Question:  I have a five year old male German Wire-haired Pointer. He is my first hunting dog and I know I have made some mistakes in training him. My problem is that since he was about four years old, he has steadily become more aggressive towards strangers and other dogs . Last week, he snapped at my wife while she was trying to crate him. She now fears him and will have nothing to do with the dog. She would like to move him outside. Will this help his aggression? He did bite a delivery man last year who entered our yard. The bite was not serious.

Alan K., Royal Oak.

Answer:  Alan, I am afraid I do not have good news for you.  I cannot tell you exactly why your dog is getting more aggressive with age. There is not enough background information here to go into why, but I do know that from what you have described, you have a dangerous animal on your hands.

First, let's look at the breed. I should qualify my statements by saying I have owned German Wire-haired Pointers for many years and currently have three.  The Drahthaar and the German Wire-haired Pointer were originally bred to guard as well as hunt.

Many of the early imports were too aggressive to be allowed around strangers.  The breeds were also used to hunt big game in Germany and had to be tough enough to handle animals such as wild boar.

The American breeders have focused on the pointing and bird hunting abilities of the breed and have been breeding for softer temperament. Aggression is not unheard of in the breed.

Now. with that said, some of the German Wire-haired Pointers need to be chastised when aggression arises. If this is not done, especially early in the dog's life, mixed signals are sent to the dog and the aggressive behavior can escalate. If you have an Alpha or dominate dog you need to maintain the Alpha position with him to maintain control.

I see more aggression problems with males than females, so therefore I recommend females over males for first time owners.

I have seen this problems in Weimaraners, German Short-hairs, Large Munsterlanders, and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers also. My experience has been that if a dog attacks and or bites someone, unless it is defending itself or master, it will never be the same dog.

There is a mental barrier that is crossed when a dog bites a human.  It is my belief that when a dog crosses that barrier, it can never be trusted with strangers again.

If the dog snaps at a family member, it is showing a lack of respect for humans that is dangerous.  If it bites a family member, it is my opinion it should be put down.

It sounds to me that the aggression problem you are having escalated after the dog bit the delivery man last year.  I would put this dog down for trying to bite my wife and putting him outside in a kennel will probably only make things worse.

Charlie Linblade

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Question: My German Wire-hair has taken to biting people. He first nipped a neighbor when he was eighteen months old. He's now three and I'm afraid he may hurt someone. He's fine with the family but is very aggressive around friends or neighbors, and guards my house and truck. What can I do to stop this behavior?

Art P., Marquette.

Answer: The Wire-hair was bred to guard as well as hunt. You apparently have a dog that has the old instincts bred into the breed years ago. I have owned many Wires and love the breed for what it is, but the fact is that many of them have social problems. I found an old book one time that described the different hunting breeds and their characteristics. The German Wire-haired Pointer was described as a sound hunter and tracker, reliable with the family but needing to be removed and contained when guests were over. The book described the breed as not to be trusted around strangers.

American breeders have been working to improve the temperament of the Wire-haired Pointers.

You might try a basket muzzle, containing the dog around strangers and leashing when outside of the house. It has been my experience that once a dog starts biting people, there is no returning to normal. There seems to be a mental barrier to biting people. Once the dog has crossed this line, I never trust them again. It is my opinion that the dog should be put down.

Charlie Linblade

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Question: I am having trouble working my German Short-haired Pointer on hand signals and blind retrieves. He will not take lines, preferring to hunt his way out to where I send him. I have tried leading him out in a straight line with no results and have taught him to stop on a whistle blast so that I can redirect him, but then he goes right back to hunting when released. Any suggestions on how to straighten out his lines?

Glen D., Royal Oak.

Answer: Interesting question... You sound like a retriever man with his first pointing dog. What you are struggling with are the basic differences between a “retriever” and a “pointer”. Pointers are bred to busily search for game with their scenting powers. Of course, a good “pointer” will use their eyes and ears as well, but their nose is their primary tool. Retrievers, on the other hand, are bred to visually spot and mark flying objects, namely birds. Of course, a good retriever will use its nose when need, as with wounded game that may be trying to avoid capture.

I have had similar problems with my own pointing dogs when waterfowling. I have owned and hunted waterfowl with German Short-hairs, German Wire-hairs, and Wire-haired Pointing Griffons. Most of the time, I allow the dog to get to the mark in its preferred fashion, usually by quartering a hunting pattern. A few of the dogs were capable of taking straight-line casts once I established a pattern with them of going straight away until I blew the stop whistle. This would be done when the dog was just short of the object to be retrieved. I would then direct the dog into the dead bird. Do this with the wind to your back so that the do doesn't smell the dead bird.

