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First pics of my PP at the trainer in Idaho, 8wks old. He's out of Cedarwoods in Idaho. He already retrieves, and appears to be an 'out going' pup. He'll be ready for opening day grouse season!
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That is one good looking pup! Named yet?
Congrats. :) Enjoy.
Name went from kaiser, to hunter, to finally ....... Chase. I'll pick him up in Idaho last week in July as a well started dog, ready to shoot over.
Good looking pup! Congrats !! Maybe we will do a grouse hunt in the fall.
Sounds good!....I honor the code.
Don.
Congrats ! Great looking pup.
great looking pup
Nice pup and its great you have a trainer. Will he or she be mentoring you as well ?
Thanks. Regarding mentoring, the trainer is in constant contact with me and will be sending vids every week on progress etc. Appearently he has one of the best 'puppy' programs. I will spend a day or so with him when I pick him up to review his program with my pup. My grouse mentor, also is well versed in raising and training a good upland dog, and has all the gear. He has a vizsla that he's turned into a pretty good grouse machine. He will be giving me constant tips and assistance...I'm sure. I will be at the May NAVHDA training session to see the goings on, and maybe get set up to test him in the fall. I have had black labs, and trained them for field trial tests a couple decades ago, so I'm familiar with the basics. OH.....hello youtube!
But of course, with the pup comming out of Cedarwoods, and the cash I'm spending....he will be naturally broke, steady to the flush and shot, find me new covets while sitting on the front seat of my car, do 200yard blind retrieves, and let me know when ducks are overhead! He will be six months old by then, what more can a guy expect ;)
Don.
Awesome i have a similar set up with my mentor as well and works very well. i will be in Ohio next month spending a few days training with my mentor. The videos really help to see the progress and adds allot of excitement seeing the results.Quote:
Originally Posted by zoli 16ga.
All the best
Thanks! Can't wait to get my arms around the little guy!!
D.
Good for you for having someone take your pup through the beginning stages or basics. we all hate to miss that time with them but the right training is so valuable.
What skills do you believe your pup will actually have at 6 months?
I ask that as in retriever training, the basics would not be complete until later than that considerably.
Congrats! Cool looking pup. I think you may have high expectations though for your pup at 6 months....
Here we go again.
There's no "here we go again." :(
People are trying to be helpful.
Those kind of comments are not helpful Sir.
Expectations? I have the trainers schedule of training somewhere, nonetheless, heres what I remember - house trained, crate trained, socialised, basic obediance, sit/stay, learn to swim, exposed to birds, target pistal, 20ga., basic whoa, come command, one whistle...hey look at me, two...come to me......
I'll post the vids when I get them. His training style is to let the pup have fun, and not even realise he's being trained. He was highly recomended, and has started some very impressive PPs.
He already does a very basic retrieve. He will be 80% upland, and the rest waterfowl. I don't really care if he does not retrieve to hand, or heels, or is a retrieving machine...that I can do myself, I'm not lazy. If he see's the duck drop, and brings him to the boat or shore...lucky me. I hope he's a good upland hunting companion, willing to hold birds, till I get there, and share in the reward. This is what most of the training will focus on. Of course the fininshing of the dog will be a three year plan for sure.
After long discussions with my breeder, he picked me out a pup from a dam and sire with the same 'style' of hunting as me. Both are close ranging, and the dam has a natural tendancy check in with the hunter, and to hold birds tight.
One can only hope, but as they say, pick the right breeder, with the right program, and your odds go way up. From my research, Cedarwoods does just that...and very well. They breed hunting dogs, for hunters, not competition focussed machines.
Don
Excellent you have done your homework and have a great relationship with your breeder -trainer. Can't wait to see the video.
Congrats, Zoli. Your search and wait is finally done!
When you get your pup and looking for some good upland hunting send me a PM. I have a couple of good pheasant, woodcock and even duck hunting spots in the Sarnia area if your interested.
He'll be put on a hundred or so grouse before the season starts. So I'll still have time to tweak the basic whoa a little. I hope he learns the whoa command as fast as he learned the retrieve! If not....I'll love him anyway.
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D.
Nice looking pup and congratulations zoli. Cedarwoods is a top notch PP breeder. Who is the sire and dam of your pup?
