How old was your dog when you first started taking them out?

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georgedoubleyou

Well-Known Member
Out of interest, how old was your dog when you first started taking them out shooting/beating/picking up/stalking etc.?

I have a 7 month old springer, and whilst I have no intention to introduce him to the real thing for quite some time yet, I'm interested in what age others started working their dogs for real (or at least taking them out).

Mine, for the most part, will be a beating dog but I'll taking him pigeon shooting and in time take him to sit on the peg with me which I do roughly 7 days a year.

The reason I ask is because I know people who started taking their dog on shoot days from about 5 months, and others who wouldn't dream of even introducing them to shot until 18 months. All of them, to the best of my knowledge, have turned out fine.

I'm interested to see what others have done!
 
At 1 year old I just took my springer on a couple of shoots to get used to noises, all the other dogs and people. Maybe a few beats on the lead. Just a limited introduction really. By second season he was much more ready to go. Lots of training in amongst all that using cold game etc and getting recall and stop solid. I had big improvements by about 4th season with mine. Just what I did so not saying it’s the right way
 
I've got a 14 month old lab I will take her out on a small shoot back end of the season but on her own so no temptation by watching the others work , BUT I need my dogs steady not picking up machines I spend most of my time running my beating line so don't want to be looking for my dog !!
Every dog is different don't rush if it's not ready It takes a long time to get a good dog but no time at all to ruin one
 
georgedoubleyou said:
Out of interest, how old was your dog when you first started taking them out shooting/beating/picking up/stalking etc.?

I have a 7 month old springer, and whilst I have no intention to introduce him to the real thing for quite some time yet, I'm interested in what age others started working their dogs for real (or at least taking them out).

Mine, for the most part, will be a beating dog but I'll taking him pigeon shooting and in time take him to sit on the peg with me which I do roughly 7 days a year.

The reason I ask is because I know people who started taking their dog on shoot days from about 5 months, and others who wouldn't dream of even introducing them to shot until 18 months. All of them, to the best of my knowledge, have turned out fine.

I'm interested to see what others have done!
Click to expand...
Chip far to early, with lock down Toby was 2 years Puppy Finn will be around the same.
 
georgedoubleyou said:
Out of interest, how old was your dog when you first started taking them out shooting/beating/picking up/stalking etc.?

I have a 7 month old springer, and whilst I have no intention to introduce him to the real thing for quite some time yet, I'm interested in what age others started working their dogs for real (or at least taking them out).

Mine, for the most part, will be a beating dog but I'll taking him pigeon shooting and in time take him to sit on the peg with me which I do roughly 7 days a year.

The reason I ask is because I know people who started taking their dog on shoot days from about 5 months, and others who wouldn't dream of even introducing them to shot until 18 months. All of them, to the best of my knowledge, have turned out fine.

I'm interested to see what others have done!
Click to expand...
Don’t do it.
There are literally dozens of things that can go wrong and virtually nothing to be gained.
Get drop and recall at least sorted.
The biggest, most difficult to fix and by far the most common mistake dog handlers make is to bring pups that haven’t yet learned the basics out on a working day “ just to see how he gets on”.
As always, your pup, your rules, your way, but before you decide, draw up a list of things that could go wrong and also the very much shorter list of how it could go right and see how you feel.
 
ive allways took my dogs as soon as they know what NO, HEEL, STAY, HERE and LEAVE IT means. my latest was at the pen at 6 months and on the peg at 10 month but then its a lab lol and shes with me every day at the shoot.i know everyone hasnt got access to poults and training every day.all dogs mature and learn at different ages so dont take a dog that isnt steady or it will spoil your day
 
ruger 243 said:
ive allways took my dogs as soon as they know what NO, HEEL, STAY, HERE and LEAVE IT means. my latest was at the pen at 6 months and on the peg at 10 month but then its a lab lol and shes with me every day at the shoot.i know everyone hasnt got access to poults and training every day.all dogs mature and learn at different ages so dont take a dog that isnt steady or it will spoil your day
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She's a credit to you bud, patience and repetition pays off. Always a place in my kennels for her if you change your mind 🤣🤣
 
Far more dogs ruined from too much too soon than ones left to mature.

Some of the real best I’ve seen many leave till over a year to even start training let alone out properly.

After training and winning awards at trial / making a FTW I would be much less inclined to rush and take your time.

Wouldn’t want to rush a dog out shooting before about 2 years old and I think they get really good around 4 years old after having a good couple seasons experience under their belt (and that was with me taking mine rough shooting several times a week).

