One of the most frequent questions I’m
asked is how to control the range of my bird dog. It’s a good question because we want dogs
that hunt for us rather than us hunting for the dog. And, have you ever hunted with someone who is
constantly calling their dog? Rather
annoying, right?
The range of a dog is determined by
genetics and training. For most foot
hunters, a medium to close ranging dog is preferred. Although the Garmin Astro or Alpha or
SportDOG Tek makes it much easier to
keep track of our dogs today, it’s no fun constantly looking at the screen to
determine where our dog is located. We all strive for a dog that is under control
and hunting for us.
Regarding genetics, if you’re starting
with a puppy, look for a pup from parents that hunt within the range that fits
your hunting style. Also, I wouldn’t overlook cover dog field trial offspring. These dogs have proven ability and the nose
to find birds. Don’t be afraid that
these dogs will run too big for you. For
raw material, you would rather have a dog that you bring in than a dog that you
have to push out.
Once you’ve selected your young star, then
training takes over. If you bought your
puppy from an experienced breeder, the youngster has been introduced to the
outside…grass, light cover, etc. The
first six months should be play time and a time to learn basic obedience
commands, the most important being recall.
Let the pup run about the yard chasing butterflies, song birds,
etc. Around seven months of age, put a
quail in a small pen or crate and let the pup smell and get excited about the
bird. It’s not permitted to catch the
bird…just get excited about the bird.
After the bird drive instinct has been activated, you may begin light
drills to control range.
For a young pup, we like to begin range
training with shoelace drills. These
drills encourage a back and forth hunting pattern. Simply walking into a field and changing
directions, similar to a shoelace, will encourage your puppy to develop a
productive search pattern. If you’re
going to whistle train your pup, a two tweet on the whistle each time you
change direction will help as your training advances.
I’ve been with hunters who advocate almost
a continuous verbal contact with their puppy.
They feel that constant chatter will keep the pup close. I actually feel it has the opposite effect. Constant chatter gives the puppy of feeling
of security and allows them to reach out even further. Silence is golden in dog training.
Once you feel you pup is ready for birds,
plant several birds in a small area; say an acre. Make sure they are flight conditioned…we
don’t want our young recruit catching birds early in his training days. The theory here is that if the pup finds
birds in front of him, in a relatively small area, he won’t have to range
far.
Next, go back to the shoestring training
but using birds. If you have a couple of
helpers, it’s easier. Plant birds where
the shoestring makes its turn. Have the
helper call the puppy in a happy voice.
The pup will run to the helper, discover a bird and then get called to
the next helper where he’ll also discover a bird. Once birds are introduced, always give your
puppy the advantage of wind in its face.
A trick I learned from a professional
trainer, for a pup that has run beyond the desired range, is to throw a bird
out perhaps twenty yards in front of you and then call the dog in. When he comes to his recall, he’ll locate the
bird and think that finding birds is easier when closer to his master.
One important preface to all range
training is to make sure your dog responds to calling his name. Prompt recall makes all training much easier.
Save your throat from constant calling and
teach your dog to hunt within range. It
will be a much more pleasant day afield.
Paul Fuller is host of the Bird Dogs Afield TV program. Paul’s website is www.birddogsafield.com.
