Question: I have a one-year-old German Short-haired Pointer and am trying to introduce a beeper collar to him. The problem is that he is bothered by the noise and will heel with me when the beeper is turned on. What should I do to get him to range out while using the beeper?

Randall D., Howell.

Answer: You should first get the dog used to wearing the beeper collar while running with the beeper turned off. The weight of the collar alone will bother some dogs. Since you started running with the beeper activated first, before conditioning the dog to the weight of the collar, you will need to reintroduce the noise to the dog. To do this, try running the dog with a second dog that is conditioned to beepers. Have the second dog's beeper activated while the two dogs run together. Having birds present should help take the dog's mind off of the beeper. If you do not have a second dog to run with, try carrying the beeper yourself. When the dog is off exploring, activate the beeper as you carry it. Over time, the dog should relate running with the beeper sound for a more positive reaction.

Charlie Linblade

Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club

Michigan Pheasant Hunting

Michigan Bird Dog Training