Are some bird dogs not natural hunters ?

[Borderdawn]

Hi there.
I think you need to go back to the beginning here, dogs of 5yrs old, new owners, new home, its a lot to take in for them. My advice would be to LIVE with the dogs for a couple weeks and get to know them first, teach them recall and gain their trust, then ONE at a time, take them out in an area where the Birds are, you may be VERY surprised how quick their instincts kick in. You will need to teach a retrieve aswell, that can be started at home, dont use a feather, use a gundog dummy, MUCH praise and encouragement will do a lot to help. Take things slowly.
Dawn.

[tumbleweed]

we have a bird brain dog.

Tumbleweed

[sammerson]

Originally Posted by Borderdawn

Hi there.
I think you need to go back to the beginning here, dogs of 5yrs old, new owners, new home, its a lot to take in for them. My advice would be to LIVE with the dogs for a couple weeks and get to know them first, teach them recall and gain their trust, then ONE at a time, take them out in an area where the Birds are, you may be VERY surprised how quick their instincts kick in. You will need to teach a retrieve aswell, that can be started at home, dont use a feather, use a gundog dummy, MUCH praise and encouragement will do a lot to help. Take things slowly.
Dawn.

good advice and you hit on a few key points that I originally thought of...I think the most important thing is that the first few times, you need to take them out seperately, if they are together, they will play off of each other and if one would rather run and play, the other will feed off of that energy and decide to do what it wants to...if you start them off seperately, you will have their undivided attention and then slowly, once they are trained and you know how each of them acts seperately, you should be able to start putting them together...you just have to remember that each dog is different and have different personalities...it might take a little time but i think that instinct will eventually kick in

[bajaluna]

I see you are in oklahoma.I would suggest getting a better bloodline if a pointer doesnt point on instinct its not going to hunt.Agood bloodline is born pointing ant the training involves teaching them to hold point and honor another dog
if they are field dogs they will range,so if you want them closer you also have to teach that.
you could try those dogs on live birds and see if that makes a difference
xxblxx