Sire - Lord Ze Strazistskych Lesu
Discription - ' This is our latest import from Jiri Hbrek of the Czech Republic. At 12 months
old Czar is seen as he points a planted bird. I havent seen a pup this complete
for 12 years, since Tukr was this age. At 12 weeks this little guy was
searching, pointing, and would retrieve a duck to hand. Czar is 3/4 Austrian and
1/4 Czech making him a very valuable asset to further the diversity of our
breeding stock and the other pudelpointer breeders of North America.'
http://cedarwoodgundogs.com/pedigree.asp?dog=Lord
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Dam - Cedarwoods Ace of Diamonds
'Cedr is from our second breeding with Cal Valleys Ace and shows the special
"nick" when one of our Cedarwood females is outcrossed to this sire. Cedr has
nearly perfect natural instincts during her search with a naturally staunch
point. Her waterwork is relentless and there is no opposite bank too far for her
to extend to.'
http://cedarwoodgundogs.com/pedigree.asp?dog=Cedarwoods
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Don.
Good response Sharon, people should never assume a questioning type of comment is leading to such negativity. I find the differences in gun dog training/expectations to be quite interesting and certainly vary. I believe Cass was coming from that perspective and see nothing wrong with his question.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sharon
Zoli, nice pics and looks like come summer you'll be having some fun not to mention the challenges that come with young dogs. Their learning curve can be very steep but very satisfying to see that growth in abilities in such a short time. Bet you can't wait to get started.
I had no ill-meaning in my post. I was just wondering since a previous post mentioned the dog being steady and such at 6 months. If it is that's awesome! I just know for myself I had high expectations as well but the more you learn and interact with other trainers, you find that most dogs aren't made before they are 2 or 3 years old. It's a long (and fun!) road.
Incredible dogs and pedigree should be an amazing pup. It's inspiring how realistic you laid out your expectations based on the sire and dam given the history behind them and your experience. I am very impressed by the cedarwood gun dog website and the information they provide to people interested in the breed.Quote:
Originally Posted by zoli 16ga.
Should be a good one I have a half brother to the sire and he is turning out nicely.Quote:
Originally Posted by zoli 16ga.
My apologies Cass.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cass
No need for apologies. Perhaps I should have worded my post better. S'all good!
'But of course, with the pup comming out of Cedarwoods, and the cash I'm spending....he will be naturally broke, steady to the flush and shot, find me new covets while sitting on the front seat of my car, do 200yard blind retrieves, and let me know when ducks are overhead! He will be six months old by then, what more can a guy expect ;)'
The above, was of course, tongue in cheek, ergo the wink smilie....just to clarify :happy:
Don.
I was waiting for someone to point that out.LOL
Here is an update on how my pup is doing.
"April update for Chase
chase is developing nicely. Growing and gaining confidence every day.
Basic obedience:
Started sit, come, stay at a basic level. Introducing the lead.
Crate training:
Totally crate trained, no more accidents. Likes his crate and seems to be comfortable in his crate all night.
Water:
Chase has been to the water a few times to watch bigger digs swim. He has played on the bank and splashed around where he will soon learn to swim.
Retrieve:
Chase is retrieving well for a puppy.
Bird work/fieldwork:
Chase is learning confidence in the field. I have flown a few birds in the field to stimulate his pre drive and to make the association that the birds are in the field.
Gun work:
I and shooting the cap gun and cycling a shot gun action fairly aggressively during feeding time.
Socialization:
Chase is getting a lot of exposure to new people and new places. He gets a lot of play time with older puppies."
Chase is almost twelve weeks old, and been with the trainer 20 days.
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Don.
Chase is looking good Don.
Awesome little puppy Don - just a cpl of months and you'll finally get him. PP's are a great choice - you won't be disapointed.
Check YT - i posted a few more clips of Maxi working and having fun. He will be gone for the next 4-6 weeks to Mike P for his specialized training. Already miss him.
We'll do some bird hunting in the fall.
To be fair to Cass, I have had success with dogs that completed their Field Dog certificate by just over 6 months HOWEVER they are far from being productive hunters on wild birds. In that respect, they have the theory and are well trained on pen-raised birds but the smarts/savvy that comes from looking in the right places for wild birds, understanding the dynamics of handling woodcock versus grouse (especially in southern/central Ontario), etc. typically evolves from the experience that comes from a number of hunting seasons.
Zoli, congrats! Sounds like you've done it right on a number of levels. Your headed for a lot of fun with your dog!
Beautiful looking pup, congrats!
Yup...always nice to fantasize about your mutt being a super hunter off the bat. I have no illusions though, lots of work to be done when I get back from Idaho..... and the next couple years! I have seen vids of guys trying to start their pups.....glad I chose this route. A little investment now, will pay off in the long run, I think. He'll be quite use to gun fire etc, and basic whoa, a couple of big steps to try to complete living in the city and working full time.
Some debate over self training v.s what I'm doing, so I'll keep everyone posted, as an example of this route. May help someone make a decision in the future(?)
