When it comes to puppy training you have to be flexible. Today I was working some young puppies on quail in the long wet grass we were working on letting them follow their noses and explore, and retrieve the quail when they were successful. Green collar and Red Collar paraded around with the quail like they had won a gold medal at the Olympics when they found them. It was quite rewarding to watch them explore and trust their instincts. Yellow and the liver puppy were less bold this morning than their usual selves, but that is why we have to be flexible working with puppies. They each will have good days and less good days. Heck sometimes you will have out and out bad days.

It is important though to try to build success into every lesson.

We had quite the surprise though this morning as I stashed a quail and was about to turn loos the puppy… All of the sudden a rough legged hawk swooped in and grabbed my quail! How I wish I had the camera ready for that moment but I did get the before and after. And luckily the puppies were too big a quarry to be a temptation so they were safe, but these Japanese quail were perfect for a meal on the go.

Nature is beautiful there is no question.

Anyway be patient with your pup, keep things positive, find things to praise them for and keep at it.

Rough legged hawk steals our Quail