We are quickly approaching my favorite time of the year. The days are getting shorter, evenings and mornings bring a refreshing chill to the air, and the first frost is hopefully just around the corner in my part of the world. Any bird dog owner worth his salt should feel excitement as this time of the year approaches! It’s the opportunity to turn practice into play - many rounds of shooting clays, scouting new areas online (and maybe even on foot), collecting new (and of course, necessary!) gear – all will now be given the opportunity to be used for the real deal. Hopefully, in the middle of all the distractions that the off-season brings, you were able to put the necessary time into your four-legged hunting companion. If you have a new pup going into its first hunting season, all of the preparation becomes doubly important to make sure your pup’s inaugural season is a success.

Over the last couple of decades I’ve introduced many, many pups to their first hunting season, and watched quite a few clients and friends do the same. Unfortunately, it has not always been a success. Oftentimes, when it didn’t go well, it was completely avoidable. With that in mind, I can’t think of a more pertinent conversation at this time of the year: how to make sure your pup’s first hunting season is a success.

Introduce Gunfire BEFORE You Go on that First Hunt

In the year 2024, I sometimes can’t believe that this still has to be reiterated, but I see enough evidence to know it’s still warranted. Please, DO NOT take your dog hunting if it has not been properly introduced to gunfire. Just don’t. Sure, there are dogs that take to gunfire without issue even without a proper introduction, but there are plenty of others that develop a life-long aversion to gunfire. Is it worth the risk that your pup might be permanently gunshy? I don’t think so. There is plenty of information out there about introducing your pup to gunfire. Research it, then do it, and do it BEFORE hunting season.

Leave Your Ego Behind

Years ago, while pheasant hunting in Kansas, I watched a hunter become increasingly frustrated with his yellow Lab because it wouldn’t get out and hunt. Red-faced, he tried everything—sometimes yelling, sometimes pleading, and as he went through his charades, the dog became increasingly more convinced it didn’t want to leave its owner’s side. It didn’t end well—a scared dog and an angry hunter. I later found out that the hunter had spent a significant amount of money on this dog, and no doubt felt some embarrassment at his dog’s lack of hunting prowess.

You yourself have likely spent a lot of time and money on your pup. You’ve probably also bragged about it to your buddies (I know I have a couple of friends I like to call every once in a while, to let them know how much nicer my new pup is than theirs!). As a result, you might feel like that pup is a direct reflection of you. If that describes you, you need to find a way to detach your ego from your pup before you take them hunting for the first time. Your ego is going to make you push too hard and ultimately will take away the joy from both you and your pup as you go through your first season. Make this first hunting season about your pup, not about you!

Make It About the Process, Not the Results 

The internet is full of tailgate photos, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking hunting is all about putting birds in your gamebag. While shooting game is no doubt part of the reason we’re out in the field, if that’s your main focus, you’re likely going to be hurting your pup’s long-term development. Rather, every decision you make while you’re out in the field this season should be centered on what is best for your K9 hunting buddy.

When I take a pup on its first few hunts, I want to make absolutely sure it has a good experience, and that its training is reinforced. This might mean cutting a hunt short (or swapping the pup out for another dog), avoiding gnarly cover that’s going to be difficult for the pup, not shooting birds over an out-of-control dog (and reinforcing the bad behavior), or any number of other things. The main thing here is that every decision should revolve around what’s best for the long-term success of your pup, not putting birds in the bag. If you can recalibrate yourself to think this way, your pup will be much better off in the long run!

Consider Waiting 

Over the years, I’ve talked with plenty of potential buyers that are looking in the summer months for a pup that they plan on hunting with in the fall. In my opinion, this is a recipe for disaster. Taking a young pup hunting has all sorts of downside and very little upside. Even if your pup has been properly introduced to gunfire, that doesn’t automatically mean that it is ready to go hunting. There are other things to consider: How confident is the pup? Is it’s recall good? Do you feel confident your pup can have a good experience in the field with you? If you’re just taking it along for the sake of taking it along, I’d strongly urge you to reconsider. Remember, all decisions this season should revolve around what is best for the long-term development of your pup.

I made this mistake once, early on. After a few years of being “dog-less” in college, upon graduation I promptly bought a cocker puppy. That fall, at the ripe old age of about six months, I deemed her ready to go along hunting with me. In retrospect, her training was in no way to the level it needed to be. I was taking her hunting with me strictly because she was the only dog I had, and not because she was ready to go along. But along she went. I had no control over her, she didn’t understand what was happening, and ultimately, I believe it hindered her long-term development because she got away with some negative behaviors early on that should have been trained BEFORE going into the field.

Realistic Expectations

Intro to gunfire is done, your pup has shown it’s ready to tag along this fall, you’ve checked your ego at the tailgate, and you’re committed to the process—that’s a great start and you’re likely to have a great hunting season. Lastly, don’t forget to keep your expectations realistic. Your pup’s best years are likely still to come, and that’s a good thing! This can be particularly hard for hunters that are on their second or third dog. It’s easy to compare the pup to our seasoned hunting dogs, and frankly, that’s not fair to the pup. The seasoned hunting dog’s adult conquests have erased many of the memories of their puppy moments, but I promise they happened. Holding your puppy to your adult dog’s standards (or to the memories of a past hunting dog) will only hurt the development of the pup. 

Remember that what your pup shows in training is likely what it’s going to show in the field this season. If it won’t retrieve to hand in training, it’s not going to miraculously do a beautiful delivery to hand on its first wild bird. If it’s not steady in training, it’s not going to be steady in the blind as a flock of ducks circle. If you’re not ok with that, fix it in training first. Otherwise, make sure your expectations are in line with reality in the field.

First Seasons Can Be Awesome

In spite of all the cautions, first hunting seasons are exciting, and can be a great success. Nothing beats experience for development, and nothing gives experience like wild birds. I have two young dogs that will be going out with me this fall for the first time, and I can’t wait to see what they have to offer! Wild birds show a dog’s grit, determination, and “bird sense.” Training gets them ready to perform on that stage, but nothing replaces that stage.

I’m confident your pup can have a great first season as well, but make sure you’re doing your part to make it a success. If you’ve been reading this article carefully, you should have noticed that the overall theme is to make sure you make this season all about your pup, not about you. If you can keep that in mind in every situation you encounter this fall in the field, you’ll be well on your way to having a hunting companion that only gets better with age and is sure to bring you years of memories.