Thread: Training scents

Dangerous Dan, to me getting the youngster out in his hunting environment as often as possible is the best way for him to figure out what scents are what (not formal hunting, just getting his nose in places)...be it hedgehog poo, an old pheasant roost site or whatever...but the idea of wings on dummies is good...a good squishy aka foam dummy is better than a more solid one as it more emulates the 'feel' of the bird and, oh, do not use rubber bands to keep the wings in place...some good kitchen string is much better OIMHOOC!!!

I actually do not like dead as in thawed frozen pigeons for retrieve work...just imagine being sent away to fetch a gob full of tacky awful soggy rancid pigeon...the best way to get a youngster retrieving is on hot birds which he has pointed, when he is mature enough to handle the rigours of the outing, has manners, is under control, and has had good gun initiation. And if he has been exposed to as much scent as possible, he will have it worked out very quickly...but then there is the hare who is so tantalizing to any dog even one with half a nose and a eighth of a brain...