Good activities for a Pointer

[poketmouse]

Hi all! As Geiger grows up, I am trying to find ways to play with him such that his pointer instincts are utilized. I've never had a pointer before, only labs and herding dogs, so I'm a little stuck. Besides our daily walks, we have tried playing frizbee and fetch, but he doesn't seem as interested in this as some of my previous dogs. He has lots of fun, but I'm sure there are other things he would enjoy. He used to "point" a lot when he was younger, but I don't see it as often now. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[GSP4619]

Is their a place or a park that you can walk you dog off leash?

If you want to be involved with the pointing part that involves hunting. Their is a forum I go to for hunting dogs and they always have great information due to the fact they go out their in the field and train and work their dogs.

I don't hunt LOL but Ava points out to me and I work with her to learn to stay on point but only for fun. You also it was mentioned to me before that points can even do agility work.

[StarfishSaving]

If you like the outdoors, you could take him to pointing classes and refine his skills and take him hunting- you don't have to actually hunt, you could train him to release on a command rather than a gun shot. Take a camera and get great photos! I can assure you that if you love pointing breeds, there's nothing more beautiful than seeing a one (especially yours!) in action.

A great game that pointers love is the "wing game." Take a pheasant or chukar wing (can get them at Cabela's if you don't know a hunter) and affix it (sans hook!) to a fishing line. Let Geiger smell it and then whip it around through the air. If he's got strong pointing instincts this will be his favorite game. We also have a fenced field available to us where we take George in the fall and winter to "hunt"- I take a wing or tail, drag it on the ground in different places and make a trail to a brush pile or something where I hide the wing or tail. Because we are not likely to hunt with George due to some obsessive compulsive disorders, we do let him get the tail/wing and play with it as a reward but if you intend to take him on the prowl for real birds you don't want to encourage capturing.

Our setters excel in agility and pointers typically do as well. That could be an option. But you'll want to get him into obedience first, then agility classes.

[NA Gundogs]

Andrea,
Just a quick note. The wing game is a very good one and is commonly used to introduce bird dog to wing. As we all forget sometimes, dogs have different instincts that we do, and every dog was bred for a specific purpose. Dogs are most happy doing what their instincts tell them to do. That doesn't mean you HAVE to start hunting pheasant next weekend, but here's an idea that may work for you.

I have a friend who adopted one of my Gordons, though he doesn't hunt much. He decided that he'd maintain a small number of domestic pheasant in a cage year round, and would allow the dog to actually hunt without blasting 12 guage rounds at the neighbors. Dog's happy, he's happy, neighbors feel safe, and the birds don't die either.

Just a thought.:cool:

[poketmouse]

Thanks for all of the great ideas! I'm working on networking in the area to find people who have experience training or working with hunting dogs. I've met someone who hunts pheasants, and he promised to bring me some wings next time he goes out. I love the idea of having birds he can "hunt," since I've never been hunting myself. He has a surprisingly low prey drive, by which I mean he's really interested in watching and chasing all manner of small animal, but when he gets close to a squirrel, bird, or such, he stops running and just stares at it. Thanks again for the ideas.

Andrea