First hunting dog! (Pudlepointer)

CF8889 · #1 02-06-2018, 09:05 PM

Well, this morning we purchased our first hunting dog! He is a Pudlepointer puppy from here in Alberta. Over the next 12days we will be setting everything up, buying what he needs, and doing research on training! On the 17th we bring him home

We will be involved with the Alberta NAVHDA, I have a buddy back in BC who has been raising and training gun dogs for longer then I've been alive, and the breader has been very helpful with information! So we have no shortage of information....

But we wanna give this pup the best home possible. So any and all advice/suggestions for a first time hunting dog owner, would be greatly appreciated.

I cannot wait!

elkhunter11 · #2 02-06-2018, 09:21 PM

Enjoy the adventure! Just be aware rhat the handler has as much to learn as the dog.

Twobucks · #3 02-06-2018, 10:16 PM

Congratulations on a great decision!

Lots of people will give you good advice on how to teach and re-enforce this and that. Not me. Take your new pup with you everywhere and expose it to as many things as possible. Give it lots of time to be curious and explore and play and help it get things right. What you're doing there is creating a bond so the dog wants to work with you. It also teaches confidence and helps prevent the dog from being too overwhelmed by strange or new things.

The time will come for discipline and focused work, but you're not programming a robot, you're raising a hunting buddy.

My last two cents: pretty much every dog has something odd or annoying or frustrating about it from time to time. Accept there are things that are not worth your while to fix. Be realistic about what your dog needs to be in your home and enjoy that.

My lab likes to bump your junk with her nose when she's excited, eats gross things in the bush and occasionally gets a little hard mouthed on birds. But she works close, listens well, finds lots of birds, doesn't have any quit in her and snuggles on the drive home. I love her like crazy and wouldn't trade her for any other dog on earth.

Bub · #4 02-06-2018, 10:52 PM

Congrats!

I don't have any advice since I have never had a hunting dog. Hopefully, one day. Wholeheartedly congratulations though!

Zuludog · #5 02-06-2018, 11:48 PM

Always awesome to get a dog.

Congrats on the new best friend and hunting buddy.

densa44 · #6 02-07-2018, 08:05 AM

The pup is here with me now and he chews like an alligator. Make sure that you don't leave stuff around where he can reach it. We walk every day and he doesn't seem to mind the cold, which is good.
No need to try to train him for a while he is still very much a puppy.
Get him house broken, I'm working on it. Let him adopt you as his forever family, he is starting to imprint on me already.

He's going to be a very good dog, so if you spend time training him, you will be pleasantly surprised.

elkhunter11 · #7 02-07-2018, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by densa44

The pup is here with me now and he chews like an alligator. Make sure that you don't leave stuff around where he can reach it. We walk every day and he doesn't seem to mind the cold, which is good.
No need to try to train him for a while he is still very much a puppy.
Get him house broken, I'm working on it. Let him adopt you as his forever family, he is starting to imprint on me already.

He's going to be a very good dog, so if you spend time training him, you will be pleasantly surprised.

It's amazing how chewing varies from dog to dog, our little ones did some damage to shoes, furniture and baseboards, but my hunting dog was not a chewer. As my breeder instructed me, the only priority for the first month was bonding with the pup , and house breaking. He did instruct me to leave the house for a short time each day, 20-30 minutes, so the pup would get used to being left alone, and would realize that I would always be coming back to him.

CF8889 · #8 02-07-2018, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by densa44

The pup is here with me now and he chews like an alligator. Make sure that you don't leave stuff around where he can reach it. We walk every day and he doesn't seem to mind the cold, which is good.
No need to try to train him for a while he is still very much a puppy.
Get him house broken, I'm working on it. Let him adopt you as his forever family, he is starting to imprint on me already.

He's going to be a very good dog, so if you spend time training him, you will be pleasantly surprised.

I didn't realize you were a mod here. I've received some PM's telling me about how great your dogs are!

Hahahaha we are currently puppy proofing the house and backyard! Puppies will be puppies. We just can't wait to have him here. He's going to a good home. I can promise you that.

densa44 · #9 02-07-2018, 10:50 AM

I'd love to learn how to do that, then I need to puppy proof my truck.

The puppies keep us all young, that is for sure. If you intend to pheasant hunt you will get to know lots of the doggy people on here and their dogs. It is a great and healthy hobby. I don't think that there is a smoker in the bunch.

sns2 · #10 02-07-2018, 11:03 AM

I was one of the ones who proudly declared that your puppy's mama is affectionately known as Sienna the Great. To say she has earned the name is an understatement!

CF8889 · #11 02-07-2018, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by densa44

I'd love to learn how to do that, then I need to puppy proof my truck.

The puppies keep us all young, that is for sure. If you intend to pheasant hunt you will get to know lots of the doggy people on here and their dogs. It is a great and healthy hobby. I don't think that there is a smoker in the bunch.

When he's ready, we'd love to get him out with some more experienced guys/dogs!

thumper · #12 02-07-2018, 01:19 PM

Oh, how I envy you! What a rodeo you're in for!
My old Pudelpointer has been gone for over 10 years now, and there's still not a day goes by that I don't think of him. Max Sept '92 to July '06

max silouette #2 11-11-01 by Andrew Whittick, on Flickr

new_AB_huntet · #13 02-07-2018, 01:29 PM

Pretty cool!! Congrats

Diesel_wiesel · #14 02-07-2018, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CF8889

Well, this morning we purchased our first hunting dog! He is a Pudlepointer puppy from here in Alberta. Over the next 12days we will be setting everything up, buying what he needs, and doing research on training! On the 17th we bring him home

We will be involved with the Alberta NAVHDA, I have a buddy back in BC who has been raising and training gun dogs for longer then I've been alive, and the breader has been very helpful with information! So we have no shortage of information....

