# Got a gordon setter puppy



## flyfisher117 (Jun 29, 2009)

Hes 9 weeks old and i can decide if i want to take the time and make him into a hunting dog or not me and my family arent the biggest of hunters we deer and elk hunt and if we can get one well just shoot what comes our way because we want the meat... we dont bird hunt at all but i would like to start a bit but its just not a major interest to me.

around me we have a lot of quail and sage/pine grouse. im just not sure about it in 2 years im leaving for college so hell stay with my parents and if all works i will be quite a ways from home so then they will have a hunting dog with no hunter

it would be great exercise for him but id almost rather just want him to be a family dog that loves fetching tenis balls


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## flyfisher117 (Jun 29, 2009)

heres the best picture i can get of him... he wont hold still long enough to let me get one.









i guess the biggest thing is can someone point me in the right direction as far as a good website for training dogs?? i need all the info i can get


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

Tons of good articles.
http://www.gundogsonline.com/TableofContents.asp


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

I have a gordon, and love him. Be prepared they are goofy dogs. They love attention, and act like a 6 year old kid. Oh yeah, they talk a lot.


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## flyfisher117 (Jun 29, 2009)

fixed blade said:


> I have a gordon, and love him. Be prepared they are goofy dogs. They love attention, and act like a 6 year old kid. Oh yeah, they talk a lot.


Haha the guy we got him from said they are "doofuses" and so far this one wont shut up... XD hes got a funny little howl


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## flyfisher117 (Jun 29, 2009)

katorade said:


> Tons of good articles.
> http://www.gundogsonline.com/TableofContents.asp


a lot of info there i just cant decide if i want to make him a hunting dog... i met a guy who owned a fly shop up in Montana who had a gordon and it was his fishing buddy... maybe ill just make mine into a fishing buddy


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

I'd work on it as a bird dog, atleast try him out. So you don't regret it later. Really though upland all you need is your dog knowing how to find the birds and retrieve them. Just get him on birds.


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## flyfisher117 (Jun 29, 2009)

theres nothing to regret if i dont do it... i dont hunt birds really at all and i wont be taking him to college... probably hold off for a few years and get my own dog then possibly


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

One more thing if you are going to hunt him. Be prepared, they are Burr magnets. By the time hunting seasons done mine has the coat of a gsp. Say goodbye to all the pretty feathers off of the backs of their legs.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Why do you think it can only be one or the other? Why wouldn't you be able to train him to hunt, but treat him as a pet? Just because you aren't a die hard bird hunter doesn't mean you can't work with him a bit, and get him taught to do some hunting. In all likelihood, he'll be as good a bird dog as you make him, but the "pet" side of him won't change a bit. Seems like a no-brainer to me!


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Another thing too- much of the training that goes into hunting only makes the dog a better "citizen" anyway. Obedience is the foundation of every bird dog, and should be something every pet learns as well. While they are young, obedience is ALL you teach them, with some low-key exposure to birds, just to get his instinct and prey drive going. Introduction to gunfire at the right time will also help to keep him from being a schizo when a thunderstorm rolls through, or on the 4th of July.


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## flyfisher117 (Jun 29, 2009)

Chaser said:


> Why do you think it can only be one or the other? Why wouldn't you be able to train him to hunt, but treat him as a pet? Just because you aren't a die hard bird hunter doesn't mean you can't work with him a bit, and get him taught to do some hunting. In all likelihood, he'll be as good a bird dog as you make him, but the "pet" side of him won't change a bit. Seems like a no-brainer to me!


like ive said im no big hunter so i dont know much but i used to live up in Montana and I had some neighbors that had bird dogs and their dogs were locked in the kennels almost 24/7 maybe a few times a week they we get let out and they would be trained. to me thats no way to get your dog to like you but i wasnt sure... and they were the most hyper dogs ive ever seen and im guessing because of the lack of people... they loved bird hunting but them and their dogs were another story


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## flyfisher117 (Jun 29, 2009)

fixed blade said:


> One more thing if you are going to hunt him. Be prepared, they are Burr magnets. By the time hunting seasons done mine has the coat of a gsp. Say goodbye to all the pretty feathers off of the backs of their legs.


here is a quick question about the bloat that they can get... How bad/common is it really? i currently own 3 weiner dogs they are also another breed that can get it but weve never taken any special precautions to prevent it (never knew they could get it) but does it occur as easily as people say it does? And im just curious as to how you feed/water your dog?


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

You're right, locking them up like that just doesn't cut it. There are even laws against it now. 

Just get some pheasant, chukar, or grouse wings and play fetch with him while he is small. He should take right to them. Get a training bumper or two, or even a clean paint roller to play fetch with him. He'll get the hang of it. Occasionally go to that website and look it over to learn how to train your pup. The worst that can happen is he's no good at finding birds!


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## flyfisher117 (Jun 29, 2009)

Chaser said:


> Another thing too- much of the training that goes into hunting only makes the dog a better "citizen" anyway. Obedience is the foundation of every bird dog, and should be something every pet learns as well. While they are young, obedience is ALL you teach them, with some low-key exposure to birds, just to get his instinct and prey drive going. Introduction to gunfire at the right time will also help to keep him from being a schizo when a thunderstorm rolls through, or on the 4th of July.


I'm for sure going to work on the basics like sit and stay and maybe try heal i dont like it when peoples dogs are out of control so that is one thing that is going to be worked on.

How do you go about making them not gun shy? we used to have an english springer and she from the get go never disliked guns she always went shooting with us and was happy as a clam but she was a puppy when i was an infant so i never got to see her grow up. just when he gets bigger take him shooting with maybe a gun like a .22 and let him get used to it then move up?


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Get a cheap cap gun, and when you are playing fetch, or when he is eating, shoot it, but do it a little ways away from him. When it goes off, ignore it. He'll get used to it if he thinks there is nothing to worry about. Move a bit closer every day until you can shoot it right over him and he doesn't even think about it. After he is good with that, move to a bigger gun, like a .22 with the same process. You may notice he doesn't think about it at all. If so, you should be good to go with the bigger shotguns. That's what my pup did. He never acted like any loud noises bothered him, but he never had any traumatic experiences either. Positive associations is what you want. Gun shots=fun.


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