I'm looking for a place to buy birds to use while training my young Vizsla. Anybody know of a bird farm near Tomball, TX?

Roadside at Columbus is where I got mine last week. It's on the north side of I-10, on the access road at mile marker 700. Mine are in my Johnny house. I will start working Cracker Saturday morning.

Thanks for the quick reply. I was hoping for someplace a bit closer but that will work in a pinch. There used to be a big farm over in Channelview but work only takes me there a once a month or so.

My dog is nervous around gunshots. He will fetch 'em up after the shooting is done if I direct him to the downed bird but is too nervous to watch them fall from the sky. I'm hoping to let him chase some birds a few times without any shots. Something to get him real excited about chasing birds. Then slowly introduce .22 fire while he flushes them.

Am I headed down the right road here?

Mr. Wheeler in Montgomery has quail. He'll be closer to you. www.wheelersgamebirds.com

Try slowly introducing gun fire at a distance. You play with your dog and the birds and have a friend shoot something not too loud far away from you two. If your dog is okay with it, slowly start getting closer to him until you are on top of him. Do this over a several day period, it can not be done all in one day.

Kindall will probably reply with someone closer.

Perfect! That is exactly what I was looking for. Your suggestion above is much appreciated. I am going to buy a feww birds for the next couple of weekends and just let him chase them and have fun. Then I think I'll have the wife start with a .22 pistol at 100 yrd distance and work in a little each week.

We were dove hunting last weekend and he was real nervous when I shouldered the gun. He didn't run but would hunker down with his belly on the ground. After I shot he would find the bird with my direction. He would fetch it up and bring it right over. If I can clear up this gunshyness he should be a good hunting buddy.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Billy has quail and chucker in Spring. Send me a pm if you want his cell number.

Thanks kindall. PM sent.

i use a guy in montgomery too. he has more than enough land to fire shotguns if you want to shoot birds for the dogs. let me know if your interested

Yes, very interested. Please forward contact info.

Thanks!

I picked up half a dozen quail from Kindall's recommendation and took my dog out Saturday to give chase. No guns this week. He was very excited. Retrieved every bird released. I ran him till he was exhausted but he never quit on me.

Later at home, I cut a couple of leftover wood flooring slats to clap together and got out the doggie treats. We went out in the yard with a pocket full of treats and the two boards. I made him sit next to me while I clapped the boards. During the first session he displayed a little nervousness but was easily lured in with the treats. We tried again later that evening and most of the nervousness was gone. Worked again on Sunday a couple of times and he got better and better. I'll continue this all week.

Next weekend I will bring the boards along on the bird run and give a clap each time the chase ensues. Once the boards become a non issue, I'll introduce the 22 pistol.

Things are going well so far, hope the transition to the gun goes as smoothly.

Retrived every bird released? Are letting him run down and catch pen raised birds?

Bill
I know some may have a difference of opinion on this. If the pup is real young I let them chase and catch quail or pigeons. He is wanting the pup to have its concentration on the birds not the gunfire.

^ Bingo. He knows whoa well. I'll get him back on point after we work thru the gunshyness.

Differences of opinion is why we call this a discussion forum, but I strongly disagree. I've had three pups which were soft to the gun. All were also soft pups. I managed to get them through the problem, without letting them run down and catch pen raised birds. The problem most trainers have is soft/soft. It's my opinion that you are adding to your problem.

If you have a johnny house for quail or a coop with homing pigeons it would a better option ,for a started dog that's showing gun shyness. Without that your going to go through around $30 for training birds each day. Yes you can card or tether the birds but you still won't get true fliers.

I got my pups over the gun softness by walking a bird by the kennel with two old, bold dogs in the other kennel. All dogs went crazy over the walking bird. None seemed to hear the gun.

I'm not doubting you have gotten a kinda soft dog over gun fire in this manner. I think it depends on the level of shyness to the gun, and could be a good option for some dogs. What would be your next step if the dog had tucked tail and hit the dog house.
I'm only asking this question because what works for one dog doesn't work for all dogs.

+1

Please keep the conversation coming. I'm open to any and all suggestions. My current course of action is based on advice and readings from books and what can be found in forums like these.

I don't have any older bolder dogs to work with. Can you recommend another course of action?

There was once a pro trainer named Gerald Moore who lived up near Olney. He said that gun shyness was his easiest money. He simply put the pups on a chain gang, and left them there while he worked other dogs. I was referring to dogs which were soft to the gun, and that is what this sounds like to me. You have to use your gut I've trusted mine over the years.

I see the advantage of training around other bold dogs. In fact I think he may have learned this gunshyness from our old Boxer before she passed on.

My pup has picked up everything I have attempted to teach him and done it pretty quick. I have no reason to believe this issue should be any different. I just need the right course of action.

I was reading one article where a guy had a real nervous Brittany. He started dropping those Chinese poppers numerous times while walking the dog around the neighborhood. It took a while but the Brittany grew accustom to the sound. Then he moved up to a cap gun, then a starter pistol, then a shot gun. He claimed to have turned her into a good hunting dog once the fear was over come.

Good ideas, I'm just not sure how well the neighbors will take me walking the hood and shooting.

imo unless you already created a problem and made the dog gun shy i dont think it takes loads of birds sevral weekends.

use strong flying pigeons that he wont catch. when the pup is in full chase at about 40 yards fire a 22 blank and watch his reaction. if reaction is showing no sign of gun do it again at 20 yards, then 10 . your good to go. keep the lessons short and positive on young dogs. i would rather work 2 birds several days a week than a boat load of birds in one afternoon

now if you created a problem and the dog is gun shy now thats a different story

I'm afraid I have created a problem. It's not so bad that he bolts upon firing, but he is so nervous he hunkers down and cowers instead of looking for a downed bird.

As of now, there is a negative association with gun blast. I'm trying to turn that into a positive association.

How old is the pup?