I think a dog is never too old to learn. My puppy is at the trainer as we speak. she is a little over one year old. She has been there 1 month and 2 days. she has 28 days left. She was once the dog from hell, but now I miss her and this has been the longest month of my life. I will be going to see her next weekend and will ask him what he thinks. If you are interested here is a link to his web page. I have reserched trainers and I think he is one of the best. I got my older dog from him and she has been great.

http://www.upland-kennel.com/index.htm - http://www.upland-kennel.com/index.htm

Wing master

Tas,

    Start early, member they live fer food.  When I start them out I throw a bisciut where they can see it point my hand and say dead bird.  After they get use to it, I start throwing them into bushes so they have to hunt them down, but I still let them see it go.  After there on it, start throwin it without them seeing you toss it.  Just point your arm in the direction and say dead bird.

   Sit and lay down are easy but I don't do them until their near 4-6 months.  With your hand facing down, put a biscuit in it on your palm just next to your center two fingers, hold it there with your thumb.  To get them to lay down put yer fingers under their nose and say lay down, they nose the top of your hand, when they do just start lowerin your hand till it hits the floor.  They'll have to lay down to get their nose under your hand.  Don't give the biscuit until their layin down, after a while you'll be able to do it from further away but you toss them the biscuit when their down.  Gettin them to sit works the same way, but this time turn your hand face up and curl you fingers a bit.  Push your hand past their nose and start moving it up their forehead.  Nose will follow, say sit just afore their butt hits the floor.  Don't raise it up or they'll jump just push it over their head and the only way they can keep on it is too sit.  I don't have to speak to my mut at all.  All hand signals - if ya got a smart one they'll start watchin your eyes.

Spot

Hey There

  I've always started with pups,but made sure of the parents that helps most of the time but not always a given. Always pick my dogs with a duck wing the one that seems the most atentive and keeps an interest in the duck wing the longest is usally the one that comes home with me,may not be the best way to go but it has always done the trick for me or I've just been real lucky.

  The best luck I have is to get the dog trained on comand's,the basic's,then hunt them with a seasoned hunting dog a few times. This has worked out well for me so far,but I only work Labs and they are pretty laid back compare to most upland dogs.I just don't do well with them you guys that have the nack for them my hats off to you.

  I also think one should never be without his dog,time spent with your best hunting pal is time well spent. Somtimes I think my dogs have ESP with me it's strange.They know what I'm up to before I do most the time.

                   Mike

PS  -  Gotta add this,yes you can teach an old dog new tricks,many moons ago a freind of the family got this dog from the pound in Calif.,what it was we didn't have a clue,it looked like a cross between a Irish Setter and an American Water Spainel. Yep one weird looking pup,but by far the best dog I have ever hunted with and it didn't matter,upland,ducks,geese,chuckers heck that dog would hunt anything for that old fart. And you could not wear that dog down for nothing.