Ralphies first day hunting since he graduated from “boot camp”.

[H&Hhunter]

Ralphie is my Spinone,

He is just a year and a half old and attended bird dog puppy class last spring and then did basic bird dog school in August. He went out for his first official day as a trained bird dog in the field with dad yesterday. Overall he did pretty good.

He had three solid points and one that I’m not sure about. On the unsure one he made a hard right turn into some thick brush and shortly thereafter two rooster pheasants flushed. I don’t know if he pointed them or just bounced them but they were to far for a shot. He also had a couple of moments of inexperience and total puppy-ness.

He walked right by a chukar in fairly short grass. He totally failed a retrieve on a chukar that crashed down in the water near the shore of a small pond. He ran right down to shoreline then was totally confused as to why the bird was in the water and stood there pawing at it and looking back to me with a confused look on his face.

In any case I’m just going to keep hunting him and see what he turns into. We had some shinning moments. Here was one of them.

Ralphie on a hard holding point.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Looks like he will have a long and productive career!

 

[Laphroaig]

Had to get on Wikipedia to learn what a Spinone was. What a cool breed! Sounds like you two have many years of great hunting ahead.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Had to get on Wikipedia to learn what a Spinone was. What a cool breed! Sounds like you two have many years of great hunting ahead.

I sure hope so!

 

[Patocazador]

My Boykin sometimes balked at a water retrieve. Force fetch is the cure. My command was simple, "GET IN THE WATER!"

Twice a day sessions also helps a lot. I didn't consider her trained until we had 3 years of twice/day training.

It works better when you are the trainer.

 

[Terry G]

The Dog makes Hunting much more fun. Also, I have not lost a Bird since Storm agreed to live with us.

 

[buck460XVR]

Having "Continental" breeds for half a century, I have come to appreciate their intense desire and natural instincts to hunt. My present GWP/Drahthaar just turned 10 and has given me more pleasure in the field than anything else I have done. Period. Over the years my bird-dogs have taught me more about hunting upland game than I have ever taught them. Teaching them what is expected of them and learning to read their hunting style is key to their(and your) success. Best of luck to you.