Dogs run on just every other Saturday may take more time to gain experience.

I seen lots of people “just bring them along to watch” … and end up with young frustrated dogs who then have faults like making noise, chasing etc.

Dogs don’t learn from watching, they aren’t people, otherwise you could leave the championship dvd on in the kennels and they’d train themselves.

Also one man’s version of a “trained dog that does everything I want” someone else would consider an unruly wild beast that’s neither good to beast nor man.

Think about what you want the dog to do and approach from that angle.

If someone who wants a pack of wild dogs pushing birds around 6 days a week takes them out young, but your only going out once a week / fortnight pigeon shooting then your approach is going to be vastly different from theirs.
 
Mine is 7 months now l never work them until at least 18 months,but they have come out in the crate.
The sights,sounds and lunchtime socialising (sausage roll)are all positive reinforcement.
Don't train your dog on shoot day.
It has a long glorious life in front if it.
 
I agree with the advice here, it is better to delay than rush. My current youngest dog is coming up for 18 months. Again he will be in the car on Saturday and have the social experience but I’ll be working the old girl. It would be of benefit to the shoot to have his legs and drive on the day, but it is of no long term benefit to him to be thrown in.

As the season advances there may be the odd drive I will swap dogs and work him but I will not shoot when working a young dog. Some simple questions:

1. Does your dog honour the flush 100% of the time?
2. Can you sit your dog at 100 yards if a hare/cat/fox/squirrel/rabbit is bolting?
3. Will your young dog ever try to ‘play’ with other dogs when it is being worked?
4. Will your dog run in on a retrieve?

My dogs are not trained to what I would consider to be a high standard, as I’m not a ‘dog man’, however I see far too many dogs that are in no way suitable for the shooting field. At the start of the day if your dog is running amok and not at heel, it is not ready. At lunch time, if your dog jumps up, begs for food etc it is not ready.
 
Thanks everyone, some brilliant advice from reliable sources

I think this thread just reinforces what I was saying about the array of opinions. Just to be clear, I never intended to take mine out until next season, at which point he'll be 18 months. I was just interested to see what others did.
 
Generally depending on the progress of training around 2 for a proper shoot day, I've seen rather too many dogs ruined by being brought out too soon, although I shall be walking my latest spaniel pup around our shoot shortly.
 
georgedoubleyou said:
Thanks everyone, some brilliant advice from reliable sources

I think this thread just reinforces what I was saying about the array of opinions. Just to be clear, I never intended to take mine out until next season, at which point he'll be 18 months. I was just interested to see what others did.
Click to expand...
Even at 18 months take it really steady as he may still not be ready. You're a long time with a spaniel that screams and shouts on shoot days. Once they do that there is no going back. I have seen one or two dogs ruined in their first two years of life. However, they're all different and your's may be ready to go at 18 months?
I have shot over a cocker on a novice trial that was 13 months. It was being run by someone who is bordering on professional though. It didn't win but it was very good for its age.
 
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Took my lab out at about 10 months old picking up, BUT I had put a lot of work into him which he took to very well and I was 100% confident I could stop him at any point and that he would sit quitley all day if needed. I didnt let him have any runners I didnt work him past 50-60 yards and I didnt let him have many retrives to start with. By the end of the season I was putting him onto runners and had worked him out to around 100-150 yards on retrives. Now with all that said he is my 1st labrador and he has been SO much easier to train than the springers Ive had in the past where I wouldnt have been able to do half as much at the same age plus on top of that every dog is differnt and will mature in there own time
 
My BMH’s have been out with me since 16/18 weeks old. But I feel this is specific to this type of dog/breed, and that I would not do the same with my cocker! Haha
 
sir-lamp-alot said:
Took my lab out at about 10 months old picking up, BUT I had put a lot of work into him which he took to very well and I was 100% confident I could stop him at any point and that he would sit quitley all day if needed. I didnt let him have any runners I didnt work him past 50-60 yards and I didnt let him have many retrives to start with. By the end of the season I was putting him onto runners and had worked him out to around 100-150 yards on retrives. Now with all that said he is my 1st labrador and he has been SO much easier to train than the springers Ive had in the past where I wouldnt have been able to do half as much at the same age plus on top of that every dog is differnt and will mature in there own time
Click to expand...
So the saying goes.

"Labs are born half trained and spaniels/springers die half trained."

They've all got their idiosyncrasies and foibles and I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments expressed here about not trying to work them too soon. I remember a comment from a fellow gun when I got my first springer, "The best way to ruin a dog with good potential is to take it on a shoot. Have patience."
 
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