Puppy Training and Development
We would like to thank you very much for bringing a Desert Point Kennel puppy into your home. We have done the very best that we know how to breed the very best Versatile German Shorthaired Pointer, now we hand the puppy off to you and it's your turn to train and develop this special puppy into a wonderful versatile companion. You have spent a lot of time and good money so far, and this pup depends on you for his or her training and development.
Probably the most important single thing you can do for this puppy is to socialize it. I mean the more socialization the better. Lots of people, places and things. This maybe the most overlooked training and development area. Have people come over, go to others homes, go to the stores and places that allow dogs. Outdoor markets, and get the pup around other friendly dogs. Join a training group for the two of you or the whole family.
If you want the dog to be a good hunting dog than you need to get the pup out hunting. At least three times a week. As a small puppy all it knows is you, and you need it to know the fields and water and the only way to do this is by taking the puppy to those places. Since the puppy gets it's security from you and the family then let this work for you and it will pay dividends the rest of the pup's life. As a young pup when you go for a walk in the field the puppy will have two wills, the will to hunt and explore and the will to be with you the pack leader. This is a super win win for you and the pup and will work for either hunting or hiking. The pup because it is genetically programmed to hunt will start hunting and exploring using it's sence of smell, and sight, and it's little legs will start taking the pup to explore all the places that it sees and smells. The pup will begin to learn the important skill of handling terrain.
This is also a good time to introduce the pup to gun fire. Puppies are not usually afraid of gun fire, but this is not the time to just set the pup down and start firing rounds off. Never fire more than one shot to start with, it's often the second shot that does the damage. Wait until the pup is out ahead of you and busy hunting or exploring and fire one round. I often do this at the same time I start calling the puppy back to me. If you have birds such as quail or pigeons then they can be used with the introduction of gunfire. The further from you when firing the gun for the first time the better. It often helps to have a friend fire one shot while you are working with the puppy.
Planting quail for the puppy to hunt will really expedite the pups desire to look for birds. I let the pup be a pup for the first year. A lot of hunting in an area where there are lots of wild birds, or even planted birds will go along way. The pup may do a lot of busting before it learns it cannot catch them and the pup will do more and more pointing and holding the older it gets. A dog will tell you when it is ready to be whoa broke when it starts holding point on it's own.
It is very important that you start working with the pup form day one in retrieving. Every dog that we breed has a strong natural retrieve, you know the kind, when you pick up a ball the dog goes crazy wanting to retrieve. Retrieving is genetic and you can help bring this out in the pup by working with it. Once the pups built a strong retrieve this will help in it's water work. Find a place in the house that has a dead end. Toss a knotted sock or such to the dead end area like a hallway where the doors are closed. The puppy will run and pick it up but will have no place to run but back to you. Make a big deal out of the retrieve with excited talk and praise. Do this a few times and leave the pup wanting more. You can do this many times in a day and the pup will love it and you will also be building a bond. Use different items for the pup to retrieve. Birds are always good but many pups do not want to give up a bird. Sooner or later you will have to use birds if you are a hunter. We tested your pup in the seven week puppy test and 90 percent tested have a strong natural retrieve at 7 weeks the very first few times a paper was tossed for them.
Water work: As with the retrieve, we never breed a dog in our program that does not love the water. Love of water is also genetic. Some American lines of German Shorthairs do not care for the water, and do not have a natural retrieve, having a natural retrieve also helps in water work development. We are lucky here in Arizona, the weather is almost always good for working dogs in the water. The way I do it is I take the pups with the older dogs to a run off shallow area where the pups can run and play in the water. Then I move them to an area that has an island that I can walk out to, and the pups must follow. Then I use the older dogs to show the younger ones that water is fun. Then I use birds and water. For you it will depend on the water you have. Take the pup out in the water with you and let it swim back. Toss whatever it likes to retrieve a little ways in the water. Toss a bird a little ways into the water. Often when the puppy is very hot and the water feels wonderful the pup will learn to love the water.
House training can be very easy, or at times the hardest thing ever. Spend some time on line or with a good book that goes into detail about this. But here are a few tips. Get your puppy a crate and get the pup used to being in it. Start with a short amount of time and work up. Try not too make it to stressful, for either you or the pup. Remember that the puppy does not know at first that it's not supposed to go to the bathroom in the house. It is used to just going when it feels like it and as a puppy it can't hold it very long. Each time the pup wakes up, eats, drinks, plays, or is released from the create it will probably need to used the restroom. Also it's a good idea to try and keep a close eye on the pup. Take the pup outside to where you want it to potty often, and give it praise when it does it's duty.
