Cold Game

[AndyH]

I've got my hands on a few frozen pheasants to try with my Cocker. He's just over a year and doing well with dummies and dummies with wings on, so I'm going to try the real thing with him.

Any general tips or tricks on how to best go about the first couple of sessions? I assume just basic retrieves to get him used to it?

Cheers

[newf]

Initially, allow him to investigate and sniff the thawed bird on the ground. Afterwards, pick the bird up and tease him with it 'til you have his attention and interest. Make a small throw in a confined area and encourage him to pick it up. If he only investigates but won't pick , don't sweat it, repeat again the teasing and the short throw. If he eventually picks up the bird be close to him and receive it. Don't be a stickler for steadiness or a pretty delivery, we want one successful step at a time. So, what to do if he fails to get to this step ? End the lesson and try another day, no worries. However, I don't see this happening cause he is familiar with wings on the dummy.

[Judy]

Try the smallest bird first as Cockers can take a while to work out how to pick and carry the bigger cock pheasants. Make it easier for him by chucking a small hen. Make sure the bird isn't too cold either.

[AndyH]

All went well, although he did start his training a little earlier than anticipated. A friend took him out at lunch whilst I was at work and sent me a photo of him proudly displaying a dead rabbit he'd found. She was much less happy about it than I was.

Against all advice, once the proper training started, I only had a cock pheasant to work with so thought I'd give it a try and see how he did. I gave him a few easy marks with the dummy to get him into the swing of it and then sat him up, put the pheasant out 40 yards away, walked back and sent him. First time the expected sniffing and licking occurred but after 10 seconds or so he tried picking it up, it took him a couple of tries and then he got it and came running back looking very proud of himself. We did that three more times with significant improvement every time, and then I left it there and went back to the dummies for a bit and then headed home.

A short but successful evening.

[Judy]

Well done! Dogs tend to be awkward, my first gundog brought me a couple of Woodpigeons long before I read that one shouldn't give a dog woodies as a first retrieve because of the feathers, she picked them of her own volition. She didn't go much on cold game but had no problem at all picking warm, freshly shot game, dogs can't read, obviously.

[Springcopse spaniels]

Let the dog run in, don't make him wait and certainly not at 40yrs away. Ymmv

[Springfield Pointers]

Don't fuss, don't over control, and I really wouldn't use frozen game. What is the dogs drive like?