and he went gun-shy overnight. To introduce gun-fire, I'd start with a starter pistol, a willing volunteer and a quiet bit of land. Start with the pistol 200 yds + away and bring it nearer without over doing it. Each time the gun is fired, a reward should follow ie a dummy throw etc. My cocker is 8 months old and I'm not even considering introducing gun fire until about 10-12 months.

 

Cold game - I've just got mine picking up cold game. The delay in this, was that my cocker couldn't get her mouth around a pheasant and I didn't have any rabbit. But I shot a woodcock on Saturday and I used that. Make it a subtle transition from dummy to game but keep it as a game all the way through and don't make a big deal about it. I wouldn't worry about introducing game until about 8 months and even then, it will only take a couple of sessions to crack it anyway. There is a danger in some dogs that as soon as they've had game in their mouth, they go off dummies for good, but I've not known it yet!

 

I think for KC Registering, he needs to have been registered as part of a litter, but if you can obtain papers from Sire and Dam and also something from the breeder, you may be onto something, but I think you'd need to check direct with the KC.

 

Sorry to waffle on, but I hope its helped somewhere!

[chris o]

no i appreciate that mate you have not waffled on. as for dropping the dummy what i have been doing today is giving it to him in his mouth and let him have a little run with it in his mouth and he didnt do it as much.

thanks for the advice.

[Mec 9000]

You seem to be doing well but remember at five months it is still very much a puppy so everything should be as playful as possible at this stage and designed towards the outcome of producing a shooting dog at the end of it.

1. Do not push too hard, it depends on the dog really and how much it wants to learn and is able to learn. You can expect the pup to make mistakes and pushing him may create more and maybe too many mistakes. Whatever the mistakes are do not accept them they must be corrected at the time. I believe that if I plan things where the dog cannot make a mistake then correction is not needed.

2. Gunfire. Do not take the pup to a clay shoot. Get it used to the sight of the gun and simulate mounting and swinging it, without the bang. use a long stick for this initially. when it is used to this introduce shot noise gradually and not before at least a year old.

3. Warm Game. Two experiences in the training of a shooting dog and the ones that are the cause of most problems are the introduction of dog to gunfire and the introduction of dog to warm game. Dummy scent and cold game scent are tame compared to the scent of newly shot game in the dogs nostrels. It is what it is bred for it is what it hunts for and it's first experience can be quite overwhelming to the point that it can become unsteady, refuse to give it up and before you know it it is out of control. Try to be in control of everything you do when it's time to do it. Cold game and dummies are easy, warm game less so. Think always, slow progression.

Gerry

[rickyspringer]

SLOW DOWN< sit,stay and play retrieves is all thats needed, no need for gunshot,cold game for a good while. skrimp on the basics and it will show. keep your enthusiasm but slow down

[WGD]

SLOW DOWN< sit,stay and play retrieves is all thats needed, no need for gunshot,cold game for a good while. skrimp on the basics and it will show. keep your enthusiasm but slow down

 

Can't emphasise that enough... the wheels WILL come off, get the months of boring basics in and the rest is easy. I am still papering over the cracks of some missing training at your stage!

[chris o]

if you read what i have said it is all play based that i do with him it says that in the topic.

as for gun shot and cold game was asking what age i should start at not that i am going to be i just want to know what age. all i have done is as said get him to sit retrieve his dummy, tennis ball, plastic bottles that he picks up come to his name and whistle and quartering ALL PLAY BASED. and stay with his food and before i send him to get a thrown retrieve thats it. so for those of you who think i intend to introduce him to gun shot and game now then you are wrong only want to KNOW what age to do this at?

[jimmyb79]

I think a lot of people do too much with their dogs too quickly and things go wrong as a result. You've clearly got the right idea, and its always good to bounce ideas around regarding training methods. Sounds to me like you're doing it all right mate.

[Mec 9000]

Hi Chris

As I said, all dogs differ as to the time to move them on and I would not start them on any advanced training until 10 mths to a year old by which time you should be confident that the basic stuff is well instilled. If the dog is keen to fetch and return then before moving to cold game try rabbit skin on a dummy and some feathers taped to another dummy, if all goes well then try a feathered dummy and add a wing so that it flaps about as the dog carries it.

Keep them light in the early stages and gradually increase the weight as the dog gets stronger. Picking a pigeon then asking it to pick a 9lb Hare is quite different in young inexperienced dogs.

Picking a cock Pheasant that is not dead can also be traumatic for a young dog if it gets spurred so as I say it's all about knowing your dog and thinking out the next step and the best way to achieve the outcome.

I am sure we would all like to hear how you get on with your training.

Gerry

[chris o]

thanks jimmy and mec really appreciate the help and advice. obviosely though some people dont read things properly and jump the gun.and start telling me to slow down and play when it says in the first part of the ******* topic i ******* do play and have slowed down read topics properly before posting thanks everyone else you help so much.

Edited January 28, 2010 by Axe
SWEARING

[WGD]

Good luck with your training, I won't bother to offer any advice on any of your threads again - clearly you know best

 

p.s. you asked the "minor" question "am i pushing too hard" - if you don't want the answer to be "Yes", don't ask the question.

[charliespaniel]

i wish shadow was as well trained at 5 years old as your pup ait all seems to be going well as for gun fire i have just took my dogs to a clay shoot and brought them to the noise from a distance then took them for anock about day it seems to be in the breeding as for useing the dog for stud on most shoots you would be hard pressed to find anyone to line there bitch unless it is kc redg if you advertised you may get a few takers who just want to breed there pet