To train for the initial cast, have a helper angle the bird away about ten to fifteen yards. Now send the dog, stop it at the helper, and direct the dog to the fallen bird. When the dog is able to do the fifty-yard drill well, lengthen the distance by about twenty-five yard. Practice, then lengthen it gradually until you are at about a hundred-and-fifty yards. This may take several weeks. Now the concept has been built with the dog. Have your helper go back to the fifty yard mark and hide the bird fifteen yards behind where the helper is standing at the fifty yard mark. Send the dog, stop him at the helper, and direct him to the bird. Lengthen this drill out and remember that the helper will have to hide the bird each time without the dog seeing each time. Once this has been done satisfactorily, start the drill over at the fifty yard line without the helper. I have found that dead birds instead of dummies will keep the dog's interest up. I also rotate in a fresh dead bird every three to four retrieves.

Charlie Linblade

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Question: I have a two-year-old black Lab that has begun chewing up and even sometimes eating shot birds. I have tried putting nails in the birds and even wrapping barbed wire around them but to no avail. If the birds are spiked, he will pick them up by the head and retrieve them, but if he finds no spikes, he resumes chewing them. What can I do?

Glen B., St. Clair Shores.

Answer: Glen, first put the nails and barbed wire away.This technique can stop some dogs from retrieving all together, and most determined dogs will respond as yours has. Now, get yourself around ten or fifteen live pigeon or quail. Smaller birds are cheaper to use and they're less threatening to the dog than pheasants are. Chuckar works too. Next, put a check cord on the dog. You won't need more than ten or fifteen feet of cord.

Now, take the bird in your hand. Wrap your fingers around the birds so that it is protected by your hand from the dog's teeth. Kneel down next to the dog and present the bird to him for inspection. While doing this, tell the dog ‘easy, be nice.' Many dogs' first reaction to a live bird will be to snap it and try to kill the bird. If this happens, your fingers should prevent the bird from being killed. If the dog snaps at the live bird, yell ‘ouch!' as if the dog were hurting you. If the dog is overly zealous, he may get your fingers as well as the bird, making the ‘ouch!' easy for you to do. Pull the bird away and present the bird back to the dog, while saying ‘easy, easy, be nice.' You will find that most dogs will start to lick the birds and possibly try to pull a few feathers out. If the dog reacts this way, praise him. If he snaps again, holler ‘ouch!' again. Keep repeating this until the dog starts to lick or gently tries to pull some feathers.

Now kill the bird. After it's done flapping, throw it about four feet away and tell the dog to ‘fetch.' It's important not to throw it too far away so that your presence will help to deter him. Don't forget to hold onto the check cord. When the dog goes for the bird, he will probably try to snap it, as usual. If he does, holler ‘ouch!' as if he were hurting you. If the dog drops the bird when you holler, tell him to ‘be easy' again and pick up the bird. Present it back to him.

If the dog continues to chew the bird instead of dropping it, keep hollering ‘ouch!' while telling him to be nice. I also tell the dog to ‘stop that,' and I'll give him a yank or two on the check cord while I take the bird away. I then present the bird back to the dog with my fingers surrounding it. If, after two or three attempts at this, the dog is stilling chewing the bird, I may whack him with a rolled-up newspaper to get him to stop. You may need a fresh bird if he loses interest.

Once the dog is gentle with a stone-dead bird, move on to a bird that is dead but still flapping. The movement of the dead bird may invoke the hard-mouth response again. if so, repeat the above procedure. When the dog is gentle with a fresh kill, move on to a live, wing-clipped bird that can't fly. In most dogs, five or six birds will accomplish your goal. If not, repeat the exercise daily.

Charlie Linblade

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Question: I've just purchased my first bird dog. I'm an avid pheasant hunter and I do some grouse and woodcock hunting. People have been telling me that I shouldn't hunt my English Setter on pheasants because they run from the dog. Is this true?

Tim K., Pentwater.

Answer: I have English Setters that hunt all the species mentioned. My dogs also do a fair amount of work on my shooting reserve, where running birds aren't uncommon. If the fact that pheasants run makes it undesirable to use an English Setter, then late-season grouse should also be taken off the list of huntable species.

If you want a dog that is completely staunch to wing and shot, running birds will always be your nemesis. It is my opinion that a good hunting dog must be allowed to make decisions on his own. Providing he doesn't flush the bird, I allow my dogs to work a running bird and pin it down. I also want my dog to whoa when commanded under any circumstance. If he sees a running bird and I whoa him, he should stop. If a bird is flushed, shot at, missed, and I whoa him, he should stop. With this type of control, I hunt pheasants with pointing dogs without any trouble.

