GSP, lovely bitch and b'stard rolled into one

[ziplex]

Hello guys, not been posting much as I lost both my Springers within 6 weeks of each other some months back and, as such, lost a bit of interest to be honest. However times move along and although their images burn ever so bright I have to accept i'll not be seeing them again. I have to say it's been an absolute pleasure and privelage to have been their owner and...Lotty, Jazz I miss you terribly girls and as the title above i've come to realise that you are quite possibly irreplacable. Anyway i'll stop heaping praise as i'll go on forever and a day. In a rush of blood I thought a new dog may help me come to terms with their loss, (not so I now know), so impetuous **** here went out and bought a GSP. She is 9 months old now and walks to heel quite well, (especially on a trailing lead), she will retrieve a dummy and return it to hand, will sit/wait to whistle (to a degree), she likes water and generally for such an high energy breed she is doing quite well. She is very keen to hold dead pigeon and teal/wigeon that were brought home recently too, again returning gently to hand when asked. My problem is when told to 'get on' or releasing her from her slip lead/chain she is over the horizon only coming back to whistle once she is ready! It's as if she has a chronic lack of concentration or has butterflies wafting around in her skull or she is just pig ignorant.....any ideas on how to make her respond instantly appreciated. I have tried unsuccessfully to 'pop'/stamp on her trailing lead very smartish whilst going away and not responding to my call/whistle. I know they are classed as 'big runners' but I didn't take this advice when buying into the breed thinking I knew best, so please no finger wagging I realise now how different/difficult two breeds can be. It's like this for me..........talk/ask/demand a Springer to do something and they're on it in a flash, do the same to a Pointer and they give you a slightly vacant stare, as if they're saying 'run that by me one more time, perhaps i'll get it then'. She is a very affectionate dog, quite intense at times and is proving to be very much a 'family dog' whereas the Springers were mine without question. So, lovely dog but with a very annoying habit of going away too far. You're views or ideas please.

[Cranfield]

Have you tried her on a long lead ?

 

I have always used a 30-50ft long lead when training, it certainly lays down the boundary you want her to work at.

 

Every GSP I have ever known was slow to mature, much slower than springers and they learn at a slower rate.

She will turn out OK.

[Browning]

At 9 months she's still a baby Ziplex. I just keep it to the every basics of walking to heel, returning when called, sitting and staying until my GSP's

are at least 10 months old.

 

I wouldn't attempt a "Get On" just yet. Just keep her close to you until she is 100% at coming back from close

range before attempting any distance work.

 

Let her enjoy her youth for a couple more months and get the basics solid.

 

GSP's are pleasure to own and work, she'll come good as long as you don't push her too soon.

[ziplex]

Cranfield, her 'trailing lead' is about 12-15ft so it makes sense to try a longer length for sure, she is a canny dog in some respects and she knows when she is out of range of the lead, it's like she's got a sixth sense! and consequently when she can get away without responding to being recalled, clever when she wants to be if you like...if a dog could stick up the 'V' sign i'm sure I would of seen it many times by now. I will try this.

 

Browning, I must admit to have a being a little downhearted from her lack of response, but most people who know the breed well seem to echo your point, 'very slow to grow', 'puppies for 3 years' etc. As I said in my original post I rushed in and have found out how difficult/different two breeds can be, bit of a shock really but she is a fabulous dog other than for this problem. I'll stick with it and it is encouraging hearing from ones in the know.

 

Thankyou gents..........

[al4x]

Ziplex I know exactly the look you are meaning and my GWP does it to me at the moment and she is only 5 months. They are a very interesting dog and unlike most as they don't take being talked to harshly it all has to be by praise. If you coped with a springer I'd say your current one will be far calmer and though this is their worst trait once you're over it then I'm sure you'll have the dog you really want.

I get loads of coments at the moment about how hard they are to train and how it'll always be in the next county but so far this pup is the calmest best natured dog I've had and hopefully will work well, so don't let comments etc get you down just keep at it.

[ziplex]

Ziplex I know exactly the look you are meaning and my GWP does it to me at the moment and she is only 5 months. They are a very interesting dog and unlike most as they don't take being talked to harshly it all has to be by praise. If you coped with a springer I'd say your current one will be far calmer and though this is their worst trait once you're over it then I'm sure you'll have the dog you really want.

I get loads of coments at the moment about how hard they are to train and how it'll always be in the next county but so far this pup is the calmest best natured dog I've had and hopefully will work well, so don't let comments etc get you down just keep at it.

 

 

I have had the mournful, baleful look many times now and realise she can't be told off too much or a huge sulk follows. When she is checked back on her lead I sometimes get the sidewards look of disgust, definately a dog to praise and not scald.