Leading doves, whether for exhibition, racing, or simply enjoying their companionship, requires patience, understanding, and a gentle approach. This comprehensive guide covers everything from selecting your birds to advanced training techniques, ensuring both you and your doves have a positive and rewarding experience.
Choosing Your Doves: The Foundation of Success
The first step in leading doves is selecting the right birds. Different breeds exhibit varying temperaments and trainability. Some breeds known for their docility and suitability for handling include:
- Fantails: These birds are prized for their beautiful tail feathers and are generally quite calm and easy to handle.
- Roller Doves: Known for their acrobatic flight patterns, rollers can be trained to perform impressive aerial displays, but may require more patience during initial training.
- Indian Ring Necked Doves: These doves are relatively common and often make excellent pets, but individual temperaments can vary.
Consider the bird's age and health. Younger doves are often easier to train than older ones, and a healthy dove will be more responsive and less prone to stress during handling. Always source your doves from reputable breeders or aviaries that prioritize the well-being of their birds.
Building Trust: The Key to Successful Dove Handling
Before you even think about leading your doves, you need to build a strong bond of trust. This involves:
- Gentle Handling: Always approach your doves slowly and calmly. Avoid sudden movements that might frighten them. Hold them gently but firmly, supporting their body weight.
- Positive Reinforcement: Reward desired behaviors with treats (small seeds, millet spray) and gentle praise. Never punish your doves; this will only damage your relationship and hinder training progress.
- Regular Interaction: Spend time with your doves daily, even if you're not actively training. Let them get used to your presence and your scent. Talk to them softly and calmly.
Training Techniques: From Basic to Advanced
Training your doves to lead effectively is a gradual process. Start with the basics and gradually progress to more advanced techniques.
Step 1: Taming and Habituation
- Getting them used to your hand: Start by simply extending your hand into their enclosure, allowing them to investigate at their own pace. Once comfortable, gently offer treats from your palm.
- Stepping up: Encourage your doves to step up onto your hand by gently coaxing them with a treat. Be patient; this may take several days or even weeks.
Step 2: Leading with a Perch
- Introducing a perch: Once your doves are comfortable stepping up onto your hand, introduce a small perch. Hold the perch in your hand and encourage them to move from your hand onto the perch.
- Short distances: Start by leading your doves short distances, using the perch as a guide. Reward them frequently with treats and praise.
Step 3: Leading Without a Perch
This is the most advanced stage, requiring significant patience and trust. Gently guide your doves by holding a treat just in front of them, encouraging them to follow. Keep your movements slow and deliberate.
Advanced Techniques and Considerations
- Voice commands: You can incorporate voice commands to aid in leading. Associate a specific word or phrase with the action of following you.
- Flight training: Some advanced handlers train their doves to fly to them on command. This requires significant training and a deep understanding of avian behavior.
- Environmental factors: Weather conditions, noise levels, and other environmental factors can affect your dove's willingness to be led.
Maintaining a Healthy and Happy Dove
Remember, happy and healthy doves are more likely to cooperate during training. Provide them with a clean, spacious aviary, a balanced diet, and regular veterinary checkups.
Leading doves is a rewarding experience that strengthens the bond between you and your birds. Remember patience and consistency are key. Enjoy the journey of building a relationship with these fascinating creatures.
