This is just one of my favorite phases of training a bird dog. The bird introduction is so important in getting a young puppy excited about birds and hunting. It is a pure joy to see the light come on as you put the first feathers in front of them. They catch on real fast that birds are wonderful and very tasty. I like to use a small quail in the beginning. If using a live bird be sure to hold the wings securely. You can use a wing as well to get them used to the smell. It doesn’t take long before they want to mouth it and hold it. Then before you know it they are retrieving pigeons.

Lexie is pictured below pointing a wing on a string. She is quite a bit smaller than her brother Bubba but she makes up for it in attitude. We will be training both of these pups to sell in the fall to hunting homes. They are AKC registered and are up to date on their shots.

This is one of Annie and Buster’s puppies “Bella”. I got to spend some time with her and her owners on Saturday at a training day in Nephi, UT. Travis Proctor and friends were there evaluating some very nice english pointers and setters. It was fun to get to see Bella and how she is growing up so fast. She is a little taller than Annie and seems to have some of Busters long legs. We were able to throw a quail out for her and work with her on her retrieve. She did really well for her first bird introduction and retrieved the quail right back to Mike. This is Mike telling Bella what a good job she did.

Wing on a string method for training pointing dogs

Some will argue that wing on a string training can be counter-productive. While I agree that the wing on a string can possibly be over-used and may encourage a dog to sight point. I think it can be a great teaser when a puppy is young to bring out that pointing instinct. I only do it 2-3 times while the puppy is young and usually try to include the bird introduction lessons a few days before or after. Puppies will respond quite readily to the simple wing on a string and it is fun to see how deeply ingrained the pointing instinct is.

Ideally you would tie a quail, chukar or pheasant wing to the end of a fishing pole although a piece of tissue will work as well. It is important to not let the puppy get a hold of the wing. A few flutters out in front of the pup will draw their attention. When the puppy charges in, jerk the wing away to a new spot 10-12 feet away and flutter it again gently. The soft twitching motion will drive the pups crazy and you should see them point very soon thereafter if not instantly. Keep in mind this is just a short game and should only go on for a few minutes. Do not get worried if your puppy does not point. Some bird dogs take a while to point. They all seem to develop at their own pace.

In bringing a young hunting dog puppy along, the bird introduction is one of the funnest places to start. You can use a clipped wing pigeon, quail or chukar. I like to use the quail or pigeons on young pups because the size of the bird is not too intimidating. You can trim the flight feathers on one wing, or simply pluck them out. They will grow back with time if the bird doesn’t get chewed up too bad. I start by waving the bird in front of the puppy and let them get a good sniff. Then I toss the bird a few feet and see if the puppy will give chase. Typically they can’t stand the bird running and flapping and their prey-drive will kick in. The main goal of this drill is to get the puppy excited about birds. Being interested in birds is the foundation for building a bird dog.

This training drill can also be turned into a retrieving introduction. For best results you should do this in an enclosed area or with a lead fastened to the puppies collar. It is very natural for a dog to pick up a bird in his mouth, but bringing it back is the trick. Once they pick it up reel them in slowly with the lead and give the “fetch” or “here” command. When they get within reach, don’t take the bird right away. Pat them down good and pile on the praise. Let them hold the bird for a minute or two while you really build them up. Then get the bird and throw it again for another try. Do it a few times and put it away. Training should be fun, as well as short and sweet.