# Which scent to start with ????



## clu__82 (Jun 27, 2006)

I recently was at my local sporting goods store ...and I got to talking to the rep about local people that sell live birds such as pigeons etc...because I want to introduce them to my puppies...anyways long story short ...he said to start training a dog on duck scent first because it is not as desirable as the pheasant scent ....and if I started on duck scent the my dogs would more than likely retrieve anything.....I hadn't heard of that before ..but I guess it makes good sense....fortunately I started my pups on pheasant but they love fetching the duck bumpers as well...so im ok there....but is there any truth to this idea that he presented me ??? just wondering what others think

Clu__82


----------



## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

I have always started my dogs on live birds. (Piegons) None of my dogs have had any trouble with ducks or pheasants. I have never heard of what that guy was telling u.

Chuck


----------



## Goosehunterdog (Jun 12, 2005)

I always use live pigeons as well and I think IMO scents are a waste of money!!


----------



## mdaniel (May 2, 2007)

Ok as there are several questions in mind to this. 
1. Is are you training to be a upland hunter or a waterfowl.
Because you are confusing the pup for what you what too hunt. 
The best thing is live birds, as the movement inticesies a dogs nature to hunt. 
I would use the pheasant scent as once a Dog can retrieve, fetch means fetch, an they search for that command. A Pigon has a real close scent of a pheasant. 
But I would not use a Duck scent on a Dummy unless I was just training a waterfowl retrive.
2. The type of dog you are trainnig is a factor, as the breeds have speacial instinks which most are born with. 
Beagles have a ground noise, Labs raise there heads for scent, Goldens do the same before noising the ground.

But in all my training I use the Pheasant scent the most, and Live birds.

Good Luck


----------



## clu__82 (Jun 27, 2006)

I have two black labs .....10 month old male and 4 month old female....I will be hunting both upland and waterfowl .....and I use only pheasant scent when upland training ...and duck scent when waterfowl training ...I never mix the two ...so I don't think that there will be any confusion with the training ...well I hope not at least.....in addition while we're talking about it ....how do you implement live birds into a training session ....I have only used bumpers with scent in the early stages and for the past two months I have been using the bumpers with a pheasant cape zip tied to it ...along with tail feathers ...basically a real pheasant without the head ......soo now what is the next step for the 10 month old...obviously the 4 month old has some time to catch up ....but I could start her with live birds as well.....some helpful hints on live bird work would be awesome

Thanks again


----------



## mburgess (Aug 11, 2003)

If you want your dog to be a bird finder, use birds! I don't think scents are a total waste of money, but I wouldn't use them to replace bird work. Especially for a pointing dog. They could be useful for working on tracking. I used it for retrieving work in the dark. I'd put scent on a dummy, let him smell it then throw it in the dark. He'd always come back with it. Don't know if dogs see better at night, but I know I couldn't see the dummy? If it is going to be a waterfowler use duck scent, an uplander use the pheasant scent. If both, I'd probably mix a little of both with retrieving training.


----------



## clu__82 (Jun 27, 2006)

mburgess...thats what I have been trying to do ...and it has been working so far ....keep my fingers crossed...  .........


----------



## Goosehunterdog (Jun 12, 2005)

I have actually heard that it is best to teach trailing at night? I have never really done it but I take a live duck with a string around its foot and place the duck in water to get the scent stronger and pull the dog to make a trail and plant a dead bird at the end of the trail.


----------

