# Hunt, Point, Retrieve???



## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

We all know that Vs are meant to be a HPR breed. Do you have one of the three that your pup excels at? Does your pup struggle with one???

For my Mac 
1. Hunt - Follows his nose constantly. Always sticks his nose up or down to catch scent. Also loves to play 'find it'
2. Point - Has since the day I brought him home and will point at anything new anything that moves and anything he wants.
3. Retrieve - Only does this a few times in play and then becomes bored. He used to be so distracted when outside from his hunt instinct that once he got to the toy or dummy he would not bring it back but look for the next thing. So his Retrieve is his weak point. Can't seem to change it. New toy and we get 15 mins of perfect retrieve then wham he is distracted by smells and birds and anything. Still young though and it is getting better and better. 

Which one does your pup excel at? Which one do they struggle with?


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

Ruby's forte is definitely "hunt". She points and retrieves ok but I won't really know how well until I take her on a proper shoot.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

When you see your V's weak side this forum is the place to V - some good changes come with age but only if you work on the weak part with consistency - for me it's birds birds & more birds ! stay with the hunting posts here and hang in there - never met a V that did not want to hunt when started early in the right direction - it's not luck but hard work and faith in a pup that was bred to hunt !


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Cash the hunt and point. It depends on what were hunting as for a the retrieve. He is always a rocket when sent but doesn't always want to deliver to hand.

Lucy lives for the hunt and point but can be hit or miss on a retrieve. She looks at me like its not going any where and there is no challenge in a dead bird. 

June is my natural soft mouth retriever. She loves bringing me the prize. It always tail wagging as soon as she get close to me. She hold the bird while I praise her and give her a rub. As soon as I place my hand under her chin she releases the bird and is ready to do it again. She is always wanting me to throw something for her, it doesn't matter what it is.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

1 and 2..... 3 I never forced, he will do it naturally sometimes but I dread the idea of putting him on the table and pulling on his toes.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

datacan said:


> 1 and 2..... 3 I never forced, he will do it naturally sometimes but I dread the idea of putting him on the table and pulling on his toes.


 I feel the same way. I waited till this summer to send Cash off for FF.
I hated to do that to him and tried other methods first.
Cash is a tough candidate for FF. He can be soft when pressure is put on him away from birds.
He also is a dominate dog that has tried to stand his ground.
Pinching a ear or pulling a toe can mean a nasty bite even with him on the table.
The trainer has to walk a fine line with him. Just enough pressure to force the fetch without going over.
Too much pressure and he will shut down or become a cobra where he will go for the hand not the bumper. I felt this part of his training would be best handled by a pro. Me and the trainer have had some laughs over the things he has had to do to keep my dog from shutting down during FF.
Anyone else would have probably sent him home if he didn't conform to the program or ruined him.
Cash is now off the table and the pressure has been move to the ecollar. Out of the hundreds of dogs he has FF Cash took the longest.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

TexasRed said:


> datacan said:
> 
> 
> > 1 and 2..... 3 I never forced, he will do it naturally sometimes but I dread the idea of putting him on the table and pulling on his toes.
> ...


errr what's FF debs?


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

FF stands for Force Fetch
The dog will retrieve anything it is told to on command.
It will hold it in its mouth until told to release it.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

ah right, makes sense now, cheers


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

Retrieving is definitely Nitro's weak spot, though he will do it forever in play. I haven't run in any trials or hunt tests, so I take Havilah Babcock's (famous sporting writer) attitude. 

If the dog can find and point the bird I don't mind walking a few steps to pick it up after I shoot it.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Aimless1
My husband thinks the same way and if we only hunted with him I might not care so much.
We have been competing with Cash and a deliver to hand is a must if we want to keep doing it.
We also duck and goose hunt with him and so far he has never left one on the water. There are times he bring it to me in the blind and other times he thinks the bank is close enough.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

1. Hunt - Riley is a natural when it comes to hunting. I love to watch her little cheeks puff in and out once she's caught the smell of a bird!
2. Point - Over the past month her point has become very solid. She is naturally holding her points now!
3. Retrieve - She has a consistent retrieve (to my feet) so we are working on retrieving to hand. I'd say this is her weak(er) spot because she will retrieve and retrieve, but still hasn't learned to place the bird in my hand.

The picture is of her pointing her first planted quail - notice the slack line!


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

TexasRed said:


> Aimless1
> We have been competing with Cash and a deliver to hand is a must if we want to keep doing it.
> We also duck and goose hunt with him and so far he has never left one on the water. There are times he bring it to me in the blind and other times he thinks the bank is close enough.


If I ran Nitro in a field trial, hunt test or NSTRA trial I would definitely go the ff route. Although Quest is/was a very nice shooting dog, he was not field trial material. Nitro is a great pup with lots of potential. The field trainer keeps telling me he is a really nice dog. I'd like to believe that, but time will tell. If he is truly of the caliber of his grand mother and mother then I may go the next step and get him ready to trial.

Until then I need all the exercise I can get so I am content to walk a few steps to pick up my birds.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

re-reading the original question I guess that Ruby doesn't have weak/strong HPR issues,,,,I think if there is a problem it's probably at my door for not communicating with her properly. I think these one on one training sessions with the pro are looking a "must" option to educate me as well as Rubes


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Its my understanding that Nitro young. I would never have a young vizsla FF. I would save it for the last piece of training. Some come around and don't ever have to be FF.


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

TR, couldn't agree more. Nitro is 7 1/2 months. Would never consider FF during the first year. If I were to compete with Nitro I would consider FF when he was ready, not before. As it is, I probably won't compete so won't be faced with the decision.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

After all the years - there are no tears with my V's - they have always been individuals - the common thread is they want to please - their feelings are easily hurt - get bored with drills if you do not add in with what they love and know you love it - if looking for the perfect pup - the V would never be my choice - work very hard at correcting the hunting aspects of your pup - but never at the expense of your pups natural drive - at the end of the day a ribbon on the wall means nothing to your pup - one perfect point - one good shot - one bird back to hand - that is what I hope for - but at the end of the day all I want is a happy pup in my lap !


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

Yep I've got two who are great at the find, great at the point and will also retrieve. The only issue I have is getting my GSP steady to Wing/Fur and shot. But, I spoke again with my trainer today and we are going to give it another couple of weeks on the current program, before resorting to the check chord. As he said today, he would rather work on getting a dog steady, than trying to instil a hunt instinct! At least she wants to hunt............... and boy, does she love to!!!  

Astro is just a little champion. Even when Zsa Zsa breaks point, he wont follow her. He looks at me as if to say... "What the **** is she doing?? Doesn't she realise she is scaring away all the Deer/Foxes/Rabbits/Pigs/Goats......" He's turning into a brilliant hunting companion.  

Poor little Ozkar misses out on a lot of the training and exposure to hunting as he is only with me a couple of days a week. (Haven't seen him for almost three weeks now as I've been away and I dearly miss him) So I am yet to see his full potential.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I know I'm expecting a lot from Cash. To have him hunt everything that I want to, and not just use him for upland.
Me and him have so much fun in the field that I wouldn't dream of leaving him home on a hunt. His eyes just light up when he sees me open the gun safe. When I get my hunting boots out he starts bouncing like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh.
I went and visited with him today. We played in the field and he pointed squirrels for me in the trees. Then had fun in the pond. I can't wait for him to be back home.


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