Pup Caught a Bird, but She is Still Pointing Well

[Grange]

Earlier this week I took my 6 month old english setter pup for a run. In a small field that is being over grown with box elder she went into the box elder thicket and was out of site for a while. I could hear her move to the front so I just let her explore. After a bit I see her come running back toward me and I noticed something in her mouth. It was a song bird. I'm guessing it was a younger redwing blackbird. I yelled her name and she dropped the bird and continued on. I took her out of the area. Well later that week she found a rooster on our run and because I was watching my lab I don't know if she flushed it or pointed and then flushed it. I was a little worried that the caught bird could be an issue. That concern was put to rest this morning.

I went to my club's training day and put out a pigeon in a remote Launcher. I kept her on a check cord when she pointed the bird, but the release didn't work. So when she moved I couldn't pop the bird. Now I was quite frustrated. I carried her away and reset the bird with a different launcher. This time she pointed the bird and when she moved I popped the bird. On the second bird I went to a bigger field and decided to let her just drag the check cord since she held her point for a nice length of time. This time everything went great. The third and final time was even better still. She held the point for a good long while, and boy does she look good. After each bird I put her back to where she pointed and had her stand before I pick her up and carry her out of the area. I really had no need to try and "style her up" as she was high on both ends. So as far as I can tell she is no worse for the wear after catching a bird.

[Dave Quindt]

While catching a bird isn't a good thing, overreacting to a pup catching a bird often makes it worse.

What you did (or tried to do, had the release box worked) was right. You put her in a situation where she wasn't going to catch a bird, which reinforces the point instinct.

The one thing that so many newbies can't wrap their minds around is that "more" does not equate to "better". Always quit when your ahead; even if it means leaving unworked birds in the field or in the box.

FWIW,
Dave

[Keny Glasscock]

Move on and do it right the next time. Mistakes are made. Like the previous posted said more isn't always better.

[runner]

I just had this same experience on a run with my 4.5 month old GSP this evening. I've been taking him out on these runs/walks for 'happy timing' ever since he's been brought home. He has always sight pointed robins, ducks, etc. He'll point by smell very well with ducks, etc., but would run right by quail I would see run into bushes. The last week he has suddenly turned on to the quail and points them very well, holding them until I walk to the front and then he'll edge forward and give chase at the flush. I had planned on just hunting a lot of wild birds this fall, letting him have this first year to have fun and figure things out on his own, then steady him up after this first hunting season.

Tonight, I'm running after dark on the golf course, and there are a bunch of those sand piper birds wheeling around, running, and screeching. He points them, then chases them when they flush.

Unfortunately, he points one, it starts to fly off, and immediately I see it must be a juevenile, or injured. It flies low, and not far. He goes nuts, chases it around a few more short flights, circles and corners it, then flies in and bowls it over. He then has this great play toy. Going to work like a cat with a mouse-- letting it run, pouncing, picking it up and running with it in his mouth for a while, then letting it down, etc... I panic and don't know what to do because I don't want to scold him for having going after birds, but don't want him to become hard mouthed (I've been doing natural retrieving with dummies, but not dead birds yet). I finally say 'good boy', then ask him to 'leave it', and run off. He won't come at first, but eventually drops the now pretty much dead bird and runs after me. I just ignore the whole situation as if it didn't occur.

I guess my question is what to do now. Do I need to have him on the check cord on these runs? I've had him off leash, but perhaps that's a bad idea? Do I need to get some pigeons and a launcher right away? Thanks for any tips!



Th

[Neil Mace]

Other than beating a dog half to death or holding the "high" button on the e-collar down for 2 or 3 minutes, there is not much you can do to or with a dog that will cause ever lasting harm.

I have had field champions catch healthy wild pheasants and quail, not a good thing, didn't make me happy, but they went on to win.

Nearly all of the "never" s you hear are just not true, like; never let your dog catch a bird, never shoot an unpointed bird, never hunt a finished dog with unbroke dogs, never let a a dog that didn't back retrieve.

I have at one time or another done all those things, sometimes many times with the same dog, with no problems.

I often hunt my trial dogs with dogs that are not steady, and even puppies that I know will not back, and I can assure you with my son and his buddies, if a bird flies, it is going to be shot at, doesn't matter if the dogs pointed it or not.

So many of these things are passed down from trainer to trainer that seem to make some sense, that are just not true. You might have to do some more training later, but as long as you do not do something drastic, dogs are very forgiving.

Said another way, there are very few "never" s and "always" with dogs.

Neil

[bobman]

good advice from Neil as usual

you newbies dont need to worry about one time events with pups, my grand mother always said 99% of the things you worry about never happen and now that I am getting old I realize the wisdom in those words


your pups will mature and this type of stuff will go away on its own


Runner you did the right thing ignoring it, when you train a dog pick your fights wisely, sometimes ( often actaully) keeping your mouth shut and ignoreing their screwups is best

[Boxa]

You might have to do some more training later, but as long as you do not do something drastic, dogs are very forgiving.

This is very true. Depending on your end goal with the dog it will probably work out to be a non-issue. If you plan to train for MH or adult field trial stakes then you'll need to get the dog through this. If the dog is going to be a hunting dog that only needs to hold til the flush(breaks on the rise), then it will be fine.

This can actually be a positive, think about this same dog tackling a wing-broke rooster... Or tracking scalies for a quarter-mile before they flush and then picking up a still very alive leg-dropped bird that you made a less than perfect shot on?!!? Most of us have to train with wind-up birds, but usually in the hunting field weak flying birds are birds that we want retrieved.

[Boxa]

BTW... When I say this can be a positive, I'm not suggesting that you should set your pup up to catch birds.

[runner]

Thanks for the words of wisdom from all of you who have much more dog training experience than I (which is not hard to do). I'm glad I don't have to worry too much. I've signed up for the GSP club of Idaho and plan to attend their summer training sessions, to get some controlled bird exposure, as well as rub shoulders with experienced trainers to get some tips. Dog owners tend to be a very helpful bunch to newbies. Thanks again.

[sjkennels]

one thing to keep in mind is (one bird doesn't make a dog and one bird wont ruine a dog)

[Sprig]

While catching a bird isn't a good thing, overreacting to a pup catching a bird often makes it worse.

What you did (or tried to do, had the release box worked) was right. You put her in a situation where she wasn't going to catch a bird, which reinforces the point instinct.

The one thing that so many newbies can't wrap their minds around is that "more" does not equate to "better". Always quit when your ahead; even if it means leaving unworked birds in the field or in the box.

FWIW,
Dave

very good advice. sometimes bigger problems are made by how we react to smaller problems. I wouldnt worry about a dog catching 1 bird but i would analyze why and how the dog got it and fix the situation so he doesnt catch another one. i would also maybe give him 2-3 weeks off from birds to help him forget about catching the bird.