Selection of the right pup will set you up for success from word go. This will insure that no matter what your dog will be functional, purebred bird dog puppies are pricey and you don’t want a pup that will never hunt no matter how good your training is. Don’t assume every Labrador in the world is going to be able to retrieve, I have seen more than a few who are afraid of birds. Lots of Golden Retrievers are bred without any hunting ability at all, so get a pup from working parents.  Plus their fluffy floating hair is horrible for people with dog allergies. The idea that the mother shouldn’t be a good hunter but the sire makes up for it is just bogus. Even in a litter bred out of top animals, some pups will be great; some pups will be great house pets. Make sure the pup has bird interest, and is not timid. Grab one that is exploratory and friendly. Make sure it has nice structure and good movement, and take it home at seven weeks. Breeders who insist on keeping the pup longer are cheating you out of priceless training and socializing time with your puppy. Flag a group of puppies and see which one points. If they all do, then take your pick. A pup that points will never be a total loss in the field.

This little guy has defiantly got the idea, Flat Coat Puppies are fast learners and require little repetition in their training.

The second piece of valuable advice is start that pup now.  At seven weeks.  And go ahead and let your friends laugh, but your yearling will be hunting circles around their dogs if you start immediately.  I don’t mean hard breaking pups, just small games of find this, find that and playing with the bird type stuff.  This will establish his pattern for success young, as well as teach the pup learning is fun, and just as you set yourself up for success by picking the right puppy in the first place, raising him up in the right way will set him up to succeed his entire life.  Set a pup up to fail and you have no one to blame but yourself.  Gently teach the puppy to work in different situations and new places, and he will never falter in the outside world away from his favorite familiar fields.  Teach him to use that nose from day one.  All my pups love that game, I string bacon along the grass and they track it down to gobble up the treat.  It amazes me how many brilliant noses get used so poorly by dogs never taught to use them.

Follow these guidelines and your pup may not be a national hunting genius, but will defiantly be a winner for you.  You will both be so much farther ahead for both these pieces of advice.