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| Training This page includes descriptions and examples of our theory and practice of dog training. Please contact us if you have any comments or questions about the content on this page.
Young Gundogs As all puppies ought to have adequate contact with humans, young gundogs ought to have a sound and positive introduction to adventure, water and birds. We begin taking gundog puppies on "adventure walks" through pastures at around six weeks of age. We start the walks at the barn, allowing them to take in all of the different smells of chickens, livestock, pigeons, quail, ducks, pheasants, etc. Once we have passed the barn we enter the horse field where the puppies follow us and are able to run wildly. Once they are a little tired they will stay close to us as we go about fixing fence or cleaning a water tub. The puppies explore the area, sticking their noses into gopher holes, pointing wild quail and tweety birds in the blackberry bushes and occasionally chasing a Killdeer. These walks build confidence, promote curiosity and teach young dogs about bird behavior. These two photos show 15 week old puppies pointing Bob White quail. In the first photo Bellibone has caught scent and points naturally. This is not a trained point, but it shows her acknowledgment of game scent (due to earlier exposure to birds). The photo on the right shows George and Archie. Archie has pointed a Bob White hidden in cover. George has noticed Archie's pause and stops to "honor" Archie's point. Again, these are not trained points or honors, they are natural responses to game scent and displays of hunting behaviors learned during play. A Short Video Clip Showing Early Bird Exposure (please turn your volume off!) Here is a short video of Bindy at 5 months old. Brad dropped a Bob White Quail in the field earlier in the day. The pup has already bumped this bird from upwind and has now tracked it to the point where this clip begins. She finds the quail, points it and finally flushes it. It has already flown quite a distance and does not have enough energy to go very far and the puppy catches it. She then proceeds to proudly carry the bird around. This type of early, pressure free (we do not tell her to "whoa" or force her to bring the bird too us, etc.) bird exposure is extremely valuable at this age. She is learning to enjoy hunting and recieves a reward for her efforts. She also learns about scent (when she was upwind she startled the bird and it flew quite a distance away, she then had to go find it again. The next time she encountered it she was downwind and had the opportunity to enjoy it while on point. She then flushed the bird and had the reward of catching it.)
The gundog trainer below is Brad Higgins. For more information about Brad and his methods you can visit his site: www.higginsgundogs.comI know this site is dedicated to Griffs but I couldn't resist showing a photo of Brad's English Pointer, Winston taken 10/27/07... 
November 2009
Bruno, 3 year old Griff finishing his second duck search.
A lesson in Steady to Flush, September 2007
The Chain GangThe Chain Gang is the place where dogs wait their turns. All of the dogs are able to watch each individual or brace in the field working birds. The less experienced dogs pick up the behavior and excitement of the more experienced dogs.  Before going into the field to work birds Brad takes the young dog for a quiet walk and asks the dog to stand. He walks a distance from the dog, when she stays in place without moving, Brad returns and calmly strokes then releases her. This exercise prepares the dog for the lesson to follow. It also tells Brad whether she understands the previous lessons.
On a check cord Libby searches for the bird. Here she has found and pointed the bird. Note the slack in the check cord, Brad is not holding or restraining the dog. The pigeon has been released but does not feel enough pressure from dog or handler to flush.
The pigeon has flushed. Libby took a step toward the bird as it flushed so Brad Checks her back to her post, then quietly rewards her for holding her position. Next, Brad steps in front of Libby to discretely drop a bird out of his bag at his back (as if he was flushing another bird from the cover where she pointed the original bird) to test her steadiness.
Libby held her position while the second pigeon flushed. She maintained her desire and drive throughout the exercise. Brad returns to reward her and the lesson is done for the day.
Brad narrates a stop to flush exercise.
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