# When to give pup its first hunt?



## BaumGSP (Nov 5, 2010)

I have a 14 week old GSP that I have been training out in the fields since she was about 8 weeks old. Started out by just walking around and getting her used to the cover and then after a week or so of that moved to live birds. I have been working her on pigeons for the past few weeks and she is picking up on it very quickly. 

I am going out on a pheasant hunt with some friends of mine on the 20th and have been considering getting her out on her first live hunt. My friends are bringing some older more experienced dogs and I figure that watching and learning from the other dogs will do wonders for her training....... however, I do not want to rush her into it. 

I have been desensitizing her to gun fire since i got her, but i have yet to shoot a bird over the top of her. First was with a cap gun while playing fetch in the yard. Then i moved to louder bangs while training her out in the field with the pigeons. She gets so excited to chase the birds that I don't think she even notices the bang. 

I'm planning on taking her out for some training this weekend while some friends shoot clay pigeons at a distance and getting her used to the sound of a shot gun. 

I am looking for any advice i can get from fellow hunters. Is it too early to get her out for her first live hunt? When did you first take your dog out for a live hunt?


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## bird buster (May 25, 2008)

First let me say I AM NOT A DOG TRAINER. Just a hunter who has a dog. I would take the dog but not a gun. Put the dog on a check so you can control it. We wouldn't want anybody to shoot it on accident. Don't expect the pup to be perfect. It's more important at an early age to build confidence, and make sure the dog has fun. Just my 2 cents.


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## Sprig Kennels (Jan 13, 2009)

i would be VERY VERY cautious about taking the dog out at that age. that is the main reason dogs turn gunshy, shooting too early before the dog gets trained on birds and gets its prey drive built up in the dog. my suggestion would be dont rush it, you scare her now with the gunfire and it might cause huge problems down the road. be patient with her, work her on some pigeons, work her on pointing and build her hunting drive before you worry about the gun. all in due time but be patient and dont rush it. i would be carefull about taking her clay pigeon shooting too, the only time you want to introduce gunfire is around birds so the dog gets a reward (bird) when it hears the gunfire.


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## blackbear (Oct 18, 2007)

I'm just starting my Brit and she is about the same age as your pup. She is timid around new situations, people and dogs so I worried about her and the gun. But, she didn't flinch the first time I shot a squirrel with my .22 over her. Next day I shot a quail over her with my shotgun, and let her eat it up. By the next time out, she was looking away and standing about 20' when I shot a grouse. She looked right at me, where my gun was pointing, and saw that bird flapping. She went straight for it and brought it back to me. I respect everybody's opinion on here, but my advise is to take your pup out a few times with some one on one situations (like i did above) first, and see how she reacts. If she seems excited with everything, take her on the hunt. 
The most surprising and rewarding part of this whole thing for me, is seeing how bird hunting is in her blood and ALL instinct. She lives and breathes for it, just like I do. My only training focus has been obedience. I am sure if I want a fine tuned trial dog I will need to train her in that. But as long as she comes, heels, listens to me, and knows who's boss I'm totally stoked with my new huntin' buddy, and can't imagine another hunt without her...
She's now hunted/retrieved squirrel, pigeon, grouse, quail, pheasant, duck(on land), and a rabbit I plinked this afternoon after work. And she's only 4 months old!


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