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As a versatile hunting breed, the
Deutsch Kurzhaar (DK) is most happy when doing what he or she does best; hunting with his or her master or mistress.
DK's can be used to hunt for a variety of game, including upland game birds such as woodcock, pheasant, quail, partridge, and grouse, waterfowl such as ducks and geese, furred game such as rabbits, and for the blood tracking of wounded large game such as deer, elk, or moose. The training of a versatile
DK or GSP begins early. Much as a human child learns most of what he needs to learn about learning by kindergarten, your
versatile puppy will learn most of what he needs to know about learning by the time he or she is six months old.
Take advantage of his or her sponge-like capacity to soak up learning by exposing him or her to as many new people, places, and experiences as possible during the first few months. Take your pup for long walks in fields and on sidewalks, with you to city parks, schools, offices, shopping areas, woods, streams, etc. Encourage his or her contact with people, children, and other pets, and culture his or her exposure to wildlife early, and your formal training later on will be much more successful and come much easier. Many people are having success with "clicker training" their pups. An internet search will provide a host of information and resources on this subject for those interested.
At Covey Run,
it is of
utmost importance to us that all our
DK's be placed with licensed, active
hunters. While they make excellent
pets, hunting is their designed
purpose. Without the stimulus that
hunting provides them, these dogs
will not receive specialty bonding,
training, guidance, activity, and
time afield needed to achieve their
fullest physical and mental
potential. The Deutsch Kurzhaar is a
dog for the hunter who is
looking for a loyal hunting
companion that performs equally in
the field, forest, and water.
If you are looking for If for some
reason you don't plan on training your
dog for hunting, you should at least plan on formal obedience training, and some other structured type of activity to do with your dog to provide an outlet for his or her natural hunting instincts, such as agility, showing, obedience trials, hunting
or tracking tests or trials, long hikes or nature walks, Frisbee or fly ball, etc.
If you are planning to train your
versatile dog to hunt, be aware that THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR LIVE BIRD EXPOSURE! If you don't have access to land with sufficient wild birds on it for training several times a week, you can "make do" with pen raised birds and either manual or remote controlled bird launchers like the
Dogtra QL
or PL, up to a point! Remember, though, that the time will come when you MUST get your dog on wild birds to "finish" him or her in the field. Joining a hunting dog club, reading books and articles, subscribing to one of the internet chat lists or bulletin boards, or working alongside a local dog trainer or friend who may be training his or her own dog can be a great support to you during this process.
Consider training your
DK or GSP to recognize and respond to voice, whistle, and hand signals, to avoid problems later when the dog may not be able to hear you in the field. If you decide on an electronic training collar, you might consider one of the
Dogtra models (like the 2000 NCP,
1200 NCP, or 500 NCP GOLD) with the "pager" feature built in to assist you with getting your dog's attention in the field without electrical stimulation.
To request a Dogtra
Catalog, just click here:
The Ten Training Commandments:
1.) PRAISE YOUR DOG when he performs an exercise correctly. This is what your dog is working for...your praise! Make training worthwhile to your dog. Use motivation instead of compulsion in most cases.
2.) CORRECT YOUR DOG FIRMLY when he fails to perform an exercise properly. Do this ONLY if you are sure that he understands what is expected of him.
3.) THINK LIKE A DOG. Put yourself in your dog's shoes, and train him accordingly. Don't punish your dog for performing an exercise incorrectly when it is likely that he does not understand what you want.
4.) HAVE PATIENCE. If you lose your temper, you will do more harm than good. Put your leash away until tomorrow if you feel yourself losing patience.
5.) DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Your instructors can show you HOW to train your dog, but the important part is up to you.
6.) HAVE YOUR DOG'S ATTENTION while working with him. Talk to him enthusiastically, pat your leg or use the leash to keep him attentive. Use tidbits of food or other training aides if necessary. Smile and make training a fun game for your dog.
7.) DON'T CALL YOUR DOG TO YOU AND THEN PUNISH HIM! He will think that he is being punished for coming. Make the recall a pleasant experience always. If he does not come, go and get him and do not correct him. Keeping the dog on leash until the recall is very reliable is very important. You do not want to set your dog up for failure.
