Plinking w/air rifle

[ecater2218]

With Queen on the check cord, I shot a field bird with the air rifle. Queen went nuts and started a concrete point of the dead bird. We could not see the dead bird because it went under a bush. I let her find and retreive it (she has a very soft mouth). She is 4 1/2 months old and she went CRAZY, wallowing in the ground with the bird in her mouth. It was a bit like our cat when she gets catnip. My question is ; is this bad for her training? She knows the basic commands and has been in the field a dozen times, but this is the first time she has had a fresh dead bird. Please advise.

[A/C Guy]

She retrieved a bird and did not munch it? She did great for her age.

[AzDoggin]

No problems - the fact that it got her so excited is most excellent. I did the same thing for a young pup and she ran off and devoured the birdy.

Bird dog pups love birds. I wouldn't do it regularly at this point, but one occurence shouldn't hurt anything. If anything, you got her stoked up to find some more. Ideally, you want her to be around birds alot, finding that the way she can prolong her contact with them is to be rock still - otherwise the birds will flush and fly off.

Air guns are too much fun tho

[Shadow]

With Queen on the check cord, I shot a field bird with the air rifle. Queen went nuts and started a concrete point of the dead bird. We could not see the dead bird because it went under a bush. I let her find and retreive it (she has a very soft mouth). She is 4 1/2 months old and she went CRAZY, wallowing in the ground with the bird in her mouth. It was a bit like our cat when she gets catnip. My question is ; is this bad for her training? She knows the basic commands and has been in the field a dozen times, but this is the first time she has had a fresh dead bird. Please advise.

I did the same thing with my two pups- didn't have a check cord on- wanted them to experience the first bird- a starling- mine took off with it

think you did just fine- want that excitement