new puppy... any suggestions?
 

ok i have a boxer/lab mix puppy. he loves to fetch but has a lot of trouble bringing the ball back to me. he is 7 1/2 months old and i really want to train him for birds. he knows how to sit and shake but were still working on stay. where do i start with training this puppy? i have taken him to the range a few times so he knows the sound of gunfire.

thanks in advance!

RE: new puppy... any suggestions?
 

How is his coat? Do you think he will be able to handle the cold when wet?

RE: new puppy... any suggestions?
 

yes he has a labs coat. he loves the snow! lolz

RE: new puppy... any suggestions?
 

Field time will train this dog with simple commands.

RE: new puppy... any suggestions?
 

first, work daily on sit/back with whatever..i use kong toy..next, get pheasant wings and take and drag them around a place you can train your dog..i did mine at local high school..drag it along edge of brush not in it..dont let him see you doing it..then put him onto scent..i trained my dog at 10 pm at night..this is when rabbits come out in grass to feed.. i bought rechargeable spotlight..i would take my dog out, kneel down and put light on rabbits.. i would whisper, rabbit, rabbit, rabbit, then i would let him go..

you should see how fast i trained that dog..he hunts anything now..the spotlight is fastest way to train a dog to learn to use his nose..dog cant see at night to use his eyes, has to use nose..

next, you have to get him around birds..you can do it at home with pigeon but a real pheasant is better..i would spend money and go to preserve that has pheasants..i would do this only after you are sure he is not afraid of guns..

first time you shoot a pheasant ,he will be ready..i was lucky on mine at 7 months, i wounded a pheasant his first time out and he got to trail it..

RE: new puppy... any suggestions?
 

thnx a lot sproulman! ill try that.