Question: I'm working with my five-month-old English Pointer pup on retrieving birds. The problem I'm having is that she doesn't want to bring me the birds and she'll sometimes run off and bury the bird. Is this normal and what can I do to change this behavior?

Andy T., Adrian.

Answer: I'm not sure that this could be called normal, but I've seen this type of reaction many times before. I believe it is based in a deep desire for birds, which is a good thing, and a possessiveness for this treasure makes them unwilling to share it with you. To correct this reaction to game, you must not run this dog with other dogs when birds are to be shot. By having another dog present, you'll only increase the possessiveness. I recommend using a check cord of at least twenty feet on the pup when working on retrieving. Throw a dead bird for the pup and allow it to pick up the bird while you hang on to the cord. Once the pup has the bird in its mouth, cheerfully tell the bird ‘fetch' and then ‘come'. Praise the pup while you reel it in to you, even it is struggles against the cord. Once you have the pup back to your side, continue to praise it while you hold the bird. Allow the pup to mouth and sniff the bird while you hold it. Now throw the bird about ten feet away and tell the pup to fetch again, repeating the process. Do so several times, and do this for three to four days in a row, then go out without the check cord. Usually, more bird contact will ease the problem. Don't become harsh or cross with the pup, for fear it'll stop retrieving all together.