8.) CONSISTENCY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME. Your dog will not learn right from wrong if you allow him to do something one day and then punish him the next day for doing the same thing...jumping on the couch for example. Use the same command word every time, and make sure all members of the family do, too.
9.) BE YOUR DOG'S MASTER. Don't ask your dog to do something...tell him. A dog will happily obey a master he respects. Moreover, dogs equate respect with love. The firmer you are with your dog the more he will love you. You need not be cruel, but develop a confident attitude towards your dog. You are "alpha".
10.) PRACTICE everyday, rain or shine. Practice in different locations. Also, as your dog becomes more reliable, practice with many distractions for reliability. Many think that there dog is well trained until they go to a setting foreign to the dog or with tempting distractions. Thus, it is very important to train in many places with many sights and sounds and temptations.
Links to Training Articles Written By or About Covey Run:
"Heeling a dog is easy, really"
"In Good Hands" (MS Word File)
"Fun runs combine effort to hunt birds"
"Inside the NADKC: A Newcomer's Experience with the Solms Test"
(PDF file)
Suggested Deutsch Kurzhaar Training
Plan
|
Age/Months |
Training-Goals |
Training
Content
|
Pup Comes to New Owner and Home
|
2-4 months |
Pup learns new owner, home,
family and environment
Goal: To give the young dog
the socialization, exposure,
and experiences he requires to
fully develop his potential |
Pup begins to think and learn
rules of its new environment.
Sit, stay, come, areas off
limits, feeding time, etc. |
Pup Begins to Associate with its
Environment
|
4-8 months |
Training begins to develop
pups hunting abilities. Pup
learns to follow scents. Early
training on blood trailing
Goal: Develop a good young
hunting dog with a strong bond
to his handler |
Pup learns about scents,
starts following scent trails
(beginning with food) and
searches through coverts. Pup
learns to swim & find its way
through fields & woods &
different ground covers. Pup
learns the sound of gun shots.
Pup develops hunting drive,
perhaps "giving tongue" while
trailing. Pup learns to follow
trails made with
entrails/sweet meats. Pup
learns to follow trails on
check cord, & begins following
longer/ overnight trails. |
Dog Begins Independent Hunting
|
8-15 months |
Training begins for juvenile
hunt test and further
development of hunting
aptitude and reliability
begins
Goal: To pass the Derby or VJP,
juvenile hunt test |
Dog works trails made by
dragging a hare (or duck or
pheasant) through field and
woods. Works trails on check
cord to develop concentration
on single track. Comes in
contact with a variety of
game. Exposure to different
types of water such as rivers,
lakes, etc. Learns to tolerate
shot gun blasts in & out of
water. Gains experience in
hunting alone & with other
dogs. |
Dog has Passed the Derby or VJP Test
|
12-18 months |
Classic Hunting Training
ensues
Goal: To pass the Solms/AZP/HZP
hunt test and to achieve
steadiness |
Systematic & consistent
training in retrieving. Learns
to retrieve while on a check
cord. Learns to quarter &
search for game while staying
within shotgun range.
Steadiness is introduced.
Independent searches for ducks
in the water and blind
retrieves are learned.
Continuation/expansion of
blood trail training begun at
younger age. HD screening is
completed, & juvenile
conformation rating is
obtained |
Dog
Has Passed the Solms, AZP or HZP
Hunt Test
|
18-30 months |
Master Level Utility Training:
Experienced level hunt
training
Goal: To pass the VGP
Versatile Hunting Dog Test |
Following blood-trails 600
meters or greater, and over
night trails. Is obedient in
the field. Quarters large
areas in search of game.
Searches deep marshes for
ducks. Reliable retrieving
from further distances with
heavier game; (hares, ducks,
foxes). Mature Conformation
rating is obtained |
DK
Has Passed the VGP Versatile Hunting
Test
|
After the VGP |
Specialized training, Boar,
overnight blood trailing,
specialized retrieving,
experienced obedience, etc.
Goal: Further expansion of
hunting experiences, maturity,
reliability |
Further advanced testing,
earning additional performance
titles, such as hardness (HN),
Vbr, Btr, Sw, or Swl, etc.
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