Finally! The warmer weather is here along with the excitement of longer days, with lots of time for clays practice, puppies and scouting new land.
Puppies? Yes, those cute wiggly things that steal our hearts and our socks. Of course, bird dogs are available year-round, but the more popular time to acquire your new hunting buddy is in the Spring so they can get on birds this fall.
Deciding to add your own bird dog to the household can be intimidating. What if you don’t know how to train it? What if it doesn’t want to hunt? What if, what if, what if? Think more about what if you appropriately research breeders and breeds? What if you found a trainer that you really like? What if you wish you had gotten a bird dog sooner?!
Pointers vs Flushers
Mike and I are often asked, “Why did you pick German shorthaired pointers?” Well, they kinda picked us. Our very dear friend and guide, Henry Horne (Glen Allen Kennels) would guide for my beginner hunts at Orapax and runs shorthairs. His Birdie dog is phenomenal, and we quickly jumped at a pup out of her. Lacy Blues, our first bird dog came home to us December 2020. And, since you can’t have just one, we grabbed another from Henry, a male, the following year which was a totally different breeding, so we could start our own line.
So, like I said, the breed kinda chose us, which is how we got into pointers. There’s really nothing in the world as exhilarating or awe inspiring as a great looking pointer locked up on a bird. Unless it’s a super cute English cocker spaniel flushing with all his heart in front of that shorthair!
This past Fall we added the cocker to complete the string. I was tired of getting beat up in the brush and the cocker seems to relish the opportunity to plunge into thickets. Deciding on a hunt-style will assist you in narrowing down the breeds.
Pointers will work farther out and once steadied, stand still until you arrive to get the bird up. Flushers will work much closer to you and handle the flushing, so all you do is keep up and shoot. Both can retrieve and some are more versatile than others, being able to do waterfowl, upland, and fur.
Breed Bias
My breed preference is pretty obvious, GSPs rule and so do cockers. They are NOT for everyone though, and you should look into your individual home situation before making a selection. Do you want a pointer but prefer a calmer dog? Look at spinones or braccos. Do you love the unique? How about a toller or Deutsch langhaar? Every breed offers pros and cons and the best thing I can say is to research, talk to owners, go to field trials and research some more. A field trial or friend with that breed you’re considering will allow you to see if that dog will check all or most of your boxes.
Tips, Tricks & Trainers
When do you start training? As soon as you pick up the puppy! Literally. From the very first time you cradle that little nugget, you’re on the clock. Yes, let the puppy be a puppy and have fun but always set those parameters so when you’ve got a full-grown bird dog, they aren’t jumping all over you, snatching birds or running amuck. You want to enjoy your hunting not pull your hair out.
We’re hosting a ladies bird dog camp the end of April. It is sold out BUT we do have private lessons available the day before. Now is the time to build that working relationship and get your bird dog excited about birds and working with you. There’s no magic one and done training, it takes time but spending time over your own dog on public land chasing feathers is about as close to heaven as I can find.
Best of all, share the experience with friends and family and enjoy the hunt together!
Kate Ahnstrom, owner of Virginia Shooting Sports is a certified, professional instructor of the Paragon School of Sporting, pro staff Syren/Caesar Guerini, resident pro Orapax Hunting Preserve, Artemis ambassador for Virginia and field staff member of the Sisterhood of the Outdoors. Her tireless dedication to her students’ success is obvious in each and every lesson.
