The ground is getting dryer, so I can run the 4-wheeler without making ruts, while training my English setters. The dogs, during the season, learned some things that I think I should train out of them. When they point wild birds my attention is placed on the birds and the dogs get by with some things. Now, in the off season, we can work on some of those things.
Luke with a pigeon, asleep, right in front of him.
Mann pointing a pigeon.
Mann, on point, with his back legs crossed.
I hid two pigeons, in release traps, on the training grounds. I had another two pigeons, in a bird bag, slung over my shoulder when I heeled Babe out, with an e-collar and GPS collar around her neck. I whoaed her several times as we went toward the front yard. In the front yard, I whoaed her and put a pigeon to sleep and placed it about 3 feet in front of her. As I stroked her the pigeon woke up and flew away. Babe didn’t try to chase. She just watched it fly away.
As we walked around the yard I put the other pigeon to sleep and placed it just a few feet in front of her. I stroked her sides then walked around them, taking pictures. I woke the pigeon. It flew away and she watched without trying to chase.
I hadn’t put a check cord on Babe because she doesn’t hunt like she should, with it on. After her second pigeon, placed in front of her, I turned her loose to hunt. She was on the opposite side of the training grounds for the first pigeon I had hidden. I went on to the back expecting her to be on point at the second. She wasn’t there. I had a GPS collar on her. She was off the training grounds to the west, about 100 yards and still going.
In the yard, Babe knows to come to me when I beep the e-collar. I called her name and beeped the e-collar. She kept going to the west. I called her name, beeped the e-collar and hit the e-collar transmitter on level 2. She kept going.
I called her name, hit the beeper and after a second or two hit the e-collar on level three. She started toward me then went to the south west. I called her name, beeped her with the e-collar. When she didn’t turn toward me I hit the transmitter, on level 4. She came toward me. When she got within about a hundred yards I heard her barking as she went to the west again.
Where she started barking is thick brush and trees. I think deer bed down there. For a young pup chasing deer, or anything, is fun. This time she was moving fast. She slowed at about 900 yards. I beeped her and hit the transmitter on a level 5. She started toward me. This time she came all the way in.
I was standing close to where I had a pigeon hidden. I said, “look in here”. She went on point then moved a few feet and pointed again. I picked her up and set her back. I walked in front of her kicking the cover, then flushed the pigeon. She watched it fly away. I stroked her sides then put the check cord on her and heeled her away.
I heeled her near the other pigeon and she pointed. This time she didn’t try to move. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and she watched it fly away. I heeled her to the retrieving bench.
I have used the retrieving bench a lot with all of my dogs as a loving bench. The last time I worked both pups I placed a piece of a one inch dowel rod in their mouth and made them hold. They both fought pretty hard. I petted Babe then placed the dowel in her mouth holding my hand under her chin. She resisted a little but it was less than the last time. I kept repeating, “hold, hold”. Then when I took it from her I said, “give”. I had her hold it 3 times then set her on the ground.
Luke pointing a pigeon.
I put a long check cord on her and we worked on the “here” command. When she has a check cord on she doesn’t get very far away so I put her on whoa then walked away from her. I beeped the e-collar then called her to me. We did about 10 minutes of whoa and here. I put her back in the kennel.
Mann was next. After reloading the release traps, I put the e-collar on him and heeled him out with the piggin’ string. We went toward the front. I put a pigeon to sleep in front of him. I stroked his sides then walked around him taking pictures. I flushed the pigeon and he watched it fly away.
I heeled him across the front yard and started toward the back. I placed another pigeon a few feet in front of him. I walked around him, kicking the ground and flushed the pigeon. He watched it fly away. I heeled him a few feet then released him to hunt.
He was on the opposite side from the first bird as he went down the field. When I got close to the second bird he was on point, standing in the brush. I walked around him taking pictures then flushed the pigeon. He turned to watch it fly away. I stroked him then released him to hunt.
He hit the scent cone on the other pigeon as we went back toward the front. He pointed and I took pictures, then stroked his sides. I walked around him then flushed the pigeon. He didn’t move. I stroked him then released him to hunt.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
When we got to the retrieving bench I had him jump onto it. I petted him several different places on the bench. I took the dowel rod and placed it in his mouth. This was the second time for him. He fought it but not as much as the first time. After I had him hold three times I put him on the ground and let him run back to the kennel.
I worked all five dogs on these same exercises. If I write about all 5 this will get too long but I want to tell about Tur Bo. He’s a good wild bird dog but around here he’s too smart for his own good. He’s a fun dog who tries to out figure me. He really thinks that his job is to catch these pigeons for me. Well maybe for him.
After reloading the release traps and the bird bag I heeled Tur Bo out with the e-collar around his neck. I took him toward the front of the yard. I put a pigeon to sleep a few feet in front of him. I learned a lesson and didn’t put it as close as last time. (Who’s training who.) As I took pictures and walked around him I saw him lean back. I said, “whoa”. He leaned forward. I took some pictures, held the piggin’ string and flushed the pigeon. He watched it fly away. I stroked his sides then heeled him away.
The next time I put a pigeon to sleep, in front of him, I put it a little closer. I stroked his sides then walked around him kicking the grass. I saw him lean back and said, “whoa”. He leaned forward. I continued to walk around him. Just as I turned, with my back to him, he pounced on the pigeon. I yelled, “whoa” and grabbed the piggin’ string. The pigeon flew away. I set him back. I made him stand for a few seconds while I kicked the ground in front of him. I released him to hunt.
Luke pointing a pigeon.
He pointed both pigeons and stood as they flew away. He still moves his front feet when the pigeons are flushed but he doesn’t try to chase. When we came by the retrieving bench I had him jump onto it.
I walked him back and forth petting him. Then I took seven different retrieving dummies and scattered them in a line away from the retrieving bench. I heeled him by each one and had him retrieve them to me. He enjoys doing this. I put him in the kennel.
I worked Luke and then Sally on these same exercises. Neither of them tried to catch the pigeon that was a sleep in front of them and they pointed their hidden pigeons just fine. I worked Luke on the retrieving dummies as I had Tur Bo. When Sally worked on them I heeled her to the bumper, had her pick it up and carry it back to the retrieving bench where I put it in the box. Most of them she did just fine until we came to the last one. This one she dropped 3 times on the way to the bench. I made her go back and get it.
I enjoy working with these English setters. They all are different. As I get older I get more patience, with these dogs. Even with Babe off my property chasing deer I didn’t get upset. I didn’t have to be anywhere other than right where I was. I knew she would be back. Tur Bo trying to catch the pigeons is not a big deal. I kind of think it’s funny and I’m not going to field trial him. He points wild birds just fine. He knows this is a game.
On this day, training, I walked over 4 miles and never left my place. I worked all 5 dogs and got 9 points. I would have had 10 points but with Sally I released the wrong bird and she only got to point once. I had a good day with my dogs.
Sally with a pigeon, asleep, right in front of her.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
Babe with a pigeon, asleep, right in front of her.