Controlling Range

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. 

March Woodcock Training

Unlike the advice the soothsayer gave Caesar to Beware the Ides of March and stay home, in modern times, the bird dog owner in Northern states, from Minnesota to Maine, should welcome the month of March.  Weather permitting, March means the return of the American woodcock from their wintering grounds in the Southern United States.  And that means dog training time.

Before we discuss the benefits of the return of the woodcock in March, let’s take a closer look at this treasured game bird.  This brown mottled bird is wonderfully camouflaged against the leaf littered forest floor.  Short-legged, the bird enjoys young forests and shrubby fields.  With its long bill, it probes the ground for earthworms so damp or wet ground is important.  In the springtime, the males show-off to the girls by giving a call (a peent) and presenting a dazzling theatrical aerial performance.

For the pointing dog owner, the spring woodcock migration provides an excellent opportunity to work your dog on a wild bird that holds well for the point.  There is usually a warm-up period of about one to two weeks when the birds begin showing in the North.  There will then be a ten- day to two- week period when the migration is very heavy.  And then it will taper off and often run well into April.  That migration cycle is very weather dependent.  If the winter has produced a heavy cover of snow, then the migration may be delayed two to three weeks.  This was the case in the winter of 2014 and 2015.  As your author writes this column, the 2016 winter has been fairly mild.  If this weather pattern continues, we’ll have woodcock arriving by the middle of March…or maybe sooner. 

There are a few differences in hunting for woodcock in the fall and training your dogs on the spring migration.  The first, of course, is that woodcock are not legal game in the spring.  And many states require a permit to train on wild game birds during off-season. 

Another difference is that in the fall you’ll have woodcock covers in which you’ll regularly find birds.  In the spring, not only will you find birds in those valued fall covers, but practically any place with just a smidgeon of cover.  You may find spring woodcock in an industrial park with modest strips of trees and shrubs.  There is a small strip of trees and brush between my house and my neighbor’s home.  You’ll never find a woodcock in that strip in the fall; however, there will be at least one bird in that small strip every day for at least one week during the spring migration. 

Since spring dog work on woodcock is strictly a training exercise, consider using a check-cord.  If your dog has been inactive on birds for two or three months, it’s smart to start with a little reminder that being steady on your birds is important.  A check-cord will deliver that reminder.  If your dog is rock-solid to the “whoa” command, then you may not need a check-cord.  Also, be sure to have a starter’s pistol or a .22 caliber pistol with you; loaded with blanks.  When your dog performs well, reward the dog with a shot when the bird flushes.  If you’ve not broke your dog to both the flush and the shot, that check-cord will really be helpful when shooting. 

When the spring migration is at its peak, it’s very easy to have ten finds in 45 minutes.  Although the action may be hectic, try to account for where the birds have flown.  Try not to follow-up on a spring bird.  They’re travel tired and want to get to their spring mating grounds.  We want them to be healthy, have a large brood and provide great sport in the fall.

Ignore the Ides of March warning and have fun with your pointing dog and the spring woodcock migration.


Paul Fuller is host of the Bird Dogs Afield TV program.  Paul’s website is www.birddogsafield.com. 

Winter Activities For Your Dog

Sporting dogs are truly canine athletes.  These canine athletes require physical and mental stimulation throughout the year.  If you live in the South, this is easy to accomplish simply through hunting; with many bird seasons going through February.  However, if you live in the North and deal with snow all winter long, you need to look for activity other than hunting since most bird seasons are closed.  Here are a few suggestions.  

Let’s start by looking at two popular outdoor activities.  The first is dog sledding.  This sport is growing in popularity every year.  Most of us are familiar with using the husky type breed with long distance dog sledding.  Every year we see news reports on the famous Alaskan Iditarod race.  However, many sporting dog owners have made dog sledding a regular winter activity for both human and dog. The well-known Carter family in Maine is very active in winter dog sledding with their German shorthaired pointers.  Entering this growing sport is not that expensive.  A nice beginners sled, called a kick sled, can be purchased for around $300. For sled information, go to www.mainemadedogsleds.com.  That’s the website for Alex Murphy’s hand- made sleds.  His telephone number is 207-445-5550.

Another popular outdoor winter activity is skijoring.  This sport is a cross between cross country skiing and dog sledding.  The pull power is typically a horse or a team of dogs.  I searched the web for a harness provider but couldn’t find a source.  If skijoring interests you, contact Alex Murphy (above) and ask about buying just a harness.  I’m sure he could help you.

Indoor activities during the winter are plentiful.  Let’s start with basic obedience training.  Like all dog training, obedience training is a continuous process…you’re never done.  There are a plethora of obedience trainers throughout the country.  Google Canine Obedience Training (add your state) and you’ll have plenty to choose from.  Continuous work on recall, heeling, whoa, down, etc. will pay big dividends during hunting season.

Winter obedience training can become much more detailed and interesting if you train for and become part of an AKC sanctioned event.  These AKC sanctioned events are held all winter throughout the country.  They include obedience work with heel, recall, retrieving, scent location, etc.

