# Lab/GSP Mix - Training to point



## cad021 (Aug 10, 2009)

I am a casual hunter. I have done a few quail and pheasant hunts with guides, but I have yet to do it on my own. My father recently purchased some land and I've heard and seen quail on it. With all of this happening I decided to get my first dog. She is now a 6 month old Lab/GSP mix. I got her to be more of a family pet, but I would love it if she was able to come out and hunt with me also.

She has never pointed at anything yet (at least as far as I can tell) so I don't know if she ever will. She is a great athlete and I think she would make a grade hunting companion.

My question is if there are any ways to train them to point. I understand that pointing is more of a natural instinct but I was wondering if there are any ways to help bring out that instinct in them. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

With a set of auto launcers, you could train a guinea pig to point. If you're willing to invest 6-800.00 in bird launchers, it can be done. Personally, I think it's a waist of time.

I'd settle for what you get. It it points, it points. If it flushes, it flushes. If you wanted a good pointing dog, you should have bought one from good bloodlines.


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## Canuck (Nov 10, 2004)

Hey Cad,
You are no longer a casual hunter. You now have a hunting dog you want to train. You're already hooked and before you know it you'll be a serious hunter. Hopefully so will your dog.
There are lots of good dog people here and a lot of good books and tapes out there specializing in flushing dogs, pointing dogs and retrievers. Like gonehuntin said there are ways to get any dog to point. My present lab learned through hunting experience to "point" birds that she knew were holding right under her nose. Pointer people will tell you she was just "standing game" and I guess that's all she was doing :wink: but she started this behaviour after she started hunting for the gun, meaning, when she knew she was hot on a bird's tail she would start looking back to see where I was because without me and the gun there wasn't going to be a bird to retrieve. That progressed into her stopping if a bird held tight in order to let me catch up. I'm 58 and old guys not being able to keep up is why there are Pointers!!
So, does your dog have any prey instinct. Does it chase squirrels? cats? birds?
Have you considered how to introduce your dog to the gun??
I'm guessing there are going to be some guys here who are much smarter than me that will be able to steer you to some good training material. You might want to look at the so-called "versatile" hunting dog stuff, again meaning dogs, like wirehair pointers that point, birds, track small game and larger game and in my two previous wirehairs case...help land fish as well! 
You also have a nice advantage....your own land with birds to train and hunt on. Good luck.
Canuck


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

At 6 monthes I would be more concerned with a solid OB program and let the dog decide whether it is goint to point or flush (it may do both depending apone what the bird is doing). If it were mine I would treat it like a retriever OB wise and get it on as many birds as possible......


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