This past week my one year old german shorthaired pointer “Jake” started blinking his birds. I could see when he caught the scent but he just kept on walking, hoping I wouldn’t notice. It was disturbing for me to see him exhibit this problem since I have been careful in introducing Jake to gunfire and birds. I immediately took him back to the ATV and gave him a break while we finished running his littermate.

I am not an expert dog trainer but I was able to recognize the problem early on. I think I just need to slow down with Jakes training and get back to having fun. Next time we go out I will just let him chase some birds and leave the gun at home. It seems most important that he be excited about birds and wanting to find more. This problem will probably take a little extra patience and work on my part. I think I will consult with some of the experts over at Gun Dog Forum and see what they recommend.