The worst thing you can do with your pup is nothing, the more the better, it is better to do a lot and make mistakes than to do nothing. The German Shorthair does best as a family dog. One that lives in the house and even sleeps in your bed. It will want to do everything with you. At first many GSPs seem to a new family to be the wrong choice because to the energy level. Often it is well after the first year that the GSP does a good job in the house when no one is around and by the 3rd year all should be good.
I like to tell this true story to new owners, or people thinking of getting a GSP because they do not know the energy level of a German Shorthair.
Around 2011 I get a call from a very well off man who had a family and one GSP, he wanted Tom C Foolery and Bella when they were pups. Money did not matter. We came to an agreement where he got both pups for a price, and I got a pup back from the breeding and could use Tom C for breeding when ever I wanted.
He took both pups home and when they were about 7 months or so old I got a call. The man told me that the dogs were terrible, that they never settled down and were a whirlwind everywhere they went and were terrible in the house. We have a 100 percent money back guarantee so I said bring them back. I have to say I was relieved that he did not want his money back, and in fact would not let me give him any money.
Bella and Tom C were dropped off at around 4 pm and he was right, they were a ball of fire. In the house they ran and jumped on the couch, and then the floor, over on top of the coffee table, into the kitchen sliding into the wall, and then back into the living room. Holy Mother of God, they were crazy. It was about 11 pm when I got them to go to sleep.
The next morning at the crack of dawn I got a tracking collar on Tom C, and he and Bella along with the Gang and I headed out for a morning outing. Tom C did 11 miles on the Outing, and another 6 miles in the yard with Bella and the other Gang members for a total of 17 miles that day. That night they went to bed with the rest of the pack just after sunset, and I never had a problem with either one of them ever again. Tom C turned out to be one of the best dogs ever, and Bella the kindest, calmest, sweetest GSP ever.
So remember that training and development means good food, care, and plenty of exercise. I tell people that a five mile walk where the GSP is on a leash is no exercise at all. They need to run, run with the wind, like the song says, to be free again. If you don't have time to exercise s GSP then don't blame him or her when things don't go well for either you or them.
We would like to thank you very much for bringing a Desert Point Kennel puppy into your home. We have done the very best that we know how to breed the very best Versatile German Shorthaired Pointer, now we hand the puppy off to you and it's your turn to train and develop this special puppy into a wonderful versatile companion. You have spent a lot of time and good money so far, and this pup depends on you for his or her training and development.
Probably the most important single thing you can do for this puppy is to socialize it. I mean the more socialization the better. Lots of people, places and things. This maybe the most overlooked training and development area. Have people come over, go to others homes, go to the stores and places that allow dogs. Outdoor markets, and get the pup around other friendly dogs. Join a training group for the two of you or the whole family.
If you want the dog to be a good hunting dog than you need to get the pup out hunting. At least three times a week. As a small puppy all it knows is you, and you need it to know the fields and water and the only way to do this is by taking the puppy to those places. Since the puppy gets it's security from you and the family then let this work for you and it will pay dividends the rest of the pup's life. As a young pup when you go for a walk in the field the puppy will have two wills, the will to hunt and explore and the will to be with you the pack leader. This is a super win win for you and the pup and will work for either hunting or hiking. The pup because it is genetically programmed to hunt will start hunting and exploring using it's sence of smell, and sight, and it's little legs will start taking the pup to explore all the places that it sees and smells. The pup will begin to learn the important skill of handling terrain.
This is also a good time to introduce the pup to gun fire. Puppies are not usually afraid of gun fire, but this is not the time to just set the pup down and start firing rounds off. Never fire more than one shot to start with, it's often the second shot that does the damage. Wait until the pup is out ahead of you and busy hunting or exploring and fire one round. I often do this at the same time I start calling the puppy back to me. If you have birds such as quail or pigeons then they can be used with the introduction of gunfire. The further from you when firing the gun for the first time the better. It often helps to have a friend fire one shot while you are working with the puppy.
Planting quail for the puppy to hunt will really expedite the pups desire to look for birds. I let the pup be a pup for the first year. A lot of hunting in an area where there are lots of wild birds, or even planted birds will go along way. The pup may do a lot of busting before it learns it cannot catch them and the pup will do more and more pointing and holding the older it gets. A dog will tell you when it is ready to be whoa broke when it starts holding point on it's own.
