Chasing Ducks and Other Birds
Chasing Ducks and Other Birds
My pup just finished her first hunting season and is now over a year old. She consistently points wild birds from woodcock to pheasants. However, now that ponds are thawing we often encounter ducks when she’s on her daily run. If given the chance she will chase and flush, though she does grow more careful and starts watching after the first couple flushes. My question is, should she be allowed to handle the ducks on her own however she likes or should I be handling her?
I have done no training with her on birds; I put her on wild birds, let her learn, and stayed silent. She does know whoa and is collar conditioned to it but I do not use it when she’s on birds. I let her chase ducks last summer but she didn’t really have any real prior pointing experience.
I have done no training with her on birds; I put her on wild birds, let her learn, and stayed silent. She does know whoa and is collar conditioned to it but I do not use it when she’s on birds. I let her chase ducks last summer but she didn’t really have any real prior pointing experience.
-
- GDF Junkie
- Posts: 3311
- Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 11:47 am
- Location: Central DE
Re: Chasing Ducks and Other Birds
Considering that your training regimen on game is pretty hands off, I would suggest that you externd that practice to any "off game" encounters the dog may have. In other words, I suggest that you "actively" disregard the dog's interest in ducks, tweetie birds and such by walking away and urge the dog to "leave it" or some such command as you ignore and leave the scene. A disgusted, disapproving tone of voice will probably help.
A youngster will want to chase anything that flies and most things that run. It is bred into them. This is especially true if there are no "real" game species to be found. I have had extremely well trained and conditioned bird dogs go "mousing" when they are running in fields for an extended periods with no gamebirds. It was actually kinda funny to watch, but I understand that the dog simply HAD to point something.
Eventually they will understand that, if YOU are not interested in that particular animal,they should not be either. Patience and persistence.
RayG
A youngster will want to chase anything that flies and most things that run. It is bred into them. This is especially true if there are no "real" game species to be found. I have had extremely well trained and conditioned bird dogs go "mousing" when they are running in fields for an extended periods with no gamebirds. It was actually kinda funny to watch, but I understand that the dog simply HAD to point something.
Eventually they will understand that, if YOU are not interested in that particular animal,they should not be either. Patience and persistence.
RayG
Re: Chasing Ducks and Other Birds
Well said.
I was at a trial once when the dog couldn't find any planted birds- last dog on the list. She decided to head for the pond and chase the geese , (which she hadn't seen before ) on the pond. The judge was not impressed. Bad memory.
I was at a trial once when the dog couldn't find any planted birds- last dog on the list. She decided to head for the pond and chase the geese , (which she hadn't seen before ) on the pond. The judge was not impressed. Bad memory.

" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett
Re: Chasing Ducks and Other Birds
Yeah. That's how I trained my first bird-dog to ignore Tweetie birds in the field. I would just say "Knock it off. Junk bird! " in a negative tone, and after a while he picked up on it.RayGubernat wrote: ↑Thu Mar 23, 2023 10:03 amIn other words, I suggest that you "actively" disregard the dog's interest in ducks, tweetie birds and such by walking away and urge the dog to "leave it" or some such command as you ignore and leave the scene. A disgusted, disapproving tone of voice will probably help.
To divert slightly, when working in a training area in warmish weather for exercise -- no birds around-- my field champion started retrieving me turtles. I took them without comment and dropped them behind me as we continued working to the front, but it was a small training area and when we circled back she found them again (or maybe others) and brought them to me. She was a serious competition bird-dog so I wasn't terribly concerned that it would lead to a problem. And it never did. Jokes about a turtle dog aside.
- gonehuntin'
- GDF Junkie
- Posts: 4871
- Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:38 pm
- Location: NE WI.
Re: Chasing Ducks and Other Birds
I agree with ignoring her on tweetie birds but not the ducks and geese. Once a young dog discovers how much fun it is to swim after ducks, geese, or gulls, they may stop pointing the game birds you want. If my dog is running down the beach and points duck in the water, I'll make sure she "whoa's" until I get up to her, then I flush the birds if possible. This is not a black and white question. Be careful how you proceed.
LIFE WITHOUT BIRD DOGS AND FLY RODS REALLY ISN'T LIFE AT ALL.
Re: Chasing Ducks and Other Birds
Thank you for the input. I will indeed proceed carefully and will give no positive attention or give a “leave it” when around ducks. I forgot to add I’m not entirely silent when she’s on birds; I give verbal positive reinforcement when she does as expected.
To help counter the ducks I’ll work harder to get her on game birds. Unfortunately in suburbia the ducks are just way more plentiful.
To help counter the ducks I’ll work harder to get her on game birds. Unfortunately in suburbia the ducks are just way more plentiful.
- gonehuntin'
- GDF Junkie
- Posts: 4871
- Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:38 pm
- Location: NE WI.
Re: Chasing Ducks and Other Birds
I wouldn't worry about it. I would just ignore the dog and go on.
Sent from my moto g power (2021) using Tapatalk
Sent from my moto g power (2021) using Tapatalk
- gonehuntin'
- GDF Junkie
- Posts: 4871
- Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:38 pm
- Location: NE WI.
Re: Chasing Ducks and Other Birds
This was a really cool point. I spend a lot of time on this deserted beach in the summer and while I'm there, the dog rarely stops swimming. On this picture, she swam in from Lake Michigan and pointed the sea gulls when her feet touched bottom. Fun place in the summer.
LIFE WITHOUT BIRD DOGS AND FLY RODS REALLY ISN'T LIFE AT ALL.
Re: Chasing Ducks and Other Birds
Lots of folks run their dogs in NAVHDA tests, and they're able to maintain their pointing just fine after being not just allowed, but encouraged to chase and retrieve waterfowl. Your dog will figure it out.
Re: Chasing Ducks and Other Birds
Well woodcock finally arrived overnight. First bird caught her by surprise as she was checking out geese. I flushed the second bird as she was checking out ducks. Bird nearly flew into her head but the ducks were more interesting. She got quite timid after my continued frustration with her fixation on ducks. Towards the end of the walk she flushed a pair woodcock at the edge of a pond with ducks on it. That restored her confidence and dampened her interest in ducks.
I will take it slow since she got quite soft…being a French Spaniel she is predisposed to that although she often isn’t.
I will take it slow since she got quite soft…being a French Spaniel she is predisposed to that although she often isn’t.
Last edited by mfns on Fri Jan 03, 2025 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Chasing Ducks and Other Birds
I have a six year old Lewellyn Setter that runs up and down the creek and jumps in after the ducks. He points pheasants just fine but he flushed a woodcock today that he should have winded trying to get to the creek. I am working in the yard with him on a flank caller to try to "whoa " him when he does this. I won't try that in the field until he is better in the yard first. I am also concerned that he will get a flank caller tangled while running in the thisckets.
Anything else I can try?
I do agree with the OP about telling the dog to "leave it" and see if that works first.
Anything else I can try?
I do agree with the OP about telling the dog to "leave it" and see if that works first.