I would love to hear from Helen who mentioned in an earlier post about pointers that it is sometimes possible to train pointers to point but not chase. I have a 5 month GSP and I would like to know what I can do to encourage this. Any advice appreciated.

Most pointers point quite naturally. I was surprised one evening at the dog club. I was holding a 12 week old show bred pointer for a friend whilst he handled an older one. I decided it needed to "Spend a penny" so took it out into some long grass outside and it suddenly went on point!

A few weeks ago I was judging at a training test and although it was for retrievers a friend had brought her two GWP's along and asked me if she could try the test. Her dog went straight out for the dummy then stopped, went on point, and out popped a rabbit!

Idealy no pointer, setter or HPR should chase. It's function is to find then depending on type, wait for the handler or flush on command. If it chases then the chances are that the bird, rabbit or whatever will be driven away from the guns and the dog will not be very popular! ;)

Regards, John

My remaining nameless to preserve the breed's dignity :rolleyes: HPR once went on point to a frozen chicken that had been left on the ground

OMG!
Arn't I glad I only have retrievers!

Yeah yours would have retrieved it to hand. At least it would have saved all that plucking!

I would also like to know how to discourage my pointer form chasing after pointing as he will kill birds if he catches them - he is 9 months and the only thing I can think of is to use the down and stay commands - as he is still young he could break the stay off lead if excited. Idly wondering - why are dog toys impregnated withthat sickly vanilla scent? It really puts Morse off playing with the rubber rings or pull tugs sold in Pet City

pointers as with all dogs should be taught the three action introduction...to come. go or remain stationary......you can use the approprate command at the time its needed........but it must be taught as three distinct seperate behaviors

I would use the long line method with her. She is still fairly young and as she is pointing, the instinct is there. Even at 8 weeks or younger, you can see that pause before they chase. A well bred pointer, shouldn't need to be told to stay on point as it's natural for them but you can steady them using the long line whilst stood next to them whilst on point.

I would try and get her out of the habit of killing birds as you may find one day that she has killed a pheasant a keeper has put down.

Helen

I have a gwp as well as 3 pointers and I have found that the gwp did not point until he was 9 months, whereas, Milly, a pointer, first pointed the day we got her at 8 weeks.

Milly is 5 months old and we have not stopped her from chasing (apart from sheep!). We are allowing her hunting instinct to come through. It isn't until later that you stop them chasing. If you stop them too soon, you will curb their instinct to hunt. We have already taken her onto the moor to see her reaction to game and although she didn't find any, she went to the spot where there were some. The time to stop them chasing is when they are holding their point for a while (this really depends on the dog - our gwp was 10 months). You need a long line attached to her collar and when she goes on point, walk up to her, slowly and pick up the line (she will have been trailing it), and once she is about to chase, allow her a little leeway to see if she does chase the birdgs and then say NO, holding onto the line.

I wouldn't be doing a great deal with your gsp, just the basic obedience - heeling, recalling and sitting on the whistle. It really depends on how far you want to take the training and if you will be shooting over her.

Thanks Helen you confirmed my thoughts on discouraging chasing - at 9 months Morse is old enough to learn not tochase and he can hold a point for ages. I usually use a long line when we 're not in our free runnng place, so we can carry on doing this and keep at the obedience training.