Yesterday’s picture of Tur Bo pulling his weights, taken by me as I looked down, made him look really unhappy with the whole thing. So this morning I asked my wife, June, to take some pictures for me. I also had her take a picture of Tur Bo on whoa and him letting me walk in front of him. As I walked him around the yard I started walking around him going in front then to his rear then back to his side. We went through this several times and he did real well after a while then I decided to walk around him by going to his rear first. He followed me, then laid down. By doing something different we had to start over. Before we quit he let me walk either way around him.
Tur Bo pulling his weights
He pulled the weights back to the shed where I sat in the doorway and took the roading harness and weights off. We had to sit there for a while and pet each other. Then I heeled him to the retrieving bench where he jumped up with just a little help from the piggin’ string. I threw my glove 3 or 4 times then the tennis ball 3 or 4 times and he retrieved it each time. I lifted him off the bench then let him run back to the kennel.
I loaded 6 pigeons into a bird bag, then put leashes, check cord, and release traps in the truck. I put e-collars on all 3 young dogs and turned them loose. They ran to the truck to be loaded. There is a county park about 2 miles from my house that is mostly undeveloped. The dogs were getting bored with the same training grounds so I decided to go to the park.
Where I train at the park there is a gate, across the road, made out of pipe that I tie my dogs to. They can watch each one being trained. When I bring out the birds it really fires them up.
After leashing all 3 to the gate, I took Whitey off the leash and lead her out in front of the other 2. I threw the tennis ball and she refused to pick it up. She touched it with her nose but didn’t open her mouth. I walked to the ball, pointed and said fetch. She refused, so I held the button on the e-collar down on level 2. She still refused, so I went to level 3 and she picked it up and carried it to where I had thrown it from. I threw it 10 times and she retrieved it each time.
I brought Blaze out and threw the ball for her and she refused to retrieve. I walked out, pointed to the ball and said fetch. She still refused so I held the button on the e-collar down on level 2. She picked the ball up and carried it back where we started from. I threw the ball 10 times and she retrieved it 10 times without a bobble.
I put a 30 foot check cord on Tur Bo to keep him from playing keep away. I threw the ball 5 or 6 times and he retrieved it to me each time. I always let the dog hold the ball for a while as I pet them when they bring it back. Tur Bo gets so excited he rolls on me and the ground both. But he’s starting to like it.
I put 2 pigeons in release traps about 10 yards apart. The wind was pretty strong from the south east and Whitey was hunting to the south. The field was blue stem that had been real thick but the snow had knocked a lot of it down. Whitey ran back and forth across the wind. She hit the scent of the first bird and slid to a point. I took a picture, then went in front and kicked the cover and released the farther bird. She turned her head but didn’t move her feet. She turned her head right back to the bird she was smelling. I kicked some more then flushed the bird she was pointing. She didn’t move. I stroked her up then released her to run.
Whitey
I replaced the pigeons in the release traps and turned Blaze loose. She crossed the field and was real close to her bird when she smelled it. I took a picture, walked in front, kicked a few times then released the farther bird. She knew the bird she was pointing hadn’t moved. She didn’t even move her head. I kicked around some more then released her bird and she took 3 or 4 steps. I whoaed her and she stopped. I picked her up and put her back where she had originally pointed. I made her stand while I kicked in front of her again then released her to run.
Blaze
I separated the release traps for Tur Bo. After watching the other 2 he was fired up. He would make a good sled dog. I turned him loose and he went to hunting. He pointed his first bird from 10 to 12 yards away. I took a picture then stood where I was not saying anything. Then I moved in closer and took another picture. After about a minute he couldn’t stand any longer. At his first move I flushed the bird. He chased a little then went back to hunting. I was about 20 yards behind him when he pointed his second bird. I took a couple of pictures but a male dog from directly behind does not a pretty picture make. I didn’t move or say anything. When he moved I flushed his bird.
Tur Bo
I took most of my pigeons to the park and went out about 2 hours later and not a one had returned. I thought my training was about over until I bought more pigeons and got them where they would come back. I went out about 6:00 pm to clean dog pens, feed and water pigeons. I opened the pigeon house and they were all back except for one. Maybe he will come back tomorrow. I still have enough to train dogs.