Hunting over a pointer puppy

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DK519

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Looking for some input as to how you pointer guys start hunting with your new dogs ie. shooting birds the dog has flushed and begun chasing or not.

My Vizsla will point birds like a machine and will let me flush them 50% of the time and the other 50% do it himself once I get within ~10ft then chase for 10 yards or so before going on to find the next bird.

This fall will be his first season so I'm looking for advice on which birds YOU guys would shoot. I'm totally new to hunting with a dog so keep that in mind.
 
Don't shoot the birds the dog flash points then flushes, by shooting the birds the dog breaks point on you are actually teaching the dog its ok to do this and it will turn into a bad habit. Only shooting the birds the dog holds point for and lets you flush the bird will show the dog this is the ONLY way to get the bird and will make it steady to wing.
 
I would start conditioning the pup to gunfire first. Before its to late. After that every time you take the dog out always have a check cord on the dog. NEVER SHOOT THE BIRD WHICH FLUSHED BY THE DOG!
Just a question. How could you be new to hunting with a dog when you have a Vizsla which you hunt?
 
When the dog is on point and holding well, always move in on the bird from the side so the pup has a good idea what you are up to. Do not come up right behind them. This accomplishes two things. A safer shooting position and the dog can keep an eye on you and the bird. Your dog is holding on some of the points so is getting the idea. Some people advocate a long pole and a wing to train dog to hold point. Others will argue against that. A check cord is another method. I have not used used it but it makes sense it will work. Praise success. There are some excellent you tube videos on this subject. One trainer I was observing used a starter pistol to train her dogs. They held their point, she flushed and then shot the pistol. Neat idea as it shows the whole process with the exception of the retrieve. You may have to trade treats when your dog retrieves. Mine does not like to give up "HIS" bird but we have reached a compromise. Remember the point is taking the dogs instinctual stalking mode and making them pause and wait for you. The more time you spend, the better it will be come hunting season. Plan for success and never lose patience. Try not to get too excited when you are closing in. On a happy note while walking the other day put up two young families with 6-8 chicks each. Happy times ahead.
 
How do you guys introduce your dogs to shooting? I've a new dog and while it probably won't be a birder it may very well end up hunting beaver and coyote with me. What age do you start? Cap gun? 22? Steps for progression?
 
What I did as a progression,
First as puppy is eating I rattled pots, drum the with a wooden spoon etc, said bang loudly. The loud noises linked to food = good to pup.
Up the ante still with eating, firing a cap gun, also with play time fire the cap gun and make bang noises.

As he Conditioned to hearing loud bangs and other noises while having food or fun time, he learns that they are part of these activities and mean good things are coming his way.

I progressed to taking him out of the city and while playing fetch having a friend if possible be off to the side and fire .22 shots, as this did not bother or distract him from having fun I then upped it to the shotguns.
He in a short time would see a cased gun in my hands and he would be excited and want to go with me.

I then took him to the trap and skeet club and walked him around the grounds while firing going on, slowly getting closer to the shooting stations.
He has turned out to be not at all gun shy. A great hunting companion before diabetes took his vision, he will lay down quietly watching me shoot 5-stand or skeet without a flinch.
 
doc25 said:
How do you guys introduce your dogs to shooting? I've a new dog and while it probably won't be a birder it may very well end up hunting beaver and coyote with me. What age do you start? Cap gun? 22? Steps for progression?
Click to expand...

Planemaker gives excellent suggestions. My current hunting buddy came equipped as they say. Did not have to condition him at all, absolutely fearless. First time I flashed up the chain saw he tried to check it out. Your pup may need conditioning for gunshots or maybe not. If the pup shows the slightest apprehension back right off and use a progression as Planemaker outlined. Do not hurry that part of the training. Many a promising dog has been ruined through developing gun shyness.
 
I don't "hunt" with him yet. We've introduced him to birds and gunfire and he's done his NAVHDA NA test last week. Working on his FDJ title with CKC. To give you an idea, he scored 100 for a prize III in natural ability and 91 out of 100 in the first leg of FDJ.

So check cord in the mean time to work on holding point. Once the bird is flushed (by me ideally) is it OK to shoot a bird if the dog breaks point and is on his way in the flying bird's direction? I'm sure different people will have different opinions on this. Do you find the dog picks up fairly quickly that he doesn't get the bird unless you flush it?

The CKC test had me shooting a pistol every time a bird was flushed, by me or the dog. I've just gotten advice to hunt him this fall but have no idea what that kind of outing would look like.
 
The thing I've done myself to help condition a puppy to real, loud gun fire is what Planemaker said, to slowly walk one up to a busy shooting range from a considerable distance, watching their reactions all the way and letting them lead the way. But I'd do the loud home noises and cap gun things first. When you're firing the pistol at every flush, you're teaching the dog the report of a gun is a happy thing and is to be expected- but good luck doing it in Canada. Every dog, sporting or not, should get this conditioning, it helps during thunderstorms as well.
 
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I made up a bird thrower to throw the birds into the air when the dog was on point.that way I could control the flush I use homing pigeons that I bought from a guy that was culling birds from his flock if I missed he just sell them back to me for the next training session.i also got one of the dummy throwers that use 22 blank ammo to throw it it work really well for training my GSP to retrieve out of water.
 
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