But we wanna give this pup the best home possible. So any and all advice/suggestions for a first time hunting dog owner, would be greatly appreciated.

I cannot wait!

congratulations on yer pup
the only advice I will give is get into an obedience class asap, and never slack of on obedience training , the rest will follow,

Pudelpointer · #15 02-08-2018, 12:09 PM

Well, at least Thumper had the common decency to post a picture in a thread about hunting dogs.... and about a puppy, no less!!!

CF8889 · #16 02-08-2018, 12:18 PM

Photos when we pick him up on the 17th! Promise
Hahaha

elkhunter11 · #17 02-08-2018, 01:18 PM

I don't know where you are located, but I hope to see you at our Prairie Vista NAVHDA field days next summer.

CF8889 · #18 02-08-2018, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I don't know where you are located, but I hope to see you at our Prairie Vista NAVHDA field days next summer.

Located in Calgary. But it'd be great to get out and spend time with guys who are more experienced. I'll be making a few drives out!

CF8889 · #19 03-19-2018, 03:02 PM

Little guy is doing great! Really makes the home feel more full!

Newellknik · #20 03-21-2018, 07:58 AM

Is what I would have said before the Griff ....He is the 11th
And is eleven and has chewed on nothing but his 2 hard rubber
toys . ( do not buy any cute ,small, stuffed , squeaky toys )
The Brits were the worst , whole shoes would disappear .
Buy two crates , 1 for house , 1 for vehicle )
House one should be as large as you can handle ....
Never put a blanket or anything he could rip up in crate .
The toy in the pic is good Tiger tuff ..
Pm me with questions I'm in Okotoks . I'm interested in
the breed ...for future .good luck

elkhunter11 · #21 03-21-2018, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newellknik

Is what I would have said before the Griff ....He is the 11th
And is eleven and has chewed on nothing but his 2 hard rubber
toys . ( do not buy any cute ,small, stuffed , squeaky toys )
The Brits were the worst , whole shoes would disappear .
Buy two crates , 1 for house , 1 for vehicle )
House one should be as large as you can handle ....
Never put a blanket or anything he could rip up in crate .
The toy in the pic is good Tiger tuff ..
Pm me with questions I'm in Okotoks . I'm interested in
the breed ...for future .good luck

My Drahthaar has been with us for two years, and all that he has chewed on is a few of his toys. My little dogs still lay on the pad that my Drahthaar rode home on over two years ago . It was in his crate for about six months, and has been on a chair that the dogs lay on since then. The pad that replaced it when I bought a larger crate, is still in his crate, and it is undamaged. No chewed shoes or furniture ever. My dog has been left alone with run of the house since he was about six months old, and other than removing some birds off of the Christmas tree the first year, he has done no damage.Dogs are individuals, just like people. Mine is a hunting machine in the field, but as a friend and AO member has described him, he is a sucky 85lb lap dog in the house.

aulrich · #22 03-21-2018, 09:21 AM

So with spring arriving(sort of

) there are some things to start thinking about and finding.

if at all possible find areas with puppy sized cover preferably with birds but it needs to be safe so you can let it off leash and not be too concerned. At this age I would suspect they will be more under foot than you expect. When my LM was young if he was on leash he needed to know where the end of it was if he was off leash I was tripping over him. Actually an important developmental milestone you are looking for is when they start following their nose more than you.

When you are doing the fun field romps remember to mostly be quiet, don’t give too many commands , and walk into the cover where you want the dog to hunt staying on the trail won’t help.

Also look for puppy sized water the same rules apply but bring boots 😊

Right now you main goal should be developing your dogs love of field, water and birds combine that with normal pet dog OB and you will be ready for the heavy lifting that will come next year

Have fun

thumper · #23 03-21-2018, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CF8889

Little guy is doing great! Really makes the home feel more full!

Look'n good. When my PP was that age, we were working on good manners on a leash. His nose and his genes were telling him to pull hard and range back and forth, but he had to learn how to heel properly on a slack leash, (left side because I'm right-handed). I was away often and the daily walks often fell to my wife - if he was a struggle to walk she'd quickly tire of exercising him, as well as being a danger to himself while walking in town through traffic. Teaching him to switch out of 'hunting mode' and into 'urban dog walk mode' was the most difficult training we encountered. Getting dragged along by a big, muscular dog gets old in a hurry - and scary for oncoming pedestrian traffic!

CF8889 · #24 03-21-2018, 12:17 PM

Haha yeah, leash training is high on our list. My partner is pretty tiny and she doesn't want to get pulled around haha. He is doing pretty good. He doesn't pull bad unless there is a lot of cars (he doesn't like traffic) or he is ready to go home haha.

People weren't kidding when they say puppies are a lot of work. But man do we love having him around!

jeffhere · #25 03-21-2018, 02:05 PM

Got a big guy bullmastiff puppers.
Sad thing is though, he is low energy puppers.
Two KM's and hes going to lay down and be like "you're carrying me outta here"