# New Puppy Advice



## jeffinwestfargo (May 5, 2007)

Hey guys! I have a great friend who I call constantly for new puppy advice, but thought I would ask all of you for additional info. I am a first time single dad of a 9 week old pointing black lab. I have had her for 3 weeks. I live alone in west fargo and have a big park for my back yard, so there is plenty of training room during the right times of the day when there aren't joggers, bikers, and rollerbladers to distract her. I have been using Richard A. Wolters book "Water Dog" and the DVD as our bible. We train together early every morning and when I get home. At this point we are working on heel (on my left), sit, stay, kennel, and of course "no". She retrieves the dummy back to me about 80% of the time, and she chases the pheasant wing on a string all the time when I bring that out. She is NOT pointing at all, so if you have advice on how to nurture that and other good habits right now, please let me know. Thanks in advance for your help.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Pointing is instinctive she either will or wont and there is nothing you can do about it.

Try to make time to get it out and into wild birds starting when its about 3 months old don't over train obedience if you want to hunt upland, let the pup explore and range you can bring her in later if you want to.

birds birds birds birds......


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## hunter9494 (Jan 21, 2007)

get rid of the wing on a string. you want her to learn to point on scent not on sight, otherwise she will run right through scent cones, looking for the sight of the bird and busting everyone.


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

Not to sound negitive here but I went with a PL 7 years ago and she never did point (except a skunk once  ). And i will never go the PL route again. I ended up with a wonderful hunting dog, that has never let me down in the field or at home on the couch, but they are way over priced in my opinion. She was out a GMPR X CPR and I paid double for her what I paid for a puppy out of an AFC two time Nat. Am finalist x HRCH *****.

Some point some don't, don't fret it, get her on birds and let it come naturally, and forget the wing on a string thing.


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## clu__82 (Jun 27, 2006)

I have heard that if you can.....you should try and get them around other pointing breeds.......apparently the more that they are around those breeds and see them point......the more they will want to point themselves....I am not sure if you have that option or availability to have her with other pointing breeds ...but if you do I would give it a try .....

Clu__82

Hunt 'Em up and Shoot 'Em Down


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## mdaniel (May 2, 2007)

I would not work to much on the heel command. As they need to work the field area. Scent the dummy and work alot on live birds. Using the heel command and making him heel so young will make him stay next to you and he will stay that way. I always work on that last, and it works for me. I would have to agree with BOBM they have it or they don't. But live birds are the best and to get them to point first.

Good luck


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