There is a famous brittany man named Ben O Williams in Montana who is know for running several dogs at a time. He not only trains like this but he often hunts his dogs in a similar fashion. He feels like they can learn much from each other and learn faster too. He doesn’t mind if they make mistakes and blow some birds. The idea is that they learn quickly to honor and back or there will be no birds in the bag (ie: no birds to retrieve).
Lately I have been running two dogs at a time when I go training or hunting. I wanted to try it out for myself and like Ben, I just love to watch the dogs work. The more the better. My dogs seem to be learning to back and honor points a lot better. Sure we have had a few covey flushes and birds blown, but it has been worth it. I try to mix up the tandem each time as well. Sometimes two dogs of a similar age, but more often I pair an older more experienced dog with a younger inexperienced dog. Try it out if you have more than one dog, you will find it quite enjoyable.
