Gun Dog Forum

When should you introduce pheasants to a dog in training? Is there a certain age or ability level?

Why do you want to train on Pheasants? I would much rather you use Quail or Chuckars. The reason being is that typically speaking pen raised Pheasants don't fly, they run and if they do fly it's not very far. They run and screw up your pup more than they help. This is true especially in the case that your young dog catches one and ends up getting the beegeesus beat out of him by some big nasty bird. Remeber, all training is about proper associations. Quail and Chuckar will help you achieve those proper associations as they tend to sit still and allow you to actually train your dog. Not to mention they are not big enough or strong enough to give the pup an old fashion butt woopin if he does catch one.

Thanks for the insite but I am asking about a dog that is already pointing quail and chuckar. And I was just wondering if he would be ready to try pheasant.

How old is the dog and at what level of training and what are your goals for this dog? If he is gonna be a hunting dog, go fo it! If he is going to be a test or trial dog, wait until he is fully broke. You will be glad you did.

Good, you cleared that up for me. I currently do not have a dog that I am training but was just wanting to find out for future dogs.

If the dog will point quail and chucker he will point a pheasant.
But if you want to make sure he will put the pheasant in a launcher.

I agree with everything above.

If the dog will hold it's point and is pretty steady giver it a try.

If the dog isn't yet steady enough and might try to catch the bird, I'd wait. A young dog getting spurred by a pheasant would not be a pretty sight.

PA_Sportsman wrote:...A young dog getting spurred by a pheasant would not be a pretty sight.

I agree

you don't rally need to train with pheasants use richard wolters book gun dog and teach easy in when close and as for running I have seen many wild pheasants run while on the hunt just walk a couple of rows over from your buddies poorly trained dog in a corn field or while dodgeing them with your car

LAunchers are an even better way to screw a dog up! Make sure you know the dog and how to use them first!

I have had to retrain several dogs that were trained by folks that used them! They do severe damage to young dogs!

LAunchers and E collars are great tools but both are equally bad in the wrong hands.

Phil
REO

A BIG Amen to that Phil!!!!

I was in SC when we got Scout and wanted her to know how to handle pheasants. Few quail left in the area I was in and had family back in Ohio. I raised pheasants for that purpose and she was pointing, relocating, and retrieving pheasants for 2 years before she ever saw a quail. Does cause problems in judged trials as she circles to pin runners, relocates, etc.

How do launchers "Screw up" a young pup? I'm going to try to answer my own question. Is it because they scare the dog by releasing the bird to close to the dog?

That, and if you pop the bird and hit the pup in the face with the launcher... IMO, its best to start the launcher when the dog is at that bird crazy stage. I wouldn't put a pup on a launcher that was uneasy around birds....

I don't see much benefit in using pheasant as a training bird. Not unless the dog was steady on other birds and you wanted a young dog to learn a bout pheasants ways..Even then i would not use a pheasant in a launcher.Why would I when a pigeon or a quail would have the same results a s big old pheasant would in a launcher.. Now as far as launchers and young pups? well the launchers are only dangerous if you allowed the pup to get near them. So I guess it all depends on the method that you will be following to get the pup trained.... Now, I know at times you can plant a launcher and forget where you have it planted .It happened to me on more than one occassion . So from now on I never plant a launcher unless i cut a brach and stick it in the ground as a marker...
Have fun training.
G.

I do use Launchers in training time to time. If I do get a dog to close, I either pull the dog back or I manually release the bird with my foot taking the big pop out of it.
Another thing I have done is Streched the springs out on the launchers, mostly because mine sent the birds so hard and fast lots of times the dog did not see it. Also less sound and movement!
I think if you are using them you need to read your dog well or you need to be stopping them at first scent....$.02

TAK wrote:I do use Launchers in training time to time. If I do get a dog to close, I either pull the dog back or I manually release the bird with my foot taking the big pop out of it.
Another thing I have done is Streched the springs out on the launchers, mostly because mine sent the birds so hard and fast lots of times the dog did not see it. Also less sound and movement!
I think if you are using them you need to read your dog well or you need to be stopping them at first scent....$.02

The last one Tom is what I use . Stop them at first scent.
I agree..