How to Train German Wirehair Hunting Dogs

German wirehaired pointers were bred by the Germans from various breeds to serve as all-purpose hunting dogs that could handle any task in any weather. They are similar to the German shorthair pointer but have a thick, tough coat that protects the pointers in all types of harsh weather. Pointers are loyal and quick learners, but need lots of exercise and may not be appropriate for every family.

Instructions

    • 1

      Exercise your pointer profusely or say good-bye to your house and furniture. Without a job to do, wirehaired pointers will dig up your yard, tear up your house and cause general disarray. A young pointer needs at least two hours of full-blown running daily. This can include training.

    • 2

      Socialize your pointer puppy. All puppies need to be socialized to all situations to which it might be exposed by the time she's 16 weeks old. Therefore, hunting dogs need to be exposed to gunfire as puppies so they aren't frightened by the sound when first being exposed at several months or years of age.

    • 3

      Teach your wirehaired pointer basic skills such as recall. To teach a distance recall, start by teaching a very short recall to introduce your dog to the command. Make training positive so that your puppy is excited to come running to you from wherever he is. Start training on a leash so that if your puppy makes mistakes, you can call him back to you. If your puppy is not going to come, don't use the word. This will teach your puppy that the word means nothing. Since hunting will require your wirehaired pointer to travel great distances from you, use a whistle in place of a word for later training.

    • 4

      Teach your puppy to retrieve. You can start with toys or balls and make it a game. Bring out retrieve toys only when you are going to interact with your pointer. Don't leave them lying around or they won't have any special meaning. Start with two identical toys so that your dog will drop the first when you produce the second. Say "drop" as he drops to put "drop" on command. Eventually build up to authentic bird toys.

    • 5

      Consult a professional hunting dog trainer if you feel overwhelmed. There are several types of training available, varying in method and location. Some trainers will come to your home while others hold camps where you send your dog for training.