Puppy not holding on point

[300stw]

the pup in my avatar is 11 mo old right now, at 8 months never acknowleded scent of a bird,
every day i take him out of kennel, and take him to a wild bird spot , let him do his thing, put him up when done,, no playing or anything between kennel and bird contact. chk cord on, when he does point i walk the chk cord so he cant take off if the bird flushes before im ready ,,,,
at 9 mo was scent pointing hard, couldnt wait to go and make bird contact, i have not shot a wild flushing bird over him or a broke point, he might chase 100 ft after the flush, usually stays until i say ok or fetch, right at 50 birds harvested over points 1 bird at a time, no double shooting,
probably the 50th pup ive started, this has been my best method to get steady pointing without saying whoa on a point, whoa trained in yard, and use it if i have to stop in bad situation, or on running birds and i cant keep up, damn phesants,
ive done the pigeon and launcher and chk cord many times when i dont have wild birds,,,,

everyone has different methodologies,
when i started pups during chukar season, i was bad about wanting to shoot every chukar i could with my semiauto 12 gauge,,,,
always had a tuff time with dogs pointing firm until i released them, went to a 20 o/u for everything last 10-12 years, its not about how many i can harevst in a season now, but at the end of the season i harvest my fair share, but its been more about the dogs and watchin them learn ,,,,, then getting a limit every time

 

[Mule man]

So is your dog flushing the birds? I’m not completely clear on exactly what you’re asking. I think there are multiple issues to address here.

When you say responds to a tone collar what exactly does that mean?

She will come back when I tone her. Points but not real steady which leads to a flush eventually. I think I need a launcher and live birds

 

[JLS]

She will come back when I tone her. Points but not real steady which leads to a flush eventually. I think I need a launcher and live birds

Get a buddy and a check cord and go work on wild birds.

 

[BucksnDucks]

Wild Chukar are one of the most frustrating birds on the planet for both hunter and dog. It's a tall order to attempt steady training while dealing with real world conditions in the field. In my experience lots of birds flush wild no matter how good of dog is working them. Wild flushes and the amount of running the birds do must be tough on young dogs. Work the dog where you have more control of the factors, then go chase those wild, running, winged ##holes.

 

[Mule man]

Wild Chukar are one of the most frustrating birds on the planet for both hunter and dog. It's a tall order to attempt steady training while dealing with real world conditions in the field. In my experience lots of birds flush wild no matter how good of dog is working them. Wild flushes and the amount of running the birds do must be tough on young dogs. Work the dog where you have more control of the factors, then go chase those wild, running, winged ##holes.

Well said ,I can see you have been chasing chucker for a long time

 

[Wild Bill]

There's a lot going on in this thread already. Like others have said, keep working the pup on wild birds. It can be frustrating but it will click and everything will come together. Remember, it's a one year old dog in it's first hunting season, it's not going to be perfect, no matter the training it's received. There is no teacher like real live wild birds. Also, like JLS said, if it's adjusting to moving birds, that's okay - flushing sitting birds is not and that is important for you to realize which is happening and if correction is needed. Don't be dismayed if the dog is adjusting on a running bird and it has a wild flush. Getting a dog to hold point on a bird takes a lot of things to go correct, including birds willing to hold for the dog. It takes a well conditioned dog to hold wild birds and know when they can and can't adjust/readjust to jumpy birds.
Keep at it and stay positive. Keep it light and fun for the dog too.

 

[JLS]

I’m writing this as I sit on a ridge in my pickup, trying to thaw out. My dog is 3.5. This is his fourth season. I was frustrated as all get out just first year. I watched a lot of birds flush wild. I don’t shoot birds the pup flushed. Consistency and firm expectations are very important.

Today, I watched a technician work. He’s like the Peyton Manning of chukar dogs. He has learned to slow WAAAY down when working a hot ground scent instead of going 90 and bumping birds. With a completely wrong wind, he pointed a covey (he was actually in the middle of them). That’s caution.

I got a “point alert” on the Garmin as I was huffing and puffing up a hill. Fux, 340 feet away. I wrote it off and figured I’d never see those birds. Five minutes later I was cleanly missing a double.

Finn reached this level by days in the field. Pigeons and launchers are great, but they aren’t going to make a chukar dog. Moral of this convoluted story is be patient and hunt your dog a LOT.

 

[Mule man]

I’m writing this as I sit on a ridge in my pickup, trying to thaw out. My dog is 3.5. This is his fourth season. I was frustrated as all get out just first year. I watched a lot of birds flush wild. I don’t shoot birds the pup flushed. Consistency and firm expectations are very important.

Today, I watched a technician work. He’s like the Peyton Manning of chukar dogs. He has learned to slow WAAAY down when working a hot ground scent instead of going 90 and bumping birds. With a completely wrong wind, he pointed a covey (he was actually in the middle of them). That’s caution.

I got a “point alert” on the Garmin as I was huffing and puffing up a hill. Fux, 340 feet away. I wrote it off and figured I’d never see those birds. Five minutes later I was cleanly missing a double.

Finn reached this level by days in the field. Pigeons and launchers are great, but they aren’t going to make a chukar dog. Moral of this convoluted story is be patient and hunt your dog a LOT.

I have the same Garmin,my heart skips a beat when it beeps (exciting to say the least). Sounds like you are having a great day.

 

[Don Fischer]

She will come back when I tone her. Points but not real steady which leads to a flush eventually. I think I need a launcher and live birds

Yes you do need a remte launcher. use it to teach the dog that's it's it's movement that flush's the bird. Wild birds might work in time but they will not co-operate with you! Go to pigeons for training in a remote trap. You can make the pigeon act just like a wild bird and they absolutely co-operate with you. take you pup out on the pigeon in the trap and soon as you know the dog should smell it, pop the bird. do not let the dog have a few seconds to see if it will point, pop the bird. After several pigeons like that, the dog will beat you and be pointing before you can pop the bird, do not pop the bird until the dog moves. Now you know exactly where the bird is, keeping your eye on the dog at all times, circle to the front. If the dog so much as glances at you out of the corner of its eye, pop the bird. Do not go to the front and kick brush to draw the dog off point. Of course it will and you get to punish, forget that, correct the dog. You have acomplished nothing. Get near to bird and pop the bird. just like hunting. generally a wild bird will not tolerate that garbage, don't do it. Every time you have to pop the bird because the dogs moved something, forget it and go on to the next bird. believe it or not, your dog want the bird as much as you do!

Use pigeons rather than pen raised game birds. To your dog, they are all birds and the dog doesn't know one from the other! Pen raised game birds that are not well flight conditionds have an annoying habit of re-landing to soon, often right at the trap! Pigeons generally come out and go up. When the land it's normayy in a tree, telephne pole or back home in the loft! Once you have reached the point where the dog is holding birds to shoot, pen raised birds, flight conditioned, can be set out and shot for the dog. At that point the dog doesn't need much training just experience, it knows its job!

 

[ThunderNocked]

Great read - my first is coming home this coming weekend. Train her for upland and waterfowl both so I'm a little nervous but excited. Just looking to consume some information.