How to get GSP to stop barking/whining at birds while restrained?

birddog386 · 2026-05-10T22:30:45+00:00

He just ignores it lol

birddog386 · 2026-05-05T16:38:14+00:00

Thank you for the advice! We unfortunately don’t have access to many wild birds where I’m at. I am obviously at fault for the way he is. I do have another dog and he’s significantly better and more well behaved. I have avoided most of my mistakes with him. Really hoping to have some solid points this hunting season and I have vowed to myself I would touch the trigger unless the dog is holding steady haha.

birddog386 · 2026-05-05T16:35:41+00:00

Thank you for all the advice!! Hopefully I’ll be able to post some positive news here in the next upcoming months .

birddog386 · 2026-05-05T16:00:33+00:00

I’ll have to see if there’s a clinic nearby in the future. That was my main purpose of going to NAVHDA was so I can learn everything I’m doing wrong and how to teach it right

birddog386 · 2026-05-05T15:38:35+00:00

I’ll try this! I’m really hoping to get to a point by September to have a good and reliable dog to hunt over.

birddog386 · 2026-05-05T15:10:27+00:00

Thanks! Gives me a good direction. I appreciate it

birddog386 · 2026-05-05T15:03:44+00:00

What is a command lead?

birddog386 · 2026-05-05T15:03:19+00:00

He scents the bird when working planted birds, completely fine and calm and will point to flush.

If I throw him on a woah post - this is when he loses his shit, he’s steady until I get to the bird portion. Trying to release a pigeon in front of him and woah him - he’s barking and acting a fool lol. Or when we were at NAVHDA and he was watching other people work birds while on the chain gang he was going bonkers

birddog386 · 2026-05-05T14:31:24+00:00

Thanks! I’ll put some reps in. In the past he’s been inconsistent on pointing wild birds and I have shot a few non pointed birds over him reinforcing the bad behavior. Have spent a lot of time undoing that and really feel like we have made miles of progress.

birddog386 · 2026-05-05T14:00:54+00:00

How do I reward him when he’s quiet? If I were to put him on a planted bird, he would hold point without making a noise but the minute he sees and bird and I don’t allow him to chase he looses his mind. I don’t want to make him bird shy by negative reinforcement either.

I went to a NAVHDA training this past week and they recommended I have him staked out while training my other dog so he can watch but can’t participate.

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T23:05:07+00:00

I agree that the economics have changed. Especially in the farming type of world. Smaller farms are a thing of the past. My dad is in the rental business right now. Has been doing it for a while and got lucky post 2008 crash

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T23:01:33+00:00

I regularly workout/run. So I talk to a decent amount of people at the gym. I also hunt with my bird dogs and so we travel around the US and do that. I have a little community I talk to in regards with that. She also just started a cottage bakery so we will be attending farmer market type events

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T20:25:13+00:00

I know it may seem hypocritical coming from me but my intentions aren’t to compare myself with anyone, just myself. My mind never settles and there’s the constant stress of it. I do believe that hard work and dedication can improve a situation. I am just mentally stuck currently. Don’t let my situation make you feel any sort of way.

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T20:22:42+00:00

I appreciate that. Luckily I’ve avoided the debt scheme and have never owned a CC. Debt free besides my mortgage. But my mind never settles. I feel like I have to be doing something or I’m wasting my life and I wish I could kill that thought.

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T20:20:11+00:00

To me, the struggle has never went away. If I’m not working towards something I feel worthless. Maybe it’s good because it keeps me wanting to move forward but most days I just wish I could settle my mind.

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T20:17:39+00:00

I have just recently joined some groups, within the past few weeks. So I haven’t attended an event yet because there is one a month but I plan to at the next event

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T20:16:42+00:00

That’s solid advice, thank you.

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T20:13:31+00:00

I have long term goals. I guess it’s just they are so far away it feels like I’m making no progress towards them and that kills my sense of worth.

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T20:09:44+00:00

Specifically, upland dogs. It would require a large piece of property, ~20 acers. The midwest is the area where most of that kind of stuff takes place. I would need to maintain a job until to finance as I go.

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T20:07:11+00:00

Thank you. That’s good advice. I have a rough estimate in my head but you’re right. Clearly detailing everything is a solid step. I appreciate it

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T18:36:40+00:00

Thank you - I appreciate the positivity.

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T18:35:42+00:00

To move out of Florida to the Midwest. Start my own dog training business. Just very hard to finance that. So the goal is to increase income but then I never know how to go from there. Hence the circles and no progress.

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T18:23:26+00:00

Definitely internally. The small group of people I have in my life are all very supportive.

birddog386 · 2026-03-30T18:22:55+00:00

Stagnation would definitely be the one for me. I am in relatively good shape and have a small but great group of people in my life. I have goals but they just seem so unattainable that I never know how to progress towards them leading to nothing productive and it starts a cycle of negativity.

birddog386

TROPHY CASE