I recently purchased a fine Chocolate Lab pup. I want this dog to be good for all general bird hunts (Pheasant, Quail, Ducks). I often frequent my inlaws ranch, in which they allow their chicken to roam for pest control. I want to take my pup with me, when I visit their ranch. Does anyone know if it will affect the pups reraction to hunting birds. My other question is: Does raising an exotic bird around the house affect the dogs birdiness also. My wife is raising a Sun Conure and it is constantly on her shoulder and around the pup.

I have always raised birds of all kinds and when I have a pup if he is worth his feed he will enthusiastically chase the birds. I just say no and enforce it when I have to. After a while the dog will learn to leave birds alone. When I want the dog to catch a particular bird I tell them to heel and when I sort the bird out that I want caught I tell them fetch with a wave of the hand. It takes a little work but if the dog is worth his salt he will catch on and you will have full control of him. My dogs do not bother any fowl on my place unless it gets into their kennel run. If a chicken, guinea, turkey etc. gets in they will catch it and not kill it but they do pluck it. Yes I did spell it correctly. There will be feathers all over the run and usually the only feathers left on the bird is wing and tail feathers plus the short ones around the head. They look rather silly for a while walking around naked.