Teaching Recall and Release for young German shorthaired Pointer

Visit www.aytee.co.uk/training to get more from your GSP.
Training your GSP to a perfect recall is a massive challenge for many people. Establishing this habit when they are young will set you up for success in later years.
This video is part of the level 1 Aytee Training Programme

[@ranacalva5236]

I LOVE you Accent, your outfit and your dogs of course

[@katerinacucova2725]

Love your videos ! Very good and helpful ! Hello from Ireland

[@AyteeGSPs]

Thanks Katerina, hi to you too, glad you find them helpful .... we also have training manuals which these videos illustrate. Just click www.aytee.co.uk/training

[@IMM11]

Brilliant, full respect from Ireland.

[@AyteeGSPs]

aw, thanks, love the Irish scene, have had lots of fun trialling over there !

[@TheHammers527]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. We have a Bracco and he is 8 months and pretty headstrong. Pretty good recall at close quarters but sometimes bolts into the woods or off a cross a field. Normally chasing birds. Any way of stopping that? Pretty hard to get after I’m, he’s a touch fitter and faster than me....😂

[@AyteeGSPs]

Ha, yes, being fit is a big help in training a gsp ! Suggest the use of a long line to correct him if he is proving a problem and will not come in. It will need careful use though - there is no point in 'reeling him in', the line is there to correct and teach the recall. Avoid areas with game while he is young and until he is good on a recall. Going after birds is instinctive so he will need to be trained to control himself around game. His nose is kicking in so a good time for you to take charge. Good luck!

[@kyliemacka]

Hi. I have Bos who turned 2 a few months ago. He is a delightful natured pointer with a strong prey drive and we are not hunters and as such I think he has not had training suitable for his breed... His recall is good WHEN HE WANTS to come in but once on the scent of game he is gone often including jumping fences. We can now no longer go to local dog parks as he clears the perimeter fences with ease. This started perhaps 4-5 months ago and is getting worse. When not distracted is is mostly good. Do you think he is 'salvageable?' Recommendations please, and thank you!!

[@AyteeGSPs]

Hi Kylie, You are not the first person to get in this position with a GSP ! but as I think you know it will be very difficult to retrain effectively. If you want to stand a chance of sorting it I would do the following. Never ever allow him to ignore the whistle from now on giving him a very clear message for right and wrong. Only let him off lead where you can get to him and to help you, let him drag a longline if necessary. Therefore you cannot run him in very open country and definitely not with game around. There will be much time and many corrections before you find out if it is working. Success will depend on his temperament and your expertise. These are the kind of dilemmas when people end up using an EC, but you have to ask if it is a fair approach when he could probably have been trained successfully at a younger age without. Good luck, however you do it you will need to meter out some tough love to keep him safe, otherwise I'm afraid it's a life on the lead.

[@TheMargo8]

Our Zeus is 1 year old. Inside the house and back garden he listens to commands as sit, come, side and find food. Once he's outside - he doesn't even sniff the food. Turns his nose away and smells anything else but the food. Would you have any tips please? We're also struggling with his pulling on leash...

[@AyteeGSPs]

Hi Margarita, The success of his response outside at this age, is dependent on what training was done in the early days in more controlled situations. We do have training manuals which typically cover these problems www.aytee.co.uk/training and through them and our private fb group will give you some backup, but you will probably have to return to absolute basics, and with lots of hard work establish who is boss. Kindest regards, L

[@declanmcloughlin8819]

Hi ive a young German pointer shes 6 months old have her sitting and staying and she recalls most of the time but sometimes she just refuses to listin and wont come back and the odd time she will turn the other way and dart off any advice would be great thanks

[@AyteeGSPs]

please see above for link to training manuals. At 6months old it will be some time before her recall is rock solid. Just keep training 😁 Good luck, enjoy your dogs !

[@bethanycarter4199]

What kind of whistle is she using?

[@howievue3859]

do you have like some kind of DVD for trainings.

[@AyteeGSPs]

HI Howie Aytee videos are all available for viewing on youtube. They illustrate aspects of the Aytee Training Programme which is explained and for sale on our website www.aytee.co.uk. More will be uploaded in August with further ones to follow. I hope they are helpful !

[@CamilleGG451]

Omg is her name Carrot? How cute! 😄😄💕

[@gamefieldtofork4137]

I have a 7 month old and she is ok but I have real problems getting her to come back all the time and if there is scent then she totally ignores me. In those cases I just run and hide but it can still take a while for her to look and see that I’m not there. Any tips would be amazing ☺️

[@AyteeGSPs]

lots of praise when she does return and try to only call her when she is somewhere that you can get out to her if she does not give the right response

[@amentothat100]

My six month old just runs full tilt like she has never been off lead and only sometimes recalls but will run towards you only to doge you at the last moment like she is playing a game. Very frustrating.

