Shake-a-bird

Shake-a-bird is a drill that teaches a young spaniel to quarter .  It can teach a more experienced dog to retrieve.  In fact, it has several important uses.  Here's how shake-a-bird works.

Hup your dog on the centerline between the two gunners.  Neither gunner has a gun for this drill.  Instead, each has a dead bird.

Turn and face your dog.  Start him as described earlier.  Call him in for a few steps and then start him in the same direction as the wind (assuming left-to-right or right-to-left wind or, better, a wind from the front left or right quarter).  Let him move out a few steps, maybe half way to the downwind gunner, then reverse him into the wind.  To turn the dog, you pip your whistle (twice) and point your open hand in the direction that you want the dog to go.  You use your left hand to point to the right and your right hand to point to the left.  This forces you to turn your body and move in the direction you want the dog to go and gives him the full visual cue of your instruction. 

At the moment of the turn, the upwind gunner holds out his bird and shakes it.  He makes birdie sounds to attract the dog's attention.

As the dog gets close to the gunner and his bird, you pip your whistle (twice) to turn the dog.  As before, you use your left hand to point to the right gunner and your right hand points to the left gunner.  Turn your body in the direction that you want the dog to go.

At the moment of the pipping, the upwind gunner pretends to toss the dead bird forward with an underhand motion.  This fakes out the dog who will turn up field to find the bird.  The gunner quickly brings the bird behind his back and quits making any birdie sounds.  The dog may be at a temporary loss as to where the bird went, but he will quickly pick up on your posture and on the birdie sounds that the opposite gunner now is making.  This will re-orient puppy and restart the chase in the other direction.  He's quartering!

Back and forth we go.  For a young dog, you may have to walk very much toward each gunner to help the dog understand the quartering move.  For a more experienced dog, stay in the center and motion him one way or the other by turning your body. 

Complete 3-5 crosses.  Keep the exercise short and fun. 

The dog should get the bird at the end.  For a young dog, one gunner or the other tosses the bird out as the dog closes in.  Success!

Bill shakes the pigeon and peeps like a chukar.

 

Bill sells the bird to a reluctant clumber.

The fake toss turns the dog upfield.  Venee turns toward the opposite gunner and points the way.

Off she goes!

Tim does not use his opposite hand to signal, but the experienced Rags knows this drill.