rstallings1979
Senior Member
on real (not wild) birds this weekend. I found some left over roosters from last year from a local hatcher. I hid seven on Friday grouped up 2,2,2, and then 1. I hid seven individual birds on Saturday in different spots. I put Ollie down downwind of the birds and he went to every single bird both days and held point pretty good. Eventually he would inch closer and closer and the bird would fly or either take off running (it was hot of course so the birds were lazy). I did let him chase the birds because I wanted him to have fun and get his interest up. I never let him catch one always calling him back off the bird. When he exits the buggy/cart and I say "find bird" he is definitely hunting with a purpose to find a bird. He zig zags through the 8 acre area smelling and searching. I took him back out to the 8 acre parcel yesterday in the drizzle and he actually found and pointed 2 more that remained on the property over night.
What concerns me a little is I have seven birds left and I have them caged in the shade at my house but honestly he doesn't seem interested in them while they are in the cage. He will slowly smell around the cage but that's about it. He wanders off like they do not interest him.
Where would you experienced guys go from here? Should I continue to put him on birds a couple of times a month? I have not spent anytime trying to teach heel. He walks fine on a leash sometimes ahead of me a bit (not tugging really) and sometimes at my side but I don't want him walking next to me while he is hunting I want him out front looking for birds.
What concerns me a little is I have seven birds left and I have them caged in the shade at my house but honestly he doesn't seem interested in them while they are in the cage. He will slowly smell around the cage but that's about it. He wanders off like they do not interest him.
Where would you experienced guys go from here? Should I continue to put him on birds a couple of times a month? I have not spent anytime trying to teach heel. He walks fine on a leash sometimes ahead of me a bit (not tugging really) and sometimes at my side but I don't want him walking next to me while he is hunting I want him out front looking for birds.