Early Introductions…as important as “Training”!

While you are doing your Foundation training in the house, garden (yardwork) and elsewhere, it is also crucial to expose your puppy to as wide a variety of circumstances as possible!

This is covered in the training notes and videos, but taking your pup to town, parks, the vet, even just traveling in the vehicle, is vital to your pups general development. “Dog parks” are not a great idea at this time unless all dogs are on lead. A lot of issues can crop up with dogs running wild! Other dogs can also be aggressive, so be cautious in these environments if you absolutely must go to them.

A Puppy Training or socialization class is a great way to be with other dogs in a controlled environment, plus the stimulation your pup will get is very beneficial.

In addition to all of the above, as your pup matures you will be introducing all of the things related to his development as a versatile hunting dog:

1. Important Introductions
   1. Cold Game
   2. Live birds
   3. Pointing
   4. Water
   5. Shot
2. The Field
   1. Cover
   2. Searching/hunting
   3. Retrieving from cover and water
3. Generalizing commands and behaviours

Almost of of the above is covered in detail in each of the Training Guides and recommended Video Series (you will find these on the main >>Training page)!

However, some specific guides and videos related to the above are listed below:

  >> TRAINING GUIDES:

• Puppy_Intro_to_Game
• Pointing – Training with Pigeon Release Launchers

   >> RECOMMENDED VIDEOS

1. Water Introduction – Gun Dog Retriever Training – YouTube
2. Introducing Puppies to Water

You can also use a wing on a “string” to get pups into water, as demonstrated here:

1. Welpenferkurs 18 – Introducing Water with a Wing on a String

For pup’s first pointing experiences, you can also use the wing or dummy on a string to help bring out the pointing instinct:

1. Welpenferkurs: Pointing Fur Dummy on a “String”

Before moving on to pointing live birds in launchers, your pup should be introduced to live flying birds on their own, and to the launchers – without birds in them. You can put a dummy or ball in and launch it from a distance and then let your pup retrieve it. Then move closer. The launchers can make a loud noise and some dogs get frightened if they find it in cover for the first time without any initial exposure! Once that is done, move on to pointing! Please remember to keep the checkcord on at first so the pup is safe and cannot catch the bird! This also helps you get the puppy into the scent cone for the best outcome!

1. Mark Payton Gundogs – How To Train Your Bird Dog. A No-Stress Method To Bring Out The Dog’s Natural Pointing Instinct
2. Pup’s first time pointing pigeons in release launchers

Next up:

>>  Retrieving – how to Begin in a Positive Way