I think bulls mature faster than any other dogs most are ready at 12 months but there are always the odd one who needs some encouragement and those ones need an older dog to follow and then it dont take them long to learn what they are bred for i've had some 1st crosses at 6 months who will do all quary even the puppiesh ones will do it when u get them out on the field they are a diffrent dog u will be suprised just let him go with an older dog and an im sure he will be fine.