Charlie Linblade

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Question: My two-year-old German Short-hair hunts well and points nicely. The problem I'm having is that when he gets to the shot bird, his first reaction is to chomp on it, drop it, and leave it alone. I've hunted grouse and pheasants with him and he acts the same with either bird. What should I do?

Sean G., Port Huron.

Answer: This isn't an unusual problem and I've dealt with it many times. In my opinion, the dog is killing the bird and then leaves it to find another. What you need to do is communicate that you want him to be gentle and to bring the bird back to you to share it. You'll need about a dozen live birds to work the dog on. First, kill one of the birds and put the dog on a long line. Show the dog the dead bird and toss is about five feet for the dog to fetch.

Since your dog isn't retrieving at all, it'll more than likely chomp on the bird and leave it. If he picks up the bird, praise him and try to coax him back to you. The praise will show him that picking up the bird is a good thing and that bringing the bird back to you is even better. If he doesn't pick up the bird, stop him from chewing it up. After his first bite, move closer to the dog and hang on to the long line. Try to pick up the bird, which may also get him to pick it up. If so, praise him.

Once you've got the bird in-hand, present it back to the dog and praise him. When he goes to bite the bird, react as if he's hurting you. This reaction isn't violent, and don't hit the dog. Your reaction should be similar to how you're react if the dog was playing too rough with you, such as mouthing your hand. Keep presenting the dead bird to the dog while telling him to ‘be nice,' ‘gentle.' When he bites it, react with pain again and pull the bird away. You may want to wear a glove in the beginning. You may also need a fresh bird after a while if the bird is bloody. Do this for five to ten minutes a day.

As he gets less aggressive with the bird, you can try a live bird, but don't throw it. Keep the bird in your hand. Remember, if the dog looks as if he's using too much force, react as if it hurts you and tell him to be nice or gentle. Pheasants can be very tough birds for dogs. An injured rooster will spur, peck, and wing-beat a dog. With this in mind, you may need to be a little more forgiving of the dog when pheasants are involved. One good bite is all the dog will need to dispatch a pheasant, and any more than that is abuse and should be discouraged. Don't have any other dogs around when working this out.

Charlie Linblade

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Question: I am training my own dog using pigeons. I find that they fly well and are easy to keep. My problem is that I am running out of pigeons and can't find a supplier. Any suggestions?

Seth G., Dearborn.

Answer: Unless you are training for competition, I do not recommend using pigeons. I know they are cheaper the game birds and will fly better than a game bird, but they lack one key element of game birds. They do not run. All game birds run and a hunting dog needs to learn how to work a running bird. Find a breeder of good game birds and spend a little money. Also, don't expect your dog to retrieve pheasants or partridge if he has only been worked on pigeons.

Charlie Linblade

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Question: I have a four-year-old Gordon Setter that I use for pheasant and grouse hunting.  I went goose hunting with some friends last fall and found that I really enjoy the sport and plan on doing more next season.  Since having a dog along is a big part of the day for me, I tried taking my Gordon Setter. What a disaster.  He went crazy running around the pond we were at, barking at the decoys and he didn't retrieve a thing.  I realize that this is not his specialty and don't expect him to be a goose hunting dog, but I would like to get a dog to hunt geese with.  I'm not sure what breeds to consider. Should I get a pointing dog that could do both upland and waterfowl or should I get a retriever?  What about hunting a flushing dog with a pointing dog?  I am told you should not hunt two dogs of different styles together in the uplands, that it will ruin my pointing dog.  I would appreciate any advice you can give me.  

Terry L., Battle Creek.

Answer: It appears to me that you did nothing to prepare your G.S. for your goose hunt.  He should have been introduced to decoys and the idea that he needs to sit for long periods of time well in advance of your hunt.  You also should have gotten him accustomed to the sound of goose and duck calls and the idea of sitting still while you are shooting.  So I don't see a dog that failed his owner, I see an owner who failed his dog.  That's not to say that this dog could be an asset on a goose hunt.  I would have to evaluate him before I could advise you one way or the other on the prospect of turning a four-year-old upland dog into a waterfowl dog.  Is he any good at retrieving and does he like to swim?  If not, start looking for a pup.