Another AKC sanctioned activity is Rally. Rally is an activity that my wife, Susan, and her shorthair, Dena, have been very active participants over the past two years.  Here is the first paragraph from the AKC website on Rally:

“Rally is a sport in which the dog and handler complete a course that has been designed by the rally judge.  The judge tells the handler to begin, and the dog and handler proceed at their own pace through a course of designated stations (10-20), depending on the level).  Each of these stations has a sign providing instructions regarding the net skill that is to be performed.  Scoring is not as rigorous as traditional obedience.”

I’ve watched Susan and her dog work through a rally course and it’s very interesting (and exciting) to see if the course can be completed without error.  The dog is not on a lead in the more advanced levels.  The dog and handler must move through the course as a disciplined team.  Normal verbal commands are permitted in Rally.  Loud or harsh commands may result in a penalty.  The dog may not be touched or physically directed during the exercise.  Rally is fun; try it!  Go to www.akc.org/events/rally for additional information.

One more tip for winter activity.  Your professional pointing dog trainer may conduct winter obedience training.  Have fun with your dog this winter.

Paul Fuller is host of the Bird Dogs Afield TV program.  Paul’s website is www.birddogsafield.com. 

Picking a Puppy

Picking a puppy is a gut-wrenching exercise for many hunters.  It’s a ten to twelve-year commitment and you don’t want to get it wrong.  For this article, we’ll assume you already know the breed you would like; however, picking a breeder, then a litter and then the puppy in that litter is the challenge. 

There is no magical formula which will ensure you pick the prize of the litter and a future “brag dog” that will provide years of enjoyment in the field.  However, there are steps to take to increase the odds in your favor.  Let’s look at these steps.

Once you’ve decided on a breed, locate a club that specializes in that breed.  For the versatile breeds, join the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA).  They have affiliate clubs all over North America.  Those affiliate clubs are listed on their website (www.navhda.org).  Visit their training days and hunt tests.  Introduce yourself and let folks know that you’re looking for a breeder.  You’ll soon know many people that are totally immersed in the pointing dog world.  In addition, organizations like NAVHDA are very particular about health issues.  When you see puppy ads for a NAVHDA trained dog breeding they usually contain information on hips, eyes, heart, etc.  There is a strong concern for not passing along genetic defects.

If you’re more interested in a traditional breed such as an English setter or pointer, there are numerous field trials across the country you could visit and meet breeders.  Subscribe to the American Field magazine (www.americanfield.com).  This publication is the bible for pointing dog field trials.  Being a dedicated reader will allow you follow consistent winners and producers of quality off-spring. 

Although you may or may not be interested in sporting dog contests, they do serve a purpose.  They continually help advance the pointing dog breeds.  Those dogs that perform the best are bred more and help produce the qualities we want in a pointing dog. 

Attending events such as natural ability tests, utility tests and field trials allow you to actually watch the potential sire or dam of your future puppy.  And that’s important; you want to know what you’ll be getting.

Locating a breeder through events is one method of finding a litter; however, there are also ads for puppies in Pointing Dog Journal, Gun Dog and Shooting Sportsman in addition to the above mentioned American Field.   Facebook fans should check-out the forum Upland Bird Dog and Stuff Buy Sell Trade…there are always litters advertised here.

Okay, you’ve watched sires and dams run and hunt and have now settled on a breeder, and, he has a litter on the way. You’ve given him a deposit and he says you’ve got the third pick. Now you simply wait anxiously for the dam to deliver those precious little balls of excitement.  Breeders have different rules for when one may begin picking their pup from a litter. (Not to be confused with picking-up your pup and taking it home). Your author feels it should be six weeks, however, some breeders may want you to pick earlier. 

During the breeder selection process, try hard to select a breeder within a day’s drive of your home.  Even before you’re allowed to make your final pick, visit the breeder and look at the pups.  Socialization is very important at an early age and the more folks that pick-up the puppies, the better.  While holding them, turn them on their backs and see how each one struggles.  An overly active puppy that won’t stop wiggling may be too hyper and present training problems.  A puppy that is immediately submissive might be too soft.  A puppy that wiggles for five seconds and then settles down would be a good choice. 

Another exercise is to throw a small dummy.  Which puppies show an interest in what you’ve thrown?  You’re not looking for a retrieve….just a little curiosity.  Don’t worry about size unless you have a preference.  I’ve seen many runts turn out to be the very best of the litter.  Female or male?  When it comes to hunting, it doesn’t matter.  The only issue is if you’re not going to have a female spayed, you’ll have the heat cycle to deal with.

Finally, be careful about accepting a puppy from a littler that is broken up at seven weeks or less.  Research has shown that the minimum age for puppies to go home is eight weeks.  In fact, eight weeks is the law in many states.  It’s all about socialization.  You’ll have a happier and more cooperative puppy if the litter stays together until eight weeks of age.

Good luck with your future “brag dog”.

Paul Fuller is host of the Bird Dogs Afield TV program.  Paul’s website is www.birddogsafield.com.