teaching a Brittany to flush

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dottie

New member
I am a novice.....my Brittany holds a solid point until I flush the bird. I have not attempted to train for steady to shot and fall. I am considering attempting to teaching" Zippy" to flush on command.
I am very interested in the thoughts and opinions of those more experienced.
 
flush

Not sure I would go there. If your dog points grouse till you flush'em (or they run off) not sure anything else would be an improvement.
Get some other opinions on this.
 
dottie, saw you also posted this on GunDog Forum.com. I think you got some real good advice from a poster on that site. However, being steady to wind, shot & fall usually sparks quite a debate. Some strictly adhere to it while others, like myself, don't. Here in SD I want my dog headed to a downed rooster as fast as they can. If the bird is a runner the faster the dog gets there the better chance of recovering the bird. Just my 2 cents.
 
dottie said:
I am a novice.....my Brittany holds a solid point until I flush the bird. I have not attempted to train for steady to shot and fall. I am considering attempting to teaching" Zippy" to flush on command.
I am very interested in the thoughts and opinions of those more experienced.
Click to expand...

Don't do it! :D My pooches have always been taught "OK" which I use for a gazillion things but I wouldn't teach mine to flush a bird. I think it'll only lead to more bumps and so on. Up to you though. :thumbsup: It certainly could be done.
 
Dakotazeb said:
dottie, saw you also posted this on GunDog Forum.com. I think you got some real good advice from a poster on that site. However, being steady to wind, shot & fall usually sparks quite a debate. Some strictly adhere to it while others, like myself, don't. Here in SD I want my dog headed to a downed rooster as fast as they can. If the bird is a runner the faster the dog gets there the better chance of recovering the bird. Just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...

You got some good advice on another site, but maybe didn't like the advice, so posted the question on another? Being a pointing dog guy, I wonder why you'd want to have a pointing dog flush birds? Why not get a lab, or other flushing breed?

I'm with Dakotazeb, my dogs aren't steady to wing and shot. Most people, like me, don't have the time, experience, and/or means to take training to that level. I'm happy with my pup being staunch on point and all my dogs have produced a lot of birds in their lifetimes.
 
I admit to throwing stuff in thick, thorny cover to flush a pointed bird. I admit to enticing the dog to flush the bird in such cover, especially since I know it is probably a rabbit. Very rare occurrences. I can see a need for a flush command. I think it may be common in Europe.

For me, I would not do it. Throw a stick.
 
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. If you want a flusher, buy one. I would think this would be tough to accomplish. May just end up with a confused dog that doesn't do anything well. I am also with the others on wanting my dog to get after down birds. If you hunt primarily pheasants in heavy cover, those couple seconds of him waiting to break could mean the difference between me or the coyote eating. Just my two cents.
 
I have "taught" my Brittany to flush on command when cover circumstances dictate, but this happens rarely. The first time was when he went on point in the middle of a big, tall, impenetrable (for me) plum thicket. I could not see him but I knew he was on point because his bell stopped ringing. I kept imploring him to "get 'em!" Finally he moved on the bird and a cock popped out. Also, in heavy, tall fireweeds and hemp where you would not have a shot if you went into them, having the dog flush gives you a shot you might not otherwise have. These are rare circumstances. Fortunately, my dog will not flush on his own volition but other dogs might become flushers.
 
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carptom1 said:
Teaching a Britt to flush would be like teaching a Lab to point.:confused:.
Click to expand...

Wait a minute. Haven't I seen your awesome Lab point, at least kinda? ;)
 
dottie said:
I am a novice.....my Brittany holds a solid point until I flush the bird. I have not attempted to train for steady to shot and fall. I am considering attempting to teaching" Zippy" to flush on command.
I am very interested in the thoughts and opinions of those more experienced.
Click to expand...

Dottie,

I see you are from the Wolverine State, same here. We ran and hunted Britts for 40 years.

Its wonderful that your Britt is natural staunch on point. :) If you hunt wild birds here, that means grouse/woodcock. Have never had the slightest trouble getting these birds to fly off on their own. For a novice trainer, your plan is a prescription for disaster. Odds are you will mess up your nice dog badly.

Good Huntin'
 
My dogs are usually steady on point until I release them. I release them when I suspect the bird has run or I have walked past the dog. Then they try reset if the bird has run.

The more experience they have in the field the better they get at "pinning" via point. I have owned a couple of Brits that would circle out and come back towards me to pin those runners.

If they get in the habit of flushing off point, they may start chasing/bumping birds when released or break point on their own to chase.

Steady to wing & shot is an excellent thing to enforce for those hunting with lots of people they do not know well ( example : guides ) since these people may take shots on birds that are too low, etc... or for guys who simple lack good judgement on shoot or don't shoot that bird.
 
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