Dog Community

Pointers and Recall

Posted : 3/17/2006 11:29:53 AM

I have a newly rescued (since January 1st) pointer girl. She has a wonderful temperment and is eager to please. She is doing very well in her obedience and agility class. The only thing I wonder about is whether or not I will ever be able to teach her a great recall out in the field. I do know that she likes to run BIG [8|] and when there is something that is holding her focus, she doesn't hear or see anything else. (HUGE prey drive).

Anyone out there have experience with this? I'm thinking N.I.L.I.F. training would be in order here. I have an radio fence and it is so easy to let my girls (I also have an English setter) out in the morning and give them the run of the property. My setter has a good recall (90-95%) but I would like to feel better about my pointer. I have ID tags on both of them and the Pointer is microchipped. I just want her to be safe. [

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Valerie Wilson

Posted : 3/18/2006 12:32:27 AM

What I did to get my shorthair to do a good recall was to a) put him on a check cord and attach an e-collar to him. I would call him and when he didn't come I would vibrate him until he made a move toward me then I would take my finger off the button and b) I used his prive drive. I would call him and kick up birds to show him that I knew where all the birds were. After a few sessions he got the picture and his recall is now pretty reliable.

diane303

Posted : 3/20/2006 10:30:52 AM

Sounds like a plan. I have an e collar and have hesitated using it out in the field, but the check cord along with the e-collar makes sense to me.

We have been working on calling her at random times and she understands the command, but out in the field is another story.[

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Valerie Wilson

Posted : 3/20/2006 1:09:55 PM

She is beautiful! Good luck to you on getting her to come. If you know that she understands the command then the e-collar/ check chord thing should work. When I was trainning Hawk a few times I thought for sure that I had lost him because he would run so big. He learned that if he checked in from time to time I would let him run longer. Well let me know how it goes.

diane303

Posted : 3/20/2006 4:46:35 PM

Thanks for your advice! Your boy is handsome, too. I will give this a try. She is such a good girl, but she will stand at the end of the yard where her boundary is and stare out far into the meadow beyond. I know she would run big if she could. My setter is pretty content to deal with the birds and wild life in our yard. She points intensely at everything at a closer range.

I'll keep you posted.

Diane