Now, it becomes a “whoa” command.
Thanks to NAVHDA trainer, judge and Pudelpointer breeder Bob Farris, my eyes have been opened so wide, I’m gonna need Visine! Of the many things he’s enlightened me about, steadiness while on birds was perhaps the most useful to me, and maybe to you.
We all have our methods for teaching staunchness. Barrel, table, half-hitch, collar, place board, winch, tow truck … all have their merits. But those are merely practical applications of a theory I’d never quite grasped.
Think about the temptation, the challenge, the genetic motivators for breaking point. After all, a point is merely a pause prior to pouncing on prey (just watch a coyote working a field for mice). Sure, we can stretch the length of that pause, but at some point we must overcome instinct alone or he will pounce.
As a judge, Bob is asked to evaluate every piece of the point-flush-shot-fall-retrieve process. There are different goals for each, the most important being the separation of instinct (the moment a dog smells the bird and points) from obedience (when he’s led to understand he must hold that point, indefinitely).
So, Bob says break the sequence into those two pieces: 1) the point … instinct; 2) staying staunch … obedience. That’s how they’re judged in a NAVHDA Utility Test, because that’s a good way to ensure reliable performance in the field (a dog that’s steady to wing-shot-fall).
Manny is catching on … now, if his handler can! He’s learning that a whiff of bird equals point. But he’s also learning that once I’m in the picture giving the whoa command, instinct is out, obedience is in. Eventually, the verbal command will become a hand signal, then simply a “look.” But by then, he’ll understand that a human that walks to the bird means the same thing as “whoa,” a hand signal, the sound of a flush, a gunshot or long whistle: do not move.
We love our dogs for their instinctive skills and how we can join them in the hunt, the two of us making a team that is stronger than either individual. There are plenty of times when the dog’s instincts are paramount. Others, when obedience and cooperation must trump those genetic signals.
What’s worked for you?
Scott Linden Outdoors 
Wow, great stuff. My Griffon will point solid most times and when you approach from the side, you can see him strain to keep one eye on the bird one eye on me. Otherwise, he goes in like a torpedo.
I just had a GSP 3 month old puppy. My yard has ducks, rabbits, chickens. I have two pheasants and a chukar in a cage. WIll that affect my dog’s pointing ability? I fear that she will get used or immune to the smell or scent of birds as she runs around the yard.
It might have some effect, but I don’t have a long of experience with the downside of this – anyone else? I keep my birds far away, out of sight and downwind of my dogs just in case. What about anyone else?
My dogs have pretty much free movement around my property. It’s pretty tough to have training birds (like a pigeon coop) and not let the dogs get near them while you’re not around or doing other things in the vicinity. Same with ducks or chickens. Our pigeons go out every day, and one of my GWPs pays a lot of attention to them, pointing and creeping when they’re out and on the ground, and occasionally charging. I may be wrong, but think it’s best to just ignore it. Dogs learn to tell the difference between free time, training time, and hunting time. Not much can be done about free time (other than to set limits, like not killing chickens or pigeons), but my goal is to get behavior developed during training time (obedience if you like) to work during hunting time — and certain parts of that can be difficult.
Scott,
Guess I should not complain but I seem to have just the opposite problem. My 4 year old Llewellin Setter will not break point even as the birds (wild) sneak off. She does great on Game Club raised birds! I truly enjoy the show and the tips have been great as both my dog and I try to improve as upland hunters.
Leonard Franco
Thanks Leonard. I’ll trade “problems” with you!
The “instinct” portion is the easier of the two, as you have found out. One extra piece of advice regarding the “obedience” side of the equation – avoid approaching the pointing dog from behind, especially the young ones. Approach the pointed bird from a position that allows your dog to see you, and you taking control (obedience) of the situation. It’s his bird when he points it…when he sees you, it’s now yours, and he needs to wait for the release. Approaching from behind, I think, appears to put you and the dog in a competitive situation for the bird. I want to avoid that. It has worked well for me.
Absolutely! Scientists have a term – allelimometic behavior (I think). When a flock of birds all jink together, for example. The same thing may be at work when you walk alongside a dog enroute to the pointed bird.