Gsd

[Hendrix's rifle]

Hello, my youngest gsd is driven hard by moving objects. Rabbit, fox and so on. She is trained and will walk to heel, recall is great and does as she's told. Recently I've seen a change in her, it's as if she wants to work. I'm tempted to start her retrieving shot rabbit however I'm concerned due to her age wether I would be able to train her to do so? She will happily chase rabbit and bring it to me if she catches one. What do you guys reckon? She's not the typical retrieve dog I know but she needs to channel her energy on something. Also be nice as a shooting companion. I've always wanted to due to her nose as she can sniff anything out. What you think?

[Danger-Mouse]

Give it a go. What have you got to lose?

[UKPoacher]

I used a GSD for civilian 'police type' working trials - tracking, searching, man work, etc and also used her for walking up shooting and beating. If the dog will retrieve a ball it will retrieve a rabbit. But first you have to break the chase instinct - i.e will the dog stop or recall when it trips over a rabbit that bolts?

 

Then start off with a young rabbit as a seen / thrown retrieve and work up from there.

[Hendrix's rifle]

Thanks for that, helps a bit! I've used my older boy for a bit of tracking and finding work and helped the police on a couple of occasions hold someone back when they have been aggressive. I actually got told to let the dog find him and hold him until they got there she will happily retrieve using sight and smell, she will also stop chasing when whistled. Il post in the next few weeks and see where we're at

[Gordon R]

A few years ago - prior to our Akitas, we had four GSDs - three at the same time.

 

When walking the dogs in an enclosed field - with no-one within eyesight - two of them chased a fair number of rabbits. They only ever caught one, but had a fair bit of exercise trying. The rabbits invariable turned in a tighter circle and the GSDs rolled over. They stopped on command and recalled very easily. It took a fair number of years to get to that standard, but if the OP wants to try, I would recommend that he do so.

 

Good luck.

[UKPoacher]

Thanks for that, helps a bit! I've used my older boy for a bit of tracking and finding work and helped the police on a couple of occasions hold someone back when they have been aggressive. I actually got told to let the dog find him and hold him until they got there she will happily retrieve using sight and smell, she will also stop chasing when whistled. Il post in the next few weeks and see where we're at

 

The other good thing about using a GSD as a beating dog is that you get loads of room in the beater's van

[vampire]

Will work all day and love ever minute,sounds like you nearly there already with the basics covered well,dont think you will have any problems go for it and good luck.

Let us know how it goes.

[Gordon R]

+1

[Hendrix's rifle]

First night in training

Mrs took my boy to a different walk while I was seeing what she was capable of. Within 15 mins she had the jist of what she was doing. Started by making her sit, she obliged. I threw the dummy a couple of times to get her in to the idea of it, she fetched them back to hand. I then got her to sit again, held her harness and threw it some 50 odd yards in the pitch black. Waited for a thud, gave it 20 seconds and sent her off. A couple of zig zags later and there she was running back with it but dropped it about 2 paces from me. After doing that and chucking it in some thick bushes I decided to give her a break and let her have a quick run. Back to it and she nailed it every time except the dropping it in my hand part. I did video a part of it however it's too dark to see we will get there in the end

[vampire]

She will place it in your hand,dont carry on till she does it,she will figure it out.

[UKPoacher]

Try training the retrieve and hold back to front. Gently place a rabbit in the dog's mouth when the dog is sitting in front of you. Hold the dog's chin, more of a support than hold, and give soothing reassurance. Just a few seconds then take away your hand from the chin, smoothly take the rabbit with the other hand and give the leave / dead command ad take the rabbit. Praise the dog verbally or a small treat reward. Two or three times twice a day then extend the hold and lessen the support.

 

After a few days the dog should hold the rabbit in front of you obviously waiting for the release / dead command. Then back off a couple of steps, call the dog, give the sit command and then the leave / dead command. Try to lessen the reward as you go along but go back to it if the dog doesn't progress.

 

Then sit him at the side of you, throw the rabbit and send him for it.

