Vince Dye and I wanted to work our young dogs on some chukars. After calling everyone that we thought had them we came up dry. This late in the year most people have sold out. I still have pigeons so I worked all 5 dogs on a couple of pigeons each. It’s really nice to be able to go in the backyard and get 10 points. It’s not as good as wild birds but it’s close.
Mann after the pigeon had flown.
Bodie watching a pigeon in the tree.
Abby pointing a pigeon.
Bodie broke his leg on the December the 14th. I wanted to shoot some chukars over him then but he was in a cast for 21 days then another cast for another 10 days. He wasn’t supposed to get them wet. So that took care of any training I could do with him. He stayed in a cage and I let him out several times a day on a leash. Normally, during this time I start my pups on heel and whoa. I couldn’t even do that.
When I would bring Bodie out of the cage to pee and poop he would run circles around me. He’s a big strong pup and with the cast on his leg I didn’t try to slow him down. This morning was the first time I have really tried to control him. I have used a piggin’ string on most of my dogs but while I was waiting for him to get out of the cast I ordered a Wonder Lead. It’s a little longer than my piggin’ string and has the rubber washers to keep it from coming off.
Most of the snow and ice has melted except for right around my kennels. When I brought Bodie out with the Wonder Lead I didn’t want to be slipping and sliding so we got away from the kennel before starting. When we first start I don’t say “heel or whoa”. When Bodie tries to go ahead of me I just turn and go the opposite direction. He still wants to run circles around me or get on my right side. I tighten the Wonder Lead with a sharp jerk and let off. When he’s right beside me the lead is loose.
After just a few minutes he was doing better and we started toward the back of the training grounds. He still tried to go ahead of me and I turned and went the opposite way. I walked a few yards and stopped. Each time I stopped he was ready to just stand and look. When we came around the back and started back toward the kennel he did better. He still messed up and I corrected him with the Wonder Lead but he was better.
When we got to the retrieving bench I had him jump up. I hooked him to the pulley system and petted him as he walked back and forth. I had made a retrieving dummy out of a one inch dowel. I opened his mouth and made him hold the dowel for a few seconds, telling him to “hold”. After a few seconds I said, “give” and took the dowel. I had him hold the dowel 3 times before setting him on the ground and heeling him to the kennel.
Up to this point everything he’s done has been his decision. Now he’s having to do things my way. I put him back in his kennel and went to the house for a coffee break to let him think about this a little while.
Boss pointing a pigeon.
All of the dogs really like to point the pigeons. I put two birds, in release traps, out on the training grounds. The last time I hunted Sally she got too hot and I think her legs were cramping. I wanted to watch her for any movement that wasn’t right. I heeled her out and put her on “whoa” next to the 4-wheeler. I started the 4-wheeler and said, “okay”. She was good to go this morning. It’s been quite a while since she had a problem but this morning there was no soreness or any problems. She ran good.
The day she got too hot I had a vest on her and we were in really thick CRP on a 60 degree day. Today the temperature was in the 40’s without the vest and short grass to go through. Today when she pointed her two birds her tail was up and she looked good. I should have been aware of her problems before it got bad but I didn’t. I’m glad there was no lasting effects. I took her back to the kennel.
Sally pointing a pigeon.
I reloaded the release traps and heeled Abby near the 4-wheeler. I whoaed her, started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and said, “Okay”. She was away in a hurry. Abby has usually pointed with a good tail but when she came in heat, during the quail season, for some reason, she started throwing her tail to the side. Even when she was no longer in heat she was still pointing with her tail to the side. Until this morning. She finally pointed with her tail up. That’s a relief. I wasn’t sure how I was going to train her out of that. After she pointed her 2 birds I took her to the kennel.
I put birds in the release traps and brought Boss out. I whoaed him near the 4-wheeler while I started it and put it in gear. When I released him he wasted no time getting to the back. He was on the wrong side on the first bird but went all the way to the back and pointed. I stroked his sides then flushed the pigeon. These birds aren’t flying real well. This one just lit right above the release trap. He didn’t want to leave. I had to lead him away to get him to hunt for the next bird.
As he hit the scent cone on the next bird a pigeon flew right over the top of him. He chased that bird for several yards then came back and pointed the bird in the release trap. I stroked his sides then flushed this pigeon. It only flew a few yards and lit on the ground. Boss grabbed it. I tried to call him to me but he just laid down, in the brush, with his bird. I knelt down and he pushed the pigeon forward with his nose. He inched forward a little and pushed the pigeon with his nose as he held it down with his foot. He must have pushed that pigeon 6 or 7 times before it was close enough I could grab it. The bird was wet from snow and saliva but unhurt. Before I put him in his kennel I returned the pigeon to the coop, unhurt.
Bodie on the retrieving bench.
The last time I worked Bodie on pigeons he had jumped for one and landed wrong when he came down breaking his leg. I wasn’t sure what to expect today. He really doesn’t like the 4-wheeler either. I heeled him out with the Wonder Lead. I got on the 4-wheeler and he followed for a short distance then went ahead of me. I thought he was on the wrong side of the first bird when he pointed but he had the scent. I took some pictures before getting off the 4-wheeler. When I got close to him he moved and I flushed the pigeon. He chased but when it lit in a tree he didn’t jump for it.
I had the blank pistol and wanted him to chase a bird so I could shoot. The first bird only flew a few feet and so did the second. There will be plenty of time to shoot the blank pistol between now and next season. But I was happy that he pointed both birds without any reservations. No real bad effects from the broken leg. I took him back to the kennel.
I reloaded the release traps and heeled Mann out. Of all of my dogs Mann is the bird craziest. When I turn them all out to clean pens he watches the pigeon house until it’s time to go back in his kennel. The other dogs go play but not him.
Boss honoring.
I heeled him near the 4-wheeler. After I started it and put it in gear I said, “Okay”. He was gone. He pointed the first pigeon but he was on the wrong side. About in the same tracks of Bodie. The wind must have shifted. I stroked him then flushed his bird. He chased a short distance then went back to hunting.
He pointed the next bird from a good distance. I stroked him then flushed the pigeon. He didn’t move until I said, “get that bird, get that bird”. He chased a short distance then we went back to the kennel.
I’ve been slowed down some by the Covid and wasn’t sure whether my energy level was such that I could work dogs or not but I had a good morning. As I said, it’s nice to be able to get 10 points in my own back yard. It’s not as good as a wild bird hunt but it’s close.