He will have a crap load of grouse (100 or so presentations) to practice on before hunting season starts. I'll just get my covies warmed up to his presence....just a taste of things to come for the opener!
Don.
Hard to go wrong with a PP, especially one out of Cedarwoods, Bob F builds great dogs.
Using a pro to start your dog as you are doing will pay back dividends far greater than the actual cost. Time, travel, birds, gasoline isn't without cost if you were to do it yourself. You will love hunting over your dog.
Update from the trainer at 15 wks old -
Training is going well. He had his first swim, and he swam like a champ. He's a natural retriever, and will retrive birds from water and land. Killed his first bird, and seemed to not be worried about doing it. (That is new to me, only ever worked with labs, but I am told it is to entice his prey drive). Has a nice point. Sniffs the air, and ground, to zone in on the bird. Trainer said he's moved from puppy, to hunting dog.
Only 57 more days!!
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I started my pup also with a pro trainer and just got her back a couple of weeks ago. Well worth the investment and now I do the rest of training. She is tens months old and an awesome little bird dog with no bad habits. Whistle trained, quarters beautifully and retrieves to hand.Quote:
Originally Posted by zoli 16ga.
Nice pictures of your pup zoli !
May update on puppy training....in case others may be interested in the breed or view on puppy training by a pro v.s doing it yourself.
From my trainer -
May update for Chase:
Chase is growing into a hunting dog. He is a strong confident pup and is absolutely bird crazy.
Basic obedience:
Obedience and lead training on track.
Crate training:
Loads up in the training truck crate with enthusiasm.
Water:
Chase is a good swimmer and is self entering the water for retrieval of dead birds and bumpers. He loves the water and retrieves and swims very well for his age.
Retrieve:
Very enthusiastic, even with bumpers.
Bird work/fieldwork:
Chase is working the field very enthusiastic for his age. He is using his nose the track scent and find dead birds in cover. Started whistle training and directional control in the field.
Gun work:
Still making lots of load sounds. I will gradually increase the level of noise and will make the bird/gun association late this month.
Socialization:
Introducing Chase to parks, boat launches, new fields, new bodies of water, and new people.
The trainer has sent some videos and it looks like my pups having a bunch of fun, while learning the ropes. It's cool to see how he slowly introduces new aspects of training, without the pup knowing he's being trained. About seven more weeks to go.
Don.
Now that's an excellent trainer- written reports and videos. Can't ask for more than that. Very glad its happening for you and your dog.
Incredible results in a short period of time awesome.
Well, my little guy was doing very well holding points, and seems quite natural at being very staunch when holding a bird. Water retrieves were also going very well.
BUT....the little numbskull picked up a treble hook at his training lake, yes a treble hook...leader, cork and all, and swallowed it whole! Quick action by the trainer and emergency surgery saved the day!
He's doing well, but will have a week or two off from running the fields and water till he heals up. Tough little bugger though!
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shucks! speedy recovery to him. The same thing happened to a friend of mine.
I hate fish hooks :(
Wow that's scary ! All the best and you should train him to retrieve fish instead not the hook.:)
Hope he makes a full recovery, sorry to hear about that!
Thanks, he's doing quite well, as shown in the middle pic. Trainer will stick with obediance training for the next week or so. I should be able to pick him up as scheduled, but may delay it as he wants to be able to complete his entire training schedule for me.
D.
Chase bounced back very well after the surgery, and was back to obedience training within a few days. Trainer constantly checked his condition and stool for blood, so it looks like a full recovery.
He will be ready for pickup on the 27th in Idaho.
My plan when I take hold of him, is a lot of cuddling and treats. No negative chastising if possible, to gain his trust. He'll be on a lead 100% of the time for the first few weeks or so, until the comeback command is 100%, even when tempted by something else. I'll take him to my covets, and let him pop up a bunch of birds. The trainer is going to give me a whoa harness to help him along if he needs it. I have access to a lot of water and a couple of frozen ducks I'll let him retrieve with.
I also have a coupon for four free pheasants at a game preserve, so I'll head out there in September or so.
Any other ideas or tips for acclimatizing him to his new environment?
D.
Just enjoy him and spend lots of time with him. Spend the first few weeks playing and hanging out - don't worry about birds and hunting. He's bred for it - he won't lose it. Lay the ground rules in the house and don't budge. Be consistent but most importantly have fun with your new pup. Birds can come later once he's settled in and you're the center of his world. Worry about your relationship - you have years and years to train and hunt with him. The first few weeks together will set the pace for how good of a team you will be for those future endeavors.
Your doing everything right and keeping it positive.Quote:
Originally Posted by zoli 16ga.
