The Value of a Remote Launcher When Working a Pointing Dog

If I could only have one piece of equipment for training a pointing dog, it would most definitely be a remote bird launcher. This simple piece of equipment gives you full control over the flush and when it comes to steadying up a pointing dog, timing is everything. And so is the flush. "Fly-a-ways" are crucial in developing a pointing dog's pointing instinct and if you have a hard running dog that ranges quite far, it is hard to keep up with the dog to make sure it doesn't bust in and catch a traditionally "planted" bird. If there is one thing that can ruin a pointing dogs desire to hold point, it is catching a bird. Using a remote bird launcher takes the trouble out of all of this. It give you, the trainer, full control over the flush so your pointing dog doesn't start to think it can catch birds. Once in a dog's head, this can be a very frustrating and hard habit to break. It is much easier to avoid if a remote bird launcher is used while training a pointing dog. From the attached video you can see how close sometimes a pointer can get to a bird and how much temptation there is to break point and go in after the bird. The remote bird launcher gives you the control over this situation no matter if you are right up with the dog or a considerable distance away. The german shorthair pointer in the video is about 7 months old and is in his first month of training and you can see how tempting it is for a young dog to break point.

German Shorthair Pointer Training..... A Natural Point...

Anybody that knows me knows i am a HUGE believer in letting the dog develop naturally as much as possible and not put too much "training" into the dog if not needed.....here is a short video of what i like to see in a dog. this dog is about 6 months old or so and has only been on birds for less than 2 weeks and very little to no formal training yet...he started to lock up on the 4th bird and getting better each day......this was taken last week, the end of his first week of birds when the video was shot.