Way get strive did volunteered with for shepherd information salvaged way is important. 't let a live bird peck, flap, or scratch your pup! Please Bird Intro Prevent launcher shyness! 't let your dog become a victim of technology! I also like to put birds a 'dog proof cage' that the puppies can play with the birds through the wire cage THE YARD, not when hunting. This builds boldness and birdiness. Remember, we're talking about 2 to 3 months of age. Encourage retrieving from day 1! experience has proven that it does NOT harm steadiness training later. But teach it a nice way! Frozen quail work great. They are fairly small, hard and smell good to pup Hard toys that pup can't chew are also good when teaching the retrieve. If you wait to develop the natural retrieve, it might not be there when you're ready develop the natural retrieve from the very first day! If pup is retrieving, let pup run to it mouth it, then take it from pup NICELY with NO visible audible concern anger. Natural retrievers retrieve because it is fun to them. The minute you make it 'not fun' the pup quit retrieving altogether which means you'll then need to put your pup through a trained retrieve program that can costs hundreds of dollars. Water retrieve introduction. Take your puppy to a pond or lake and out into shallow water Encourage pup to come with you but 't force it. Let pup make a few retrieves on dry land adjacent to the water. If pup is bold about going into the water then introduce water retrieves shallow water about one inch deep. If pup is timid, try fun activities near the waters edge that the pup normally finds exciting such as a wing on a string. A wing on a string entice pup to into very shallow water. If pup won't go into the water and the water is clean, you encourage pup to drink from the waters edge instead of from his bowl Also, taking along another dog that enjoys swimming can be helpful. If you bring along another dog that likes the water and retrieving, try to make your pup jealous by playing fetch at the waters edge with the dog that enjoys it. If your pup is already interested live birds and is bold, you can hobble a quail and place into the water. Just simulate the 'kill' with a toy cap gun if pup is sound conditioned to the toy cap gun. The movement of the quail the water often entice the puppy to investigate. Show your pup that you're not afraid to go where you expect it to go. Learning through example. Make sure the cover is not too thick for pup. I like the measure of less than 1 pups height. -Show pup how to walk under a strand of barbed wire. Believe it or not, the first barbed wire fence your pup encounters often be afield on a hunt and he be reluctant or unsure of how to cross if you have not gone over this. Teach come, but do it a nice way at this age! If you teach it harshly, you end up with a dog that hunts on top of your feet. Introduce pup to ordinary collars by making sure it wears one all the time. Tie pup to a safe dog tie out the shade on a beautiful day with plenty of fresh water and food. Leave pup there for a short period that it learns that you have nothing to do with the restraint created by the tie-out. Ignore his wailing and flailing and most important, 't talk to him or look directly at him when he is figuring this out. He must learn to be restrained about the neck and that