Just spend time together, as much as you can afford, in and out of the house. Never over-do the training, allow lots of time for play, constant control as he will tend to push his limits and get away with stuff. Just dog stuff. Find a place where you can walk in different environments - at least 2-3 kms. I moved to Oakville and i realize how much we both miss the long walks we could have in Maple. I am now loooking for something similar in this area - they need space, be off-leash, just regular walks on the leash would not suffice for a PP's level of energy. They are runners and swimmers. Good luck Don.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zoli 16ga.
A little bit of a set-back for the young dog as far as us humans are concerned but I'm willing to bet that he didn't even acknowledge the pain! They are just amazing critters and seem to operate on a different level which we cannot comprehend.
My GSP paid zero attention to his operation spot when I had him fixed a couple of months ago! Of course I hate to ask how much that emergency operation cost you!
You have a beautiful animal to keep you company and hunt with. As others have said, enjoy every minute of bonding with him and good luck this fall hunting with Chase. :)
Thanks guys. Had his stitches out yesterday, and today he pointed a planted bird, bird was released, shot, and he retrieved to hand. Surgery? What surgery? Looks like he will graduate his pupy training on schedule after all.
D.
They grow up so fast...lol. Enjoy every minute. Now you also won't be able to wait for opening day to roll around.
Well, it was along journey, but finally met the mutt!
He'a gorgeous little guy, slick coat, with some nice furnishings growing on top and under his snout. He also has some feet/leg furnishings starting. He's a lot smaller then I expected....but then again, I really did not know what to expect. By all accounts he'll be on the smaller side....not that it matters.
We drove to some training grounds and went through a few exercises. A warm up, Shooting over planted birds, then a demo in how to use the whoa harness.
Now the guy is only 5 months, and 10 days old, and I've never seen a pup that young in action....BUT....his search drive and two stead fast points on planted birds really blew me away. I'll try to post a vid on Youtube of his fifteen second point (could have been longer), flush of the bird, shot, and retrieve to hand. Now he still chased the bird at the flush....but hey, we'll clean that up in a month or two http://www.uplandjournal.com/iB_html...cons/laugh.gif Ok...in a year or two! His come back is near perfect, and directional control (whistle and hand signal) was all that could be asked for. then went to some water and time to swim for retrieves. Swims like a lab (I've owned a couple). Very impressed with the little guy, and especially his trainer.
He's a buddle of energy in the house but I'm starting to get a routine set up. 5:00am - take him for a walk to the local school yard, run with him on a long lead. Walk him home for food and water, then back in the crate for some relax time. Hit the sack for an hour or two, then let him out for a pee and chew time. A bunch of fun tennis ball retrieves in the back yard, more chew time, then in the crate for some down time.
I've started using the ecollar (he's conditioned) for the walks as he was taking ME for a walk to the park. I started on the lowest setting but had to ramp it up until he got the point. A much easier walk for both of use now.
the school yard is mostly fenced in so I'll let him off the lead (with ecollar) and practice the comebacks, over's, and sit and stays. He has great whoa's on local birds. I let him hold it fairly long then give him the opportunity to chase the bird to have fun.
I will definitely get him neutered as soon as it's good to do so....some advice here . I was thinking at six months, eight at the latest. He has quite the dominant spirit, humping me and the family, and trying to naw on our hands etc. Looks like he's starting to mark, and scrapping the grass with his back feet.
Hope this link works to the youtube vid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwcMrnGAzyE
Of course any advice is welcome!
Don.
Glad to hear you are enjoying your pup.
No need to neuter. PM sent.
Not sure why you feel nuetering him is needed. They outgrow the humping everything stage. I have been told by people who know that snipping them before 24 months when they are fully developed is not recommended.
Handsome little bugger! glad to see things are going well!
If you absolutely have it in your head that you want to neuter him wait till he's 2 years old. 6-8 months is way too young!
I would talk to your breeder to discuss the pro's and con's potential health concerns for that specific breed..
Except for the humping, he sounds like my . She has quite the dominant spirit, as a puppy was frequently trying to naw on our hands etc. She marks, and scrapes the grass with her back feet.
He just needs to be trained to fit your family.
Please let him grow up with his hormones intact
Thanks for the pm's. All good food for thought!
I had him off lead today, using the ecollar and whistle. His come backs and overs are very strong, even without a nick. Heel on the way home is another story!
Time to join Grand river NAVHDA.
Don.
Sounds like you have an awesome pup there. I loved the video. He's a good looking bird dog!
Very glad to hear he's doing well.
Great looking pup!
Don - nice looking pup - great job in the field!
Quote:
Originally Posted by zoli 16ga.