Brittany isnt showing signs of pointing

[spottebaum1]

I just got an 8 week old brittany pup and have had him for a week now. I have started preschool training like crate and house training and i just introduced him to the pheasant wing on a string yesterday. All he wants to do is chase it, he doesn't even hesitate or creep up on it, just a full on run. Should i be worried?

[kninebirddog]

He is a baby...and I wouldn't worry about what he sight points or doesn't point it is what he does with his nose and a real bird that will count

[slistoe]

To be honest I have never really given any dog a fair try at the wing on a string deal because I really don't believe it has much place in the training of a bird dog, but I do have a wing on a string and I do flip it for the pups and I have never had one that would lock up solidly and point it - ever. Sure have had a bunch or reliable and pleasurable pointing dogs over the years.

Now if the pup didn't even want to chase it then I might be worried about the pup.

[spottebaum1]

Ya he has excellent prey drive when we get the wing out and he will retrieve it if i toss it in the yard. Just didn't know if he should be sight pointing at this age because i have seen other dogs at his age point.

[elkhuntingfool]

My pointer chases the wing on a string - has since he was really young - never really locked up on the wing - not an issue to me - he locks up on birds w/o a problem and goes crazy when birds fly overhead - and especially now that the geese are migrating south and we seem to be in the flight path.

One thing you might want to do is get a pigeon and lock the wings back and let the puppy have an experience with the bird and the bird shouldn't be able to flap and freak out the pup. Not sure if at 8 weeks I'd do that but can't hurt.

[Ruffshooter]

Stop worrying: Go enjoy the pup. Introduce him to all the fields woods, people, do the house manners stuff. Don't worry, be happy, he will point when you got something worth pointing. And even at that \the first few times he may try to catch but will learn he can not (because you will not let him), then the pointing will start. Pointing is just a dog stopping on scent and trying to figure out its next move but is being cautious to not make the bird fly. Kind of like that.

[DonF]

One of my old pointer's, Kate, would chase thewing on a string as long as I'd play with it. She never pointed the thing in her life. I don't recommend playing with the wing on a string but I also don't know anybody that hasen't done it. Don't do that but I do it with every new puppy!

[spottebaum1]

k thanks for the advice.

[trueblu]

If you are wanting him to point the wing but you are also letting him retrieve it then he's confused as to what he's supposed to do. Like has been said, he's only 8 weeks. If he's bred well enough he will point. If you put the wing on a rod and fishing line and keep teasing him with it, most will get tired of chasing and finally point. However, it is a parlor trick and has no place in training, just kind of fun to see pups point. Give him time, put him on wild birds when he's a little order, or buy hard flying pen quail, free release them, and let him search. He'll find them. If he busts, but they fly well, and he can't catch them, he'll soon point. But, he's far too young to even think about worrying.