Getting Started, E collar Etc.

[ClARKA]

A while ago, I posted on here about a Brittany/Springer cross that my wife and I have. She is four months old and seems to have the makings of a decent hunting dog. (I think) some had suggested that she may want to flush birds out of range given her breeding,but thankfully i have found she rarely travels more the 30 yards form me and will wait for me to catch up if i call her name. I am assuming this is a good thing coming from the springer side. She will on occasion point, but I would be fine if she is a flushing dog. I took her out in the woods yesterday and she stayed within 15 yards of the trail when sniffing the brush. We didn't find any grouse, however she loves birds. (both live and the frozen pigeon i have.)
I am brand new to this so i was wondering if anyone with experience can affirm or deny that she is on track. I have little access to farmed birds where i am, but am working on getting some pheasants. We are also thinking of getting an E collar, to help keep her closer in the bush. If anyone has any E -collar, tips, including selection and training i would be much obliged.

[kninebirddog]

http://www.kninebirddog.com/understandi ... ollar.html
This is a little article I put together to help understand the e collar

[CDN_Cocker]

Good looking dog. I think without much bird exposure, you need to decide what you are going to train her as - pointer or flusher.... You have been keeping her close so to me that sounds like flusher as a pointing dog that close isn't going to be very productive.

[mnaj_springer]

Relax. She's just a pup. Her range is definitely not what it will be. And whether or not she points, you may not know for a while. Just have fun, expose her to birds, and socialize her in all ways possible. You don't need to use an e-collar yet.

[ClARKA]

As a beginner what would be simpler to focus on, I'm assuming flushing? I hoping she will just find the birds that i would normally walk by while hunting without a dog.

[ClARKA]

also should i expect to have her hunting this fall, our grouse season opens in mid september.

[mnaj_springer]

Focus on bird exposure and having fun. She will be very young this season so your only expectation is that she is good company, but nothing more. Be sure that she's gun conditioned before you go hunting. Gun conditioning doesn't mean taking her to the range. It means that she associates gunfire with birds. Like I said the pointer/flusher dilemma won't be solved until she's been on quite a few birds. She'll tell you if she's a pointer or flusher. Also, before the season have a solid recall, but if she's running big, let her. Don't inhibit her birdiness at that age.

I hunted my springer at 6 months, but it wasn't much hunting, but rather having fun in the field. If we got so,etching, great. If not, still great. Turns out she flushed a happy hour rooster and I knocked it down. It's my favorite picture of her despite having better quality pictures of her.

[ClARKA]

Thanks, It it unreasonable to expect to be able to train her on wild birds, or do i need to find farmed ones. She is already crazy about any bird she sees from geese to flickers haha! I have taken her to the range with a dead pigeon, and a 22, when my wife shot the gun, i thew the bird, seemed to work. when should i move up to the 20 gauge?

[mnaj_springer]

Get some hard flying pigeons, plant them, and have fun. There are videos for planting pigeons on YouTube. I like live clipwing pigeons for gun intro. Right when the dog is about to grab the bird for the retrieve the gun goes off.

[CDN_Cocker]

Thanks, It it unreasonable to expect to be able to train her on wild birds, or do i need to find farmed ones. She is already crazy about any bird she sees from geese to flickers haha! I have taken her to the range with a dead pigeon, and a 22, when my wife shot the gun, i thew the bird, seemed to work. when should i move up to the 20 gauge?

She will learn more on wild birds than she ever will on planted ones... that being said though, she needs lots of exposure in the beginning. This generally cannot be done with wild birds. I wouldn't be shooting a gun around her unless she is in pursuit of a good hard flying pigeon. You don't need to own a loft and have lots of land to use pigeons. I generally buy 6-12 at a time and keep em in a pet carrier over a couple of days till I use them up. Unfortunately when it comes to dog training there are no shortcuts.

[ClARKA]

Where would one find buy pigeons? I'm really not sure, I know a guy that sells pheasants.

[Sharon]

Is there a small animal auction near you?

[gonehuntin']

Try Craig's List

[NEhomer]

What a beauty...love the shoulder patch.

You're getting great advice here so I don't have much to add. I wouldn't count on her range remaining so close. My setter at 4 months would hardly get out from underfoot and I even made a thread about it. Everyone told me relax, he's only 4 months old and they were right. At a year and a half, my guy will range out a couple of hundred yards now in open fields.

....and of course you can take her out this year! I'm sure you're excited.