Sending pup to trainer?

[Vandy321]

Have a 3 month old pup. He's bonded well with the family, including the family dog and the kiddo. First time being my own trainer, and first pointer dog. Obedience training is going well. And we've started some basic track training, birds coming up innthe next few weeks.

I can't help but wonder if I'm doing myself and my pup a disservice by not sending him off this winter to a professional trainer? We have bonded, which is the #1 thing I read about not sending them away too young. I work half the month, and spend most my time home working with him, however tue other half of thd month, my wife can't dough with him other than exercise as she's got a 1 year old kiddo to taoe care of too.

Thoughts on doing that vs joining the NAVHDA club when tbey start back up with training days in Feb?

Part 2, if you do suggest getting him a trainer...how to find and select a good one in the mountain west, most seem to be associated with a Kennel that breeds and don't don't outside dogs.

 

[Dos Perros]

Summer is the time to put with a trainer, IMO. Hunt his ass off this year, mostly keep your mouth shut, get him on as many WILD birds as possible, don’t shoot anything he doesn’t handle perfectly, and arrange for a trainer on the prairies next June - Sept.

 

[Wetwork]

I've trained several dogs now, mostly retrievers and one GWP. At age 51 now I will be sending all future upland bird dog pups to a good trainer, period. And I have access to all the wild birds I could want. The problem is repetition in a wild bird setting. A trainer will have pigeons to work and rework and fine tune your dog. Having pigeons in a remote launcher is a huge thing to me. I don't have time to raise pigeons and tend them along with my other pursuits. Now if I was only doing a retrieving dog I'd do it myself, all my retrievers were chessies, and if you can brag dog a chessie you can train retrievers. -WW

 

[Vandy321]

I've trained several dogs now, mostly retrievers and one GWP. At age 51 now I will be sending all future upland bird dog pups to a good trainer, period. And I have access to all the wild birds I could want. The problem is repetition in a wild bird setting. A trainer will have pigeons to work and rework and fine tune your dog. Having pigeons in a remote launcher is a huge thing to me. I don't have time to raise pigeons and tend them along with my other pursuits. Now if I was only doing a retrieving dog I'd do it myself, all my retrievers were chessies, and if you can brag dog a chessie you can train retrievers. -WW

The trainer we're looking at has pigeon/chukar/pheasants. Pup is young, but we're looking at doing a month right now, get him started on birds and gunfire daily, and hopefully come back with a few added house manners. Then bring him back to them next spring when he's 6-7 months to get him more serious on birds, steady to wing/shot, collar conditioning, etc.

I would be more comfortable if he had a foundation to build off from a pro, then me just giving it shot all on my own and him not achieving his full potential.

We're doing track training right now, but the access to birds makes it tough for me to give him much exposure.

 

[Wetwork]

The trainer we're looking at has pigeon/chukar/pheasants. Pup is young, but we're looking at doing a month right now, get him started on birds and gunfire daily, and hopefully come back with a few added house manners. Then bring him back to them next spring when he's 6-7 months to get him more serious on birds, steady to wing/shot, collar conditioning, etc.

I would be more comfortable if he had a foundation to build off from a pro, then me just giving it shot all on my own and him not achieving his full potential.

We're doing track training right now, but the access to birds makes it tough for me to give him much exposure.

Couple things ya didn't add in your first post...what breed and if you live in town or in the country? What you're doing sounds great. If you don't have time or your home is super busy, off site training is a great idea. Remember its just a teeny tiny baby...treat it exactly like one. Just manners til its 8months or so. You know... don't bite, stay out of the garbage, no tug of war games ever. Everyone in the home is a trainer right now. Same exact commands by everybody, same exact do's and don'ts. All the rules of the roost need to be the same for everyone. One familly member can't say go ahead and sit on the couch and another time someone else say's no and sprays the pup in the face with a squirt bottle. Bottom line.....its a teeny tiny baby. Not a hunting dog for many many months. You'll jack it up I'm telling ya...The only foundation for a three month old baby dog is manners and pecking order's. Let it be a kid.-WW

ps. Find out exactly what commands your trainer is going to say...that way when your dog hears those words they aren't weird. Back and fetch are the same commands to different dudes. Some fancy pants guys like to use german commands so the dog wont respond to other hunters. But right now its just obedience. Hold, stay, here., down...lots of puppy fun commands. Get some books and talk to the trainer on commands.

pps..Don't shoot anything by the pup to see what happens...be patient. Gunshots need to come with time and be really fun for the pup. One gunshot even a .22 can ruin a pup for all time. Getting a pupply to love the sound of gunshots is easy easy easy, you just have to take time, be patient and start smallest for weeks. Read read read...

