# Brittany Dogs



## WildWestDucks (Sep 26, 2017)

How you guys feel about Brittanys? 

I have one, got her late summer 2018, she was too young to go out last season. She's now 10months and we've begun some harder training for pointing / retrieving.

My biggest issue with her atm, is that she will point and can track a dragged scent well, but i have to be with her helping her on the way.. Will she eventually get it on her own, if i keep at that? Also, she tends to run wild if i let her loose, and doesnt seem to be looking for birds or scent. 

What can I do to help her get on birds without my full assistance? 

Also, i'd love to take her out for early season waterfowl, thoughts on that?


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I've never owned a Brittany, so I can't speak from personal experience, but I've heard they are pretty good hunting dogs and family dogs. I think 80% of creating a good hunting dog is exposure and opportunities. She may just be running around, but eventually she'll figure the game out and start working for you. 

Join Wasatch Mountain Navhda for help. They have training opportunities that are really helpful in providing controlled opportunities for exposure, giving you training tips, etc... If she's pointing and following a drag, she is already starting to express her instincts. 

I'm a new dog owner, so take everything I said with a grain of salt...except the NAVHDA stuff. That will definitely help if you can do it.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I wouldn't expect much out of a Britney as far as waterfowl is concerned. They are a upland game dog and unless you can teach her to fetch out of water you may need to stick with dry land.


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## 1BandMan (Nov 2, 2007)

Both of my Brittany's were almost two years old before they became decent hunters. When the idea finally hit, they were incredible dogs. 

Both fetched in the water, but they are thin skinned dogs and don't handle the cold well. Maybe very early season waterfowl, but I almost froze my one dog solid when we killed three chickens in the water out in Mona back in the late 70's. All long water retrieves, and had to put them in the cab of the truck to thaw them out afterwards.


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## SwedishCowboy (Sep 25, 2017)

Don't have one but would love to get one. They have been some of the best dogs I have hunted over.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

1BandMan said:


> Both of my Brittany's were almost two years old before they became decent hunters. When the idea finally hit, they were incredible dogs.
> 
> Both fetched in the water, but they are thin skinned dogs and don't handle the cold well. Maybe very early season waterfowl, but I almost froze my one dog solid when we killed three chickens in the water out in Mona back in the late 70's. All long water retrieves, and had to put them in the cab of the truck to thaw them out afterwards.


Those were the days! Remember the Dog fight in the back of the truck, and me getting bit by my dog trying to break it up?


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## wagdog (Jan 6, 2009)

WildWestDucks said:


> My biggest issue with her atm, is that she will point and can track a dragged scent well, but i have to be with her helping her on the way.. Will she eventually get it on her own, if i keep at that? Also, she tends to run wild if i let her loose, and doesnt seem to be looking for birds or scent.
> 
> What can I do to help her get on birds without my full assistance?
> 
> Also, i'd love to take her out for early season waterfowl, thoughts on that?


Not quite sure what you mean about helping her on the way. Do you mean you are calling her over to where you have planted the bird or did the drag?

I think the best thing you can do is exposure. Take her somewhere with birds. If you are worried about the dog disappearing on you, have her wear a bell or get a gps tracking collar. Pointing isn't trained. Pointing is bred into them. Having them point and then wait on you to walk in, flush the bird, shoot it, and send them for the retrieve is trained behavior.


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## birdman (Nov 21, 2007)

I've never hunted with anything but Brittany's. My Grandad had them, we had them growing up, and I've had three. They just about train themselves. Don't over handle them. I trained my first on planted pheasants with a piece of cardboard tied to their leg. Worked her on a check cord into the scent and whoa'd her when she picked up scent, flushed bird, and repeat. I did this 4-5 times. Then just hunted her and she was pointing by the end of September grouse season. Never looked back. I let her run big with a beeper collar and would find her when she wouldn't come back. She was a bird finding machine. Didn't fetch much but would point them dead. I trained my second dog in one day. Put a quail under a tip up. She walked up to it and walked away. My heart sank. Did it a second time but released bird before she got to it and let her chase. Fired her right up. Did the same with a couple cardboarded pigeons and she brought them back unharmed. Planted some quail and she pointed every one. Shot the last over her and she retrieved. Then just hunted. She's much slower than the first dog but I'm older and it works. She just naturally retrieves everything, which is great. Took third dog out with pigeons and I thought she was going to kill them she was so fired up. Unfortunately, last year there just weren't many wild birds to expose her to till January pheasant hunt in Colorado. First point was a rooster that I was able to shoot over her. Pointed several more during the trip. She hasn't retrieved yet because the other dog gets everything. She'll need work on that once she's routinely pointing. She runs like the first dog. Just let your dog have fun running, the pointing will happen. My dogs really came into their primes by 3rd season. They make me look good as a dog trainer. 
Not sure a Brittney is the best for waterfowl but mine will swim across any small pond or lake we encounter. Oddly enough, my first dog once swam out to get a pheasant in a pond in Iowa. Like I said, she didn't retrieve much but she did that. I was shocked.

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk


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## Irish Lad (Jun 3, 2008)

I would use a long check cord to keep her from running wild. Eventually I would use an electronic collar with a beeping button. All my Brittanys have been soft dogs and didn't handle being shocked, even at low settings. Keep getting your dog on birds and you'll be fine. I have always force fetched mine and will retrieve ducks no problem in decent weather. They are great dogs!


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