by Lynn Dee Galey
“I haven’t seen the dogs, have you?” We were just
taking a short 15 minute walk to look at a possible cover so didn’t have any bells
or GPS on the two dogs. After a few
minutes, at the far end of the clearing I thought I saw a familiar sight buried
in the thick green cover; some black and white of my 12+ year old on point. We silently walked up and sure enough a large
brood of ruffs flushed in front of her, strong flight scattering left and right. She released after they flushed but moved
forward only 30 feet and froze. As we
walked further, we saw that she was now backing the 16-month-old who was not
far ahead, solid on point. Our silent approach
then caused a second brood to flush in front of the youngster and both dogs
released and happily scoured for stragglers.
Points, backs, and steady into the flush on wild birds
in our first walk of the pre-season. This. This is what I want and expect from
my dogs. (And I hope is a good bird omen for the upcoming season!) No
“pre-season training” or “tuning them up.”
For my dogs, it takes two parts
to get to days like this: genes and me.
First is to have a dog bred for instinct. I want both parents to be dogs who, as
youngsters themselves, showed the ability to handle wild birds. Parents who
naturally developed to staunchly hold point, no whoa or check cords or
ecollars. Dogs whose teachers were the birds and dogs who were eager,
precocious learners who remembered their lessons.
Second part is the owner. Wild birds are the best
teachers, not us and definitely not pen birds, so it is our job to get our pups
into wild birds so they can learn. Watch
as pup blows through their first birds, don’t shoot and don’t shout. Just watch
and do it as often as you can. If your
pup has the genes you will see them learn, progressing from busting to
pointing, taking steps then finally standing staunch. Then, when they are
staunch, get to work and shoot that bird for them.
Seven month old Firelights learning from sharptail grouse in Montana
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