First Shirt wrote:Slash;
That's a neat picture, but how do you teach a pointing dog to handle pheasants? The ones we had in Iowa would run like deer ahead of a dog, so we used Labs and Springers (although I knew one guy who hunted pheasants with beagles!).
Thanks!
Mostly, the pheasants around here will hold long enough for a pointing dog to find them. When the birds are running, using two or three dogs can work well. I have a friend who runs two dogs at a time and when we hunt together, we will run all three of our dogs. Our three have hunted together enough that they work together very well. One of his two hunts in close and the other ranges out at the limit one normally wants his pointer to be. My dog then comes in and hunts in between his two, so we get good coverage and the dogs will bracket a runner.
I have found that I don't have to teach these dogs much beyond basic obedience. Mainly, I get them out in the field and encourage the instinctive behavior I like (such as pointing, honoring, ranging) and discourage the instincts I don't like (such as eating the bird, chasing a flushing bird, etc.). Their pack instinct and naturally pleasant disposition make them good hunting partners and good companions.
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