questions about training a bird dog.

[czkck209]

okay, I have a brittany puppy that I am looking to eventually get into field and trailing with. I have heard so many different views and ways to go about training a bird dog (this is my first, obviously) I just want to make it as smooth for me and him. My boyfriend likes to go out during dove and quail season, and I'm not real fond of dove, I can handle quail. Thats what I would prefer he train on. I started introducing him to frozen quail at about 4 - 5 weeks old. He will be 15 weeks old on the 1st of October. He has been out a few times under foot, with both of us and His true colors are just starting to come out. He does really good at sniffing around and almost everytime I have placed a bird in the yard or walked over with him by me out in the field he usually finds it. I have only seen two solid points on him when he see's a bird. He had his first retrieve on 9/9/11. My current problem and these are where my questions come in a i guess is.

 

1# how do I get him to drop the bird and actually bring in back rather then just going to it, picking it up or trying to eat it?

 

2# working with him currently and at first will it matter or make a difference if I use different type's of birds or should I be doing what Im doing and sticking to one?

 

3# Is there anything I can personally do to reward or help motivate him into giving solid points when he see's or comes across a bird?

 

this is something that I really want to get into doing, not only for him but eventually all three of our brittany's any advice would be awesome!

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this

 

Remington @ 6 wks old.

 

 

 

and more puppy pictures.

 

This is the Dam

 

& Sire.

 

Hope you enjoy the pictures.

[tjhunt2]

First of all welcome to the site. I had all the questions you are asking at one time and know exactly where you are coming from. I'm know expert on training dogs but I have trained my lab with the help of several people's advise on here and my good friend Ted Bounds. The internet is a great place to start. You can find just about anything you want on training and a ton of dog trainers with videos. There are some good trainers here in our state and if you have the money it is well worth the expense of doing it yourself. Brittany's are beautiful dogs and Remington is a cutie. Good luck and welcome to cwt.

 

TJ

[kninebirddog]

What kinda of bird are you using?

 

Are you using live birds f not all your doing is teaching the pup to go in on the scent of a dead bird and that he can catch it

 

Next is to figure out What kind of trials and or hunt tests do you want to train for.

 

1# how do I get him to drop the bird and actually bring in back rather then just going to it, picking it up or trying to eat it?

 

Put a check cord on the pup...Never play retrieve when you do not have control ..toss for a retrieve or two IF the pup is interested if kinda of slow ..DO NOT toss again always leave a puppy on a good note and wanting more..do not push to failure

2# working with him currently and at first will it matter or make a difference if I use different type's of birds or should I be doing what Im doing and sticking to one?

Yes very young pups good flying quail is optimal...but if not good flyers then do bird work on a check cord and help the pup to learn to stand still..no words just quietly bring the pup where they scent bird and when they turn into the scent then impede forward motion gently and try to get it where you have a little bit of slack in the line..enough where you still have instant control but not so much that the only thing that is preventing the pup from going forward is because they are pulling against the check cord

 

3# Is there anything I can personally do to reward or help motivate him into giving solid points when he see's or comes across a bird?

 

Best thing is leave all experiences between dog and bird and the excitement of it all...Praise is more for humans so if you felt dog did a good job pat yourself on the back

 

There are some seminars ..I host Rick Smith seminars he is the son of Delmar Smith some of the top known names n the Brittany world that hold some very impressive records in trials and have handled dog to Hall of Fame status...the basics for all bird dogs is the same ..how far you want to take it and polish the dog in training is up to you

 

 

here is a link to some articles I have written

http://www.kninebird...m/articles.html

 

here is Ricks site the top part is his seminar schedule the bottom has articles that He has done

http://www.huntsmith.com/

[donniedent]

I trained my Lab myself with the help of a book called "Water Dog". Very well written and realistic for the beginning trainer. The guy that wrote that book wrote another book called "Field Dog". I would go and purchase that book. It will answer all your questions and be a great addition to the advice Knine gave you.

[kninebirddog]

Another real good book is one by Paul Long

and a great new book Is Training With Mo by Maurice Lindley it is more like a field manual..I wish Rick Smith would do one like it with his method..Maurice is based off the west method and he grown his touches to it which dogs he trans are doing very well also

[deserthntr]

you are doing good by getting him into the field asap, but dont rush things and expect him to be perfect. let him have fun this season especially at such an early age. keep getting him on wild birds and he will almost train himself. you just have to refine the sharp ends