New to Bird Hunting

[ALDS]

Hey all. Another Noob here.... My wife and I unexpectedly received a bird dog from her family for Christmas. He is a German Shorthair/ Griffon mix. About 3 months old now. I want to train him and get into bird hunting. I've been trying to get all the info I can. I'm currently reading, "How To Help Gun Dogs Train Themselves" by Joan Bailey. I guess I'm just nervous to get started because I don't know what to expect out in the field. All the training at home will be easy, but I'm worried about out in the field. I'm going to take him out in the field later today for the first time. Are there any good pointers for the first time? The biggest thing I'm worried about is letting him off his lease and all of a sudden he decides to take off somewhere instead of staying around me. Any tips on this? Thanks!

[Greg Jennings]

Hey all. Another Noob here.... My wife and I unexpectedly received a bird dog from her family for Christmas. He is a German Shorthair/ Griffon mix. About 3 months old now. I want to train him and get into bird hunting. I've been trying to get all the info I can. I'm currently reading, "How To Help Gun Dogs Train Themselves" by Joan Bailey. I guess I'm just nervous to get started because I don't know what to expect out in the field. All the training at home will be easy, but I'm worried about out in the field. I'm going to take him out in the field later today for the first time. Are there any good pointers for the first time? The biggest thing I'm worried about is letting him off his lease and all of a sudden he decides to take off somewhere instead of staying around me. Any tips on this? Thanks!

Right now, you should get some bird exposure and work on basic obedience. Don't worry about any more training till the dog is quite a bit older.

Get the Perfect Start DVD or the HuntSmith Puppy DVD. But, the very best thing you can have is an experienced training partner. Network and try to find someone.

Buy a check cord. Use it. The very first thing is to teach the pup to recall.

Do you have access to grounds to train on and either wild birds or a source of pigeons or pen quail or chukar? If missing anything, get it lined up.

Hope that'll get you started.

[topher40]

I agree with your evaluation Greg, although you forgot the bonding aspect of getting a new pup. A pup that has bonded with you plus good obedience training wont leave you, at least for good.

[Greg Jennings]

Good point, Chris. Mine are house dogs, so I often forget that. That danged Vizsla is really *bonded* to me. Like velcro. I have hard time peeling him off.

[BellaDad]

I put a 30' check cord on my pup when I first got her and took her out to big open fields. I let her run and didn't say a word, I didn't want a dog that had to look to me for directions, stayed too close, etc. They range out sometimes but when they're young you can always catch up to them and grab the 30' cord they're dragging. They absorb everything at that age, some good, some bad. Guy I know has a dog that he always had to keep close when it was a pup that to this day doesn't range out more than 30 yards or so. When you're out in a field best advice is to shut up and let the dog learn on it's own.

[Ditch__Parrot]

I put a 30' check cord on my pup when I first got her and took her out to big open fields. I let her run and didn't say a word, I didn't want a dog that had to look to me for directions, stayed too close, etc. They range out sometimes but when they're young you can always catch up to them and grab the 30' cord they're dragging. They absorb everything at that age, some good, some bad. Guy I know has a dog that he always had to keep close when it was a pup that to this day doesn't range out more than 30 yards or so. When you're out in a field best advice is to shut up and let the dog learn on it's own.

x2 Except I used a 50' cord. I just let her drag it. It was only there in case she took off towards a road or chasing deer. Makes it easier to run them down if need be. At 3 months I wouldn't be trying to do much in the way of training. Just taking them out in the fields. Letting them get used to all the sights, sounds and smells. That way when its time to train in the fields, being out there is an old hat. With Daisy I used some advice that I read on here. When she started getting way out and seemed to forget about checking in to see where I was, I'd lay down in the grass and make her hunt for me. I only did this in wide open fields though.

Also at 3 months they wear down fast in a field. Especially if dragging a check cord. I'd try to stick with fields with a little thinner cover for him, and end the session before he gets too far worn down. Keep it fun.

[3Britts]

You might want to play hide and seek with your pup while out in the field. Let the puppy roam while you find a good bush or tree to hide behind. The pup will begin to look for you in short order as it is still a puppy and your are its pack leader. When it finds you, make sure that you praise it. Do this a few times and you shouldn't have to worry about it not coming back or just running off.

[steady on point]

There are few things I suggest to new hunting dog owners:
Do not overdo the Sit command. Too often a new owner teaches the dog to sit first and over uses the command every chance they get. When the dog is older and in training if there is any pressure put on them they will tend to sit down as that is their comfort spot.

In teaching the dog to come to you when called, use Here instead of Come. When you are training or hunting the dog and a bird is shot and you want to command the dog to make the retrieve you can say Fetch to pick up the bird and Bring it here to have them retrieve it. That way you are not teaching Come and Bring it here as 2 commands meaning the same thing.

Nothing bad ever happens around birds. If they happen to catch a bird in training act like it did not happen and go on to something else.

Good Luck and have fun.