STARTING OUT RIGHT

By Don Lee

Making sure your pup gets a good start in life begins with early kennel life, weeks 4-8. We don’t breed a whole lot of litters, so when we do it is a very special time at our place. We were there when mom whelped and we have been there every moment since. We know the importance of socializing young pups and ours have had a lot of contact with us and have “no fear”. They are very self-confident and it shows in everything they do. That is not by accident and is very important to the development of a confident and bold hunting dog. What you do over the next several months will have everything to do with the success of your dog, so please carefully consider the following:

1.      When your pup looks up at you it is a lot like you looking up into one of the faces on Mt. Rushmore-- except you are alive. When you talk to your pup, yours is the voice of Moses from the mount. You are monstrous, in proportion, and you must remember that at all times.  When you speak to your pup, use calm and assuring tones. Socialize your pup to the fullest extent possible. This cannot be postponed. A pup with little or no exposure to people and dogs during the first 3 months of life adjusts poorly as an adult, despite attempts to compensate for this at a later date. Take your pup with you in the car and go for walks (on a lead unless 100% safe) where your pup will come in contact with other people and dogs. This way your pup gets used to the noise and distractions of public life and can meet and play with other dogs that are gentle, friendly and well socialized themselves. A common mistake is to show anger. Anger equals loss of control. A puppy senses this loss of control and an insecure atmosphere is instantly created. It is not long before your pup becomes insecure and unsure and this affects the bond you and your pup share, as well as your pup’s self confidence. Never shout at your pup, no matter what you pup has done. Instead, use a word that your pup will understand to mean “Opps, I just made a mistake”, and say it firmly but without anger. I always say: “oh oh!” cause it doesn’t sound like any command I will ever want to teach him. I suggest you don’t use the word: “No” because it will be confused with “Whoa” which you will teach him later.

2.      Expose your pup to the great outdoors on a regular basis, daily if possible. Find time as often as you can to turn your pup loose in an environment where he is safe from traffic and other hazards, and let your pup explore. Say as little as possible as you go. Let your pup chase birds, rabbits, just get after everything. If pup flashes a point and then chases, that is fantastic. You will teach pup later how to hold his point, but for now, don’t worry about it at all. Just encourage your pup to hunt. Where I live, I am very lucky to have 6 acres of my own property that is full of quail and rabbits. I take my pups out every day and they usually come into contact with one or the other or some days both. When they do I say nothing at all, just smile and watch my pup try to figure out what to do, which always ends up with the pup giving chase, sometimes after a flash point, or a pause to consider options. Only speak to your pup when you are ready to make a major turn in direction, and then only say “over here” or “alright, this way” as you change direction. When my pups are hunting so hard and running so much that I am no longer comfortable on my 6  acres, I move to the 80 acres across the road. The game remains the same, just turn em loose and let em hunt, but by now they are accustomed to the game, they really like it, and they respond by really rolling around. They look forward to this regular time with me and they take full advantage of their hunting time. Before very long, they learn to use their noses to give them a heads-up and start pointing. This is still just playing around, but it sure is exciting to watch. A bird dog is by nature a predator. The purpose of a bird dog is to hunt and find game. Only bold, well adjusted and self confident specimens succeed

3.      Introducing your pup to gun shots. As far as I am concerned most dogs that end up gun shy get that way due to improper exposure in the first place. Let’s face it; a 12 gauge shotgun is a real loud noise. Given the choice of wanting to be around it or not, I think most people would rather leave the area than endure the volume, unless -- the reason for sticking around was more important. That is really the key to introducing a bird dog to the sound of the gun. Here is how I do it, and it has never failed. 

I don’t even think about it until the pup has been exposed to the world, is hunting with keen interest and is chasing game (feather or fur) actively and consistently. Once I am certain that I have a hunter, I take my pup out and stick my 22 caliber blank pistol in my pocket. I wait until my pup has pointed something, and has begun to give chase. When my pup is a good 30 yards out and moving away smartly after its quarry, I fire the blank gun in the opposite direction, out behind me. From where the pup now is it is not very loud. Most of the time (at least 95%) the pup doesn’t even notice a shot was fired, the pup just goes on chasing. The next time I don’t do anything, but the time after that, I repeat the shooting, this time with the gun pointed straight up into the air. I don’t shoot more than twice on the first day of this training. The next time I am out, I repeat the process with the first shot this time up in the air and the second shot towards the chasing pup. Be sure to remember to let your pup get a ways out there, so the shot isn’t going off anywhere near him. If the pup does anything, other than keeps on chasing after the bird, such as stopping or turning around, don’t do anything more. Let some time go by and let your pup get back used to chasing with his focus on the quarry. When the pup has adjusted himself again to the joy of the chase you can try it again, but let a month or so go by, no need to hurry.

Ah, but you can’ kill birds with a 22 caliber blank gun you say. And , right you are, but the exposure to the gun has already been accomplished. It will be quite simple and natural to replace the blank gun with a shotgun when the time is right, but remember, always shoot when your dog is chasing and let  him get a ways out there. I suggest you use a 20 gauge with light loads the first few times you shoot birds over your dog. Once a dog understands that it is much more fun to chase and ultimately retrieve a bird than to be frightened of a little noise it is locked in for life. I can honestly say I have never had a gun-shy dog, nor have I ever bred a gun-shy puppy. The secret is that the pup always thinks it is much more important and fun to give chase, than to be bothered by a little noise.  If you don’t think you can introduce your pup to the gun without some help, then by all means try to find someone who knows what they are doing to give you a hand. It is difficult and sometimes impossible to cure a gun-shy dog.

Common mistakes about introducing pups to gun noise are as ridiculous as they are regrettable. Here are some losers. 1. Take your dog to the trap range and stake him out. 2. Shoot a big gauge gun with the dog at heal next to you. 3. Shoot a shotgun in the direction of your pup before your pup gets comfortable with the noise of a light blank gun. 4. Take you pup to a noisy factory such as a forging factory.

Teton Kennel

Fine German Shorthaired Pointers

P.O. Box 1384 ¨Dewey, Arizona 86327 ¨ Phone: 928/632-8686

e-mail: donlee@commspeed.net

http://www.azquailguide.com/puppys.htm