Upland Bird Dog: Pointing bird dog training camps

Training Birds

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A blue check hen, winner of a 300 mile race in 1999.

With the decline of open space and habitat for wild birds, many trainers are using pigeons and pen raised birds for dog training. The use of pigeons in dog training offer several advantages: pigeons are strong flyers, they have sufficient scent for bird dogs to point, and are relatively inexpensive to keep or buy. However, pigeons also pose unique training situations and problems. In some circles, a common way to 'plant' pigeons is to put them to 'sleep' by tucking their head under its wing and rotating it quickly. Pigeons are placed under a bush but oftentimes would not awake until the handler and in some cases, by the pointing dog were already on top of them.

In the 1950's, Bill West and his good friend, Harry Wong, would drive to Bakersfield from their homes in Los Angeles, California to train their bird dogs. They used game birds as well as pigeons. They realized that pigeons would quickly fly away if they awoke from their 'sleep'. Other times, their pointing dogs caught the sleeping pigeons. The catching of birds in itself was not too bad but the continued catching of sleeping pigeons by dogs was a determent to their training. Harry Wong came up with the idea to 'card' pigeons and thus sleeping birds no longer became necessary. Mr. Wong attached a 4 x 6 inch cardboard to a pigeon's leg by a thin yarn. The weight of the cardboard and wind resistance provided during the bird's flight was sufficient to force the pigeon back to the ground. Carded pigeons were simply released for dog training. Thus, the pigeons were awake and fully aware of their surroundings. If bird dogs crowed them they simply flew away. The pigeon flushing to escape danger is much like a wild bird flushing. Repetiton of this sequence of birds flushing away can teach dogs to handle pigeons and point them. Thus, the tranistion to wild birds is easier because dogs already learned they can't crowd birds.

Racing pigeons, with their homing instinct, are a great boom to bird dog trainers. Properly trained and conditioned racing pigeons can fly 600 miles in a day! Racing pigeons can be used over and over again during the course of training a bird dog. They only need a home or loft, food and water. More elaborate lofts include a nesting area for raising babies. Racing pigeons can be used for steading a dog to the flush, multiple flush, backing and many other training situations.

Obtaining young birds that have never flown out of the loft is the best way to start racing pigeons. Once birds have acclimated to their new loft, they can be released to learn their new environment. Racing pigeons are thought to 'home' using the earth's magnetic field, sun orientation and the environment's scent. This is much like a salmon that uses the river's scent to find the exact river to return home to spond. Young birds should be gradually released then later released farther away until they can return from great distances. Some birds are lost or taken by hawks.

Medication of pigeons is important to maintain their health. Water should be free of bird droppings and if possible, kept outside of the coop with only a small opening to obtain water. Once birds are released for exercise, feed is placed in the feeding container. This trains birds to come inside quickly to eat after being released to fly. Training birds in this matter will help prevent birds from sitting on roofs or nearby light poles.

A racing loft with a barrier on the roof to prevent birds from staying on the loft's roof. A large landing platform helps to entice birds to land and enter the loft.

Sleek looking pigeons make their way into the loft via a trap door. The trap door prevents birds from escaping the loft. In many lofts there are pigeons termed 'prisoners' and never to be released as they are trained to return to another loft.

A simple wire coop, large enough for sufficient birds to train a bird dog. Note the water bottle and feed can on the floor. Pigeons roost on 2 x 2 inch boards stretching across the coop.

A door to gain access to the coop.

A good design for pigeons to roost. This simple roosting squares prevent birds from getting too close to each other and thus avoid fights.

Birds roosting and resting on a 2 x 2 inch boards. Pigeons will quickly space themselves to avoid fighting. Make sure there is adequate space for all birds.