“Backing,” honoring, whatever you want to call it, there are at least two types I know of. The one we’re all familiar with, where one dog points and the other dog slams into a pseudo-point when he sees the first dog. Eventually, Manny and I will get to that.
Beyond the Bumper to birds … with an audience.
I wonder if the other honor that teaches self-discipline, control and maybe even a better retrieve? As you know, we’ve been working on one dog watching, waiting patiently while his bracemate brings back my Real Bird Bumper and other stuff. But lately we’ve been using real birds. And it’s having the desired effect.
Both Buddy and Manny are more energetic on their runout to the bird, lusting for feathered prey. But (luckily) they are each disciplined enough to execute the command, and there is the envy factor: “gee, if I don’t get it, he will.” It’s a test of wills for all three of us.
So far, so good. It’s not in any NAVHDA test until the Invitational, but I’m wondering if the simple act of deferring to another dog (in addition to the human) adds another layer of complexity. And thus, perhaps, challenges their intellect.
While writing this, I realized how lucky I am having a pigeon loft just 34 steps from my dog-training area. As George Hickox so well put it: “No birds, no bird dog.” If you don’t have birds nearby, how do you do it? Where do you find them, what do you pay, how often do you get them?
Scott Linden Outdoors 
I totally think adding the element of a dog having to honor another dog through a retrieve can be much more difficult. Just look at the requirements for SH verses MH titles… In SH after they have established an honor on the first dog you can actually collar your dog while the first dog retrieves the bird. In MH which is to be the best of the best… the polished dogs they have to do it alllll by themselves you can’t touch the dog for much of anything here. I know the few times Luna had to watch another dog retrieve the bird (she doesn’t even much care for the retrieve) she flipped out, and cried a fit while watching. Over time this screaming fit has gotten better but it just goes to show she doesn’t want to share that bird. Now other dogs don’t mind nearly as much, but I am not surprised my girl is greedy lol. But we will get there, just not her forte.
Birds cost a lot, but now that i live where i work and we have game birds they cost a lot less… but now I lack motivation since i live here lol. Bird prices were even worse this year around here as the suppliers had a bad hatch. Pheasants ran out very early and even chukar and quail ran out quicker than usual.
Charlie I may be able to help you. We sell Chukars and are just over the river in MD in Point of rocks. I think i saw you can’t use them under your training permit??? What if you put a leg band of some sort on them? I know we can use them here in MD if we put some sort of identification on them so people know they are pen raised. We don’t bother with quail much either as they just don’t keep well and thus aren’t hardly worth the money unless you have a small pup. I really wish I could find a place to trap birds, as training our homers is a rather big pain in the butt and with all the hawks around here we are lucky if the smart ones survive long.
Training a bird dog has got to be one of the hardest things to do overall, when it comes to venues. But i wouldn’t have it any other way, with how much my girl loves it.
Anna
Interesting post Scott and relevant to every pointing dog trainer. I have two pigeon cages I built and I bought a pigeon trap from Lion Country Supply that I go into towns with to trap pigeons to use in the training of both Brittanys. What do I pay? I have never stopped to figure out the cost per bird but it is expensive. Traveling to trap is more expensive than buying birds with gasoline cost today. I would love to find a seller nearby in Charleston, WV but the only one I know of with pigeons or game birds is 119 miles north of me. In WV we are required to have a bird dog training permit to use quail or pigeons as a training tool and the permit only cost $10 so it is more of a nuisance than a cost but I would gladly pay someone to supply me with birds. The permit does not allow the use of chukars or pheasants, only pigeons and quail. I usually trap the pigeons on a Saturday and Sunday. Odd how the birds are scarce around town when I have the time to trap them. Pigeons fly better than pen raised quail and the worst thing about the quail is the dog catching them….No more pen raised quail for me. I don’t need to teach bad habits.