I agree with Tom 100%! After breakfast and after dinner my Brittany "Gabe" goes out to the backyard patio with me and lays down or moseys a bit. 40 feet or so in front of us is the garden, with a bird feeder hanging on a shepherd's staff. There's also the final pavement of the driveway, where I scatter seeds for those birds too big to use the feeder.
Cardinals, sparrows, chickadees, goldfinches etc. all end up strolling around bobbing their heads while they pick up a seed.
Gabe watches casually, or not. Then the mourning doves appear. They're not a legal game bird in MA but try telling Gabe that.
Whenever he's ready he slowly creeps a pace or two and freezes in a solid point. Sometimes he tries to creep a little more. The point of course is to not run after them. Sooner or later they'll flush and then he runs, which is ok.
I want to fire a starter pistol when they flush to get the association a little more firm.
What's a game bird? Ask your bird dog!
