Just starting out

[assateague]

I've got a whoa question. Dutch is good, out to the 20' check cord. He'll whoa like a champ. The one time I tried it with no lead at all was a disaster, so I haven't tried it again. I may as well have been on a separate planet, asking him the value of pi. My question is, how do I avoid training him to the lead rather than the command? He'll whoa and hold until I release him (in 2 locations so far) with "ok", but I'm positive this wont happen without the lead. He's not pulling it or fighting it at all- just knows its there, and minds accordingly.

Not trying to get ahead of myself, he's only 12 weeks. But I want to make sure that there's not something I should be doing to reinforce the command, rather than reinforcing "hey, I've got a rope to my neck, I better listen now". Or should I just keep doing what I'm doing?

[jarbo03]

Get a longer lead and whoa him at different distances from you. Like you said, he is only 12 weeks old. As with all training it takes time, as you work on it more it will become a conditioned response with or without the lead.

[Flightstopper]

I've got a whoa question. Dutch is good, out to the 20' check cord. He'll whoa like a champ. The one time I tried it with no lead at all was a disaster, so I haven't tried it again. I may as well have been on a separate planet, asking him the value of pi. My question is, how do I avoid training him to the lead rather than the command? He'll whoa and hold until I release him (in 2 locations so far) with "ok", but I'm positive this wont happen without the lead. He's not pulling it or fighting it at all- just knows its there, and minds accordingly.

Not trying to get ahead of myself, he's only 12 weeks. But I want to make sure that there's not something I should be doing to reinforce the command, rather than reinforcing "hey, I've got a rope to my neck, I better listen now". Or should I just keep doing what I'm doing?

I could be talking out my ass, don't know a thing about pointers, but I would venture to guess cut back the distance he is from you and work through it again without lead. Then you can correct him by hand and slowly work in distance later. Might have the cart before the house trying for distance this early.

[Rick]

Never was a fan of crutches we'd eventually have to do without, in part because of problems like yours, and we've precious little use for checkcords with the pointing pups and none at all with the retrievers. Consequently, I teach my pointing pups "whoa" like I teach the retrievers "sit" starting before eating and other everyday "rewards" like going out when they are very young (initially very briefly, of course) and building from there, all off lead until we start "heel". And you might want to try that approach to break the connection Dutch now has between the command and cord.

[assateague]

Ok, will do. It'll be a tough sell outside, with a yard full of chickens and a road out front, though. I'll just have to work more in the house and plan it better outside.

[assateague]

Get a longer lead and whoa him at different distances from you. Like you said, he is only 12 weeks old. As with all training it takes time, as you work on it more it will become a conditioned response with or without the lead.

He's working at the end of a 20' rope now.

[Rick]

Ok, will do. It'll be a tough sell outside, with a yard full of chickens and a road out front, though. I'll just have to work more in the house and plan it better outside.

Much easier when you start while they're too small to get far fast - and don't have bad habits to break.

[assateague]

Ok, for the last week we've been working on whoa pretty much everywhere, but mostly in the house with food, The Dingo, etc, and then working very close outside with a check cord, but without holding it. That's what we were doing here- I will keep the cord on him, in case for some reason he takes off for the road I can stomp on it. It was just laying on the ground, and he had been raising hell running after The Dingo. Then the chickens caught his eye. He's getting much better.

[AKPirate]

Always fun to watch Dutch grow up. I was watching the road and it looks like Tucker isn't parking out in front of your house anymore.

[assateague]

Nope. If he comes back, he's gonna have the whole "neighborhood watch" going over as a group to inquire as to his business there.

[one2many]

Always fun to watch Dutch grow up. I was watching the road and it looks like Tucker isn't parking out in front of your house anymore.

hahahahahaha..
the pup is looking good Assa

[Redbeard]

Look sharp Jimbo! Funny how differently they can't with a lead/ leash on...regardless of whether you're holding it or not

[assateague]

Just had a little test this morning. He did well.

[Redbeard]

Good boy! Funny how intently he watches em

[Rick]

Tease.

[one2many]

Just had a little test this morning. He did well.

looking great! he is going to make you a great hunting partner.

[assateague]

Just went swimming again with the neighbor this afternoon. I generally just let him swim and play with the neighbor's lab, keeping it low key, but he was doing well today so I decided to video one. He usually swims better than this, but is doing great. Think he was getting tired. And the neighbor's lab is a great distractor

[Feelin' Fowl]

Awesome. Is that your neighbor's pond? Pretty nice to have that near by...

[assateague]

Yeah, it's just a couple hundred yards away through a bean field. We walk down and back sometimes, so he can work his nose in the beans and along the ditch.

[Feelin' Fowl]

Yeah, it's just a couple hundred yards away through a bean field. We walk down and back sometimes, so he can work his nose in the beans and along the ditch.

Do you get to hunt it too? a .22 on a Sunday might work out well there...

[assateague]

Me and the owner used to goose hunt there a lot. But they built a small house and a couple barns next to it, so no more. We wore them out during resident goose, with a 15 bird limit. No plugs, and we'd often stack the spare guns in front of us and just throw down the empty and grab another. Get huge resident flocks in there. It was fun while it lasted, but now we just get to watch them land and loaf all damn day.

[Feelin' Fowl]

Two words.

Sling Shot