RE: new at training, needed advice about my britt. and getting him to hunt quail
in addition to the help stated above,
Condition him to loud sounds. this can be done by banging a large spoon on the bottom of a steel pot,
Only do this 1 time a day, and only when he is feeding. Start a room or 2 away. have some one watch him, bang the pot with the spoon, he will jump. like I said 1 time per day!!!, he should stop jumping at the sound in a few days, mine took 5, some take 10. when he stops jumping move closer and start all over again, 1 TIME per day!!
eventally you will be able to stand over him whiule hes eating, bang the pot, and he wont jump.
this is the best training any one can give a younger dog, hunting dog or not.
My britt is now 10 years old. since i trained her like this, she will sit on the porch with me during the nastiest thunder storms, and everytime the thunder hits, she runs out into the yard to fetch the bird she thinks was just shot. after i sound conditioned her, i took a pheasant wing and tail, rubber banned them together, and would thro them as hi and far as i could while shooting at them with a cheap cap gun that shoots the plastic caps.
This worked very well for me. i wanted a couch potato during the week, and a hunting dog on the weekends.
I did the wing on a string also, I never let her catch the wing on the string, I did hide wings in leaves and tall grass when she wasnt looking, and she alway gave them back. Rember to make traing fun, and to love your dog like its one of your kids. do not let your children manhandle, play tug of war, or make the dog growl when playing with them. Take your britt everywhere you can where there are kids. baseball games, soccor games, fishing contests, ect. this way he willknow kids are not to be feared.
Good luck, hope this helps.
Roland