Gun Dog Forum

I just received my first hunting dog for Christmas. She is a 9 weeks old vizsla and will occasionally point the wing but will mostly just attack it. What are some tips and at what age should a puppy start pointing a wing?

Anthony8705 wrote:I just received my first hunting dog for Christmas. She is a 9 weeks old vizsla and will occasionally point the wing but will mostly just attack it. What are some tips and at what age should a puppy start pointing a wing?

Just after a prayer !

Although some will point the wing into old adage, some lose interest at about your pup' s age.

It is game, and will cause no harm, but doesn't help all that much. Findi another game, but keep playing. That will do a lot of good.

It will encourage sight pointing, toss the wing and get the dog out on real wild birds as much as possible.

The best dog that I have ever been around, would not point a wing as a puppy. Throw the wing away and forget about it.

NLsetter wrote:It will encourage sight pointing, toss the wing and get the dog out on real wild birds as much as possible.

+1

Sight pointing is a bigger problem then most people realize. There are tons of posts on here about busting birds and catching birds. Many of these issues stem from wing on a string. Not many people recognize this pattern.

The wing will not bring out your dog's point the point naturally the way that life birds will.

will-kelly wrote:

NLsetter wrote:It will encourage sight pointing, toss the wing and get the dog out on real wild birds as much as possible.

+1

Sight pointing is a bigger problem then most people realize. There are tons of posts on here about busting birds and catching birds. Many of these issues stem from wing on a string. Not many people recognize this pattern.

The wing will not bring out your dog's point the point naturally the way that life birds will.

I have no problem with a dog sight pointing unless they don't. We require it in trial dogs and I see little connection between the dog finding and pointing by whatever sense works first. But I agree it does little to help in training but have never seen the down side of the wing on a string.

3 years ago I tried it. The dog looked at the wing then me like I was the stupid one. I guess she was right

Wing on a string is a game nothing more. You don't have to have a wing on it, use a piece of rag. If i were to agree that it does cause sighting, I don't, then a piece of rag or anything other than a wing will accomplish the same end; to see if your dog will chase an object dangled in from of it. Those of you that think it is teaching something, keep doing it, it will accomplish nothing, it will do no harm. Good thing about it if your dog will point it is that it will make you feel better.

DonF wrote:Wing on a string is a game nothing more. You don't have to have a wing on it, use a piece of rag. If i were to agree that it does cause sighting, I don't, then a piece of rag or anything other than a wing will accomplish the same end; to see if your dog will chase an object dangled in from of it. Those of you that think it is teaching something, keep doing it, it will accomplish nothing, it will do no harm. Good thing about it if your dog will point it is that it will make you feel better.

+1. I do it from time to time with a puppy but it is for my entertainment. It does no harm but doesn't teach anything either IME.

Charlie

Now that you see it points the wing, throw it away and use real birds. If you want a bird dog then you need real birds.

Tanner01 wrote:Now that you see it points the wing, throw it away and use real birds. If you want a bird dog then you need real birds.

+1

i was in the same boat as the OP 2 years ago. first gun dog, etc. the wing was cool as a first time owner to see the dog point, but after seeing it point once it really isn't much help. live birds is the way to go. i have a little johnny house and keep some quail in there during the summer to train. otherwise i just take him hunting as much as i can. if the dog is bred right, his instincts take over and he knows what to do.

Anthony8705 wrote:I just received my first hunting dog for Christmas. She is a 9 weeks old vizsla and will occasionally point the wing but will mostly just attack it. What are some tips and at what age should a puppy start pointing a wing?

my dog did the same too. he pointed it sometimes, but wanted to play with it. the wing and a bird are two totally different worlds for the dog. get your pup some quail if you can. throw them in some tall grass and let him work. good luck with the pup

Plenty of people thing training a retriever with a wing taped to a bumper works too. Then they find out the truth....


Drop the wing.

I think it was Richard Wolters that really made that wing on a string deal popular. He kind of maintained that a dog could pretty much be trained with one completely. He was wrong. You don't have to have an elaborate set up though if you're in town. A kennel with a couple of pigeons in it will work. Keep the pigeons on a 10' line and a 10' pole. Hide the bird behind a bush in the yard and keep pup on a light 1//8" braided check cordd 20' long. Walk him past the bird, downwind of it and help him point it if need be on the cc. Then have a helper hold the cc and "flush" the bird, letting it fly around on the pole and even land in the yard. That'll give him a good start, and give you something to do.

All dogs at some point in time HAVE to learn to sight point. If they see a bird in short cover, they should stop and point it. You will also see this in trials with planted birds. So, it's not all bad.

You will want to get him on birds and launchers as soon as he is old enough though (4-6months). Have fun!

Congratulation with your pup.


Having fun is of great value when you start a young dog, work will come into it later. You need to make sure you know what you want your dog to do for you and to what level you want it trained. Then you can start working on a plan most dogs with enough natural ability you will need to start discipline yard training this is importend so when you start training on birds and you enforce commands he knows them already. This way the dog will always think the birds ate fun and that is what you want IME

Remember to have fun!