Re: Training a pointer- Tips and tricks
Originally Posted by
britman101
If this is a far ranging pointer, I would recommend an E-Collar with either tracking, or GPS capabilities. Most young dogs, especially the pointing breeds will test your patience by ranging out to a point that you as trainer may feel is too far. The Ecollar is a useful tool to remind the dog to stay in range, and if they get too far out the tracking will allow you to see where they are. Especially if they are locked up on point in heavy cover.
The dogs I've had in the past haven't ranged overly far unless it was in real open country but as mentioned above I have had times where I thought I knew where and abouts they were but because they were on point in heavy cover I couldn't see them. Sometimes they were within 15 yards of me!
I have a Dogtra 2500 B&T collar that has a beeper on it that can be heard a few hundred yards away depending on the terrain. Don't confuse the beep mode to the tone mode that only the dog can hear on other e collar models. The beep on that Dogtra is loud. The collar can be set to beep automatically when the dog goes on point while you're hunting,,,,,it'll beep every 8 seconds but you can always use the locator button just to see where your dog is at even when it's on the move at any point in time.
I've trained my griff to return to me on three taps of the beep button when she's out and about up at my cabin or in heavier brush. Saves the voice.
If I had a big ranging dog like an English or German Pointer I'd have one with GSP capabilities. There's nothing quite as unsettling as not knowing where your dog is, especially when predators are about,,,,or highways.
He's NOT your buddy, buddy!