# Bird Shy



## Vernon.Miller (Apr 25, 2007)

Last hunting season a friend's dog showed signs of being bird shy. We both own Vizslas. He has 2 and I have 1 (all about 2-2.5 years now). He has a fixed male and female. The male is a larger Vizsla and is the one showing signs of bird shyness.

Early in the season we took our dogs to a game farm to see and introduce them to birds and the field. We were working with our dogs all summer with the crew out at NAVHDA. For their age they were listening well and we had exposed them to gun fire with out a problem well before this (22 up to the shotgun). They did alright for the first time being on birds. The second time we went to the farm his male would be running in front of us (where we knew there was a bird) and he would turn around and run behind us or back to the vehicle. 
It seemed like he got the scent of the bird and wanted nothing to do with it. Is it possible he got spurred? We are looking for a way to help cure this issue. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.


----------



## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

Need more info. It sounds like an ecollar or gun fire issue more than a bird. But. That being said, you would never START a dog on a tough bird to handle like a pheasant, especially a V which are soft dogs and not aggressive from the start.

Start him chasing hand thrown dead quail in the yard. Then clip wing quail in the yard. Next, a dead pigeon, then a live clipwing. If all goes well a dead pheasant, then a live pheasant with taped wings and taped feet. Then a live clip wing pheasant with taped feet.

If all goes well, you're set. If it doesn't back up a step.

Had he ever been stimulated with the ecollar around birds?


----------



## fetchingfloyd (May 12, 2009)

to me, it sounds like he might be gun shy. he found a bird and knew a shot was coming next and bolted. what you described is very typical behavior for a gun shy dog. how much shooting has he had over him and how was the dog introduced to gun fire?


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Vernon.Miller said:


> Last hunting season a friend's dog showed signs of being bird shy. We both own Vizslas. He has 2 and I have 1 (all about 2-2.5 years now). He has a fixed male and female. The male is a larger Vizsla and is the one showing signs of bird shyness.
> 
> Early in the season we took our dogs to a game farm to see and introduce them to birds and the field. We were working with our dogs all summer with the crew out at NAVHDA. For their age they were listening well and we had exposed them to gun fire with out a problem *well before this *(22 up to the shotgun). They did alright for the *first time being on birds. * The second time we went to the farm his male would be running in front of us (where we knew there was a bird) and he would turn around and run behind us or back to the vehicle.
> It seemed like he got the scent of the bird and wanted nothing to do with it. Is it possible he got spurred? We are looking for a way to help cure this issue. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.


Looks like a gun shy thing to me also can you explain how you exposed the dogs to gunfire without birds?


----------



## Vernon.Miller (Apr 25, 2007)

It is his dog, I am not 100% sure on what he exposed him to when I wasn't around.

As for gun shy, I dont think it should be an issue. My friend bought a starter pistol. When we were training in a field (no birds), the dogs would be running around and he would pop off a shot, didnt seem to bother him at this point. then started playing fetch and just after throwing it he would pop off a shot. again no noticable dislike for the gun. I would say (when around him) there were probably 20 shots fired. He said he did this one his own a couple times also. I dont know how he got exposed to a shot gun though.

When first introduced to birds, he didn't seem to have any bird drive. Very interested in dummies but not a bird.

Main reason for asking, when talking to a couple other people (supposed to be experienced) they mentioned getting a live bird tieing it up and letting the dog after if. If all else, they said throwing the bird and the dog in the same kennel. I dont know if that is a good idea....

Thanks for the input so far. Didnt think about the dog making the connection between gun and bird. I will ask him how he introduced him to the shot gun.


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Vernon I want you to know I'm sincere and not being a wise guy this is based on training bird dogs since 1968 and my first dog was a gun shy dog given to me becasue he was considered hopelessly gunshy.

After I was done fixing him the previous owner wanted him back, this was a dog that was so gun shy that he would run miles away at the sight of a gun.
My dad explained to the guy the dog was mine :wink:

Never ever expose a dog to a gunshot without a bird or a retrieve involved, never randomly shoot around a dog not even a dogs that been hunted over for years the sound without the prey drive stimulus is a formula for gunshyness. Same reason I hate the fourth of July fireworks.

I actaully like the birds in pen with a low prey drive dog especially a dog like your talking about thats blinking birds let him get his prey drive reved up ( without any gunshots) by killing some birds then when hes really into that look up in the stickies and see how I would proceed with a dog that might be blinking because of a gunshy issue.

Get the dogs prey drive up first birds in a large enclosed pen or chasing squirells are the two best ways to do that.

If you have a hunting dog with a strong prey drive anything else can be fixed so thats the first step.


----------



## Vernon.Miller (Apr 25, 2007)

Thank you very much for the experience. I will pass the word on to my friend.

Thought while I was at it, I would throw a pic of my dog up. He has the most bird drive I have ever seen in a dog. Which is a problem when you are trying to get him to come back with it. But he is only 1.5 years now. So I will be working alot with him in the years to come.


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

nice looking dog you need to work on the "come" command without any birds in the yard, to fix what you mentioned.

If thats fixed he will come to you with or without a bird involved.

V's are pretty dogs but there seems to be a wide variance in them its pretty common to see people on bird dog boards complaining about lack of desire and prey drive.

Its just an observation I have no experience with the breed.


----------

