For those of you wanting your dogs to work birds, this is perfect!
1- Dogs are pack animals. Be the leader.
2- Stop talking.
3- Be patient and consistent.
4- It takes birds to train a bird dog (no birds = no bird dog).
5- Quality dog work is not between you and your dog. It’s between your dog and the bird.
6- Let your dog learn to manage the bird.
7- Instead of trying to get your dog to point, allow him to learn he can’t catch the bird. Staunch, stylish pointing will follow naturally.
8- Don’t teach whoa around birds. Whoa has nothing to do with birds.
9- When working birds, your dog has not made a mistake until he puts a bird in the air.
10- The dog must know what the command means before he can be corrected for mistakes.
11- An electric collar is not used to teach a dog to perform a command. It is used when the dog has a complete understanding of the command and chooses not to do it. An electric collar is for reinforcement only.
12- Give the command once, don’t raise your voice, and always use a release command.
13- Never give a command you can’t or won’t enforce.
14- If you ignore or don’t correct for an unwanted behavior, you are agreeing with and encouraging that behavior.