Max Working - Caution! Hunting Pictures - Paw Talk

Deja · #1 10-30-2003, 01:36 AM

Here they are! Max is 7 months old and recently went on his very first hunting trip to Pelee Island, Canada. He's just a puppy so the main objective was to give him good exposure in a really positive and fun way. Everyone was quite surprised at how well his natural instinct lead him.

A little background on the breed:

The Brittany is a Pointing Breed Gun Dog. The breed is popular among upland game hunters due to its merits as a shooting dog. Its smaller size and natural inclination for hunting close fit the need of the modern American bird hunter. His superb nose and desire to please are two of their major assets. The smaller size and natural way of ranging close to the handler makes it more adaptable to today's hunting areas, crisscrossed with numerous roads and fences. Good Brittany breeders have strived to maintain the dual concept, that is to breed a dog that conforms well to breed standard, as well as being a good hunter. The most popular formal competition has been in hunting field trials.

I started Max's field training at home by doing yard work. Basic obedience and field commands. My hard work seems to be paying off! Ultimately, by his third year he'll start to perform at his best.

The way they work:

The dog ranges out picking up scent from the air. They cover ground by going into the thick cover where they will follow the scent, find the birds in the brush and go on point. A beeper collar will alert the handler (hunter) that he's on point. The dog remains on point until the handler flushes the birds and they take flight. Once the birds are down the dog is given the signal to retrieve. The dog marks the birds and will retrieve them one by one, with a soft mouth right to hand, or drop it at the handlers feet. The reward is the retrieve.

Max, being so young and still small was working with a very experienced German Shorthair Pointer. Max was hesitant to forge into the thick cover so he didn't go on point. The GSP was finding all the birds. Max didn't bust the point or bump any birds! This was very good! He did retrieve. For a 7 month old to pick up a bird and bring it back is pretty amazing and really showed his potential. He had a blast. The point of Max being there was for him to have fun- and he really did! It's amazing to see his natural instinct and see him translate his yard work to the field - and realize that he was bred to work in this way.

Here are the pictures....

This first one is Max and Bay (the GSP he was working with) having some fun at the lake.

Deja · #2 10-30-2003, 01:40 AM

More fun on the lake...

Deja · #3 10-30-2003, 01:41 AM

Max doing some exploring...

Deja · #4 10-30-2003, 01:42 AM

One of Max's first retrieves....

Deja · #5 10-30-2003, 01:43 AM

Another....

Deja · #6 10-30-2003, 01:44 AM

One more....

Deja · #7 10-30-2003, 01:46 AM

Well, there was my baby... doing what I started training him to do!

I still have my work cut out for me

Pure14K · #8 10-30-2003, 01:47 AM

How cool! How are you going to keep up his training? Do you hunt?

Deja · #9 10-30-2003, 02:06 AM

A few miles from my house is a huge Wildlife Management Area. We've been working him at the Dog Training Area where they plant birds for training.
No bird shooting is done in this area. The dogs and pups can scent the birds, go on point and when the birds are flushed a blank can be shot to sound condition the dogs, or the birds can just be flushed while you train the dog to "whoa" on point (that means stay on point like a statue until released).

They get to watch the birds overhead, get used to the rules of the field - and just get good basic experience there. It's a good place to transfer the yard-work to the field.

At this Wildlife Management Area, Pheasant season lasts through the winter. They plant upwards of 2,500 birds during the season, as well as the birds that are naturally there. I don't hunt... I'll train him. My husband has been hunting since he was a very young boy. He'll be the one seasoning Max in the field over the winter.

I love dog training, and the field training is really a lot of fun! I'll go on some adventures with them, but I'll be armed with my camera

I'll keep Obedience training too.

Hopefully - if he shows real potential I'd like to enter him in AKC trials... time will tell on that one!

Becki · #10 10-30-2003, 03:17 AM

Great pics! Glad to hear that all of your work is beginning to pay off!

angelaT · #11 10-30-2003, 09:30 AM

I'm glad he's off to a good start. Great pics also, the first one is amazing.
AngelaT

jmb9101 · #12 10-30-2003, 10:12 AM

That is awesome that he could pick it up. Your training paid off! Its pretty cool to see him doing what you wanted him to do, and I bet your hubby will be glad to take Max out with him for a little company while he hunts. No company is like the company of a dog!

SharonM · #13 10-30-2003, 10:49 AM

Whoo - hoo !! Great job Max !

You explained that the Handler flushes out the birds ... now, are there dogs trained to do that too ? Another breed perhaps ?

So, was any of the pheasant brought back ? Didja have a feast ? When I was a girl, a friend of mine's Dad went out with their Springer every year, and I was always invited over to share their "kill". Brings back some memories ...

**Scarlette** · #14 10-30-2003, 11:04 AM

Great pics Deja! It looks like you may have a champion on your hands!

Bearacuda42 · #15 10-30-2003, 11:12 AM

:bfly: Deja, that is awsome he gets to work like hes supose to, so many breeds that are hunting dogs never get to do what they were born and bred to do, so many dird dogs kept without ever given the chance.. Those are awsome pics, what a good dog... Thanks for sharing...