Vizsla Bird Dog Training

Dogs are the animals that we can commonly find in most people’s homes. Many families adopt this type of animal more frequently because they are considered excellent pets and also because they are the creatures most similar to human beings in terms of personality and temperament. 

However, that is not the only reason why families acquire these animals. Many people need to have a certain breed of dog that carries out a specific activity. A clear example is the hunters. Generally, a hunter’s job is made much easier by having a canine companion by your side. 

The Vizsla is one of the best dog breeds when it comes to hunting. They are animals that have excellent skills in this area and a high level of physical activity. 

These canines are very active and energetic and need to exercise daily. That is the reason why they have good physical condition and resistance when carrying out their hunting activities. 

When a person who is dedicated to hunting decides to adopt or buy a dog with excellent hunting skills, the first thing that he or she should consider is the type of hunting and prey. That’s because not all hunters intend to catch the same kind of animals. The same goes for hunting dogs. 

This breed of dog specializes in small game hunting. That is, it is capable of hunting small animals, including different types of birds. The most interesting thing is that the Vizsla can adapt to any kind of terrain, whether on land, water, or swampy areas. Therefore, it can hunt different types of animals without any problem. 

Vizsla Dog: Bird Training 

Vizslas have been used throughout their history to hunt animals, especially for small game. Hunters who acquire a dog of this type are focused explicitly on hunting birds, whether they are pheasants, quail, ducks, etc. That is possible thanks to this canine’s ability to move and hunt in different types of terrain. 

This breed of dog is perfect for hunting birds, but we have to keep in mind that even though a Vizsla is intelligent and has excellent hunting skills, it will need to be trained. This canine will not only have to be trained to hunt birds but before that moment, it would already have to understand the necessary commands that will allow it to learn any other skill faster. 

This canine can think of the most cunning way to hunt its prey thanks to its intelligence, developed sense of smell, and strong hunting instinct. Generally, this animal uses the environment around it to camouflage itself and walk slowly without making noise, waiting for the right moment to approach its prey. Remember that a Vizsla has a golden-reddish color, which allows it to go unnoticed in the field. 

The most advisable thing is to start training a Vizsla from a puppy. Generally, the first 6 months of age are essential for the canine to receive basic training and develop its skills more quickly. That doesn’t mean that an adult Vizsla can’t do it. 

How to Train a Vizsla to Hunt Birds?  

As we have said before, a dog of this type must receive basic training before starting to hunt birds. It is important that you teach it necessary commands so that it obeys you and the training process is easier for both you and your Vizsla. 

The fundamental step of this training is to familiarize your Vizsla with the scent of birds. You can use bottled scents, which you can buy, or you can also use skins or dead birds. That will allow you to teach your canine the smell that it will come across when hunting. Using the bird’s corpse would be of great help since the Vizsla will not only distinguish its smell but also recognize its appearance. 

This training is useful because by doing this, we are allowing our dog to follow the trail of the prey, improving its sense of smell much more. 

Leave the dead bird in a quiet and distraction-free place. The idea for this is to let your Vizsla approach the corpse and hold it with its mouth. It is important that you pay close attention as your canine could bite it, and that is not what we want. 

After you and your Vizsla do this practice for several days, you can start using live birds with the wings clipped. The goal of using birds in these conditions is so that they can move and fly at medium height. That way, we’ll make sure our Vizsla has a chance to chase them down. With this practice, you will be training and controlling your dog’s hunting instinct. You are also allowing it to see the behavior of a live bird. 

The next objective is to make your canine point to the birds. Remember that Vizslas are pointer dogs that use their snouts to point the direction where their prey is. That way, the hunter can know where to point his gun. 

An effective way for your canine to adapt more to hunting sessions is to practice all of the above in different terrains with different types of birds. 

Whenever you train with your Vizsla, be sure to put it on the leash to prevent it from chasing and attacking other small animals, as we remember that this canine has a hunting instinct. That is why the training you provide from puppyhood is essential. Also, remember to use positive reinforcement to carry out all of the above steps. That way, your canine will learn faster.