Puppies waiting
Rocky returning with a bumper.
Rocky with another bumper.
Since March the sixth I have had 50,000 views on my blog. For some blogs that is not a lot but for a blog written by someone who just likes bird dogs and quail hunting that’s a lot. Thanks to everyone. Hunting seasons will be here soon and I should have some hunts to write about, real soon.
This morning I staked the puppies out while I cleaned kennels. I keep moving the stakes to different areas. This was the third area I have used. I have been using a clicker and treating the puppies with hot dogs. I cut one hot dog in about 24 pieces. When I treat they just get a taste.
After I cleaned the kennels I came back to the stake outs and turned Rocky loose. As I walked to him on the stake out he was jumping and rearing up to get me to release him. I waited until he calmed down before releasing him. I went about 5 yards in front of where Layla was staked out and threw the bumper. Rocky raced out, grabbed the bumper and ran back. He really wants to run by me to tease Layla with the bumper but I grab the check cord and he comes to me. I click and treat. Without the treat he doesn’t like to give up the bumper. The last time I worked him he marked some of the throws short so I stood as I threw to get as much distance as possible. He never marked any of them short this morning.
On one of my throws he was going to pass me and I started walking away and calling him at the same time. He ran to me. He retrieved until I ran out of treats. I put him back on the stake out and released Layla.
Layla has been retrieving about twice then just touching the bumper with her nose and expecting a treat. This morning I threw the bumper and she raced to it, picked it up and returned almost to me before dropping it. She brought it close enough for me to reach. I clicked and treated. I threw it again and again she raced out, grabbed the bumper and raced back to me. She dropped it about 2 feet before she got to me. I clicked and treated. She retrieved each time, until I ran out of treats, this morning. The last 2 times she brought it all the way to me instead of dropping it a couple of feet away. I think seeing Rocky retrieve and get a treat caused her to start bringing the bumper to me. We’ll see how she does from now on. I didn’t throw it as far for her as I did for Rocky but she retrieved it each time. I put her back on the stake out.
I put some pigeons in a bird bag and released Rocky from the stake. We walked to the back of the training grounds. Rocky knew that I had birds in the bag and he didn’t want to get very far from me. I have several strips of tall grass that I have let grow all year that I hide the pigeons in. When I got close to one of the strips I put a pigeon to sleep, grabbed the cord that I have on the pups collar, distracted him and hid the pigeon in the tall grass. I led him away for a ways then turned back so he would have to use his nose to find the bird. He was still watching me until he smelled the pigeon I had hidden. He charged toward the pigeon and grabbed it before it could awaken. He didn’t hold it tight enough and it flew away. He chased a short distance then came back.
We got to another strip of tall grass and I put another pigeon to sleep. I grabbed his cord, hid the pigeon and led him away. We turned and came back. He smelled the pigeon and leaped at it. He grabbed it and it got away but before it could fly away he grabbed it again. It got away and flew off with him right behind it. We continued on to the back then started back to the kennel.
As we got close to the front of the training grounds I hid another pigeon in a grass strip. I led him away then turned back. He smelled the pigeon and charged. The pigeon awoke before he got to it and flew away with him chasing a short distance. At 14 weeks old he is slow enough that the pigeons get away easily. I took him back to the stake out.
I released Layla and we started to the back of the training grounds. She gets a little farther out than Rocky does but she knew I had birds. She went out about 30 yards then came back wanting me to throw a pigeon. We got to one of the strips of tall grass and I put a pigeon to sleep. I grabbed her cord, hid the pigeon and led her away. We turned back and she smelled the pigeon. Her tail was cracking when she went toward the pigeon. She rolled it around with her nose and the pigeon flew away. She chased a short distance. We went on toward the back.
I put another pigeon to sleep, distracted her and hid it in the tall grass. We went toward the pigeon and she charged when she smelled it. It woke up and started running toward the neighbor’s side of the training grounds. Layla was right behind the pigeon. She caught the bird and it got away. It flew a few feet and landed on the ground right in front of her. She almost caught up and the bird flew a short distance again. She grabbed the pigeon and it got away flying off. By this time we were over on the neighbor’s side.
I put the last pigeon to sleep and hid it after distracting her. She smelled it and started toward it. The pigeon woke up and flew away before she could get close. She chased for a short distance. We returned to the stake outs and released Rocky. I put them back in the kennel.
Rocky does better on retrieving than Layla does because it’s bred into him but this morning made me think she will come around. I really enjoy watching these young dogs learn. Hiding birds for them to find gives them the desire to hunt. Both pups, after finding a couple of birds in the tall grass, checked each strip of grass from end to end. This how they learn to hunt the cover for birds.
Rocky with a pigeon.
Rocky after another pigeon.
Layla chasing a pigeon.