My new lab: Pointing and flushing

Hi All

Is it possible to train a lab to be a reasonable pointer, or at least flush birds in a controlled manner? I am not talking field trial winning stuff, very basic/ practical hunting level.

The dog is from a field trial camp bloodline.

Thanks

http://www.pointing-labs.net/

Definitely, they were bred to do it. My lab did it with out any training.

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Originally Posted by 308FN

Definitely, they were bred to do it. My lab did it with out any training.

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Not quite. Labs are not traditionally bred for pointing, but retrieving. They do point, but as a specialist pointing dog will outperform a Lab in that department, a Lab will outperform a pointer at retrieving. A Lab is not a specialist pointing dog.

Thanks guys, sounds good

@Springer - like I said, I am not looking at having it compete with a pointer, rather to have a good retriever and reasonable pointer/flusher in the hunting field. He does not even have to point, as long as he sniffs out birds and flush them within range.

Cheers

jws123

Two ways of achieving your desired end: firstly you can make a point of having him hunt "close in", by tieing a 15m check chord to your belt whenever you are training him in the field. Get him used to always being close to you - talking quietly to him and frequently giving him commands in a quiet voice will help him try to stay within earshot of you [always avoid shouting - it is the most counter productive thing to do to a dog in the field...and shouting "come" when your tone is telling him "I'm gonna F*** YOU UP WHEN YOU GET HERE!"...well that is just plain dumn!]. In other words you are trying to get him to hunt where you walk and move a bit like a spaniel, rather than ranging out and finding (which is more like a pointer works).

Or you can focus on getting him "staunch" on point, with things like remote live bird release traps. I suggest you get a good book on training pointers for the use of one of these...Safari and Outdoor had a number when I was last in there.

I have a friend with a Blue Heeler (Aussie cattle dog), that is an amazing pointer and retriever. He is a little "hard in the mouth", but he is the shit on tough birds like gypos! He taught my sweet little brittany to hit the gyppos hard if she doesn't want to be wing beaten and pecked - it works for her too now, and she still brings Capies and Greywing to the hand still alive and with barely a feather out of place.

Keep us posted, it sounds like a nice challenge!

Sweet

Agree on pretty much what Sweet has said... what I might add is that you might want to avoid shooting birds that she just runs in on and chases up initially and shoot only birds that she points. The labby will live for the retrieve and that will be what she wants so use it as a training "reward" - as soon as she realises she doesn't get birds that she "chases up" (out of range) but gets the ones she waits for you on she may be more willing to point them.

A very good point, Springer!