Re: Training a pointer- Tips and tricks
Originally Posted by
Bustercluck
Thanks for the replies so far, especially mastercaster. I’m hoping to keep this thread going while training this dog and hopefully update with some photos and videos. I’m going to try and stay away from e-collars if I can. I bought one for my wife’s pug a bunch of years ago because he’d run away into traffic, but I think I can get away without one.
Is there a brand/model of launcher that is better than another? Other than crates and chew toys, is there anything else I should be putting on a shopping list?
Make yourself a place board/s. They are very useful for teaching "Place" and "Whoa" and getting a dog to come back to the heel position when called in when you're standing right beside it. Those dog beds with the 6 inch plastic legs and canvas top work great. I use one made for small dogs so there's only enough room for the dog to stand or sit on. I often use one in the duck blind for the dog to return to and to keep her off the ground if it's muddy or has a puddle in there when it's raining hard. After the dog has retrieved a bird I just tell her "Place" and she goes straight to it and waits for another bird/s to be shot.
I wouldn't be too hasty on giving up on the thought of using a e collar. Besides using it to reinforce obedience commands or trash breaking it's also a needed tool for part of the process to force fetch a dog which you may want or have to do if your dog doesn't have a high retrieve drive,,,,, especially if you want your dog to have a 100% reliable retrieve. Will your Irish Setter pup come from strong hunting lines? This may not be true but from what I've heard a lot of Irish Setter have been bred more for show these days than for hunting so their prey drive might not be as high as it once was,,,,, not that they can't be both. Some pointing breed dogs do much better in the field once they've been force fetched. Even natural retriever dogs like labs and chessies are often force fetched these days.
I'd also start saving bubble wrap that Amazon uses to pack their parcels with. It works great to start teaching your pup not to be gun shy. I started using it the week I brought my pup home. I'd bust one while she was totally distracted eating or playing. Then I started using gun shot noises off the computer starting with lower volumes. Then on to the dollar store cap guns. These were great to start field work with.
As far as launchers go it's hard to go wrong with the DT launchers. I also use a Lucky Launcher 2 which uses 22 blanks and shoots a sponge-like projectile about 40-50 yards. It floats on water, too, but I usually use it for field work. For the water I use Dokkens. Buy the mallard if you only get one.
If you can, see if anyone you know who hunts with dogs has an extra frozen duck, chukar, or grouse or two in the freezer because they're great to lay down scent with for your young puppy to try and search for and to retrieve.
Think about signing up with a NAVHDA chapter.
He's NOT your buddy, buddy!