Pointing Dogs? Anybody train them....

[Paul "Happy" Gilmore]

A litter from the Daughter of Tekoa Mountain Sunrise should be on the ground anytime- due today.

[labman63]

That's the one I'd go with if I was looking for a setter pup.

A litter from the Daughter of Tekoa Mountain Sunrise should be on the ground anytime- due today.

[maddog58]

Pointing Lab? I just opened the can of worms

[BuddyJ]

Western, KY

Had a trainer for you if you lived on the east coast. No matter, a Llewellyn is mostly very easy to train and an excellent choice. I have owned mostly pointers all my life because they are short haired and in eastern NC they don't get as many stickers as long hairs. Contrary to popular belief a pointer is an excellent dog to bird hunt with especially on wild birds and should be considered before any of the short tailed dogs except for maybe the Brittainy. Good luck .

[tuckerdutch]

I recently had the opportunity to go upland hunting for the first time, and really enjoyed watching the dogs work. I was curious if anyone on here has ever trained or been around pointers much. How does the training compare to retreiver training in regards to difficulty? I work with one of the guys affiliated with the hunting preserve we hunted on and he has a 6 month old Llewellin Setter he is selling, and I'm considering getting the dog and training it myself, but I have never even been around pointers until this year. If I was to go ahead and get the dog, what training videos or books do you recommend? Any information, advice, or comments are welcome. Thanks.

KRD

I've had llewellin setters in the past. They're great dogs and once u get them steady and retrieving you're set. I've switched to a labrador retriever for upland hunting because I like a dog that flushes the birds hard. So many pheasants are runners now and leave your pointer pointing at a ghost. But pointers are beautiful on the point. Now I'm thinking I might go out and get a pointer again!

[pmw]

The original post also asked about the difference in training. I train GSPs for foot hunting trials and retrieving trials for retrievers where we also compete. The main difference seems to be that with hunting a pointing dog you are relaying on the natural inbuilt traits of the dog being brought out by experience and some training/control. A lot of learning by doing - fun for both dog and hunter! Training retirevers seems to me to involve a lot more discipline, drills, etc that you read about here and are essential for training a retriever of any breed.

[Sundown49 aka Otey B]

If you are in West Kentucky out at Kevil KY is West KY wildlife Management area. There are some folks training or running out there a lot of the time. Be a great place to train a good Setter. My first love has always been big running ,tail cracking Pointers but one of the best meat dogs I ever hunted with was a Lewellen. I judged out there last year and when airing my Labs got into a nice covey of birds, Go for it .......get the pup and enjoy it.

[1morex]

Who said Wirehaired dogs are ugly??




And Pointers don't retrieve ducks



I have been involved in the different versatile breeds for 20+ yrs a good dog is a good dog and there are poop heads in every breed. A good pointing dog with some experience will hunt the plains out West at 400 yards and come back and hunt grouse and woodcock in the cover anywhere from 50-150 yards. Typically they will not take the obedience that you can put on a Lab without showing negative effects in style range, etc. They need to be independent enough to hunt too find birds without any direction from you as a handler and you can spot a pointing bred dog who has had heavy obedience from a mile away. The young Pudelpointer in the top photo will be running HRC stuff this coming spring/summer/fall.

[Paul "Happy" Gilmore]

That's the one I'd go with if I was looking for a setter pup.

Break out the checkbook on these ones. Can't remember the sire but I "think" he ran at Ames this year and became a FC last year. She needs a pass for MHX. Really sweet dog too- I "think" she's one of the last direct Takoa daughters.

[arourke]

I purchased a Llewellyn puppy primarily for hunting chukar but wound up hunting pheasant and California quail with her as well. I also helped train two other Llewellyns. They are fairly easy to train as they have a lot of natural talent but generally are not good retrievers and need to be force fetched. If you have not trained a pointer before, it would be wise to find a local trainer and do some volunteer work for that trainer and learn as you go. The dogs I trained were excellent in big country but also worked marshes well for roosters. I never had the dog break a point ; she was steady to the flush but trained to break on the shot; ie., I used her solely for hunting. My only complaint about the breed was the coat; it loved burs. I used a Delmar Smith video and one from Meisner of Pointing Dog...but they are pretty old now. I also used a local pro and that provided the best learning environment for me and the dog.