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I posted a similar message on another board, but figured I might ask here, since many of you live , err, closer.

I'm in the DFW area btw.

So my wife and I rescued an English Pointer on Sunday. We named him Hank, after Hank Hill.
He just looks like he wants to go, "WOAHHHH!" like Hank Hill does.

Before ya'all ask, here's my wife and the dog at the park:


Now since ya'all are smart, I figured you'd know:
How do you teach a hunting dog to, ya know, do huntin' dawg things?

I am completely clueless here.
I hope to be able to take Hank duck hunting, or quail hunting.

So i'd ask you knowledgable folks:
How do you train a dog like this to point, and retrieve?

And i'm completely stupid in this matter. so I assume whatever training the dog needs, I'd need too...

Man's Best Friend dog training place. maybe they can help.

course, you also need to download this lil gem here.

Get the Koheler method book from amazon, etc. I would first make sure that the dog is not gun shy. Use a starter gun from a few hundred yards away from your dog. Have your wife hold him while you shoot. Keep shooting while getting closer to your dog. If he is not scared then have him walk next to you while you shoot the gun. Then start off with basic obedience and then retrieval training. Also, he looks to be almost full grown so certain things like "Force Fethching" might be too stressful for a grown dog to learn.

nitrogen wrote:How do you teach a hunting dog to, ya know, do huntin' dawg things?

With patience and repetition. Most folks are not dedicated enough to properly train a dog, but it depends on what level you want to take him (assuming he has "some hunt" in him).

I am completely clueless here.

No problem, there are plenty of resources for you to learn from, but your first dog won't be nearly as good as subsequent ones. You can just figure on that.

I hope to be able to take Hank duck hunting, or quail hunting.

You will be "cross training" him here... and I would suggest you stick with training him for quail...as English pointers are not especially hardy water dogs. That doesn't mean...you can't train him to retrieve downed ducks, but he's gonna be pretty miserable after a few ice cold jaunts.

How do you train a dog like this to point, and retrieve?

You don't. If properly bred...he already knows how (and has the instinct to do these things). What you will be teaching him is: To point and retrieve when and how YOU want him to (and not on his own terms).

And i'm completely stupid in this matter. so I assume whatever training the dog needs, I'd need too...

No problem, everyone had to start somewhere. You'll need to get some reading material and educate yourself. I don't know how old the dog is, how much "pointer" he has in him...or if he even has the instinct, but in any case....you'll need to start with basic obedience. Until you have a good "handle on him" there is no point in proceeding with any other formal training.

You'll need to decide just how you really intend to use him...and then let us know. I am sure there are several of us here that have trained dogs for hunting purposes that can help.

I am still heart broken over losing my last Lab to a hidden heart problem. He was an exceptional dog with an incredible willingness to learn. I didn't start his formal training until he was nearly 1-1/2 yrs. old, but I worked with him everyday that I could. He earned his Senior Hunter title and we were working on his Master title when he died. Although he came from a duck hunting lineage, he was equally adept at upland hunting and would instinctively "quarter" a field from the time he was a pup. So, you can have multipurpose dogs.

You will no doubt discover that "training" a hunting dog is both rewarding and frustrating at the same time. If you are not a patient man....then do not do your dog the disservice of training him yourself. Every dog is an individual...and the "trainer" must be smart enough to find out what motivates each animal.

Keep you basic obedience lessons short, be consistent and allow your dog learn through repetition and positive reinforcement. He needs to be socialized as well. After that...just let us know when you're ready.

nedmoore wrote:Get the Koheler method book from amazon, etc. I would first make sure that the dog is not gun shy. Use a starter gun from a few hundred yards away from your dog. Have your wife hold him while you shoot. Keep shooting while getting closer to your dog. If he is not scared then have him walk next to you while you shoot the gun. Then start off with basic obedience and then retrieval training. Also, he looks to be almost full grown so certain things like "Force Fethching" might be too stressful for a grown dog to learn.

Force Fetching will be well past the halfway mark in his training (or should be)...so hopefully he'll be acclimated to some amount of stress/pressure previous to this.

Quite a few owners do not have the "stomach" to FF their own dog, but if done properly (and patiently) it makes all the difference in a dogs performance and ability to learn at higher levels.

For some reason....my Chocolate had a problem with this the first few days...and I was literally in tears trying to get him to understand. I had to take him off the table and back to the ground (usually done secondly) and for some reason it "clicked" with him.

Back on the table for 10 days, then finished FF on the ground and he was good as gold after that. Had I been "hard headed" and insistent...instead of looking for another way, he would have suffered needlessly and I don't think I could have taken it. I really loved that dog (still do).


Y’all are going make me go get another “pup� talking about hunting dogs.






Kota-XX: Double registered, Senior Hunter Title, Faithful companion.

Somedays mine would rather lounge by the pool instead of going duck hunting! Actually, they go crazy when they see me loading up the decoys, shotguns, etc. into my truck!

nedmoore wrote:

Somedays mine would rather lounge by the pool instead of going duck hunting! Actually, they go crazy when they see me loading up the decoys, shotguns, etc. into my truck!

Yes Sir!

They know the difference between "going training" and "going hunting"!

If mine would see so much as a shotgun case, a hunting vest, or even see me in hunting "garb" he would start barking, squealing, squirming, jumping, turning circles, etc....until I got him kenneled. Then he was all business. When we got back...I would allow him some "play" time.

I can still see it all in my mind (tiny as it is). Sure miss my Lab.


Did we just hijack this thread?

Sorry.

Wow!

I knew I asked in the right place.

He does naturally point out birds, which makes walking him a bit of a chore. He's a very good natured dog, and is good at figuring out what we want with no obedience training.

We also just found out he's got heartworms, so the whole conversation might be for naught if we cant treat him.

nitrogen wrote:Wow!

I knew I asked in the right place.

He does naturally point out birds, which makes walking him a bit of a chore. He's a very good natured dog, and is good at figuring out what we want with no obedience training.

We also just found out he's got heartworms, so the whole conversation might be for naught if we cant treat him.

If he's not very old (and he doesn't look it) it's treatable. Expensive, but treatable...without too much risk.

Even if left untreated....he'll live quite a few years, but I've always had my dogs on a strict heartworm regiment. Whatever you decide, be his friend, treat him right...and do the best you can for him. That is probably more than what he had before, he deserves it.

Our domestic pets depend on us for their entire welfare, that means providing them with exercise (physical and mental), their health care, their feed...and their socialization. Nothing is worse than just "owning" a pet and throwing a little food and water at it each day. The sporting breeds need so much more. I know you guys will provide it.

If you are friends with, or can make friends with, either a vet or vet tech, here's a little insider secret: heartworm treatment comes in single-use vials, but is drawn up by weight. The rest is (supposedly) discarded. If your vet is treating a small toy dog for heartworm, he might be willing to split the vial with your dog, saving you a lot of money.

My wife is a groomer who used to work at a vet's office. Our (formerly heartworm positive) dog got treated for cheap.

This is my "Hunting" Dog. I will be adding either a .50 Cal, or one of the new Lasers that only us "Black Ops" guys are allowed to have.

ok, NOW it's hijacked!!!!

Don't know if you got papers with your pup, but, check in to the local breed club or general pointing dog club for help and guidance.

NAHVDA (http://www.navhda.org/) is another resource you may want to check in to. Go to a meeting

The AKC will also have a list of Hunting Tests in your area. Go on out and talk to people, most of us dog types are friendly and welcome newcomers to our sport. Another competitor usually means another hunter, another friend another training partner, and another person to preach the gospel of having dogs do what they were born to do.

Good luck with Hank and have fun as you and he train each other.