# Acclimating new pup to city birds



## giandaliajr (Nov 24, 2012)

I live in NYC with my 11 week old pup and not too far from our apartment there is a little foutain/pond where a few different kids of ducks hang out at all year long and it seems like there are always geese sitting on the grass in a few parks around me too.

My question more revolved around if I should even try to show him the ducks and geese because they are not like the ones "in the wild". Nobody hunts these birds and i dont think they migrate anymore because they are not scared of humans or dogs at all. Im guessing the ducks in the pond are fed by kids so im guessing thats why they are tame.

Im just thinking that it might have an adverse affect on him if he thinks that ducks act this way. He doesnt show much excitement because they dont fly away. Mostly because they stay in their little pond area so he cant get close enough to have a chance at grabbing them. Although he does seem mildly entertained by them swimming and making noise, but not anymore so than he is entertained by my cats walking around the apartment. 

I dont know if having these waterfowl around are a good thing for introducing him to birds or counterproductive.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

I don't think the experience will do him any harm. 
Right now both he and the duck are about the same size, so he's a little wary of them. Once he gets bigger the tables will turn and he'll probably mess with them. 
They may be 'City" ducks, but if those are mallards they're not far from their natural instinct and habitat. As soon as he shows any hunting interest in them they'll know right away. He'll put a tremendous amount of mental pressure on them, even at a distance. You'll see them "raft up" and move away from him.
If you could watch those ducks 24/7, you'd probably see that they go out to the Sound and back periodically. It's nothing for a duck to fly 100 miles a day, geese even more. Ducks and geese will spend the night on the L.I. Sound and feed in the fields of Central Mass. Making the trip every day.
CanvasBacks will spend the night 200 miles off shore, and come in in the morning to feed.
Keep him away from the geese until he gets bigger. They can be pretty nasty, especially during the molt.


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## giandaliajr (Nov 24, 2012)

Interesting. Thanks! Its a bit foggy today but ill try to take him down to the pond and take a picture to post!


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Riley's first exposure to birds was ducks, pigeons, & geese at our neighborhood park. She was pretty wary of them at first, but now that she's older she loves to stalk them! Keep your pup a safe distance from the geese. They WILL attack him if they feel threatened.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

An interesting thing about prey animals, like ducks, is how they respond to pressure. Like your city ducks, we have areas here where families take the kids to feed the ducks. There's zillions of ducks there, and come spring there a bunches of baby ducklings.You can get right up to them.
As soon as fall/winter comes, and the hunting season starts, they get scarce fast in most of the places that they had been hanging out. Once hunting season is over, they go right back and let people feed them. 

I always tell folks to feed them bread with Italian herbs, and onion flakes. ;D


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## giandaliajr (Nov 24, 2012)

Berkeley checking out the birds


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

Tail is up, ears forward, nose in the air, and eyes front.
He's doing exactly what he should be doing. You got a bird dog there. 
He's beautiful.


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## abatt (Jul 10, 2012)

Do you live in Battery Park City?
If you do, we should schedule a play date. Isaac is 7.5 months and would love to meet another vizsla puppy.


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## giandaliajr (Nov 24, 2012)

Yeah that sounds great. I live in tribeca but we always go for walks over in that hudson river park/teardrop park area. Shoot me an email and we can set something up.

He wont have his final round of shots until the 22nd though so after that would probably be best.

[email protected]


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