Does anyone out there start your dogs on feathers, etc. in the play pen? I'm looking for some help to do this properly. I have SEVERAL books but would still like to speak with someone on the matter.
I would really appreciate a mentor if anyone is interested. I LOVE to hunt and use others dogs but want to start and use my own. My stock consists of Candlewoods, Simerdown, Trieven, Tornado Hollow and the likes. Would also like to know if you raise your pups in the house or out, I seem to get conflicting wants on this, I currently raise mine in the house.
Thanks for your time.
We start our pups on pheasant wings around 3 wks. We also get each on birds before they go home. We'd be glad to help out if you want to email us privately.
Mine are all introduced to bird wings at 5 weeks. My pups are in the house 90% of the time. They go out to play on my deck which has been turned into a puppy play yard complete with slides, pools and other fun stuff. They are fearless by the time they leave here.
As a friend said last week when she visited, the little buggers were almost ready for agility they did so much climbing on things. :)
This is second hand, but from a reliable source. Mike Lardy of Handjem Labs, who has trained more National Field Trial Champions than anyone else, believes that puppies raised in the house are more socialized and tuned in to people and therefore easier to train than kennel raised dogs.
I used to give my pups pigeon wings to play with and seemed to have a hard time getting them to like ducks.
I have now stated putting duck wings in the whelping box when they are about a week old and Mom is outside doing her business. You would be surprised to see those little noses go up and start scenting and they start crawling toward the smell. I don't leave the wings in the box all the time - Moms like to chew them up.
I don't know why this seems to work - maybe something about imprinting at a very young age. It works for me.
