Gundogs

[2psinapod]

Thought I would add, in my experience, German Short Haired Pointers, from show stock generally have not lost the degree of working ability to the extent of other gundog breeds.

Then perhaps you've never seen a Pointer point at 8 weeks of age then

Pointers were never bred to retrieve, they were only ever bred to find and point game

[helen]

Ruger recently said in a thread that unless we own a gundog we won't know what they like

Can someone explain the traits they have which make them harder to train or the inability to get reliable commands? I don't know much about gundogs. I assume they have a decent level of prey drive?

Sorry, can't help. My gundogs were easy to train and are good dogs - they do obedience and agility. I did train Bella to do flyball in about 2 easy lessons even though she is not ball mad, she did it because she loved the row of jumps. Didn't continue though as it is not my thing.

[Lablover]

Thought I would add, in my experience, German Short Haired Pointers, from show stock generally have not lost the degree of working ability to the extent of other gundog breeds.

Then perhaps you've never seen a Pointer point at 8 weeks of age then

Pointers were never bred to retrieve, they were only ever bred to find and point game

My brother in law had a marvellous pointer. He trained her solely for water fowl retrieving. She was a hoot to observe and left us, with many marvellous camping and hunting tales. Had a fairly good warm water attitude.

[lea]

Bond goes deaf if he is hunting, i can scream my lungs out, bang lids, probably shoot a bloody gun, the dog

wont listen to me.

we started agility, it all goes well until birds turn up, then i have no hope.

Bloody gun dogs. ;)

[lea]

There is absolutely no comparison to prey drive in a Sibe and prey drive in a Gundog.

A Gundog will not kill everything it catches, in fact a Gundog has a soft mouth, I've watched one of my Pointers catch a butterfly in it's mouth on a porch, trot up the yard to release it and play again.

My Pointers live very happily with a Green Tree Frog that lives within their kennel run, each night they greet him (Kermit ) with a sniff and a slight nudge, Kermit doesn't even budge ;)

In my wildest dreams I can not see that happening, multiple Sibes co-existing with a frog?? :shakehead:

Actually the prey drive in both the Sibe and the Pointer is very similar, its the kill instinct thats different.

[lea]

I'd rate a gundog far higher for trainability than a sibe. I'd also rate a gundog far better looking ;)

Having both a Pointer and a Sibe, they are both bloody hard to train. I am finding the same training problems in both the breeds

and it all has to do with the prey drive.

Both breeds respond well if there is no other distraction, but when there is, i have no hope.

[lea]

Actually, i was wondering if there are many Pointers that do agility and obedience?

I see loads of other gun dog breeds doing exceptionally well at both, the instructors all say the same thing to me.

Oh! a Pointer, you will have your work cut out for you.

[sandgrubber]

After working in a boarding kennel I have had many breeds come through. I started a dislike for some breeds of dog and it wasnt until recently that i realised they are all gundogs. They just came across as "nutty". Please dont take offence because i believe in their family environment and more so in a "working" environment they probably dont behave quite the same way as they do in the kennels. Mind you i have some gundogs in that have been very calm and quiet and well behaved. Its a bit like my dobie i suppose, he has alot of energy/drive and often drives me nuts but I know he will be best when "working".

I also run a boarding kennel (also do most of the work). I prefer gundogs. I love to watch dogs play, and don't like fights. Gundogs are usually happy campers, and have a fine time gadding around with other dogs of most any breed. Mind you, it's common for gundogs to be gawdawful diggers.

I breed Labbies. It's hard to generalise about drive. My foundation bitch had only food drive (which she had by the bucketful). She wouldn't fetch. She wouldn't chase anything. She wouldn't swim unless it was very hot and I went in with her. Others are fetch mad. I think with gundogs as pets, prey drive is easily transferred to toys.

Edited February 5, 2009 by sandgrubber

[Monah]

There is absolutely no comparison to prey drive in a Sibe and prey drive in a Gundog.

A Gundog will not kill everything it catches, in fact a Gundog has a soft mouth, I've watched one of my Pointers catch a butterfly in it's mouth on a porch, trot up the yard to release it and play again.

My Pointers live very happily with a Green Tree Frog that lives within their kennel run, each night they greet him (Kermit ) with a sniff and a slight nudge, Kermit doesn't even budge

In my wildest dreams I can not see that happening, multiple Sibes co-existing with a frog?? :shakehead:

My spin has carried a pidgeon around in her mouth for 10 minutes, and then when I told her to 'give', she gave it to me and it flew away not a mark on it (I checked it over!!). The viz will do the nose nudge to check things out ;) but has also never even hurt a tree frog either.

[oceanaussi]

Not sure what the point of this discussion is???

I can't say anything about Sibes as I never owned one. But Gundogs, they are the most human dogs I ever dealt with....well, the Weimaraner at least.

Yes, they have a strong prey and protection drive. They are highly trainable which doesn't mean they're easily trainable. Some of the breeds are extremly versatile and they ALWAYS, ALWAYS want to please their owner.

But they are a breed with very high excercise requirements, a 2-3 hour walk a day doesn't do, that's when they become nutty.

[Lablover]

I ever dealt with....well, the Weimaraner at least.

Yes, they have a strong prey and protection drive. They are highly trainable which doesn't mean they're easily trainable. Some of the breeds are extremly versatile and they ALWAYS, ALWAYS want to please their owner.

But they are a breed with very high excercise requirements, a 2-3 hour walk a day doesn't do, that's when they become nutty.

Oceanussi,

High trainable but not easily trainable? Please explain?

[oceanaussi]

Oceanussi,

High trainable but not easily trainable? Please explain?

With highly trainable I mean they can do anything! I have a friend in Germany who uses their Weimaraner for herding! Gundogs are smart dogs, they do want to please their owner BUT they mature slowly and due to their high prey drive and their high sensibility, it's harder to train them.

[Bubitty]

Not sure what you want to know but I own a gundog and he is really mild mannered and easy to train. Will do anything he is taught to do as long as he understands what I am trying to teach him. He will perform any command he has already been taught at the drop of a hat.

But then again I like to teach silly tricks (such as carrying my clothes for me or packing up his toys) so I am not sure what kind of training you are referring to.