Thread: training bushstalking GSPxVizsla

---have moved and edited part of the thread from Dog Photos here just not to mess up/hijack the original---


Woody, GSPxViszla, currently 9 months old (*May 2024), stalking apprentice.

Very strong hunting drive and hyperactive, just like myself

Looking for all advise and insight you guys have as this is my first dog in terms of hunting companions.

Training going well, still not quite onto "heel" but recall and other basic commands working great. Most of his commands have my made-up hand signals versions to which he listens without fail as well.

Stock proofed apart from sheep which needs some more work, he doesn't get the shakes now but still thinks they very interesting... Loves hares/rabbits and gets sidetracked with their scent unfortunately. I do hunt them with my .22 and took him couple times which was probably mistake as should have stayed on deer only to begin with. Now they off limits and for impulse control. He is also very keen on birds too but they off limits and I can somehow tell when he is after them. Possums are not a problem so far, he is keen but will "leave" immediately. I never allowed him even just to much around the dead ones.

Gun training finished (started with sound conditioning [check out Dogs Trust at Soundloud] when he was 9 weeks and than from .22 progressed to .270) and lots of paddock blood-tracking done. At the moment on 2m lead when in bush which is very challenging with the scrubby and windfall shit I normally stalk... He would otherwise just run in big circles so trying to discourage that...

Last weekend I shot first deer over him and he than found it (although after bit of a struggle).

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Originally Posted by Snoppernator

@Pete82 these guys are bred (gsp, vizsla, pointers) to work in big circles ahead, so provided you have a good way of keeping him in range, eventually with some time under his belt give him some room to move in front. You may want to run a garmin alpha device and TT25 collar for this (good home pet insurance), or a longer line. 2m is probably not long enough tbh. I'll let my guy range out 10-20 metres in front pretty regularly, he'll slow down once he's onto something. But that came with decent control on range first. Pretty stressful initially, but you get there.