Dogs amaze me. I had a Springer Spaniel that @ 30 pounds could flush a pheasant, and jump up about shoulder high in the air and grab the bird. Come back to the ground, put her paw on it, roll it around so she could grab it from the back so she didn't get spurred and bring it back alive, no puncture marks in the skin, and no broken bones on the bird. This same one would also dive under the water to bring back whatever you threw, or even if it was a waterlogged bird that sank.
They can also tell within about 5-10 feet of what direction a bird is moving, they don't back trail for very long at all. Just think about that for a minute, the scent discrimination that they have is amazing.
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