At What Age

What is a good age to take a pup out for some wild bird training/hunting?

Depends on the dog breed and the handler.

Some after 6 months, seen others not take until after 18 months.

Bobo is right. Smart dog breeds can go earlier. I had mine in Kansas chasing wild pheasant at 8 months old.

I've seen them hunt, point, and back as young as 3 to 4 months, but they cant keep up with the older dogs at that age.

At 6 months. Exceptional dogs.

As soon as they know what whoa and here mean. Just don't run him too long and let him have fun without much interference from you. Unless he's doing something that could hurt him.

You can take them out younger while hunting from a vehicle, and keep them in the dog box until you get into the action.

Here's Yeats pointing wild birds at 4 months old. He backed the first dog he ever saw pointing. He never had any negative reaction to the gun.

I introduced mine to birds as soon as I get them. Then as soon as hunting season starts, I take them along. It just depends on the age and that determines how long and often I hunt them.

And still chasing

Jake and Daisy (far right & far left in my sig) had a few limits of blues shot over them by the time they were 5-6 months old. They were just pups and did pup things and made pup mistakes, but both turned out great. (10 yrs old this year). I introduce gun fire immediately upon getting a pup home. BB gun, Pellet gun, toy cap gun, then distant shotgun. I now have a nice starter pistol / blank gun, so that will get worked in on future pups. Fact is, if I have a pup and it's bird season, that pup is going hunting.

Nothing about training pups is set in stone or should be dated i.e. gotta start them at this age or that. You have to be your own best judge as to the maturity level and willingness of the pup. Like has been stated on this forum many a time...Let a pup be a pup! You have plenty of time. The worst mistake we as hunters can make is introducing the report of a gun to a pup. All I can say is to start real light (22 crimps) and work up slowly and only shoot when a pup is in pursuit of a bird. 99% of gun shyness is man-made.

On the other hand a 20 gauge was shot at a distance for the red setter pup pictured above. There was no reaction so we took him hunting.

My American Water Spaniel went hunting for the first time at 3.5 months. I shot so the birds would fall on land or really shallow water. He would sit in the crook of my arm.

He retrieved buffleheads and teal. Not to mention my empty hulls from my 20ga.

Shot a big Can. He couldn't move it so he sat down by it and barked for me to come get the bird.

This dog is my best hunting buddy ever. teal season marks his 4th birthday. He's still teaching me stuff.

As soon as they can run...just be sensitive to their age...my setter was born in jan and went in November the year she was born. Mostly on a check cord. I introduced her to gunfire by walking up to a skeet range from 1/4 mile away. She has never been gun shy...she runs toward gunfire now because it means birds. Richard Walters said 6 months.

We had our last 2 pups out dove hunting on sept. 1 at 9 weeks old. They ran around, acted goofy, and fetched a couple of crippled dove when we held the older dogs back. It was all over but the bragging then. They tried to play catch up with the older dogs most of quail season, but they watched and learned. We kept em booted, let em out when they wanted to go, and left em in the box when they didnt. By the end of the season we had 2 more good, hard driving dogs on our hands. Just use common sense, read the pup, and take em for a walk off the leash every day you're able to. It'll work out great.

What about taking a Vizsla to a trainer at 9 months old? Good idea or bad idea?

Pick a good trainer, and its a good idea.

Yep. You should have them back for most of quail season.

Thanks. Any suggestions on a trainer? Know anything about Collier outside of Decatur?

Send Kevin (CCBIRDDOGMAN)a pm. He knows Mr Collier.

There's a couple of members who sent their vizslas to Buck, with Backyard Training Kennels.
They had good reviews on him.

Thanks Kevin

Use someone who has worked with Vizsla's in the past. They are notoriously soft--more negotiation than all those hard headed german breeds.