Different dog when he's out

[Cosd]

My pup is now 5 months and we are still on basics, sit, stay, come, heal, down, and we are learning those using voice, hand and whistle.

Though generally he is very good in the house, he is a different beast when we are out, in the garden as well but especially in a field as he discovers the power of his nose.

 

Yesterday I was so frustrated when I was trying to get his attention from just 2 metres away and he just ignored me. Admittedly that was a bad day and other days he's very attentive, but how do I tackle the concentration issue when we are out?

 

I want to start the commands at distance, again in the house we are getting there but when we are out we have the problem.

 

I am contemplating using a long training leash but I want to make sure I do it right.

 

 

Cos

[al4x]

Its a pointer it knows best or thinks it does, most dogs you would scruff and have a chat to and try again. Pointers well do that and they often won't pay any attention after, keep going in confined spaces and working on it there possibly with rewards and when spot on try again when out. You have to be on them the moment they don't obey and keep consistent so it eventually bores them. They can be very thick headed yet sensitive at the same time so its a very fine line to judge which approach works.

 

One thing I will say is don't discount a training collar if he starts clearing off on game its a massive safety net with roads even if you don't use it. Once mine worked out her nose she was a complete scumbag on walks for a few months and thats a bitch who never wants to be away from me not a dog.

[Cosd]

Its a pointer it knows best or thinks it does, most dogs you would scruff and have a chat to and try again. Pointers well do that and they often won't pay any attention after, keep going in confined spaces and working on it there possibly with rewards and when spot on try again when out. You have to be on them the moment they don't obey and keep consistent so it eventually bores them. They can be very thick headed yet sensitive at the same time so its a very fine line to judge which approach works.

 

One thing I will say is don't discount a training collar if he starts clearing off on game its a massive safety net with roads even if you don't use it. Once mine worked out her nose she was a complete scumbag on walks for a few months and thats a bitch who never wants to be away from me not a dog.

One thing I don't have an issue with is recall. One long pip on the whistle and he stops in his tracks even if he's at full pelt, three short pips and he comes running back. It's the concentrating that's a problem right now that's the issue.

[scotslad]

That's the joy of pointers/hpr's, when they get that nose down very very hard to get there attention

 

Sounds to me u need to do some focus/concentration/attention (not sure the correct word for wot i'm meaning?) type drills, possibly even the odd treat so dog is always looking at u and ur hands and is rewarded when it does, praise occasional treat.

I would try and find a club or trainer who will take u on and give u some advice either 1 to 1 or classes.

U also could use a check cord to enforce any misbehaviour, but it sounds more like a focus type thing

 

Like pretty much every gundog book will tell u whenever u move places go back a step or 2, try and keep smells to a min for training, even if it means training on tarmac (1 top trainer does most of his basicobedience and retrieving on a tarmac car park) and build it up slowly

 

As for game most of the hpr boys i've spoke to say it's a good thing to let a young pup in about game early and if it chases won't do any harm as dog is too young, yours is probably to old for that now and it could cuase problems (been there done that under advice off a top trainer worst advice i've ever took) I'd do same as any other dog when u start working it on gamey ground walk/work ur other dogs throu the ground first so hopefully no game should be there.

 

I would very very strongly say don't go done the e collar route, it is a last resort and really n admission of failure, with such a young dog no need to even think about that yet.

If ur dog does chase best just to ignore it, if it won't either recall or stop no point whistling

 

End of day it is a very young dog and even more so being a pointer which tend to be slower to mature anyway, really just like trying to teach a 2-3yr old kid u will always have good and bad days.

Like most other gundog problems very hard to give an answer over the net u really need to see it in the flesh to know if dog either doesn't understand the command, isn't interested or is actually meaning to disobey u

[al4x]

the only reason for mentioning it scottslad was round here there are too many roads to simply let them chase I had a lucky shave with mine on a rabbit where she stopped on the white line of a B road and very lucky it was early that was when taking care to let her off in the least likely places to find them. I didn't use it as part of training but it was a safety device as we do only have the option of exercise in game rich areas and you can hardly go half a mile without being bear a road. . The rest I completely agree with its just that transition between on lead to being sure the dog won't chase rabbits or hares. Seems a long time ago now but she will still eye them up after 4 seasons beating on estates with hares and deer everywhere just won't take more than a step or two even in her current condition she would still like to have a go. Hopefully its not something cosd will need to think about but if it looks likely to be a dog prone to doing one its too busy down south to get away with it for long.

