different birds/training?
 

If I train my dog for grouse, using grouse scent, will he only point grouse? Or will I be able to take him pheasant hunting? Will he point them as well? Just curious, thanks for any replys.

Beej

RE: different birds/training?
 

Dogs often seem to recognize gamebirds, even ones they have never encountered. A dog that has never hunted pheasants may need some encouragement that you want him hunting that particular bird but he should be very interested in them on his own. Many people think pigeons are good for dog training. This is partly because people tend to make mistakes with their dogs and it's better to have that bad association with a bird you won't be hunting. I have never seen a dog have any trouble transfering to gamebirds afterward, so the same should hold true going from grouse to pheasants. I would be more concerned that bottled grouse scent smells enough like wild grouse to help him recognize the real thing.

RE: different birds/training?
 

drdan is right my gsp's when making the jump from pheasants to quail were abit unsure at first but once they realized that's what we were after no problem and it's been that way ever since the first encounter

RE: different birds/training?
 

Awesome!!!
that is great news. so when I make the trip to South Dakota to hunt ringnecks, my dog will be able to tear it up.
thanks! Beej

RE: different birds/training?
 

The dogs instinct for pointing will be as strong on grouse as it is on ringneck, but some dogs are better at hunting one than the other.Back in the 70's I had a Brittany and a Shorthair at the same time.The Brit was just a little better with the pheasants but the Shorthair way out preformed her on grouse.{don't tell Shorthair I owned a Brit. young and foolish at the time.}I will never forget the first time that Brit found a covey of quail,she was in the middle of them and was pointing then she would get a wiff of another one and shift her point front,back then sideways until they erupted around her,was laughing at her so hard I did not get a shot off.

RE: different birds/training?
 

It's alright Bo. We all had our indescretions in our youth. I too owned not one but two Brittanys.
It was ignorance. I had never seen a Shorthair in action. I'm ok now and sounds like you are too.

beej apparently the dog doesn't care what bird it is. If the dog smells a bird thats all it takes. I use pigeons for training my dogs for quail. Go figure.