I have been training the puppies most of the cool mornings. I don’t think the sound of the release traps are causing a problem for Babe but I decided to try something different. I have some cages that you put a pigeon under and step on to release the bird. I decided to tie a long string to the cage so I could stand behind her to release the bird. When puppies first start pointing I don’t like to walk in front of them or make any noises while they figure out what they are doing.
Mann pointing a pigeon.
Babe pointing a pigeon.
Mann pointing a pigeon.
To use the cages the way I wanted I had to find a limb on a tree just right to throw the string across and also have a good place to hide the bird. I found three good areas and hid the pigeons.
The puppies were still in the kennel. I turned Babe loose and we headed to the training grounds. She runs ahead but waits for me as though she’s not sure where we are going but she is going farther and the waits are less frequent. When she got to the first bird she started wiggling all over. She circled along the edge of the cover and never really pointed. I pulled the string to release the pigeon and it flew over her. She leaped to catch the pigeon but it flew away. We went on to the next area.
The next two birds were a repeat of the first. She smelled the birds then moved back and forth never jumping in. It’s almost like she’s not sure what she’s supposed to do. I put her on the chain gang and reloaded the cages with three more pigeons. I didn’t move the cages. I wanted her to be successful in finding the birds.
I released her from the chain gang and she started hunting. I could see a big difference in the way she was hunting. She wasn’t waiting for me at all. She came to the first bird and started moving back and forth in front. Usually, I don’t put my hands on the puppies but this is a special case. I caught her and set her up in the scent cone. I stroked her tail up, rubbed her belly and sides and told her what a good girl she is. I pulled the string releasing the pigeon. She chased a little way when it flew away then went back to hunting.
The next pigeon was a strong bird. It had moved the cage out of the cover and it was in the open. Babe beat me to the bird and was going back and forth in front. I set her up where I thought the scent cone was, stroking her sides and belly. I stroked her tail up and pushed on her butt. Once I set her up she was willing to stay in a pointing position. I pulled the string releasing the pigeon and encouraged her to chase. We went on toward the back.
She was fifty yards ahead of me checking every where I had ever hidden a bird for her when she hit the scent cone on the last pigeon. She pointed! It didn’t last long but she pointed. She moved back and forth in front of the pigeon. When I got to her I set her up where I thought the scent cone was. I let her stay on point, as I stroked her sides and tail, for a couple of minutes. I pulled the string and she chased as the pigeon flew away. She went back to hunting.
She has pointed before but usually it was a bird she could see. When she smells a bird she acts like she doesn’t know what to do. With enough birds she will get this figured out. She’s only 14 or 15 weeks old. Most puppies this age haven’t had the opportunity to point a bird hidden in the cover. I put her back on the chain gang.
Mann pointing a pigeon.
I got the release traps out and hid three pigeons where I had hidden the birds in the cages. Mann was in the kennel waiting not very patiently. I turned him out and jumped onto the 4-wheeler. I went down the neighbor’s side and Mann went on my side. I didn’t see Mann on the neighbor’s side so I crossed to my side but still didn’t see him. I went back to the neighbor’s side and saw him cruising through the cover near the back. He hit the scent cone of the pigeon hidden near the back and slid to a point. I sat on the 4-wheeler and took pictures. He is holding longer and longer. He held this point for at least two minutes without moving or flinching. If he has a foot up or he wiggles his tail I flush the pigeon. I want him to know that any movement on his part will make that bird fly. I do let him slowly move his head. Occasionally, he will try to locate the exact place of the bird by slowly moving his head. For me, that is okay. He moved and I flushed the pigeon. He chased a little way then went back to hunting.
I was still on the 4-wheeler and it was a good thing. Mann went about half way back up the neighbor’s side then crossed over to my side. He never came close to where I had hidden the bird on my side then crossed back to the neighbor’s side. There wasn’t much wind but he hit the scent cone on the next bird a long way off then moved about five yards and went back on point. When he first hit the scent cone he was not sure and I could tell he didn’t have it very good so I let him move without flushing the bird. I sat on the 4-wheeler and took pictures. He moved after about a minute and I flushed the pigeon. He chased then went back to hunting.
He hunted the neighbor’s side then crossed to my side. There wasn’t much wind and the next bird was close when he pointed. I took a few pictures then flushed the pigeon. I didn’t want him jumping in and being hit by the release trap when it opened or getting to the bird without me being able to flush the bird. He chased a ways then went back to hunting. I put him on the chain gang.
Babe pointing a pigeon.
A few days ago Mann wouldn’t come to me to be put on the chain gang. I caught him and put him in the kennel then proceeded to work Babe on pigeons and then let her play near the kennel when we got through. The last two times I have worked Mann he has come to me to be put on the chain gang.
I moved the release traps and reloaded them with pigeons. I turned both puppies loose to hunt. The second time through Mann is easier to stay with so I walked rather than ride the 4-wheeler. We started down my side but crossed to the neighbor’s side about half way back. He came around the back and hit the scent cone and slowed to a point. I videoed this point and put it on Wanted!! Bird Dogs! Babe saw Mann but didn’t know what to do. She walked around behind me then toward Mann without ever getting close. It’s hard to video, watch the puppy that is on point for any movement and set up a puppy for a backing situation. More than I can handle. I watched until he moved then flushed the pigeon. He chased then went back to hunting.
We went toward the front and both dogs went close to the next bird but neither pointed the first time. We had almost no wind and the bird was hidden in some tall, thick grass. Both dogs knew there was a bird close but couldn’t figure it out for a while. Finally, Mann got enough scent to point. He was close but not right on top of the bird. He had a foot up and when he put it down I flushed the pigeon. They both chased then went back to hunting.
He caught the scent cone when he moved in front of her.
We crossed to my side. Babe was still checking where there had been birds earlier. It was getting warmer and with no wind the birds were hard to smell. Mann hit the scent cone on the next bird and pointed. Babe was still not sure what to do. I watched Mann and when he moved I flushed the pigeon. They both chased then went back to hunting.
I got the 4-wheeler and the puppies followed as I picked up the release traps then we went around my house then back to the kennel. The puppies played for about thirty minutes while I sat in a chair. I turned a few pigeons loose when the puppies came to me. Some of the time I would just pet the puppies telling them what great dogs they are.
I felt like I was making some progress with Babe. She’s hunting better and I think if I will set her up each time on her birds she will figure out what she is supposed to do. I may try to set her up in a pointing position when I run her with Mann and he goes on point. The problem with that is there is a lot going on with me trying to watch Mann for any movement and also put my hands on Babe. We will see if I can multi task at that level.
Babe pointing a pigeon.
Mann pointing a pigeon.
Babe pointing a pigeon.