Getting more birdie

[Teach34]

My GPS is now 5 mounts old and trainning has been going well I think. She comes when called, heels and will whoo most of the time and I can shoot a 22 with her next to me. The problem that I think I am running into is that she does not seen to be very birdie. She was chaseing the wing around the yard and points it at 7 weeks and I still bring it out for her as a treat. I know she knows what a bird smells like, but when I take her out in the field all she looks for is deer sh**. Now the fields that I run her in most likely do not have birds in them as they are only parks. This is my first time trainning a pointer and I have been following a book (trainning a gun dog by Richard Wolters) Do I need to change something or is it time for me to get her on live birds.

[Esetterman]

thats a great book to go by! sounds like you are doing well to get the dog more birdie you need to get it on birds try buying some quail or pigions from somebody quail you do not need much room for at all and are easy to keep alove ... i have never used pigions but i hear they work great too.

[RUSS0079]

Who the hell told you that flying city rats were good for bird dog training?!!! LMAO. Jesse, you are the man... Teach 34 try Paul Long's book "Training Pointing Dogs" He's got a cool trick. You hobble the city rat and put about 30 feet of kite string on the hobble. Then tie it to a soda botte. Plant the bird, and work pup in from down wind. You'll see when pup scents the bird. Whoa the pup. have someone else go in and bump the bird up. It will flush and fall slowlly to the ground. Work pup down wind again and you'll see him or her lock up or get birdy. Whoa the pup, praise, rub its tummy and move it away on lead. Repeat in a different area. it will work for ya. Esetterman and I have some good pointers and those tricks will get your pup going.
Russ

[Esetterman]

that sounds good to me, however at 5 months old id let that pup have a blast with the bird specially if its not being real birdie make it interested let the dog chase it and have fun... as the pup gets older and starts to figure things out then start steadying her... to get her mind on bird hunting let her chase it till her tungue drags on the ground!

[Cat]

Paul Longs book is a good book I have it and always liked it. Want a good dog then give them birds they figure it out. Hundreds of birds, so you ask how to do that on WMA? Get into a club semi-wild or go to a Commercial preserve after reg. Stocking season closes it might cost you a little money but the dogs experiance can be tripled. The first year I had my Ryman Setter Abigail saw over 200 birds. That year I killed 118 over her. Birds is what the dog needs all sorts of birds.:cool:

[Teach34]

Cat, Do you know of any good clubs and do you know if you can take your dog on a preserve on sundays or not. Thanks for the info to all.

[Cat]

Yes commercial preserves are open on Sundays. Theres plenty of good clubs with lots of action. Where ya from. I'm a Bucks County, Pa. boy myself.

[Teach34]

I am from lower bucks, Falls township. What kind of clubs are you talking about, the kind that you pay for so many birds and then pick a date to hunt them or is there another kind of club out there. This is all new to me. I have been hunting for over 20 years, but this kind of hunting is new for me.

[reel nuts]

Started 6 britts from pups found the ones that were birdy to the wing. I allways had birds in pens , quail . Did all yard work then let the pup chase bird and play in field just to keep then intersted and back to bird for reward. Every day I had birds in front of the dogs even if it was pigons. (The key is to have birds in front of them!!) They mad for the best flyers I mean when the dog or pup is on point and staying, they can watch the bird fly for long distance and pop that gun at it. With letting my dog mock hunt and play in the field it mad them more want to run the field. Most of my pups were ready to hunt by the time they were 10 month. One of my dog a man from a game preserve offerd $2200 for that pup.

[reel nuts]

If you have the room you can buy quail keep in pen. There cheep $5 a peace The best way is to keep it 1on1 with u and pup right know. By putting him in a high pressure place this young. Keep it 1on1 untill he is older .

[kwakhead]

birds, birds, birds and more birds. keep it fun, never let anything bad happen around a bird until the dog really matures some. take your time, especially if the dog isn't really birdie. that is the most important thing. if your dog isn't crazy for birds, you are pissing in the wind. all good advice about pigeons and quail. in my experience, pigeons are real pain in the butt to trap, 5 per quail is money well spent. In bucks county there used to be a guy who raised them on route 313, my grandfather would get his culls and give them to me. best training aid there is. good luck