Don’t expect your newly trained dog to perform to a high level on his first hunt! 

The first time you take your hunting dog to the field for a hunt, the conditions you choose should be as uncomplicated and educational as possible. You should pick a place where your dog has a clear view of the field or pond and without ditches, heavy cover or difficult fences to cross. In many cases, that’s a tall order, but with a little advance scouting and preparation, not at all impossible.  More than likely your young dog will be intimidated by something, or everything, on his first hunt. It could be the new area, the weather or just the pure excitement of his first hunt; a dog will sense that something is different, and it could be a combination of all those things. Making him as comfortable as possible on that first hunt is something you as a trainer/handler must strive to achieve. Reducing the number of variables to a minimum means the dog will be excited rather than anxious, making him easier to control and eager to return to the field the next time.

In training, I try to simulate the hunting conditions a dog and handler will face on a day in the field as closely as possible. It’s much easier to simulate these conditions for the pointers and flusher because their conditions are more exact, with all the birds being planted. However, for a dog hunting dove or ducks for the first time, it’s difficult to simulate wave after wave of birds coming in and being shot.  Dogs have to learn to identify the prey being hunted, they have to be taught to scan the sky for incoming birds, they have to understand that they must look in the direction you are pointing your gun---all skills that are not likely to be learned in one hunt. Your objective should be to give your new trainee every opportunity to get as much as possible out of his first hunting adventure, so he can begin building knowledge based on experience. I have often said that, “all you can expect out of your dog is that he perform to the level he has been trained”. If you can achieve that on his first hunt, you’ve done your part.

Dogs that have been trained by their owners are sometimes quicker to adjust to new situations in the field than are dogs trained by a professional, that’s because they are already tuned into their handlers. Professionally trained dogs have been trained with a higher degree of discipline; they have a greater sense of the exactness of their jobs than dogs trained by their owners. That’s one of the advantages of have a professionally trained dog. But, these dogs have to be transferred to their owners and no two hunters handle dogs the same, which is another adjustment for the animal to make in the field.   Even though things do not work out perfectly, I find it amazing how willing and able most of these young dogs handle their first hunt,
With careful preparation, you too will be amazed at how quickly your first-timer learns the skills he needs to know to become a proficient hunter. I hope I never lose the thrill of watching a well trained dog perform.  The energy and excitement of these first-time hunters is a thrill, and I’m still dazzled by their performances in the field.

Good Hunting.