Gordon Setters and English Setters were not bred to do waterfowl work, although the Irish Setter was used for both upland and waterfowl hunting in the breed's early days.  My first gun dog was an Irish Setter pup that I found running along a dirt road on my way to a fishing trip. I stopped to pick up the pup, afraid it might get run over. After knocking on several doors in the area, I found a woman who said the pup had been running loose for several days. I took him home and he grew into a beautiful dog and a good hunter, retrieving game from both land and water. Those of you who are regular readers of this column will remember me telling you that there are exceptions to every rule. I know of someone who did just fine duck and goose hunting with a Gordon Setter. I have heard of someone using English Setters for waterfowl and I have a friend who took his English Pointer duck hunting once.  She retrieved ducks but would not sit in the blind for long. To her credit, she had not been properly introduced to the sport, either.

Looking at the prospect of getting a second dog requires some soul searching on your part. If you lose interest in goose hunting, will your new dog still have a place in your hunting plans? Remember that buying a dog is a fifteen year commitment on your part and is not like buying some piece of equipment. Let's first look at the three basic breed types to consider, flushing, pointing, and retrieving. Flushing breeds are usually spaniels. I say usually, even though I have never heard of breed classified as flushing. The Brittany Spaniel is the only pointing dog in the spaniel lines and the Irish Water Spaniel is a retriever. The most common in the U.S. are the Springer Spaniel, the American Water Spaniel, and the Clumber Spaniel. The American Water Spaniel has two opposing factions. One group calls them flushing dogs and one group calls them retrievers. Why this is, I don't understand, considering that the breed was developed during the market hunting days primarily for retrieving, as was the Chesapeake Bay Retriever. The flushers were originally called a ‘rough shooting' dog because they were used to hunt fur as well as feather. Their job was to hunt the thick tangles and hedge rows and to flush out anything hiding there. The term ‘springer' comes from springing game from the dense hedge rows in England. The American Water Spaniel and the Springer Spaniel have both been used for waterfowl retrieving. They are busy upland hunters who are not normally hunted with pointers and normally do not like the heal while another dog does all the hunting.

The two most popular retrieving breeds are the Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever and the Nova Scotia Duck Toller are the only American-bred retrievers besides Water Spaniels, the Flat Coat, Curly Coat, and Irish Water Spaniel, which are less popular. These dogs were bred specifically for water work and retrieving. They can upland hunt just fine but do not point and will flush game when it is encountered, thus causing come problems when hunting with your setter. Exception to the rule: Pointing Lab. There are breeders for pointing instinct in the dogs they pair up. By breeding a Lab who points to another Lab who points, they are able to produce a pointing Lab with some regularity. When I hunt retrievers with pointers, I expect the retriever to stay by my side. After the pointer finds a bird and points, I use the retriever to flush and help retrieve the bird. I find retrievers will adapt to this type of hunting once they realize they are in on every flush. And besides, a good waterfowl dog should be trained to heel and say with you in the field, around flushing game, and on gunfire. This requires a lot of self control and steadiness training.

There are many pointing breeds that were developed for multitask hunting. Once call the ‘Continental' or ‘European' breeds, we now classify them as “versatile'. German Short-haired Pointer, German Wire-haired Pointer, Munsterlander, Wire-haired Pointing Griffon, Pudelpointer, and some Brittany Spaniel lines are a few of the more popular breeds. Except for the Pudelpointer, which I've never owned, I have hunted waterfowl with all of these breeds with good success. You have many options, good luck in making up your mind. If you need the Gordon Setter evaluated, call me.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training

Question: I'm working with my five-month-old English Pointer pup on retrieving birds. The problem I'm having is that she doesn't want to bring me the birds and she'll sometimes run off and bury the bird. Is this normal and what can I do to change this behavior?

Andy T., Adrian.

Answer: I'm not sure that this could be called normal, but I've seen this type of reaction many times before. I believe it is based in a deep desire for birds, which is a good thing, and a possessiveness for this treasure makes them unwilling to share it with you. To correct this reaction to game, you must not run this dog with other dogs when birds are to be shot. By having another dog present, you'll only increase the possessiveness. I recommend using a check cord of at least twenty feet on the pup when working on retrieving. Throw a dead bird for the pup and allow it to pick up the bird while you hang on to the cord. Once the pup has the bird in its mouth, cheerfully tell the bird ‘fetch' and then ‘come'. Praise the pup while you reel it in to you, even it is struggles against the cord. Once you have the pup back to your side, continue to praise it while you hold the bird. Allow the pup to mouth and sniff the bird while you hold it. Now throw the bird about ten feet away and tell the pup to fetch again, repeating the process. Do so several times, and do this for three to four days in a row, then go out without the check cord. Usually, more bird contact will ease the problem. Don't become harsh or cross with the pup, for fear it'll stop retrieving all together.