[scotslad]

Re reading my post i should have said/emphisied chasing feathered game won't do any harm (according to some, and a few of them are based down south), chasing rabbits/hares is never a good thing for any dog and esp if it manages to catch a young/ill/injured 1 and hpr can almost catch normal ones if there lucky.

 

Also i'm not a fan off the dog chasing game thing, but most of the hpr traily boys wil do it to some degree to get their dogs 'going' a bit (same as some spaniel boys do) althou if ur using it as a beating line dog u don't want it ranging anyway the way the proper hpr dogs are meant to run

 

If u are leting ur dog free run it should always be in an area u know is safe small field etc with half decent fences, yes most dogs would find a hole with time but usually it's enough to break off the chase and let u regain control.

 

While i appercate it is more populated down ur way we do have the odd road up here too, althou u can usually hear the horse and carriage coming , for a young dog or any dog that u don't have full control over u want to be in a relatively small secureish area anyway so u can chase it down if need be.

Bottom line u shouldn't really be allowing ur dog to get in a situation where the collar is needed in the first place, althou that is easier said than done in practice and it does happen.

Edited June 14, 2013 by scotslad

[955i]

Have you tried beating the **** out of it?

 

Seems to work for most members!

[WGD]

Have you tried beating the **** out of it?

 

Seems to work for most members!

[al4x]

I think from that the sled dog must have failed to find any mice today so rather than kick the dog an outburst on here did instead

[955i]

I think from that the sled dog must have failed to find any mice today so rather than kick the dog an outburst on here did instead

Nope,she is working fine.

 

Just took an opportunity to have a dig at the people that think cruelty is warranted

[lee-kinsman]

I think from that the sled dog must have failed to find any mice today so rather than kick the dog an outburst on here did instead

I think your out of order al4x.

D551's dog is highly trained. It's not that his dog didn't find any mice, it's that the mice it did find were your regular run of the mill field mice and because it understands how to identify different species (without D55i having to confirm the species) it thought it would not mention it's finding to it's master and thus save itself a long evening writing reports. As a result of no reports written and submitted to him by his dog D55i is able to have an hour on the forum and catch up with whats going on.

[955i]

I think your out of order al4x.

D551's dog is highly trained. It's not that his dog didn't find any mice, it's that the mice it did find were your regular run of the mill field mice and because it understands how to identify different species (without D55i having to confirm the species) it thought it would not mention it's finding to it's master and thus save itself a long evening writing reports. As a result of no reports written and submitted to him by his dog D55i is able to have an hour on the forum and catch up with whats going on.

955i if you don't mind

 

And you sir are a ****

[lee-kinsman]

955i if you don't mind

 

And you sir are a ****

Apologies 955i, I genuinely didn't intend to spell you name wrong. Didn't mean to really upset you either just thought I'd have the banter since you were accusing the majority of members of animal cruelty.

 

I don't think it's right that you mock the majority of members just because you are able to have a perfect connection with your dog by communicating with each other through your eyes.

[955i]

Apologies 955i, I genuinely didn't intend to spell you name wrong. Didn't mean to really upset you either just thought I'd have the banter since you were accusing the majority of members of animal cruelty.

 

I don't think it's right that you mock the majority of members just because you are able to have a perfect connection with your dog by communicating with each other through your eyes.

Apology accepted.

 

What people on here don't realise is that in my profession, my dog needs to be still and quiet unless she is asked to do something. This is achieved through eye and hand movements.

 

Don't know why people can't get this.

 

Maybe they are just dumb!

Edited June 15, 2013 by 955i

[al4x]

Nope,she is working fine.

 

Just took an opportunity to have a dig at the people that think cruelty is warranted

I'm not sure where cruelty was mentioned but hey ho, keep it up with the mouser and the rest will keep working game.