Poor Performance in Bird Dogs

Your bird dog's been a top-notch, keen hunter with heaps of zest and go, but now he's lost that go, pace and stamina. He still chows down well, is sharp and on the ball and has regular bowel movements. Have you pushed the dog too hard in training or is it dodgy tucker, heartworms or gut bugs? Probably not!

With today's good quality tucker and solid parasite control programs, the odds are good that these aren't your worry. Unless you know you've over-trained either with too much hard yakka or electrical stimulation, that's probably not the reason. Likely your doggo has an unapparent health issue. Even though the doggo eats well and shows no clear signs of what's causing his poor form, it's very likely there's a physical problem.

Possible causes include:

• tonsillitis
• low grade kidney or liver disease
• low thyroid enzymes
• nocardia or actinomyces infections associated with seeds, usually in the respiratory system or abdominal cavity
• arthritis
• hip dysplasia
• heart disease

These and other causes may not be readily obvious and will require appropriate testing and X-rays to diagnose.

It's real frustrating when a good dog's performance turns inadequate, but there's usually a reason and that's often a health issue. If you notice a change in your dog's temperament or performance, get him to the vet as soon as you can.

Always check your local and state regulations related to dog training and the use of game birds on private and public property.