New Family Member part 2

[Boudroux]

So mid July this year I adopted a GSP and posted a thread about it. In a tragic accident this dog died the opening weekend of Dove season. It was a freak accident and it tore me up. My wife surprised me with a bundle of cash she had been stashing away for something special and last Saturday I brought home this little girl.

Her name is Cazadora, Spanish for huntress, but we call her Cazi. She is now 14 weeks old, is an absolute sweetheart and is settling into our family nicely. I've been a NAVHDA member prior to either of these dogs and have been receiving lots of good advice in anticipation of owning a versatile dog.

I introduced Cazi to birds a couple days ago with pigeons. The first one I held in my hand so it couldn't flap in her face or do anything that might startle her. She got one whiff and tried to pry it from my hand so I let it fly. She chased that thing as it flew and was only stopped by the long lead getting caught in bushes a 100 yards away. I put her in my truck and hung out with her for a few minutes then pulled the flight feathers from a second bird and planted it a bush. Taking her down wind on the lead she zoned in, got to about 5 feet away and pointed. The bird stayed still for a bit then tried to fly. The second it flapped it wings she pounced on it and trotted away with her prize. It was pretty cool and she showed no hesitation about it flapping away in her face. I'm waiting for two more weeks and her fifth round of vaccines before getting to crazy outside my yard. For now we are working on name reinforcement, heel and whatnot. She didn't hesitate to scramble up the training table and seems eager to learn.

We are excited and I can't wait to really get into training outside my yard. Fortunately I've got a pretty big back yard so it will do for now. Now I just need to keep my 6 and 8 year old boys from messing with my coop and letting the pigeons escape. haha

 

[Nicholas909]

She's a beautiful pup. Congrats and good luck

 

[Bonejour]

Beautiful pup, and obviously has what it takes. Very happy for you.


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[DanSanDiego]

She will be an old pro by the 2017 season!
Good combination of family dog and hunting buddy.

 

[Snake Charmer]

Congrats, Where did she come from ?

 

[TRICER]

Very cool. Great end to a tragic story. I am happy for you and your family.

 

[Sigalert2012]

Beautiful dog!

 

[Boudroux]

Thank You, we played around with another bird this afternoon and she is definitely bird crazy.

I got her from a guy in Utah. This was his last litter so I'm pretty excited to have got one.

 

[ilovesprig]

She's a beauty.......I'm sure they'll be much love & affection while she's learning her bird hunting skills......Congrats.

 

[Boudroux]

This is one strong willed little puppy. It's only been ten days since I've had her so I don't expect miracles but holy cow she is funny. I've been working with her at least twice a day on her name, heel and come. She has her name down pat and will heel some times and come sometimes. This is my first hunting puppy but far from my first puppy. So far the amount of time I've put into heel/come in the last week I had my last German Shepard mix puppy fully house trained, crate trained, walking at heel without a leash and under control. Not so much with this little one. I tried a walk last night through the neighborhood and 100 yards from the house there were so many leash corrections that I felt it was doing more harm than good so we wrapped it up on a heel at my side for a moment and then I had to carry her ass home. Its crazy how different a dog can be with what seems like the exact same thing.

 

[TRICER]

get her a lead that goes around her nose that is the only way I walk my Weim. It really helps with the high energy dogs. Like $15 at Petco. She will hate it but will get use to it relatively fast. Trust me we have all been there.

 

[Snake Charmer]

Get a simple slip lead and put it high up on her neck just behind the ears and then make loop with the remainder of the lead and put it around her nose. Now you have two pressure points to work, she will resist at first but will learn that when she doesn't pull their is no pressure on the pressure points and will cooperate in short order. I have taken dogs that are pullers and had them walking at heel in five minutes Once you determine the proper length for the slip lead and lead around the nose you can wrap a rubber band around the the lead where it comes off the nose and this will prevent it from slipping off when there is no tension.

 

[Gspman]

Some will disagree but something I learned a long time ago from some old timers and recently from guys in navhda don't expect too much leash walking around the neighborhood like other dogs. Versital dogs especially gsps are prey driven. They want to hunt 24-7. Trying to keep them leashed and tight at your side should not be too expected. I know a guy in socal navhda his. And is guido. He raises Champion hunters. He does. It expect his dogs to walk on a leash. He leaves them tied on tie outs then hunts them and man can they hunt.

Heel to my dog is 2-3' in front with a slack lead.

 

[Boudroux]

Thanks for the replies all.

I actually just sat back down from working with her in the yard. What worked for the last puppy doesn't necessary work on her. What I just did was change when I gave the heel command to only when she was in the exact position I wanted and I extended my hand holding the lead behind me and started the corrections before she had a chance to get her shoulder past my knee. It made a world of difference and I feel she now has a much better idea of what I'm asking of her. I'm also inclined to think to much talking to her is a distraction. I know not to give a command at this stage that can't be immediately enforced but maybe she is like my business partner and would rather I talk only if absolutely necessary. HA

A couple changes to the timing of things and I think we are now on a better track that we can build on.

I use the Wonder Lead (Delmar Smith?) for this. I've seen videos of looping a slip lead around the snout and was going to try that before this last session.

I met Guido and a couple of his dogs last year at a IE NAVHDA day. Super cool guy with killer dogs.

 

[Snake Charmer]

I am going to have to disagree with Gspman on this. One of the test requirements in Navhda requires for the dog to walk at heel through a pole maze. Walking at heel is a trained behavior and every dog is capable of it if it is trained into them. Currently we have seven gsp's in the kennel for gun dog training and every one of them walks at heel with a slack leash, it is one of the first things we train into them. We use the method I described in a post above and we usually have them under control with in the first few days.

Gspman, If you are speaking about Guido Dei sadly I have to tell you he drowned in a hunting related accident in Mexico trying to retrieve his dog from a fast running irrigation canal last December. He was a great trainer and helped a lot of folks over the years. Just like everyone he had his own opinions about dogs and dog training. The way I look at it is if the dogs behavior doesn't bother you then its not an issue, personally I do not like dogs to walk ahead of me unless I send them. Dogs are pack animals and as I am the alpha of the pack I want my dog to respect and obey me.

 

[Boudroux]

I had heard about his passing away but I didn't know the circumstances. That is gnarly and shows just how much he loved his dogs.

 

[Gspman]

Wow I'm sorry to hear about Guido. He was just an example. My dog is well under my control I've just seen many hunting dogs broke by owners trying to get the to heel so much that they won't hunt. I did not mean to say a hunting dog can't heel. I guess I'm trying to say if there's lots for a hunting dog to learn and some learned things are more important then others. I can walk with mine do wn a busy street with dogs barking and running around like crazy and he doesn't even take an extra step but if I try to bring him in closer like directly at my side and walk he is not happy. If we stop for any reason he will come sit right at my side and not move. I guess it also helps since I don't have to walk him in a neighborhood since we like 200 yards from huntable Forrest so we walk run and train off leash everyday.

I do agree guidos dogs were a little loud and crazy at times.