I was recently got my first bird dog, a 3 yr old GSP. She was left to run loose on a farm for about the last two years. I have been working with her on wild birds and the biggest issue is she ranges way to far! It wouldn't be a huge issue but she is only about 60% - 40% as far as pointing and flushing (which is a huge improvement, it was about 10% - 90% when I got her). I know there are several issues that need to be addressed and I was hoping for some input.
GSP Range/Pointing Issue
- Thread starter giverson
- Start date
Here's just my opinion.
If you want a dog that will stay in shotgun range, get a flusher. Pointers are meant to cover lots of ground, and, with proper training and experience, find and point the birds for you. A pointer that is busting birds is a problem with training, experience, or both.
Keeping your pointer in range and shooting birds she flushes will only reinforce bad behaviors. I know it's hard to convince yourself not to shoot those birds (especially wild birds) when they pop up, but you are doing so to the detriment of your dog's education.
There are several techniques to reduce your dog's range, but I think your time would be better spent ensuring that she is steady on point. You can take some comfort in knowing that flushing those birds is doing a lot to teach her that she can't catch them, which should help to convince her that pointing is a better option.
If you want a dog that will stay in shotgun range, get a flusher. Pointers are meant to cover lots of ground, and, with proper training and experience, find and point the birds for you. A pointer that is busting birds is a problem with training, experience, or both.
Keeping your pointer in range and shooting birds she flushes will only reinforce bad behaviors. I know it's hard to convince yourself not to shoot those birds (especially wild birds) when they pop up, but you are doing so to the detriment of your dog's education.
There are several techniques to reduce your dog's range, but I think your time would be better spent ensuring that she is steady on point. You can take some comfort in knowing that flushing those birds is doing a lot to teach her that she can't catch them, which should help to convince her that pointing is a better option.
beaglebob1
New member
ecollar... check cord.... and start working on whoa. yard training tune up can be done at any age..animal needs to handle at all times. go back to basics for a week and she will get the picture..:cheers:
If you really want your GSP to be a hunting dog, one of two things are going to have to happen. Your going to have to accept that 100 yards is not a big running dog at all, or your going to want to get a flushing dog. My brittany usually starts at about 100 yards and goes from there. You need to get the dog steady on birds so it will hold them until you arive. Once you do that, accept the dogs range. 100 yards is what most would consider a close working pointing dog. IMO, a pointing dog that is always within 100 yards is a borderline boot licker. Once your dog is steady on birds, you will find that it finds a lot more birds then a dog who works within 25-50 yards. The big thing is getting it steady, and getting it to handle.
x2. 150 isn't that far for a pointing dog.
Unless you plan on turning into a flushing by shooting birds it doesn't point.
birdshooter
Well-known member
Another thing to consider here on range is the type of cover you hunt. If you hunt short grass prairie your GSP or any hunting breed is going to range more than if you are hunting thick CRP or frozen marsh type cover. The dogs range will be dictated by the cover. Train your pointing dog to be steady and stand their birds till you get there and then let them roll to what ever their natural range is. You will certainly need to make direction changes or the need may arise where you want the dog to hunt a certain piece of cover. There are some lines that just naturally run bigger than others. Generally the bigger the run the more independent in nature the dog is. Ideally for Pheasants I think you want a dog that will work to the front, hunts at a pace comfortable for the walking hunter, will take direction changes and will check in on occasion (to make sure you don't get lost 
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SetterNut
New member
I sounds to me that you really have a dog you can work with.
Remember, that with a pointing dog you really shouldn't shoot birds that they don't point and let you walk in on to flush. It means that you are going to have a learning time for the dog, where you are going to let the birds go un-shot.
So if you are not going to shoot birds that are not pointed, what difference does if make if the dog is at 15 yards or 150 yards.
The hump you have to get over is getting the dog to point the birds and let you flush them. It is not hard to do but does take some time, and birds.
There are lots of books and videos out there, with different methods of training. They all will work. The one that I like is a book "Training with Mo". It is simple for you and the dog.
If you have wild Bob White quail in the area, they are great in that if the dog busts the covey, you still have a chance to work them on the singles. Pheasants are a little tougher for a dog to learn on, as they like to run and that puts more pressure on the dog to move.
But once you have your dog pointing and letting you walk in and flush the birds, you will be glad that it has the range that it has now, you are going to shoot more birds.
Remember, that with a pointing dog you really shouldn't shoot birds that they don't point and let you walk in on to flush. It means that you are going to have a learning time for the dog, where you are going to let the birds go un-shot.
So if you are not going to shoot birds that are not pointed, what difference does if make if the dog is at 15 yards or 150 yards.
The hump you have to get over is getting the dog to point the birds and let you flush them. It is not hard to do but does take some time, and birds.
There are lots of books and videos out there, with different methods of training. They all will work. The one that I like is a book "Training with Mo". It is simple for you and the dog.
If you have wild Bob White quail in the area, they are great in that if the dog busts the covey, you still have a chance to work them on the singles. Pheasants are a little tougher for a dog to learn on, as they like to run and that puts more pressure on the dog to move.
But once you have your dog pointing and letting you walk in and flush the birds, you will be glad that it has the range that it has now, you are going to shoot more birds.