BIRD DOG MAGIC
By Robert Dufresne
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As a child growing up, many happy days were spent endlessly pursuing outdoors interests with one of the families Labrador Retrievers by my side. Dogs have always been a special part of my family. As years progressed, I found myself increasingly interested in upland game. While a case can certainly be made that Labs can hunt upland game, I found myself being drawn to pointing breeds. Late in my teens I finally hunted over an English Setter for woodcock and ruffed grouse (partridge) albeit with less-than-stellar results.
I hope I’m not the only person who has “second-guessed” a pointing dog. My first experience with the Setter found me in sparse cover with the dog locked solidly on point. As I came in on the dog’s left side, I could clearly see that there was no bird and barely any cover for a bird to hide… silly dog! As I let my guard down, I shouted to the guide and the dog’s proud owner that his dog must be wrong. Instantly a partridge exploded from beneath my feet! As the bird disappeared into the woods, not only did the dog’s owner sneer at me disgustedly, but the poor dog gave me a look that showed me his distaste. My fellow hunter and the dog’s owner quickly reminded me of his comments earlier that morning; “When this dog points be ready for birds.” As the dog continued to hunt I noticed he would occasionally look back at me as though I was not worthy of hunting near him. Remembering that moment, I suspect the dog must have thought he held up his end of the bargain and I utterly failed at mine. I have never second-guessed a pointing dog since and have been rewarded for my faith in these fine animals by many partridge and woodcock dinners.
Most dog aficionados now refer to the English Pointer simply as a Pointer. Recently I was lucky enough to find a Pointer bred by a well known breeder in Danville. The breeder named him “Peanut,” as he was the runt of the litter. While some dog owners shy away from smaller dogs, I was more than happy to make Peanut a part of my home, because my darling wife was completely unaccustomed to living with a big dog… or a medium-sized dog for that matter. Her idea of a dog is my idea of a cat that barks.
Nevertheless, she agreed the kids and I could get a dog and one I could also take along hunting with me (of course I got the dog because of the kids!) When Peanut arrived home he was a five month old ball of energy. Even my animal-adoring children were taken aback by his enthusiasm and “spunk.” As I tried to reassure my family that he would settle down and be a polite addition to our family, something deep inside told me I may have bit off more than I could chew.
Soon Peanut answered to “Jack” as he became part of my young family. I would regularly take him to a local ball field so that he could burn off the copious amounts of energy he seemed to produce. Yard training progressed rather well and as crazy as the dog sometimes appeared, he seemed to be highly intelligent and eager to please.
Jack relentlessly pointed mourning doves, sparrows, robins, blue jays and any other non-game bird that happened by the yard. In fact he pointed at anything that flew; the aforementioned birds and dragonflies and bumble bees and even airplanes! Jack seemed to have an unending desire to point. As can be expected from the breed, it seemed like his mission in life was to point at things that flew. Soon my thoughts turned to training the dog to hunt.
While juggling my work life, home life and various volunteer activities I’m involved with, I thought perhaps I could train ole’ Jack by myself. After reading some fantastic books on the subject of bird dog training by great writers like Reed, Robinson, Wehle, Williams and Woters, I soon came to the conclusion that I didn’t even know what I didn’t know about the black magic of dog training. Some might now ask the question; “Why didn’t this guy read BEFORE getting a dog?” I’ve often found the best way to learn is to get completely and totally immersed in the subject and sort out the details as I go. Quickly I realized this was NOT the best approach to dog training.
My first hunting season with a hunting dog quickly came and went and I guiltily snuck out of the house without my hunting partner twice. Between the lack of partridge in the ’05-‘06 season and my guilty conscious for leaving Jack behind, the season was not one to be remembered.
As the winter season progressed, I started seeking guidance from friends who were more attuned to dog training. Some suggestions were made and finally I was told of a trainer, Brian D. Breveleri, owner of Northern Kennels in Belchertown, Ma. who specializes in pointing breeds and even more specifically Pointers. I spoke with Brian on the phone twice… at length and with no assurances that he would take my dog or even if he would evaluate my dog to see if he was “trainable.” After the third phone conversation, Brian decided he would have me come to the kennel and he would “at least” evaluate Jack, however there were no guarantees he had room at the kennel.
When I arrived, I met Brian and his family and he showed me his kennels and his own personal dogs. I had a hard time believing Jack was the same breed of dog as the Pointers in this man’s kennel. He has one black spotted and one brown spotted Pointer and they both look like the canine equivalent to Sylvester Stallone in the “Rocky” movies. While there was no doubt they were excellently cared for and the trainer doted over his dogs, they most definitely received far more exercise than Jack.
I brought Jack out of the truck and the trainer’s first words were; “What a nice couch potato.” I froze! This guy must read my dog’s mind! Jack DOES spend an inordinate amount of time lounging on “his” couch. It was once the families couch but Jack has since taken ownership and occasionally the rest of the family is able to get on one end while he splays across the majority of the cushions.
Said trainer brought out some of his training pigeons and we could both witness Jack’s natural point and his eye-bulging enthusiasm. He took the dog through a number of minor drills while I observed and told me I could put Jack back in the truck. This mysterious training thing was becoming more confusing by the second. We continued to talk for hours about any number of subjects. I did not understand why this man was so interested in my views on seemingly pointless topics.
As we finished our conversation, Brian told me he had some last minute changes to his schedule and Jack would be able to train with him from May through July and he alluded to the fact that I better be visiting on weekends to be a part of the process or I would be wasting my money and his time and it was clear that he was more concerned for his time. We ended on a handshake and soon I was on my way home.
Along the two-hour drive back to my house it dawned on me in a “light-dawns-on-marble-rock” moment that the trainer was not evaluating the dog, he was evaluating me! I deduced Brian possibly made the decision to train Jack on the phone. The “evaluation” was to determine if he wanted to accept some stranger as a client.
Fortunately for Jack, I passed my evaluation and he is in Brian’s very capable hands. Jack has completed more than half his training and I cannot believe the dog that a few short weeks ago was pointing at low flying commuter jets (can you say knucklehead?) is hunting his way through game fields and forest with a cracking tail and a rock solid point. He understands and obeys hunting commands and has more intensity and focus than ever before. Brian’s soft but steady hand and voice has honed Jack’s instinct and showed the dog the joy of doing what hundreds of years of breeding have developed.
When Jack and I walk into the partridge and grouse woods this fall, I will be hunting with a partner with skills far superior to mine. I guarantee you I won’t second-guess Jack.