[@AyteeGSPs]

Hi 33ad ! She IS playing a game with you and has done it enough times now so it will be hard work to regress but you can. She has learnt that it is more fun out there and she will have started to hunt. Dont let her off the lead where there is game scent or along footpaths or she will probably just take a line and go. Find open areas and go right back to basics and teach her recall like you would a small puppy, including the used of a longline. Use treats when she does come in but also a sharp correction on the long line if she is not 100%. She is 6 months old so you will need to do this with understanding and create some play methods yourself. Use a tennis ball tossing in the air to attract her attention to come in. Hide behind a tree (!) when you call her. Always masses of praise. She must never be afraid to come. Only let her free when you are in an enclosed area where you can get to her if she is disobedient. It may be some time before she is reliable and dont forget you can do plenty indoors and in the garden to start to condition her and recall and release is invaluable in this situation. Our Aytee training levels cover this in detail www.aytee.co.uk/training-german-shorthaired-pointer-gundogs/

[@danielfindlay4645]

@@AyteeGSPs I am a huge fan. I feel you train at a realist level. Not too harsh, not too soft, but just what the dog needs. Can you please be more specific on what you feel appropriate "sharp correction on the long line" looks like? I don't want to overdo things, or underdo things.

[@AyteeGSPs]

@@danielfindlay4645 Hi Dan I'm sorry but simply dont have time to advise on specific problems unless individuals are working from our digital training programme where they are given backup. If you wish to subscribe please click here for details www.aytee.co.uk/training-german-shorthaired-pointer-gundogs ENJOY YOUR DOGS!

[@kateand2330]

Hi, your videos are so informative ! Just wonderful bond with dogs :) Just a quick question, what in your opinion is the best whistle (silent one, any particular brand you could suggest) and also what is the protocol - I see you blow 3 times for a recall. Many thanks

[@AyteeGSPs]

Hi Kate, Aw, thanks ! You are right, the bond is important but they have to know who is boss so it is also one of respect. The whistle I use is an Acme 211.5 and it is fairly standard to use 3 pips to recall/1 to stop/2 to change direction. There is detailed explanations on recall www.aytee.co.uk/training Level 1 Good Luck !

[@kateand2330]

@@AyteeGSPs I watched more of you videos and I've spotted the info about an Acme. Thank you so much. She's done a huge progress since we started a local 'pre-school for dogs' run by a great policewoman. And I have been reading some books about dogs body language. Recall would be the one we struggle with ;)

[@AyteeGSPs]

Hi Kate, persevere, I am sure you will get there in the end !

[@michaelc3954]

Nice content. Why would you use "OK" as your release command? "OK" might be the most common use word in the English Language.

[@AyteeGSPs]

The tone is more important than the word that you use. If I said OK as part of sentence the dogs would not react. So use whatever words you like but be sure all of your command words are different and use the same ones consistently. Enjoy your training !

[@sandritulis]

Hi! I have two five years old GSPs . They are sisters and I have got them since they were puppies. I use a 10 meters leash when we walk al park but I'm affraid of leave them without the leash because I still can´t get them come back when I recall. I've tried everything but when they watch a bird or cat they don´t response . What can I do? I'm from Rosario, Argentina and here, the trainers don´t know how to train GSP. Thank you !

[@AyteeGSPs]

Hi Sandra, I am afraid that I dont think that it is possible to train your dogs to a dependable recall now. They have taught themselves over a long period of time that they are in charge when they are a distance from you. I expect they have many happy memories of chasing and hunting and they will want to repeat this. I suggest you only let one off at a time and try and keep its attention by throwing a tennis ball (assuming it enjoys retrieving) and use titbits to keep it keen to come in. The best time to teach and condition recall is during those early months when the young puppy is discovering the world and I would say that two puppies together are lovely but impossible to train because they hook up with each other rather than with you. Next time have one on its own !! Sorry I cant be more helpful, Best wishes to you and good luck !

[@sandritulis]

Dear Aytee, thank you for your answer! We tried to train them with a canine trainer since they were two years old. It's a long story but we couldn't find the one who knows what to do with GSP! That was why I've search for help on line and tried to train them. Yes, I always work one at a time because they don't focus if they are together. Thank you very much, again! I'll keep on working to improve my beauty beasts! Because I think that "when there's a will, there's a way!" Now I've discovered your videos so they will help me in the training. Best regards!

[@tnrmrtn]

Sandra Torres,you should try a shock collar

[@TheLesgumes]

Clicker and/or E collar low level conditioning, in either cases add a lot of patience and it should work. Once the dog is conditioned and knows what the sound of the clicker or what the e collar stimulation means, you can do a lot of things. This will take time however, don’t rush it, start with little distractions and gradually move up, start inside your home and when solid move outside. Larry Krohn has a lot of videos on e collar training and also a book.

[@BASSCHALLENGESA]

Great videos. I have two brothers, they are about 3 to 4 months old. Can I ask what do you use for treats?

[@AyteeGSPs]

Hi Hugo, Always something dry and v small, petshops have plenty but dried catfood works !

[@user-sn8kk2fd4q]

عالی

[@Goxplayer]

How old is this dog? 🥰

[@AyteeGSPs]

Hi Goxplayer, Karat is 9months in this vid

[@Goxplayer]

Beautiful dog... 👌

[@AyteeGSPs]

Thankyou, she is a Full Champion🐾