Training older dog

[RyeGuy74]

I understand that training a puppy something is always easier than trying to train an older dog that has his own way of doing things. But do you guys, and ladies, think it'd be worth the time and energy to try to train a middle aged dog to hunt birds?

 

[Pucky Freak]

What is the breed, and bloodlines? If it's a hunting dog with bred hunting instinct, this is doable. However, you're wasting your time if you've got genetics stacked against you.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Agreed. If it has strong bird and retrieving instincts already that you could work with, maybe. If not, it might never figure it out. It likely won’t be easy either way.

I guess it probably also depends on what you want from a bird dog.

 

[Losing_Sanity]

Most dogs like to please you. Especially if it is a submissive dog already. They enjoy being praised for doing a good job. For some reason, it is easier to train a dog to do something, than it is to train one to not do something...

 

[Zootownelk]

Absolutely! I've been in the process of doing just that the last 2 years. I'm a below average trainer at best. My Chocolate Lab is 5 years old and this is his second season. He has a great bloodline, but is basically a rescue dog. He did not hunt until he was 4 years old. He now retrieves ducks (that he sees) and loves pheasants. Interesting thing about my dog- he does not like to retrieve dummies or even tennis balls. He has a low retrieving drive. He loves birds, though!

 

[Don Fischer]

I got a dog in to train a long time back. GSP. Was about 6 yrs old and had never been out of the kennel. That was a chore till I figured it out. First thing I needed to do was wake up the instinct's! Just didn't seem to understand that in the beginning. Dog had no desire at all for birds! In frustration I took the dog into my quail pen and turned it loose. It just sat there and gave next to notice at all to the birds running around. Took over a half hour and the dog finally stuck it's nose out to sniff at a bird walking by. Did that several time's then tried to mouth one. Bet it was close to an hour and the dog tried hard to catch one. At that point I took it back out in the field on planted birds and coming across one, it actually noticed the bird! All down hill from there. Dog turned into a really good hunting dog for it's owner. Point is if the dog is bred to hunt, you can likely wake it up. But don't expect to take an older dog with no experience out and have it turn on right away, you need sometime's to wake up those instinct's.