Home Forums Birds & Dogs Hunting Dogs Drahthaar Puppy Manual?

My question is: how difficult is this going to be to have a "buddy". With that I mean;

I enjoy my dogs. I am just barely Middle Aged and still semi fit. I'd love an All Around companion. If I want to walk out the back door and hike 3 miles into Timber Co lands and glass for bears till dark, I want to take my dog. If I XC ski across the lake I'd like to take my dog. Run trail cams, make a trip to the store, work in the yard, etc I'd like to do it with the dog.

Part of the reason I chose the Draht was the "off switch" potential. Maybe I am I thiinking too much and making things too hard...but I have 0 upland experience-which may sound like an injustice to the breed. So I don't know a thing about Whoa, Points, backing, etc So what do I do when we are hiking and he points grouse in July, or glassing clear cuts and he's locked up and the Ruffed birds we have? Or starts chasing our family cat?

Reprimand in one instance vs encourage in another. Confusing to me.

And honestly, I read a lot of posts and asked many questions. I don't know if its how they are bred, but the answer is usually "they know". They know running white tails are different from gut shot white tails, or raccoons are different from the family cat, or a shotgun at the ready means the grouse are for shooting rather than just being on a summer stroll.

Putting too much thought into it?

And for the injustice portion, I hunted A LOT of waterfowl this season and look to double those outings with a new dog. And I could have gotten in on at least 3 wounded deer calls from friends in need. I intend to fully use the dog, just not in their "primary" function. I will get much more active in upland but that will be secondary to ducks and deer. So I do t want it to come off as an I justice to the breed or dog. Most of the Die Hard Versatile guys do not have a problem with using them for 90% specifics. I've never had the urge to upland but I'm sure that will change when the odds of walking across 3 counties and never seeing a bird changes dramatically in my favor.

Thanks for everyone's support

Jess

Get the NAVHDA green book and read it 20 times. It is only 100 pages and it covers training techniques that will help your time in the field immensely.
Most of the techniques are set up for a 12-20 month old dog.
The first year I like to work obedience and manners, and have as much happy fun field time as I can. Lots of fishing and hiking.
Whistle training should be mandatory for a pointing dog.

Since you gave me unearned credit for long replies I felt I owed you one.

Just ordered a used copy of the NAVHDA book off of abebooks.com, not a big savings over getting a new one.

Definitely agree with whistle training but was never that successful. I use a whistle to make the dog look and then use a hand signal. Most times I just have to wait a few seconds and the dog will look my way and save us from the whistle. Two whistle blast meant come in closer but that was my only whistle command.

Basic hand signals only took a day and a pound of the cheapest hot dogs I could find. It worked so can't say I did it wrong but may not have used the 'accepted' signals. Here's how I go about it:

First let the dog know you're willing to share the hot dogs - she'll already know you have them. Let her get a little ways away and hold a wiener in your hand with your arm fully extended up, wiggle the dog, don't say a word, she'll see/smell the wiener and come running. Giver her a piece of the dog and repeat, always giving her a piece of the dog. Progress to raising your arm and extending one finger (you know, hot dog like), reward with a piece of hot dog. Finally raise your arm, reward with a good girl when she comes in. Now carry hot dogs in the field while hunting, your dog will come every time you call her, occasionally reward her with a piece. Sometimes my dog wouldn't see me so I found it helpful to move a little when calling her in. I chose the raised arm since it maximized my height and improved of odds of being seen in the tall cover.

Left and right is just as simple and you don't need as many wieners. While out with the dog change directions often and point in the direction you want her to go and then walk that way until she gets out in front, then point in another direction and walk that way. They catch on fast and will respond to your pointing. Raise your arm up (call them in) and reward when they catch on.

The wiener is a positive reinforcement and not a meal, a tiny piece works just as well as an entire hot dog.

I leash trained my dog, she walked at heal whenever she was on lease. For her, on leash meant 'switch off'. Never did any tracking training, it was illegal in Idaho to use dogs.

Never shoot any animals in front of your dog that you don't want her to hunt. Can't shoot snakes, rabbits, if you don't want her hunting them all the time; you ignore them and so will she.

My dog didn't run deer, elk, or coyotes but she did point them but with tail level, plus she would turn to look back at me letting me know it wasn't a bird. Don't know how she learned this other than her watching me be interested but not shoot them.

I have a 2 yoa DD pup that I just started force fetching with. This is my first hunting dog and I have bought numerous books. By far one of the best books is the Tri Tronics retrieving book. The drahthaar manual had some good info, but was more of an overview of what u will Ned to do. Not many specific training tips or sessions.
Also had good luck with joining my local NAVHDA chapter. I only worked with those guys twice and learned more than I could have reading for a week. The NAVHDA does not work blood tracks. But, The blood tracking was super easy and just started small getting bigger and bigger.
The pointing has taken a while to develop but is much better. He learned so much hunting this year that all I do is watch him and get ready for the bird. Biggest advantage I have seen with him is I send him into the nastiest, wettest thickest cover imaginable. Then shoot the birds as they fly out. Most of these places are hunted really heavy but other peoples dogs don't like to mess around in the swampy muck.