Actually, a friend'sblack labis the same way. Rescue dog at three years old, won't use his nose. She says the dog is dumb, I say, the dogtrained you to think it's dumb. Throw a treat at it, the dog won't even try to find it. Why not? Because you'll always throw another.

Oneway to get the dog into training birds is game farms. Where I go its about $6-$7/chukar so 1/2 a dozen of them comes tojust over $50.They don't have bob whites, which would be better and cheaper. If there's another dog theresometimes you can rent,do so. Sometimes, a young dog will learn from an older experienced dog. Make sure wind conditions are right and your walking into the wind. Heat can also play a major role in finding birds, if the dog's panting, he's not using his nose.

Personally, I would stop the yard training for a bit and concentrate on the problem at hand. If the dog can prove to you that it still knows and obeys then it's enough.

Dizzing a bird: I don't know about how to dizzing a pigeon but with bobwhites we used toput the heads under their wing, hold it that way and with both arms swing the bird around like a clock; 12 is over your head, 3 is on your right, etc. Continue this for about1/2 a minute. Then lay it gently into the grass. Others like toturn the bird over and strokethe belly. It's been many years since I've done it though.