Gun Dog Forum

So I am very new to this all but it looks as though everyone would agree that introducing your puppy to birds is key to their development as a bird dog. My question is this: Can any type of bird suffice for general intro purposes? I see pidgeons are quite popular but what about common birds in the wild?

Second. What do you do in the winter with your dogs for those who experience long snowy winters? Do you still get them out on some planted birds? Or do you just train other things for the winter.

Thanks guys and sorry for the basic questions.

Everyone does not agree with that. but lots more do than don't. Probably not a big thing other than what you teach it as a pup you may have to un-teach down the road. I don't intro a pup to birds very young. They do get to happy time and chase "bleep" bird all they want though. Birds should be bred into a pup, that's why you buy a bird dog to hunt with rather than a Border Collie. I think you would find my position on this in the minority. I just don't want to have to fool with a pup that learned to catch birds on the ground.

I have never worried about early contact with birds so most of my dogs have noemally had their first contact in the field with whatever we happen to find. Like Don i have never had a problem with a birddog knowing what they were bred for. I do like to give then the opportunity to learn how to hunt and where to find birds as early as possible.

Ezzy

IMO it is all bred into them. I gave my 9 wk old English Setter a quail to chase and catch in an inclosed invironment. She gave chase, caught, and carried to me with pride. Today she is 10 months old, points and holds, and retreives quail and pigeons. She has always been rock solid, never broke point (YET). We also went very slow letting her get not bird crazy but bird nuts. Breeding is a very important part. I have puppies site pointing quail wing at 5 weeks. Have fun with your puppy. Oh ya still have available pups if interested.

bigmike86 wrote:So I am very new to this all but it looks as though everyone would agree that introducing your puppy to birds is key to their development as a bird dog. My question is this: Can any type of bird suffice for general intro purposes? I see pidgeons are quite popular but what about common birds in the wild?

Second. What do you do in the winter with your dogs for those who experience long snowy winters? Do you still get them out on some planted birds? Or do you just train other things for the winter.

Thanks guys and sorry for the basic questions.

Many people start off with pigeons because they are easy to keep and control for training purposes.

It shouldn't be an either /or/situation though.

Still get pup on any wild birds you can find ; let pup chase and learn he can't catch them - important lesson.

PS We all had " a beginning to train" time period. No need to apologize for it.

Thanks for the help -- very informative.

I was worried about the long winter coming up and being able to get a new puppy on some birds, but if I do get one this winter we will just focus on sit and not messing up my carpet.

Pigeon's, "bleep" birds and game birds all have one thing in common. "They will not let the dog catch them"! Dog's that catch birds on the ground, 99.9% of the time, have been taught to do it by a trainer that didn't know better in the first place and wasn't prepared to deal with a dog that scoops birds in the second place.

bigmike86 wrote:Thanks for the help -- very informative.

I was worried about the long winter coming up and being able to get a new puppy on some birds, but if I do get one this winter we will just focus on sit and not messing up my carpet.

By the look of that avatar you will have your hands full this winter anyways.

Sharon wrote:

bigmike86 wrote:Thanks for the help -- very informative.

I was worried about the long winter coming up and being able to get a new puppy on some birds, but if I do get one this winter we will just focus on sit and not messing up my carpet.

By the look of that avatar you will have your hands full this winter anyways.

Yes he does. I should PM him my phone number in case I could be of some help!

I think one of the only reasons people use pidgeons is because they are small and non intimidating(Ussually). Pretty much just so the dog dosnt get beat up and scared of the birds.

drake handler wrote:I think one of the only reasons people use pidgeons is because they are small and non intimidating(Ussually). Pretty much just so the dog dosnt get beat up and scared of the birds.

That my friend, could not be farther off track!

I was just wondering how that is. Im not trying to be rude i dont know much about this stuff and im trying to learn. This dog right now is my first dog. Like i said i dont know much .

Pigeons are often used with starting dogs because they fly away hard , and it unlikely a pup can catch a flushed pigeon if birds have been flight conditioned properly...

Feel free to PM me if I can help in any way.

Sharon is right plus, if something bad happen's with a oigeon you can fix it and go on, you'll probably never hunt pigeons with a pointing dog. Another good thing about pigeons is that when they fly away, no later than evening for sure they will be back home ready to use the next day. They are tantilizing as they are big and make a bit of a fuss when taking off. They will last you a long time if you don't shoot them all. I'm told that the average life span of a pigeon is about 15 -20 years. And durning those years they will produce a lot of off spring for kill birds. I kept track of my pairs of homers this spring, each had three nests with two squabs each. Probably the best thing about them is for all they do, they can be as cheap as you want. I do have racing homers now but I started out with barn pigeons I caught for free and resettled at home. I haven't had to buy a training bird in about 25 years. Every feral I have here was hatched and raised here. They eat chicken scratch and do very well. They can also home from a great distence it you work with them a bit. Mine all, except this years babies, home from about 50miles. I've had a few ferals that have made close to 100miles.

Oh ok thanks for clearing that up.