 

Best of luck

[Savhmr]

It might be a good idea to consider using a silent whistle, and trying to train her on that too. Use two training dummies, thrown no further than you'd normally shoot, say 30 to 40 yds max, to get the dog used to not straying to far ahead. Get her to sit by your side, throw one dummy to the right, the other to the left, about 20 yds apart and get her to sit. Then use two short pips on the whistle with a hand gesture to get her to pick up the one on the left, or the right depending on where you point. In the field, this is better than shouting at the dog if you can get her used to the whistle. If you want her to come back, three short pips. If you want her to stop where she is, one pip, or whatever system you prefer to use. I use this method with my dog.

[Hendrix's rifle]

Just an update. The training took a back foot whilst sorting some things out. She has grasped the retrieval, albeit doesn't always give it back to me as is place it in my hand. A few times she's dropped it at my feet do I've given it her back and got her to hold it til i take it. She is getting very good on blind retrieves, the furthest I've taken her is around 60 yards. Is had her take rabbit's I've shot with the hmr and she doesn't seem bothered by the noise at all. Should get my ticket back in a few weeks so will be trying her out with the shotgun. Also found a harness/bag that can fit approx 3 rabbit's in per side (2 sided) saves me carrying everything she will come back when called mid retrieve. The only thing I havnt mastered yet is stopping and staying at a distance. My other gsd will do this to around 80 yards if not a bit more, stop and stay then run 10 yards closer before stopping again. She is getting a lot better now and after training for a couple of hours she Is actually tired! One happy owner, 2 very happy dogs 🖒

[Twistedsanity]

I thought the idea of certain breeds being used as gundogs is that they are "soft mouthed" so won't damage what they retrieve? I'm.sure any dog can be trained to retrieve but a Gsd isn't known as a soft mouth breed?

[washerboy]

I have a 7/8 collie 1/8 greyhound that will retrieve pheasants alive , not exactly a conventional gun dog 😀

[Twistedsanity]

Lol! How did that happen? The mum was mated with several collies then had a greyhound for dessert?

[Gordon R]

I would genuinely like to know whether there is any scientific proof that some breeds are "soft mouthed".

[Twistedsanity]

I would genuinely like to know whether there is any scientific proof that some breeds are "soft mouthed".

Probably not, the world is filled with things we take as facts with no proof, my last Gsd could walk round holding a raw egg without breaking it

[vampire]

My Gsd loves to hold the labs in his mouth,just a gsd greeting gesture,he is also the one who takes treats off you more gently than the labs,wandered round the garden with a baby blackbird sitting in his mouth and left instantly on command, but at same time destroys indestructable toys within minutes.

[Hendrix's rifle]

My Gsd loves to hold the labs in his mouth,just a gsd greeting gesture,he is also the one who takes treats off you more gently than the labs,wandered round the garden with a baby blackbird sitting in his mouth and left instantly on command, but at same time destroys indestructable toys within minutes.

That's the one!!!! Sounds the same as mine.

[Hendrix's rifle]

I thought the idea of certain breeds being used as gundogs is that they are "soft mouthed" so won't damage what they retrieve? I'm.sure any dog can be trained to retrieve but a Gsd isn't known as a soft mouth breed?

Any breed can have a soft mouth just how you train them. They can take something soft as anything yet someone comes in the house uninvited they ain't 'soft mouthed' all depends on what there doing at the time. It's like tennis balls, they can hold them to the point there only just holding them or they tear them to pieces

[vampire]

Or otherwise known as LHGC (long haired german crocodile)

[washerboy]

Lol! How did that happen? The mum was mated with several collies then had a greyhound for dessert?

Lol! How did that happen? The mum was mated with several collies then had a greyhound for dessert?

Collie x greyhound x collie x collie

[scotslad]

I would genuinely like to know whether there is any scientific proof that some breeds are "soft mouthed".

 

Probably not scientific proof, but the law of averages will tell u some breeds tend to give a higher % of dogs with certain characteristics.

 

Gundogs have been selectively breed for hundreds of years with the 1's with softer mouths being bred from, whereas other breeds thats not a trait that figures in the mating.

 

 

Yes u can train a dog to do many things but some things are also genetic too which makes ur odds of success/ease of training in ur favour.if the genes are in ur favour if not can be like pushing water uphill

With some dogs no ammount of training will ever give it a soft mouth but its litter mate might have 1.

Breeding dogs and picking pups is really a lottery they're is no guarantee's

[Gordon R]

scotslad - thanks.