# Advice for a newcommer



## GOOSE ROLLER (Aug 15, 2006)

I have always had labs and this summer I got the opportunity to buy a german shorthair from some very impressive bloodlines. I have never trained a pointing dog and have a few questions. She is 14 weeks old, at what age should she be taught basic commands, or do you reccomend teaching sit , stay, etc... I have been reading a book about the Delmar Smith method, what do you think about this method? I just don't want to screw this dog up as I have seen other dogs from this same line that are incredible.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Obedience train her at the same pace and with the same commands you would your labs. I train sit and stay, some guys don't train pointers to sit because they will sometimes sit when pointing if they are whoaed,they out grow that quickly and its such a useful command I train it anyway.

I've never had a dog sit on point yet and I've been training shorthairs since the sixties.

Delmar Smith is a great method.


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## GOOSE ROLLER (Aug 15, 2006)

Thanks for the tips Bob.


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

Thank God Bobm, great minds think alike! I have never understood nor will I everstand why pointing dogs that are going to be house dogs are not taught sit, down, etc. I don't see how people put up with them in the house without these commands. People will tell you Delmar Smith is outdated; trainers like Delmar will never be outdated. A great dog man is a great dog man. There are so many pearls in that book I can't even tell you where to start.

Train the shorthair just like you did the labs. Let them retrieve clipwings, obedience, etc. The difference is, also work pup on a check cord on pointing. Never let him bust a bird, never let him chase a bird (your clipwings will take care of getting him birdy). The "Perfect Start & finish" videos from Perfection are great aids. You'll enjoy the pup. In my view, they are not as boring to train as a lab because the training in so multi faceted.


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## jonesy (Aug 3, 2006)

Disagree....

How can a clipwing, replace the exctiement of a real bird?? Like the retrievers at the line with a dead duck out of a winger, and a shot.....then live duck out of a winger and the shot......how many dogs do you see not get jacked up on the flier?? Exspecially at a young age? ..................So if you can put 100 percent of the excitement and desire in with a live bird as a pup, young dog, or fixing...why wouldnt ya? Its a lot harder to build the desire, Than it is to teach the control of the desire,.............. meaning the later process of steadyness...at the line.....or in the field on point.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

I guess we all do things a little different, I let my pups bust birds in fact other than obedience so I can put up with them in the house I don't do much formal bird work until they have hunted a season.

I try to expose them to lots of wild birds their first season and most well bred pointers will figure out they cannot catch a bird and start pointing and steady up on their own.

IF they do learn it( rarely do they not) I don't do any formal bird work after that. I just teach them to whoa and use whoa to teach them to back. Shorthairs almost always have a strong natural retrieve so I don't FF them either. I also train them to come to a whistle prior to their first season in the field as a safety measure.

Which I believe is the way Delmar does it also, if I remember his book correctly, its been a while since I read it.

Pointers German or otherwise, don't need alot of handling type control like flushers, my opinion is watch them for a year let them develop and you may not have to "fix" anything. I've learned over the years anything a dog learns on its own it will never forget and never fight you over, so I let them.

Good luck you will enjoy your shorthair, they are alot higher energy than most labs but in about three years you will have a bird hunting machine.


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

Don't follow your logic here Jonesy. I think watching, chasing, then catching and retrieving a clipwing pigeon will do more to build bird desire than chasing a thousand fly away's. I keep the two separate for a pup. If I throw the clippie and say "fetch", he can run retrieve it. If I bring him up to a bird on a cc, he must point it and is not allowed to chase. Why create a bad habit?


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## jonesy (Aug 3, 2006)

ooops misread!!!!!!!!!!! I thought you were telling to clip the wings and use. Sorry!!!  even still as a pup, and tame birds, as its age grows, it will chase, and catch....then you can also, do the gun, retrieve, let the dog try and figure out the what and the why of the bird, then teach and show, as time goes on! Sorry gonehuntin, Jonesy


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