 

[jmez]

Training Pointing Dogs by Paul Long. Great resource.

3 mos is too early for a trainer IMO. Discipline and basic commands now. Send him to the prairie next summer if you want him to go with a trainer.

Take him hunting this fall and make him mind in the field away from home. If you want to try to shoot birds you need two people and you handle the dog.

Discipline and exposure to wild birds are what he needs now, not formal training.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

 

[Vandy321]

Training Pointing Dogs by Paul Long. Great resource.

3 mos is too early for a trainer IMO. Discipline and basic commands now. Send him to the prairie next summer if you want him to go with a trainer.

Take him hunting this fall and make him mind in the field away from home. If you want to try to shoot birds you need two people and you handle the dog.

Discipline and exposure to wild birds are what he needs now, not formal training.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

That's exactly why he's going to the trainer now, just for a month. Some finishing off of obedience/house manners away from the home. Some general exposure to birds to get the prey drive going, etc. I live in the burbs...and work out of state half of the month. My wife can't work with him and watch the 1 year old kiddo...so to keep it consistent while he's young and to build a good foundation and desire to hunt, we think the best answer is to get him with a trainer for a month for now. And again for 2 months ths this spring. He'll be 4 months old the first part of November. I just don't want to short change him on obedience or early exposure and I feel like that's what we're doing riggt now. Yes, he'll be hunting with me in Dec, no shooting, just letting him work. He's got the DK breed test in the spring.

 

[Centralcoastca]

Have a 3 month old pup. He's bonded well with the family, including the family dog and the kiddo. First time being my own trainer, and first pointer dog. Obedience training is going well. And we've started some basic track training, birds coming up innthe next few weeks.

I can't help but wonder if I'm doing myself and my pup a disservice by not sending him off this winter to a professional trainer? We have bonded, which is the #1 thing I read about not sending them away too young. I work half the month, and spend most my time home working with him, however tue other half of thd month, my wife can't dough with him other than exercise as she's got a 1 year old kiddo to taoe care of too.

Thoughts on doing that vs joining the NAVHDA club when tbey start back up with training days in Feb?

Part 2, if you do suggest getting him a trainer...how to find and select a good one in the mountain west, most seem to be associated with a Kennel that breeds and don't don't outside dogs.

Best thing I ever did was send our Pudelpointer to a trainer. We talked a lot first about what exactly we were planning on hunting and what we expected. She recommended 6mo, ours was about 10mo at the time. Before she went off to training We did obedience and carefully introduced her to gunfire with shotguns at a distance while I threw a toy for her etc and then shot an easy quail here and there for her and let her do everything on her own so I didn’t teach her anything wrong that the trainer was going to have to fix. I went and trained with her and the trainer a couple times over the course of her training to learn how to work with her.

 

[IdahoElk]

What kind of dog and what do you intend to hunt? I must be the world’s luckiest dog owner because with my bird dog’s I’ve just taught them the the basic commands and let their instincts from good breeding do the rest. I couldn’t have asked for better chukar and quail dogs BUT they would need work if I was going to duck hunt which I don’t do.
Even if you go the trainer route you will still need to work with them, I’d just do the training from the get go and have the fun of watching your dog mature into a bird hunting machine.

 

[Riplip]

Not sure what type of dog (flushing or pointer) or where you live in CO, but happy to give you a recommendation for trainers (I am in South Denver area). I am on my second Springer Spaniel and have sent both to a local trainer with fantastic results. If you truly want a polished and effective gun dog (that also behaves at home) then I think it is absolutely necessary.

Some good advice above. I generally train initial obedience, crate train, and most importantly socialize and instill confidence in pups up to age 6 months. Then will begin a bit more formal training with introduction to gun fire, birds etc. This is a great age to send pup off for training. If possible find someone who will work with you and the dog or allow you to come out and help train. Good luck.

 

[WCB]

Take it for what you will. We have pointers and sent them to training after they were a year old. First year was basically manners and we worked them on birds but no real formal training...luckily they were very natural. First hunting season they were about 5 months old. We basically got them on birds and got them excited. We didn't expect them to be steady to shot or steady all too much we let them figure that out. They are pups and are going to make mistakes and it is ok. They did hunt with the older dogs we or my FIL had at the time and amazing on they learn from other dogs.

When a pup gets a point we would make sure we got that bird up and shot it quick where with older dogs you can take your time and play the mental game of watching how good your dog holds and patting yourself on the back etc.