It is very important that you start working with the pup form day one in retrieving. Every dog that we breed has a strong natural retrieve, you know the kind, when you pick up a ball the dog goes crazy wanting to retrieve. Retrieving is genetic and you can help bring this out in the pup by working with it. Once the pups built a strong retrieve this will help in it's water work. Find a place in the house that has a dead end. Toss a knotted sock or such to the dead end area like a hallway where the doors are closed. The puppy will run and pick it up but will have no place to run but back to you. Make a big deal out of the retrieve with excited talk and praise. Do this a few times and leave the pup wanting more. You can do this many times in a day and the pup will love it and you will also be building a bond. Use different items for the pup to retrieve. Birds are always good but many pups do not want to give up a bird. Sooner or later you will have to use birds if you are a hunter. We tested your pup in the seven week puppy test and 90 percent tested have a strong natural retrieve at 7 weeks the very first few times a paper was tossed for them.
Water work: As with the retrieve, we never breed a dog in our program that does not love the water. Love of water is also genetic. Some American lines of German Shorthairs do not care for the water, and do not have a natural retrieve, having a natural retrieve also helps in water work development. We are lucky here in Arizona, the weather is almost always good for working dogs in the water. The way I do it is I take the pups with the older dogs to a run off shallow area where the pups can run and play in the water. Then I move them to an area that has an island that I can walk out to, and the pups must follow. Then I use the older dogs to show the younger ones that water is fun. Then I use birds and water. For you it will depend on the water you have. Take the pup out in the water with you and let it swim back. Toss whatever it likes to retrieve a little ways in the water. Toss a bird a little ways into the water. Often when the puppy is very hot and the water feels wonderful the pup will learn to love the water.
House training can be very easy, or at times the hardest thing ever. Spend some time on line or with a good book that goes into detail about this. But here are a few tips. Get your puppy a crate and get the pup used to being in it. Start with a short amount of time and work up. Try not too make it to stressful, for either you or the pup. Remember that the puppy does not know at first that it's not supposed to go to the bathroom in the house. It is used to just going when it feels like it and as a puppy it can't hold it very long. Each time the pup wakes up, eats, drinks, plays, or is released from the create it will probably need to used the restroom. Also it's a good idea to try and keep a close eye on the pup. Take the pup outside to where you want it to potty often, and give it praise when it does it's duty.
The worst thing you can do with your pup is nothing, the more the better, it is better to do a lot and make mistakes than to do nothing. The German Shorthair does best as a family dog. One that lives in the house and even sleeps in your bed. It will want to do everything with you. At first many GSPs seem to a new family to be the wrong choice because to the energy level. Often it is well after the first year that the GSP does a good job in the house when no one is around and by the 3rd year all should be good.
I like to tell this true story to new owners, or people thinking of getting a GSP because they do not know the energy level of a German Shorthair.
Around 2011 I get a call from a very well off man who had a family and one GSP, he wanted Tom C Foolery and Bella when they were pups. Money did not matter. We came to an agreement where he got both pups for a price, and I got a pup back from the breeding and could use Tom C for breeding when ever I wanted.
He took both pups home and when they were about 7 months or so old I got a call. The man told me that the dogs were terrible, that they never settled down and were a whirlwind everywhere they went and were terrible in the house. We have a 100 percent money back guarantee so I said bring them back. I have to say I was relieved that he did not want his money back, and in fact would not let me give him any money.
Bella and Tom C were dropped off at around 4 pm and he was right, they were a ball of fire. In the house they ran and jumped on the couch, and then the floor, over on top of the coffee table, into the kitchen sliding into the wall, and then back into the living room. Holy Mother of God, they were crazy. It was about 11 pm when I got them to go to sleep.
The next morning at the crack of dawn I got a tracking collar on Tom C, and he and Bella along with the Gang and I headed out for a morning outing. Tom C did 11 miles on the Outing, and another 6 miles in the yard with Bella and the other Gang members for a total of 17 miles that day. That night they went to bed with the rest of the pack just after sunset, and I never had a problem with either one of them ever again. Tom C turned out to be one of the best dogs ever, and Bella the kindest, calmest, sweetest GSP ever.
So remember that training and development means good food, care, and plenty of exercise. I tell people that a five mile walk where the GSP is on a leash is no exercise at all. They need to run, run with the wind, like the song says, to be free again. If you don't have time to exercise s GSP then don't blame him or her when things don't go well for either you or them.