Proud owner

[LovenLifeGuy]

Well, today was that day you just can't wait to have with a new pup. I have had my 7 month old lab out three times pheasant hunting and today was that day. It was just me and him today so he had no other dogs to play with (He loves to do that ). We hit a small public land near Maple lake first. Right out of the truck he was working hard with his nose down and getting into the grass (that was better already). After about ten min. he starts getting birdy for the first time in the field. He followed this creek bed and it was clear that he was on the tail of a bird. With me walking up out of the creek bed I figured I would have a great shot if he did get a flush. He did and the bird high tailed it to the right with the wind. I ended up getting a piece of it and it appeared a leg had dropped. The bird sailed about 100 yards and I was scared the young guy may not be able to find it. Well, he saw it go down and as soon as we got to the area he was on him and came out of the grass with the injured rooster in his mouth. With the biggest smile on my face I said to him "Thats how it's done" (except I could have killed the bird ).

We moved onto another field and he ended up flushing 8 more birds only one was a rooster and I could not get a shot off. So, on the way to the truck I decided to see if I could make it through all the thick brush to get a shot at some ducks that had been landing in this small slough. We snuck up through the brush and I saw two mallards on the water. I jumped out and winged the lone drake. It landed on the water and swam into the reeds around the slough. The pup did not see it go down and we have just stared his casting training so I did not send him. We walked around the slough, fought through the brush and I got close to the area I had last seen the bird. It did not take long for him to take off through the thick brush (I could not walk through it) chasing something. I made it back around and caught up to him as he was cornering the injured duck in some grass nearly 100 ft from the water. He picked it up and after playing with it a bit he gave me the bird. What a day .

I know these are things that I will come to expect of him and many of you see it done everyday by ur dogs. He is my first dog and it's so nice to see some of the things I have been trying to teach him come together in his head.

I just had to share! I know he is just wishing I could shoot better.

Thanks, LovenLifeGuy

[grab the net]

1st's with your dog are the best and most memorable outdoor moments. No doubt you will always be able to close your eyes and replay those two. Indeed a great day. How about a picture of the pup and his prizes.

[LovenLifeGuy]

Im still in the stone age and don't own a digital camera. I just had my first child in late august and my wife and I plan on gettin one very soon. With all this hunting and fishing I have not had time to do any research! Photos were taken tho.

Thanks

[311Hemi]

Good to here, it is definitely a great experience.

I am in the same boat as you as this is my pups first year of hunting (and my first dog) and have been lucky enough to get him out on ducks, geese, pheasant, and grouse, all which were good trips and we were able to get him on a decent number of birds. It's great to see them out there working and having fun!

[xedge2002]

That's good to hear. I have a 7month old pup too and she has suprised the heck out of me so far this year. She has flushed probably 30 birds already and as soon as we hit the field it is "time" no time for petting or playing it is time to get to business. One field we no more then stepped onto the road and her and the other dog we had with us were on the trail of a rooster. She ended up flushing 3 roosters and the other dog flushed 1. Not saying she is better than him but I was pretty proud of her. I never thought she would be doing this at 7 months old. I only hoped that she would walk around in front of me and stumble on a bird or two this year.

[CAJ]

Hay guys. Congrats on the new pups working well for you It is a time you will never forget. Make sure you take good care of them when it is cold and storming. I hate to see dogs in the back of a truck, when the owner is in the bar and they are shivering to death. Kodak makes a good digital camera the is cheap with a printer in the kit for $150 bucks Good starter camera. Have a good season and many more to come. CAJ

[311Hemi]

Quote:

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Make sure you take good care of them when it is cold and storming. I hate to see dogs in the back of a truck, when the owner is in the bar and they are shivering to death.

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You mean like this?!! LOL

A pic from after duck hunting:

[LovenLifeGuy]

My wife would kill me and him

[jparrucci]

I actually managed to get a limit of pheasant yesterday afternoon. I was on public land too! Missed the first bird I shot at-using #2 steel doesnt help the cause. I was on a WPA and forgot to bring my #4 which I seem to shoot much better with. Second bird my brittany points, gets up, drop it cold. I had a number of other birds get up close to out of range and a couple that were through some trees on a treeline. Never saw a hen. Dog points bird 2, one shot dead again. We had a number of birds running around us, as I could see him getting really birdy, but couldn't pinpoint the pheasant in the gusty winds. My one thing I don't like is that he finds the bird after it is shot, but I have not gotten him to bring it back to me. He does retrieve ducks on water or land, but won't bring me back a grouse or pheasant. Any ideas? I may have to do some training with a pheasant/grouse dummy and work on his retrieving with that, as I only used the duck dummy for that when he was young. I'll post some pics in the next day or two.

[mwal]

Hi JParrucci

Have you tried force fetching the dog. It has worked wonders for mine. I will talk to your Bro tomorrow morning I might have some reference materials. Do you have a E- Collar

Mwal

In Rosemount

[LovenLifeGuy]

I am also in the process of force fetching and he is doing very well. He will hold and bring me just about anything. I know this is not a great idea but yesterday while I was watching tv I had him hold the phone for about 10 min. He never dropped it and brought it right to me when I told him to. With birds he still does not want me to take them all the time. I can tell the training is working tho. He is smart and stubern at the same time.

Good luck, LovenLifeGuy

[mwal]

LovenLifeGuy

Sounds like you dog is progressing nicley. YOu are supposed to make the dog pick up and hold inanmate objects. When i Force fetched we used sticks plastic bottles empty and filled with water, retreiving dummies, dead fowl dummies, frozen birds, freshly killed bird, live pigeons hair brushes dead rabbits. I made her carry her retreiving dummy on walks etc.

Mwal