Hello first post in here...

I have a 5 month old Bracco Italiano - Bruno and I want to work him. Ive never worked a dog before so I know it's a challenge! I am going to classes next month but I wondered what I should do before hand?

His retrieving to hand is brilliant but as I'm a novice I don't really know what I'm doing so worry abit that I'll ruin him...?

This is him...

Your dog belongs to the HPR subgroup of gundogs.

As such you will need to train with a group which specialises in these.

The work they are required to do is different to Retrievers, Setters and Pointers and Spaniels.

If you have a solid recall and sit to the whistle, that is all you need before you start learning how to encourage your dog to hunt and point etc.

Hi. What a lovely pup. And welcome to the highly addictive world of gundog training. I don't know much about working Braccos, but I'm sure you won't ruin him. The early stages of training a gundog are not much different from any other puppy. I would start by making sure you have a good recall. Do this indoors in the garden and any other opportunity. Call him enthusiastically when he is already coming to you and give lots of praise when he arrives. If you have a whistle already, you should blow a series of short peeps as well, so that he learns to return to you when he hears it. You could also start teaching him to sit to the whistle, by combining one peep with your sit command. If he sits before he is fed, blow the whistle once as his bum hits the floor.
Good luck and enjoy.

I agree with LL, get good strong basics instilled in him. DO NOT however suppress his natural instincts. He is and HPR so needs to be allowed to do this, but in a controlled fashion.
I am assuming you are going to a recognised HPR trainer and not for example a retriever trainer only or a spaniel trainer only. this is delicate and patient training encompassing natural instinct and ability and needs nurturing.
I've seen a couple of spinone's over the years and they are great.
Good luck with your training and let us know how you get on.

Thank you for your replies everyone.

It is a hpr club but he'll be the only Bracco but I think I'd struggle to find any clubs that specialise in bracco's... We are meeting woth someone who works their Bracco soon though so he should be able to how breed specific help.

His recall at the moment is brilliant were just working on distractions etc. So with the whistle is it 1 = sit and 2 = come? I have a whistle by haven't started yet, I will do though.

Thank you

I'm a spaniel man, SO my whislte commands are
1 = sit
2 = turn
3 = recall
twit twoo is hunt that area.

Just to add, sit is also known as the stop whistle, once you've built up distance, this whistle command should stop the dog, and get it's attention on you, not all expect the dog to sit at a distance, but it is trained as a sit on lead at first

Good luck, Bracco's are a beautiful breed, one I've admired but thought I'd go for a slightly easier flatcoat retriever before possibly trying a HPR in the future. I've always got the excuse of the 'slow maturing' breed then, lol!

__________________
The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has it's limits - Albert Einstein


http://www.tarimoorgundogs.co.uk/

Braccos are numerically small in the UK and you would be lucky to have a trainer/club on your doorstep that specialised in the breed and HPR training!

Although all HPRs are grouped together in the UK (unlike on the Continent) they do not all work the same way which both you AND the trainer are hopefully aware of.

Expecting some of the HPRs to work like GSPs for example is a recipe for disaster.

As for whistle commands, you can use any you like. Many people get very obsessed with whether the whistle is a 210 or 211 and the number of pips, it is totally irrelevant.

As long as YOU know what you want to use and you train your dog with the number of peeps you want that is all that matters.

Good luck.

Thank you all.

Grandad- will teach the whistle you have Said probably for ease!

Sleepinglion- I look after 2 liver flatboats and they are lovely so friendly but bless them between the two of them there isnt much of a braincell! You have to take a bag of tennis balls out with them as they just get distracted and lose them all but stunning dogs!

Smokeybear - thankyou! That makes me feel better about it all! I'm just abit overly paranoid as it's my first gundog; I think after I've spoken to the trainer I'll feel alot better!

What a beautiful dog! Braccos are known to be "noses on legs" so I'd be getting a rock solid recall as soon as possible. I love their extended gait - would be great if you could post some videos of him .

__________________