They were around gun shots from basically 2 months old as we would shoot at the cabin etc and they would be outside playing in the yard. So they were gun broke no problem. Also, Our dogs and even my FIL's dogs hate remote launchers and they know as soon as they are in a "training" session. If they discover the launcher or after the first bird is launched form them might as well end the session. Our young male hated them and figured out the game at like 7 months old when we used one with him.

 

[Vandy321]

Not sure what type of dog (flushing or pointer) or where you live in CO, but happy to give you a recommendation for trainers (I am in South Denver area). I am on my second Springer Spaniel and have sent both to a local trainer with fantastic results. If you truly want a polished and effective gun dog (that also behaves at home) then I think it is absolutely necessary.

Some good advice above. I generally train initial obedience, crate train, and most importantly socialize and instill confidence in pups up to age 6 months. Then will begin a bit more formal training with introduction to gun fire, birds etc. This is a great age to send pup off for training. If possible find someone who will work with you and the dog or allow you to come out and help train. Good luck.

He's a pointer, we've been out at Valhalla the last few weekends getting him on birds, socialized, etc. We like them alot out there, but If you have a rec a little closer to south Denver, I'd be curious
I'm in Castle Rock

 

[Riplip]

Jeff and Russell are great for pointing breeds and Valhalla is perfect for introduction to field conditions, birds, gun fire etc. I am member and take my dog out for planted birds once or twice a year just to keep him busy. Sounds like you are on the right path. Good luck!

 

[arock]

He's a pointer, we've been out at Valhalla the last few weekends getting him on birds, socialized, etc. We like them alot out there, but If you have a rec a little closer to south Denver, I'd be curious
I'm in Castle Rock

Getting the pooch out to puppy class is a good thing (mine went a lot).

My monster just turned a year old (first gun dog). At 3 months (so that's like 12 weeks) was when he started getting interested in birds and at 14 he turned into a maniac. It was like a switch went off. When we first picked him up (8 weeks) he could care less.

The obedience stuff and collar conditioning you can do mostly on your own. Standing Stone Kennels has a bunch of puppy training videos on YouTube. They also have a patreon page with different subscription models. I think their prices are reasonable and that it has good value. I had literally 0 dog training experience so it was helpful to have someone to talk me off whatever ledge I was on. If I were going to send him to puppy camp, they would be my first choice.

That being said, I did a bunch of work with Scott over at Valhallah and we had my monster a "finished" dog by August - meaning he points, is steady to wing, fetches, honors other dogs points and obeys the basic obedience commands. I picked him up in January. He's a bit mouthy, running birds kind of confuse him and he'll bust an occasional pheasant but for a 1 year old - he's having an outstanding year. I also having him running with other dogs and he honors perfectly and doesn't try to steal retrieves. Its all birds birds birds for that little terror and gaining confidence.

My partner thought I was psychotic during the beginning of his training but other than normal puppy exuberance, he sits, stays, places, comes, leaves and all that jazz. She's ready for number two. It was important that both of us fed and worked with the monster (even though I did a majority of it) to ensure that he would listen to us both.

There isn't a huge time commitment and I think it would be beneficial if your wife did some basic obedience work (and discipline for sure) with the little guy so when he's a 65lb maniac she'll have established herself as the boss when you're gone. And you being away for work is a great opportunity for that to happen. You can send the rascal away when he's a bit older.

 

[Vandy321]

Getting the pooch out to puppy class is a good thing (mine went a lot).

My monster just turned a year old (first gun dog). At 3 months (so that's like 12 weeks) was when he started getting interested in birds and at 14 he turned into a maniac. It was like a switch went off. When we first picked him up (8 weeks) he could care less.

The obedience stuff and collar conditioning you can do mostly on your own. Standing Stone Kennels has a bunch of puppy training videos on YouTube. They also have a patreon page with different subscription models. I think their prices are reasonable and that it has good value. I had literally 0 dog training experience so it was helpful to have someone to talk me off whatever ledge I was on. If I were going to send him to puppy camp, they would be my first choice.

That being said, I did a bunch of work with Scott over at Valhallah and we had my monster a "finished" dog by August - meaning he points, is steady to wing, fetches, honors other dogs points and obeys the basic obedience commands. I picked him up in January. He's a bit mouthy, running birds kind of confuse him and he'll bust an occasional pheasant but for a 1 year old - he's having an outstanding year. I also having him running with other dogs and he honors perfectly and doesn't try to steal retrieves. Its all birds birds birds for that little terror and gaining confidence.

My partner thought I was psychotic during the beginning of his training but other than normal puppy exuberance, he sits, stays, places, comes, leaves and all that jazz. She's ready for number two. It was important that both of us fed and worked with the monster (even though I did a majority of it) to ensure that he would listen to us both.

