Did I make a mistake!?

[acmckeage03]

Well I figured I would try and save some cash this year... Instead of hitting the expensive clubs preseason to get my dog prepped for season, I bought some young ringnecks and threw them in my dog kennel back with the chickens. Well, I feel bad for both my dog and the pheasants now... He is so strung up on getting the birds he wont leave them alone. I'm waiting for the birds to start dropping dead from stress. I have no way to keep the dog from accessing the kennel. I also hate telling him to leave the birds alone, seems counter productive to me. I'm sure he will quickly learn the difference of working birds in the field and the ones in the backyard. Anyone else play around with this?

 

[NorthEast]

It should be fine. Having him hyped up on birds is a good thing. He is acting as he should. Just don't apply any pressure (shock collar, correction, etc.) when he is around the birds.

The birds probably wont die from stress, but just do your best to keep him away.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

Take them to a field and get after it. You want him excited about the ditch chickens. Not used to them.

 

[Superkodiak38]

We used to buy them, dizzy them up and plant them in a field then quarter the dog to them down wind until they got birdy flushed, shot and retrieved, eat some and freeze the others to use for training birds.

 

[acmckeage03]

That's kind of how I feel, however he's starting his 3rd season and has close to a hundred birds already so he's fine in the aspect of "birdy". I'll probably plant 1 or 2 every week they wont hang around too long. I really just want him to work on tracking. Where I can plant the bird, mark it and give it 15 mins to move then start my dog on his starting point and follow it to the bird.

Take them to a field and get after it. You want him excited about the ditch chickens. Not used to them.

 

[NorthEast]

He won't get used to them. I know dogs that live on pheasant farms/outfitters where there are always birds in cages around them all the time. I also know dogs that live in high number grouse/woodcock woods that come in contact everyday and bump birds everyday. I wouldn't spend a minute worrying about the dog and just enjoy having the birds around.

 

[IsThisHeaven]

He will be fine. A friend of mine kennels his cockers and springers in kennels right next to his pheasant pen and and his pigeon coop year round. It doesn't hurt his dogs in the least.