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28-03-2020, 00:07 #1
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- May 2009
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Hunting dog puppy training - Book recommendations and advice
I may have a Small Münsterländer pup heading my way in May. The initial intention was to go to hunting dog puppy school, but with Corona all such things have been suspended.
I'm going to have to go at it alone for time being.
I have ZERO experience with this. So I to have to rely on solid literature recommendations, and advice from knowledgeable people.
I would like to train the pup for bird retrieval, and for tracking wounded game.
Any advice would be appreciated.
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28-03-2020, 10:24 #2
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- Jan 2009
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- Pretoria
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Re: Hunting dog puppy training - Book recommendations and advice
If memory serves, in the 80's, Paddy Lindop wrote a series of articles in Magnum, called The art of shooting flying, which included a lot of good advice on how to train a retriever. I do not use it any more, I just train from memory, but those articles form the bases for all my gundog training.
I do not hunt Labradors, just GSP's, and the advice also holds true to training HPR breeds, taking this training and getting my 1st GSP dog onto blood spoor took 3 training sessions when he was about 20 months old, my rationale was thar if we could come back 2 hours later and give him a good starting point on a wounded guinea fowl, that would sometimes take him up to 20 minutes before he tracked down and retrieved the runner, a wounded game animal would be easy. And I was right, he took to it like a duck to water.
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28-03-2020, 10:35 #3
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- May 2009
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28-03-2020, 10:41 #4
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- May 2014
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Water Dog by Richard A Wolters for retriever training if you can find it. Starts from puppy stage.
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28-03-2020, 10:50 #5
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- Jun 2012
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- 13,459
Re: Hunting dog puppy training - Book recommendations and advice
I would recommend a book by Derry Argue, called "Pointers and Setters" Although it deals specifically with pointing breeds, and less so HPR's, it gives you a very good insight into starting a working pup. The most important thing is to remember not to be too regimented with a pup and keep things light without a lot of pressure. Fully ingrain the recall and later the stop, this is the foundation on which bird dog training is built. Get the pup comfortable with coming to you and seeing you as a partner in its fun, rather than someone who intructs and demands, concentrate on building that partnership.
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28-03-2020, 13:38 #6
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- Dec 2017
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- 1,561
Re: Hunting dog puppy training - Book recommendations and advice
Welcome to a world that is extremely rewarding. I have had bird dogs for 35 years with
fabulous results.
Training Your Retriever by James Lamb Free has been my most valuable source of information
over the years, reprinted and updated over about 40 years. You may find the book on sites like
E Bay, Bid or Buy etc. If you cant I will gladly copy mine and mail it to you.
The first and most important fundamental is to get a decent dog to start with. And you have plenty
of time. Basic puppy training is all you need in the short term. I taught all my dogs to retrieve only
after their first year and proper hunting after two years.
And you will have your moments. All dogs are different. My 45 kg Labrador wont pick up a live wounded
goose. I have seen a dog roll a guinea fowl with his nose but he wont pick it up. Some dogs hate the oiliness
on ducks. My Springer Spaniel behaves like a lunatic if he sees a Hadeda. All part of the fun.
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28-03-2020, 14:29 #7
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- May 2009
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- Germany
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Re: Hunting dog puppy training - Book recommendations and advice
Much appricated! I found every single book on Amazon.
Thank you for the kind gesture.
I've put my name up for a Small Munsterlander pup. I'll hear next week if I'm be one of the new lucky owners.
I've also been looking at Vizslas, GSP, German Long Hair Pointers, and German Wirehaird pointers. There is an abundance of pups at the moment with the majority comming from working stock.
With no end in sight with the Corona restictions, its the perfect time to house train a pup.
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28-03-2020, 14:41 #8
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- Jun 2012
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- 13,459
Re: Hunting dog puppy training - Book recommendations and advice
What is the main function of the dog going to be? Wingshooting (pointing focused), wingshooting with retrieving as a necessity, waterfowling - slip retrieving only, or hunting? I ask this as you have mentioned other fringe breeds further to your suggestion of a small munsterlander. South Africa is blessed with some very good working stock bird dog breeders and we have much available ground which suits a great many breeds. It should be noted that depending on what you want to do, there are some breeds which will suit themselves better to various cover (and quarry) - There are a great many people who can assist you. Whatever you decide, the world of working bird dogs is a very special and rewarding pursuit.
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28-03-2020, 15:53 #9
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- May 2009
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- Germany
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Re: Hunting dog puppy training - Book recommendations and advice
I'll take any advice I can get.
I'm looking for a retriever and a tracker. Game birds such as pheasant and other ground dwellers are not high on my list. My main focus is pigeon, duck and geese.
My other requirement is the following of wounded game such as roe and boar.
I need a hardy dog that does not mind getting wet, and can deal with the cold.
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28-03-2020, 16:18 #10
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- Jun 2012
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- 13,459
Re: Hunting dog puppy training - Book recommendations and advice
I see you are based in Germany? I assume the dog is going to be purchased and used there? The nice thing about Europe is that there is a decent genetic pool of fringe breeds which have been dutifully maintained and continue to be worked.
As an 'All-Purpose' dog, there is a very good reason why the GSP is so popular. As far as hunting goes (feather & fur) there isn't much it doesn't do. They are a bit more "hunt crazy" and may drive you a little nuts in the off-season once they get switched on. But they are very good all rounders and wonderful fun to live with. Vizslas (both std and wirehaired) are also very capable, but a little harder to train and they usually start putting things together once they get to 2 years old. Munsterlanders (small and Large) are not that popular in SA, but there is good working stock in Europe. The ones I have seen need a bit of coaxing to get into water retrieves, but this may have been isolated as I haven't seen a lot of them, and as mentioned the breed is sparse in SA. They are very popular with falconers because of their softer nature and shorter range, they are wonderful in the house.
If pointing is not a prerequisite, you might consider a Springer. They will pretty much cover all the bases you want, and they also will not run as wide as the traditional pointing breeds (EP's and GSP's in particular) - English pointers and Setters are the Ferrari's of bird dogs, and not much will match them as specific pointing breeds go, but they do not take to water well in the colder months - the American bred ones are more likely to be better at retrieving. If your heart is set on a Munsty, there is little reason to look for something else, find some good working stock and build up a good network of people who you can bounce ideas and training off, and just jump in.
It's a fantastic game, everyone who has been in the game for any length of time will have their favourite breeds and ones that suit best what they do, but the wonderful thing about bird dogs is that they're all special in their own way, it's the sport that keeps on giving.
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