starting a new pup

[greenhead_killer]

hey all, so this time last year i had to put my old boy down. it hit me pretty hard and took a bit to get used to the idea of getting a new partner, but all things seem to heal with time.

 that being said, i did a bunch of research and found a breeder out of oregon for what we were looking for. just got the call 2 weeks ago that we made the cut. mom had a litter of 10 and we were number 6 so heres to a new adventure.

i will be getting a wirehaired pointing griffon at the end of august/first of sept.

i guess im looking for some guidance as to what i need to start the dog off with as far as training and how early to start. i have never officially trained a dog but am looking forward to the challenge. i can research methods etc but i am kind of looking for a timeline of how most guys/trainers go about getting their dogs prepped. these dogs are bred for upland but id like to additionally throw in water work as well since these are a versatile breed. if theres a book or videos any of you suggest to get started, im all for it. might be cutting it close but im a quick learner and want to do the best job i can and produce the best product i can.

thanks for any and all responses. dms work as well if thats easier for some of you. look forward to learning a new skill and i will have to share the journey as it goes!

thanks

[rasbo]

Don't rush to much training,let it be a pup and get around people and other dogs after fully vaccinated. The basics like sit and recall,and fetch.

[Sr15]

My 5 month old griffon. She has a ton of personality.  Congratulations on you choice of a pup.

[Sr15]

Another pic

[greenhead_killer]

Don't rush to much training,let it be a pup and get around people and other dogs after fully vaccinated. The basics like sit and recall,and fetch.

thanks raz. Good to keep it low key. Don’t want to not put the time into this dog and not help it get to it’s full potential.

Sr15, great looking dog. We did a bunch of research on what we wanted and fell onto this breed in the end. Love the bearded look to them, the versatility and the family/hunting dog potential. Can’t wait to get the new guy

[rasbo]

Enjoy your pup,I'm picking up a pudelpointer pup next month,can't wait.

[RobinHoodlum]

Fellow WPG owner and have the following suggestions:

Let the pup be a pup for the most part and do everything you can to create an environment where everything is positive, loving, and fun. Maybe this is obvious, but we had challenges with potty training (see below) and our over friendly pup got nicked in the face a couple times approaching other dogs to play.

Work on the basic obedience fundamentals in short but frequent training sessions. Your long-range goal should be 100% compliance on come, heel, and fetch commands. Stay, is also important and can be transitioned to Whoa later.

Get the pup out around shallow wadable water early and often. I attribute the fact that mine is a swimming, water retrieving fool to this.

Ultimately, you will want to find a way to get access to birds for training. Dead birds are okay, but live ones are critical for training pointing steadiness.

Allow the pup to range as much as she wants (within reason). The breed is not far ranging, so you want to encourage max range to the degree that you can.

As mentioned, despite our best efforts, our little lady was slow to potty train and my understanding is that the breed is known for this. Each acccident in the house is a minor set back and 'cancels out' the opportunity to positively reinforce peeing and pooping outside. Get everyone in the household on the same page about the need create and environment for success here.

Hope this is helpful!

[greenhead_killer]

good info rhl, thanks.

 the breeder is pretty adamant about exposing the pups to live shooting, water, and live birds before they leave at the 8-9 week mark. that was the mistake i made with my last dog, not taking the time to expose him early and often when he was young( i was young and inexperienced) mom is known to be a long ranger so well see how he turns out, whether he gets that roamer trait or is more of a hundred yard dog. as far as live birds, i have buddies that have pointers and although mine will be too young to get out this fall/winter, i plan on making a few trips to cooke canyon in the spring with friends and their dogs just to get mine exposed to birds/hunting scenarios. be a good way to expose them in a controlled environment with high success rates. make it fun and a good overall experience.

Im pretty excited about all of this. moving on to another chapter of life and a new challenge( ill let you all know how i feel in 3 months if this is still the case ha) im excited for my daughter to have another good boy in the house, shes been struggling with losing the other one. it will just be a nice reset and restart. going at it from a more mature and wiser standpoint, cant wait to see how it goes.

[greenhead_killer]

Enjoy your pup,I'm picking up a pudelpointer pup next month,can't wait.

thats exciting! good luck and have fun! its been 13 years since ive had a pup in the house. going to be a little grind to start, but should be great long term

[metlhead]

These dogs will bond very tight. My experience was to expose the dog to everything you do. Mine still goes everywhere with me. That will build the trust and relationship bond. If this pup comes from good lines, the hunting part will just happen. Your only effort will be to tune those skills to fit your needs. Honestly, it really is that simple.

[huntnfmly]

Congrats on the new pup I just picked up my French Brittany in may I put down my deposit when he was just 9 days old and was very exciting watching him get bigger and bolder from pics.
He’s just over 4 months now and has been pointing since before I got him it’s fun watching the natural ability of hunting dogs.
As said earlier in this thread keep it simple and don’t rush let the pup be a pup. I’ve been working on just the basic manners here /kennel/sit remember it’s a marathon not a sprint and the natural abilities will come through have fun and enjoy

[greenhead_killer]

Got my new boy yesterday! Pretty darn excited but I’ve also forgotten what having a new pup in the house was like! Last night was a bit of a long one!

Name is Ridenhigh Falcon ‘Vader’

[Taco280AI]

The puppy phase is fun, but a lot of work. My Luna is a pretty good dog. Never got in the garbage, chewed up anything she wasn't supposed to, and is pretty darn good about staying in the unfenced front yard when we're out there.

2 months


Nearly 15 months

[greenhead_killer]

oh its been 13 years since ive dealt with the puppy phase. i was up most of the night last night just to help break him in to the new environment but plan on throwing him in the kennel tonight. every 2 hours we set an alarm to get up and get him out. its been good so far(two days) but hes a pretty sharp little guy. already goes to the back door if he has to go before we take him etc so thats good.

[huntnfmly]

oh its been 13 years since ive dealt with the puppy phase. i was up most of the night last night just to help break him in to the new environment but plan on throwing him in the kennel tonight. every 2 hours we set an alarm to get up and get him out. its been good so far(two days) but hes a pretty sharp little guy. already goes to the back door if he has to go before we take him etc so thats good.

Great looking pup
As for setting an alarm I’ve talked to and followed a few trainers on that.I never have set an alarm with the thinking that doing that gets them into a habit instead of a routine. You want them to let you know when they need to go out it will eventually get longer and longer in between times
My pups routine from the start was every time I let them out of the kennel they go straight outside that way when  something comes up and you can’t let them out right at a certain time they get use to that knowing they get let out to go potty instead of a certain time hope that makes since between habit and routine