# 1 YR Old Lab and Pheasants



## wolfmanjack (Sep 27, 2006)

I took my lab out last night to the game farm for a couple birds. She flushed them well, after I shot she ran over to them and sniffed them. She wouldnt grab it and bring to me she would only grab it and drop it right away, It was her first encounter with a pheasant, I dont force fetch. Any other ideas, thoughts, concerns.....


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## HUNTNFISHND (Mar 16, 2004)

Did you start her out with pidgeons or wings strapped to a dummy during training? Feathers are a new thing for dogs, some don't seem to pay any attention and some don't seem to like them in there mouth. I would start by strapping a wing onto a normal dummy, then two wings and work your way up to a whole bird. She should get used to the feathers and won't even think about them after awhile. If she won't even pick up a one wing dummy, force fetch may be the only solution. I'm sure others will chime in with better advice. Good luck.


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## mmduncan (Dec 24, 2009)

Train with real phesants! Cant train a bird dog without birds. If force fetch is against your religion you better make her really like pheasants. Just start out playing fetch and get her all amped up and having fun with em. Toss em up and catch em and really make a big deal out of it. She'll catch on quick that pheasants are fun and ok for her to have. After she is all jacked up about phesants then you can move into a little more formal training with them. I would force fetch her if you dont like doing it find you a good pro. If done right you wont screw up your dog and she will pick up an anvil if you tell her


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Wings....or wings on dummy's for starters. Then work your way up.

Like mentioned when you use the feathers.....get the dog all excited and ready to go. Should catch on.

Good luck.

Also it took a friend of mine 5 years before his dog would pick up a duck. Once he did he turned into a machine.


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## bl|nk (Apr 28, 2007)

I think it took my Lab 2 years before she became a retrieving whore. She would always find the birds just never pick them up which atleast we didn't lose birds. She did the same thing for saturday of opening weekend, but sunday she all of a sudden flipped a switched and was retrieving birds like a champ. Give it time, keep them on birds, if you don't want to give them time..their is force fetch


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## slough (Oct 12, 2003)

My pup loves picking up dummies with wings wrapped around them but still wasn't too crazy about picking up a whole bird. So, I pulled all the skin with the feathers attached off of a pheasant and tied that to this dummy since it seemed like he didn't like having the little fuzzy feathers in his mouth and this seemed to help as he picked up his first bird last night (a few days away from being 10 months old).


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Dogs are like people in that some pick up a skill quicker than others. Doesn't mean she won't be good later, sometimes we expect too much too quick. Your pup is young yet. But she has the drive to hunt the birds so the rest will come to her. She isn't gunshy and the willingness to hunt is 2 out of 3 right there.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

You have a buddy with a dog?? hunt with him dogs are greedy and possessive she will pick them up to keep the other dog from getting them

thats the easy way to get them over this


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## Chaws (Oct 12, 2007)

Bobm said:


> You have a buddy with a dog?? hunt with him dogs are greedy and possessive she will pick them up to keep the other dog from getting them
> 
> thats the easy way to get them over this


Also a good way to have dog fights unless your dogs are very easily controlled by the handler at a distance.


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