We had about a 3 month old Sheppard mix wonder up in our yard last june that me and the grandkids fell in love with. As long as food is not involved, this dog tries her best to learn whatever i try to teach her. After getting my shotgun for quail and dove, i wondered if she would/could learn to flush birds out of the fields. She knows to come, heel, sit, stay and fetch.
Yesterday i took her to a gas/oil field by the house, she has never been in tall grass before but, took to it like she knew and loved it and figured out what to do when i said "flush em out", she hit the tall grass and it was on.
There was no wrong or right yesterday
and no shots taken, only a exploration of her nose and the field. She did awesome. She flushed a couple quail and watched as they flew away, i praised her real good and the next set she flushed, she immediately followed the scent back to where they were bedded down. She flushed out 6 quail and some other birds and we spent the rest of the time walking mowed easements and enjoying the day following wildlife trails to the edges of the thickets.
I braided a 30 foot lanyard that was put back in the truck after the initial excitement was gone and she obeyed every command and never got over 20 to 30 feet away. I was really impressed with her yesterday and i think she will be good for what i am wanting. She is the one dog of my 3 that doesn't mind gunshots.