So, I’ve told you I’m trying hard to raise Flick “by the book,” by which I mean Rick & Ronnie Smith’s videos, Larry Mueller’s book, and the Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete. Surprisingly, on many issues all three are in agreement … including letting a pup chase flushed/flying birds to build his prey drive.
On that, I respectfully disagree.
The Flick Plan includes steadiness to wing, shot and fall. From boom to bounce, and then some. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dog biscuits. Stand still until told to do something else (hunt on, retrieve, heel away). So, why start by teaching him to break the rule?
I guess if you got a pup from hinky stock, questionable parentage, or he’s a Spinone (it’s a JOKE, people), you might need to build that intensity thing. But my Three Devils dogs haven’t had a problem being “birdy.” So, again, if they’re already fired up about birds, why not skip the chasing and get down to brass tacks? (I am open to your thoughts on this, especially as we are at Square One with my theory.)
I’m not going to gloat, but am seeing indications we might be on the right track, which often means it’s time to slide off the rails! But with help from Bob Farris’ gut hitch (a variation on the Smith’s half-hitch), Flick is standing his birds and not bolting when he winds training pigeons. Once they are launched, he’s firmly anchored on the ground like a big boy dog. The ravens he used to race after as they flew overhead are now a minor distraction. Today, tweety birds on our training run were tempting (especially the mystical, magical, dazzling gems, mountain bluebirds), but a few steps and back to business.
A work in progress, for sure. But maybe it will save a little angst (for him) not unlearning the chase, and time (for me). Your thoughts?
Scott Linden Outdoors 
i’m with you. you are 2+ ahead of me……my 3 mo Griffon – Kooper is fun & HARD training……..mostly me. But the Flick method is my objective as well. I have hunted over friends dogs that jumped 5+ feet in the air when the bird flushed. If that doesnt get your nerves shook you dont care about the dog! if there was ONLY the right way of training a dog, how come we have some many good books & trainers??
We are lucky to have some experts willing to help us, Marty. Good luck with Kooper.
I’d have to agree with you here. I think it comes down to individual dogs. You run GWP’s, which in my experience really don’t need much encouragement to get amped up on birds. I run EP’s and they don’t need much encouragement either, so I can skip over the “let ’em chase” phase of training and get down to business.
Now, with that said, I actually do have a buddy with a 1 year old Spinone and so far that dog has about as much ‘bird drive’ as my neighbor’s Great Dane. But she’s an intelligent dog and I think we’re just gonna have to throw at least a thousand pigeons into the air and encourage her to chase before the light turns on…then, more than likely, we’ll spend another year trying to break that chase and get her staunch.
You might also consider (for the Spin) the Smith cousin’s method of letting a dog play with a dead bird, then a live wing-clipped bird even before birds take to the air. It’s in their video and was really eye opening to me – some dogs just don’t get it until they taste and smell one.