Pointer training thoughts – 13th May 2008

No training today as I was in a meeting for the whole day but I still feel my thoughts today are worth documenting if only for my own clarity.  With a dog bred for generations to find gamebirds, and an active programme of training to develop control around this instinctive behaviour, it should come as no surprise that the dog’s focus is on finding birds.  This is fine if finding birds is an appropriate activity, i.e during the season for shooting, during the season for training, or with the permission of the landowner etc. for counting purposes.  Of course, the dog doesn’t know that birds have a nesting season so pays no heed to any dates.  I come off the moor from 1st March to the 1st August to avoid disturbing nesting birds but this does not stop the dog from hunting when we train elsewhere.  Obviously I do all that is practicably possible to reduce the chance of her finding birds, but when she can smell a pheasant in good scenting conditions from 150 feet things can get difficult.   This is one of the reasons why I need to have full contol of Grace and why I work so hard to instil the drop and reduce the likelihood of a chase.  It is not only for better control over the autumn or winter months.

I just thought this worthwhile mentioning.