There isn't a huge time commitment and I think it would be beneficial if your wife did some basic obedience work (and discipline for sure) with the little guy so when he's a 65lb maniac she'll have established herself as the boss when you're gone. And you being away for work is a great opportunity for that to happen. You can send the rascal away when he's a bit older.

We're working with Anthony at Fetching Feathers. I got about 3 mins of 1 on 1 with a trainer each puppy class and he saw 2 birds, Max. With Anthony I get over an hour of 1 on 1 and 10-12 birds from traps (homers) Homers. He had him gone broke with me and stead to wing (with a collar on at least) in 2 sessions. He's going back in Feb for 2 months to get finished.

 

[KurtR]

We're working with Anthony at Fetching Feathers. I got about 3 mins of 1 on 1 with a trainer each puppy class and he saw 2 birds, Max. With Anthony I get over an hour of 1 on 1 and 10-12 birds from traps (homers) Homers. He had him gone broke with me and stead to wing (with a collar on at least) in 2 sessions. He's going back in Feb for 2 months to get finished.

Is that the guy who’s house burned down and made a live video while it was still burning with dog inside and started a go fund me then blew the money. Also claimed to shoot more upland species on social media in one year than any one else?

 

[Dos Perros]

Is that the guy who’s house burned down and made a live video while it was still burning with dog inside and started a go fund me then blew the money. Also claimed to shoot more upland species on social media in one year than any one else?

Lol that’s him. What a guy. I went to college with him, he was in my fraternity.

One time he went on a chukar hunt, got his ass kicked, so he went and bought some pen raised chukars and killed one “for the ‘gram,” posing it as a wild bird.

There has got to be someone better to spend your hard earned money with I’d think.

 

[Osut645]

There are better odds getting what you want out of a trainer is by word of mouth selection. Some advertising can be so deceiving.

 

[Vandy321]

Is that the guy who’s house burned down and made a live video while it was still burning with dog inside and started a go fund me then blew the money. Also claimed to shoot more upland species on social media in one year than any one else?

I dont know the details, I don't spend my time on social media. I can't vouch for how he handled the situation with the fire. Are you faulting him for his house burning down? Or you don't agree with the internet rumors on how he spent the money? He seems to have used that money to rebuild and dedicated his life to training dogs after the incident, maybe as a way to honor his pups he lost?

I can't speak to his motives in the past. What I can speak to is his ability as a trainer. He has 4 fantastic dogs of his own (3 pointers and a flusher) and the are incredible dogs. He also is fantastic with pup...did you have a pup that was steady to wing at 5 months? I do. And that is Anthany's work, not mine. Pup has a long way to go, but we're haply with where he's at in such a short time and would recommend him as a trainer to anyone.

I can't speak to his ability as a hunter, I don't really care. I don't pay him to hunt, I pay him to train my pup and he does a better job with him than any of the other 3 trainers I've worked with.

He seems to be a man of his word and regardless of if you approve of his past or not, I'm not sure you can argue about his kennels product.

 

[KurtR]

I dont know the details, I don't spend my time on social media. I can't vouch for how he handled the situation with the fire. Are you faulting him for his house burning down? Or you don't agree with the internet rumors on how he spent the money? He seems to have used that money to rebuild and dedicated his life to training dogs after the incident, maybe as a way to honor his pups he lost?

I can't speak to his motives in the past. What I can speak to is his ability as a trainer. He has 4 fantastic dogs of his own (3 pointers and a flusher) and the are incredible dogs. He also is fantastic with pup...did you have a pup that was steady to wing at 5 months? I do. And that is Anthany's work, not mine. Pup has a long way to go, but we're haply with where he's at in such a short time and would recommend him as a trainer to anyone.

I can't speak to his ability as a hunter, I don't really care. I don't pay him to hunt, I pay him to train my pup and he does a better job with him than any of the other 3 trainers I've worked with.

He seems to be a man of his word and regardless of if you approve of his past or not, I'm not sure you can argue about his kennels product.

I was just wondering if it was that guy. Mine wasn’t steady at 5 months but I didn’t want him to be. Trainers like mike lardy, Dennis Voigt and Danny Farmer don’t start formal training till 6 months and being over strict on steady can kill drive. I do have an Ukc Hr at 14 months that didn’t handle on any mark on all 4 tests. I did all the training with advice from more experienced people when I needed it. Goal this year is to get Hrch and 2 master passes and a upland title. Year 4 and 5 run a grand and maybe a master national and a Srs event. We are north of 300 retrieves in first full year of hunting and going to just start getting after pheasants and a few more late season goose hunts. I run with some qaa dogs and dogs with a grand pass pretty regularly and they are a thing of beauty.