How determine if puppy will be good bird hunting dog?

Question

I have a 3 mos old half retriever half poodle I am interested in training to hunt with me. I know people who hunt with this breed well. But do you know any way I can determine if my pup has bird hunting potential, if he would take to it? He retrieves a ball now consistently but I don't want to wast time training him unless he will in fact hunt well once trained. thanks.

Answer 1

Show it some BIRDS!!!!
duh...
Hook up w/some folks at your local bird dog/sportmans club.

BUT....do NOT call it a "breed"! It's a mutt/mongrel & you'll be pegged as novice/nitwit if you use that term.

Answer 2

Get some freeze dried wings.
Cableas carries them
Also get a bottle of scent of the type of bird you are going to hunt.
I use phesant and quail. BUt our dogs wil also duck hunt and other birds as well.
I scent the wing and drag it around the yard and then leave it for the dog to find. We turn out the pups and let them follow the trail to the wing . See if they point or just jump on the wing and grab it. Try not to let them tear them up.
We use canvas dummies that you can put scent on and throw out for them to retrieve. We also start our pups out working on a actual hunt with an older experienced dogs.
We target shoot over our pups with the older dogs out to show them it is ok and gunfire is not a big deal.
Hope this helps some.

Answer 3

It's pretty easy really,
These pups are 5 weeks old
http://www.hunt101.com/img/439232.jpg

Find someone locally that has homing pigeons (they "cull" on a regular basis) to buy a pigeon from.
Pull the flight feathers from one wing.
Excite the pup with the bird and then toss the bird out into the yard. The puppy will do the rest,,,, or not

Answer 4

You should test you dog first.
1) Does your dog retreve sticks and balls quickly
2) Does your dog show interest in birds in the yard
3) Has your dog had any obdience training and did that triaining go easily.
If yes your dog may be a good candidate for hunt training. My web site burdicklabradors.com on our helpful links page has more evaluation data and training aids.

Answer 5

First, you need to get a bird wing. If your a hunter you should be able to get one. Or you can get one from someone that sells pigions. (buy the pigion and do it yourself. Dudes that sell pigoins don't want to hear that your gonna kill it). Tie it to the end of a fishing pole string, and see if the dog points at it, or attacks it. If it points, you probobly have a winner. If it attacks it, try to train it to point at it. If it refuses, well, the good news is there will be no more training. Once it's pointing, take the dog skeet shooting. Don't make it do anything, just let it have fun. Your just trying to see if it's gun shy. If it just runs around smelling stuff and doesn't wimper and try to get behind trees and cars you should be good. Then you start the training. Good luck!