So i purchased a started gsp. He is a little over a year old. We took him out with the trainer i bought him from and he pointed, he didnt break on any birds and he retrieved. Second time out i took him with a friend and 2 english setters. He was hard to control. Running way out to far and was not able to bring him back on the whistle alone. I had to use the ecoller. He never pointed once. He did find a hen down in a creek and retrieved fine. But once i had to nic him with the collar to get him back he didnt have any drive left for the day. The rest of the time he just wanted to play with the other dogs. 3rd time out he started off ok. He didnt find a single one of the planted birds and again ran off way to far and had to collar him back. And then no more drive to hunt. Just stayed right next to me. I know i was aggressive with the collar but that was the only way i could get him back. I must be doing something very wrong. And i dont want to ruin this dog. Any suggestions?
Need help with started Gsp
- Thread starter jarydw
- Start date
BleuBijou
Active member
Hunt him by himself with a long check cord for awhile... I use my collars to nic if they go beyond the range I want them at..Lowest setting...that works... They just turn on a dime without any discomfort..This way I can be as quiet as I can be in the field...Some do it totally different.. Dog needs to learn how you want him to hunt instead of his old trainer.. MY dogs are 5 now and still the 1st field is a race to try and find a bird instead of steady hunting...2nd field is so much different.:thumbsup:
Highvoltage
Active member
Are you doing any yard work? You need to build a strong yard work routine away from where you work him on birds. He needs to know what you want from him and keep it short and upbeat. Finish off with a little play, like free running fitch.
mnaj_springer
New member
Have you called the trainer yet? He knows the dog well (unlike strangers from the Internet), and can see the dog to figure out what's going on.
I do have a couple guesses (that's all they are):
1. You need to spend more time bonding with the dog, otherwise why would he do anything for you?
2. You hit the dog too hard with the ecollar. Are you sure he's collar conditioned?
3. He's probably never hunted with other dogs.
Now call the trainer and get advice from someone who knows the dog.
I do have a couple guesses (that's all they are):
1. You need to spend more time bonding with the dog, otherwise why would he do anything for you?
2. You hit the dog too hard with the ecollar. Are you sure he's collar conditioned?
3. He's probably never hunted with other dogs.
Now call the trainer and get advice from someone who knows the dog.
shorthairs4life
New member
Listen to this advice. Step 1 call trainer. Also the trainer should have told you to not take this dog out in a hunting situation right after you picked it up. You need to bond and run through some of the same routines with the dog that the trainer was doing so the dog is familiar with you handling it.
KSBrittman
Active member
What voltage said , always introduce e collar in training situation and use to reinforce commands he already knows .
Crossing shot
New member
My buddy took in an 6 yo GSP that was always kept at a trainer's place. Dog never was part of a pack. Kept running off and could not find his way back. After seeing how my buddy yelled at him, I took him.
It was a sad situation. I let him come into the house. He would stand pushing up against me for hours. Would not even sit down. Took him out mushroom hunting and he went to someone's car and started barking.
Throughout the summer he became a part time house dog. I bought an additional astro collar so he would not get lost. I expected bad things when we entered waist high grass. Amazingly, he tracked me without me making a sound. He is as good of dog as any I have ever had. Yesterday, he pointed a large covey and a rooster.
The only reason I am happy I bought an Astro collar for him is he will never leave a point or bump a bird. A well trained dog must still be a pack member.
It was a sad situation. I let him come into the house. He would stand pushing up against me for hours. Would not even sit down. Took him out mushroom hunting and he went to someone's car and started barking.
Throughout the summer he became a part time house dog. I bought an additional astro collar so he would not get lost. I expected bad things when we entered waist high grass. Amazingly, he tracked me without me making a sound. He is as good of dog as any I have ever had. Yesterday, he pointed a large covey and a rooster.
The only reason I am happy I bought an Astro collar for him is he will never leave a point or bump a bird. A well trained dog must still be a pack member.
Ranger Rick
Member
Although this pup is a started dog that showed some skill in the trainers field, he is still a puppy! You're expecting way too much and like others said, spend a lot of time with him ALONE. Don't take him with other dogs until he's staunch and works for you, obeys all commands and is performing this in real time hunting situations.
A typical pup will start to get it in the training field, then you're starting a whole new ballgame when you take him hunting. He's got to have his training reinforced before he'll do his job properly. Expecting him to work like a pro with other dogs already is unrealistic.
On two occasions this fall I had a friend and their 1-1/2 year old pup along. Neither pup did squat, despite that they had been performing in the training field. If they had done anything different I would have been surprised. Still, their owners have spent a lot of time with them and so they behaved and listened to commands. Their shortfall was in pointing and holding point. Way too puppy excited and distracted to do the job of an experienced dog.
A typical pup will start to get it in the training field, then you're starting a whole new ballgame when you take him hunting. He's got to have his training reinforced before he'll do his job properly. Expecting him to work like a pro with other dogs already is unrealistic.
On two occasions this fall I had a friend and their 1-1/2 year old pup along. Neither pup did squat, despite that they had been performing in the training field. If they had done anything different I would have been surprised. Still, their owners have spent a lot of time with them and so they behaved and listened to commands. Their shortfall was in pointing and holding point. Way too puppy excited and distracted to do the job of an experienced dog.
BeardedBeast
New member
I agree that you should hunt him alone to develop a bond with your new partner.