Dog sits when pointing

RoosterTim

RoosterTim

New member
OK so I just got a new GSP pup about a week ago. I've been doing the basic yard work with her like teaching sit and stay and playing ball and she's been great so far. I'm far more pleased with her progress than I probably should.

So anyway, I took out an old pheasant tail and put it on a stick for her to point and she does the strangest thing, she points it and then she sits down. She is still on point not moving a muscle and still looking right at the tail but just sits down.

Is this something I should worry about?
 
I know you don't find it so, but that's funny.
Exactly how long are you taking to get to her?
:)


as a side note, that is an indicator for some drug dogs.

It'll pass, but please, get a picture.

:)
 
how old is the dog?

quit teaching/using sit.

put the pheasant tail away. neat parlor trick, but sight pointing isn't going to get you any results.

i wouldn't worry about it. as long as you're not putting any pressure on the dog, he's probably just bored with looking at the feathers. if you're pressuring the dog to stay staunch (and i hope you're not), he is likely reacting to the pressure by doing something that has gotten him praise in the past - like sitting.
 
This is common to the early learning curve. The dog knows either by years of gene knowledge he wants to point, you have encouraged him to point. He is excited, gets into to the crouch position to avoid flushing the bird. He undoubtedly hears you behind him, and can't see you, which is partially the problem. First, go alone, no people who cause need attention to the dog. Use a reliable bird, get a point/sit down/lie down, use calming reassurance and contact with the dog, go to where he can see you and the bird, right infront of the bird is best. The dog will be sure you are going to flush the bird, go to the dog, will stiffed up, and possibly regain his point, do not flush the bird, get to the dog, encouraging point, good boy, et.al. Get your hands on the dog, go all over him with you hands, stiffen him up, even by pushing him towards the pressure of the bird, get his tail right and pose him as you want him. practice, eventually, he will learn that with confidence in the pointing routine, he can stay up right. Ocassionally, I have seen excellent dogs, underestimate distance and get down to show they are right on top of a bird. With pups get the hands on him, reassure him, problem solved. If it gets dicey to get to the dog, because he runs in and flushes the bird, use restraint by a check cord, behind him ground stake, looped around you to enforce whoa. If the dog elludes you, and gets to the bird, flushing or getting a hold of it, it's not the end of the world, use as a teaching session, and get a good retrieve, praise him up, the go back to the sight of the point, setting him up as a point, make stay that way, praising him. Go on to other training. Make it a good session with young dogs. I have seen this a million times, sometimes I like a hesitant dog to one that bat out of hell, flushes, and goes on runabout. The hesitant dog has brains, encouragement is all he needs, the other idiot, may need to have to be ground down, it's ehausting and a task I don't like. Tell us the results, I am sure this will cure it.
 
I think what you are seeing when the pup is sitting is uncertainty. She is just not sure what to do, so she is doing something that she knows.

The wing and a string is ok a few times, but not really something that is helpfull.
I assume she is only about 10 weeks old or so. I would just try to get her out around people and for some runs, and let her mature a little. The point is going to be in there, get the socialization, and boldness in place now.
 
Don't put too much stock in the wing on a string game, one of my best dogs would not point the wing if she could see it but if you hid it from her and she caught sent she would.

I do agree with GSP. Hold off on teaching SIT until after the pup is pointing staunchly if you teach it at all. At this point the most important thing is to keep it fun for the puppy. No stress, no pressure. Forming Positive associations with birds and hunting is Job #1 at this point.
 
Had this issue with my Viszla pup, she's my first bird dog and I had never seen any of my dads dogs do it. I agree with get the dog to point how ever it will, then position the dog. Seemed to help out, I already got scolded by the trainer my dad uses for the wing on a string thing, so I started hiding it. The first time she found the hidden wing was a fine looking point with the tail just a lil low.
 
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if it were me I'd try physically lifting her butt up so she is standing again, the same as if my dog were to sit while training woah.

lift her butt up, get her to the right form, then stroke and praise her. but I do agree, don't go too crazy with the wing on a string

Chuck
 
I think pup is weak as all pups are and she will grow out of this and self-correct. I would do nothing about it.
 
If you just got the pup a week ago then i am going to assume that it is 12 weeks or younger??
Throw away the wing on a stick, take the pup out, let it run around, let it be a pup, let it romp,chase, terrorize etc.....Start teching basic commands in a bit, leave sit out until whoa is trained, bring in birds a bit later...
Don't worry about it sitting on a wing now....


have fun :)
 
You probably use treats to train commands? (Nothing wrong with that by the way)

Puppy thought process:
Feather = Treat.
I have been rewarded for sitting with treats.
I want the treat (feather)
I should sit.

With our first Weimaraner, Jesse, (adult rescue) we went to a fun bird day with our club. We weren't into hunting then, but had trained many commands with treats, including "sit". Jesse had a really strong prey drive, and she really wanted the bird that the instructor was using to "build interest". The instructor held the bird in his hand to get her attention and to "build interest" ... she had plenty of interest. LOL. She wanted that bird! She did a "sit" something that she had been rewarded for in the past ... her front feet were moving, she was drooling, etc. but she wanted that bird! No doubt she saw it as a treat or reward. She was a smart girl and did what she thought would allow her to get that bird!

Training to not sit is easy, just treat when standing. If your pup is standing, just walk up and give her a treat. Give her another treat immediately after, then another couple. Throughout the next week, CATCH her standing and reward her for that. Later, if she sits for a treat, put the treat down, lift up her rear end then give her a treat. Reward the behavior you want, ignore the behavior that you don't want.

All of that being said, I wouldn't be stressed about this at all. Sounds like she is a smart girl and is just doing what she has been rewarded for in the past. Being so young, your pup has a limited range of experiences, with time, she will explore and have more experiences, giving her a bigger repertoire. These hunting dogs are smart (especially the females) and they figure things out very quickly. I went to a Rick Smith seminar and Rick said "No matter how smart you think your dog is, your dog is smarter" that has stuck with me.

With a young puppy ... don't do too much too soon. Always keep in mind that they are puppies ... they are toddlers and will do and need to do puppy things. Another thing that stuck with me from Rick Smith - "puppies need to be puppies, they will all need to have a 'puppy year' let them point crickets, chase butterflies, chase other puppies, find deer poop and bones - they are learning from this and probably more than you can teach them"

:cheers:
 
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Ha, this is a young dog so I wouldn't worry at all at this point. No pun intended. You'll find whatever works for your dog as many others have given tips that should work. I know many on here would shoot me for saying this but I wouldn't care if my dog sat when it went on point. Any way of telling me there is a bird there. Obviously it's a downfall if the bird starts to walk away, but if the dog is finding birds and telling me where they are, I think I should do the rest of the work.
 
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