Front running dogs

Nature or nurture?

Nature. I have a pointer that when I first started hunting her, when I put her on the ground, she Would run where we just came from. After collar conditioning, she would run out front, a long way. But you had to keep an eye on her. She like to go to the right, then sneak off to the rear. Toot on the whistle, or tone on the collar would usual bring her back around. If not, a little REA would do the trick.

Yes My first pointer, Katie, was nurture(but you knew that on day one that you saw her).

The the one that I have now(Outlaw Jackson-Jack) is all nature. He was trained for AllAge in North Dakota.

With mine, it's been nature.

Most of mine were, with one really big exception. I bought my. First Garmin because of her.

There are three non hunting bird dogs in my neighborhood. The two year old GSP has never been hunting. He joins me on my morning walk at times. He's always at the front between ten and two. A five heard old Brittany was trained but seldom hunted. He's out in front of his owner while he is mowing his yard. A six month old GSP is already pointing song birds and dragon flies.

I think it’s both but a lot of nurture goes into developing what I judge to be a front running dog that runs the way I want. I also believe opportunity as a puppy plays a role in developing the confidence to hunt out of sight of the handler yet keep contact with the handler without the need to come all the way back. That connection without hacking on the dog is developed. Range is something that they are born with.

Edit to add: A dog running to the front and staying there has to maintain handler contact with its eyes and ears. A dog that loops around behind is defaulting to its nose to keep up with the handler. From my experience relying on eyes and ears needs to be learned except with a boot polisher where handler contact is a non issue.

Mostly nature but some nurture too. Like Bill said, my dogs get lots of neighborhood walking so they have always tended toward the right, which would be exploring up in the yards or off to that side of the neighborhood trail. I have to make sure I compensate in the field for the left. I also pull them up in front when they stop on something interesting when they get even with me so they don't get used to being behind me. Even on the 16 foot leash it seems to help in the field. Though in the field most of the interesting stuff in up ahead!

you can hack them and ruin their nature.

In still weather, my Brittany hunts in front. If the wind is blowing, he hunts into wind, unless I send him a tone reminder or a hack him a little. Usually after 4 or 5 reminders, he will stay in front without hacking

Nature, although early on, we can help pattern them. After a brace a judge told me...that dog don't so much go with you, he more meets you where you're going. Still smile about that one.

This is the first GSP. He also likes to ride in. My Gator. Load-up has to be the sassiest command in my whole wide world.



He has a smile on his face.

He’s got a neck full of collars!

Good lookin pup

Hunt them into the wind and they'll stay up front. Otherwise their noses are going to keep turning them around.