It rained yesterday, a lot, but this morning dawned clear and cool. I was able to get the young English setters out for training. The grounds were too wet to cross to the neighbor’s side so I put 4 release traps, with pigeons in them, in front of the whoa barrel. I, also, put two pigeons in release traps, in front of the backing dog, hidden behind a brush pile so when the dog came around the brush pile the dog would be visible.
Babe with the 4 release traps holding pigeons in front of her.
Mann honoring the backing dog.
Babe expecting a pigeon to be flushed.
I put an e-collar around Babe’s neck and another around her flanks and heeled her out with the piggin’ string. When we came out of the kennel I hooked the long check cord to her collar. When we got close to the whoa barrel she started pulling me toward the barrel. I stopped her beside the whoa barrel with a “whoa”. She’s been holding on the barrel without any movement (no tail wagging) at all.
I stroked her sides and brushed her tail up. I walked in front of her and she looked so good I took a lot of pictures. I kicked the grass and flushed a pigeon. She turned her head to watch the bird fly away but didn’t try to move. I continued to kick the cover and flushed another pigeon. I flushed all 4 pigeons and she never tried to move. She would turn her head to watch them fly away but no other movement. The last pigeon, I took a video of, that I put on Facebook.
I heeled her to the retrieving bench where she jumped on. I walked on both sides of the bench stopping several times petting her. I put a retrieving dummy behind her canine teeth and told her to hold. I pulled on her collar to get her to take a step. She can move her front feet and really stretch to keep from moving her back feet. I kept pulling until she moved her back feet, too. I had her carry the retrieving dummy in 5 different spots on the bench. I set her on the ground.
I heeled her a few feet then whoaed her. I took the piggin’ string off and held the end of the long check cord. I tapped her head and before she got to the end of the check cord she saw the backing dog, as she rounded the brush pile, and honored. I dropped the check cord and walked in front of her.
I kicked the cover and walked back and forth. I waited for over a minute, while kicking the cover, before flushing the first pigeon. I watched her as I flushed the bird and she never moved. I stroked her sides then went back in front kicking the cover. I flushed the second pigeon and laid the backing dog down. She didn’t move. I went to her, stroked her sides and took her back to the kennel.
I reloaded the release traps and brought Mann out with the e-collar around his neck and another around his flanks. I heeled him to the whoa barrel and whoaed him. I stroked his sides and brushed his tail up. I walked in front of him, kicking the grass. I let him stand for a while as I kicked before I flushed the pigeon. He didn’t move. I flushed all 4 pigeons and he stood without moving. He did move his head to watch them fly away but didn’t move his feet.
Puppies with collars and ropes.
I heeled him to the retrieving bench where he jumped on to it. I walked on both sides of the bench petting him. I opened his mouth and placed the retrieving dummy behind his canine teeth. Mann takes the dummy easier than Babe does but he doesn’t hold as well. I haven’t had him walk with the dummy but today he did real well on the hold command. I had him hold in 5 different places and he didn’t drop it, even once. I set him on the ground.
I heeled him a short distance and whoaed him. I took the piggin’ string off and tapped him on the head. He was going at top speed in just a few steps and when he saw the backing dog he started trying to stop but his momentum took him closer to the backing dog than Babe had been. But he honored. I walked in front of him kicking the cover.
I flushed the first pigeon and he didn’t move except to watch it fly away. I continued to kick the cover and flushed the second pigeon and laid the backing dog down. He didn’t move. I went to him and stroked his sides and told him what a good boy he is. I tapped his head to release him. We went back to the kennel.
More puppies.
PUPPIES
I put collars on the puppies and tied some para-cord ropes to the “D” ring. The puppies are 3 weeks old and I will start helping Sally by feeding them some formula that I mix, twice a day. I have a CD from Master’s Voice to cure gun shy dogs that I will play for them while they eat the formula.
I have played the gun shy cure CD for the last several litters I have raised. I think this is a good start for the puppies although you still need to be careful when the gun is introduced. Some of the people who have bought my pups, that have been conditioned with the CD, say that their puppies act like they really like the sound of a gun.
Putting the collars on with the short ropes helps the puppies get used to being pulled in different directions. As they lie in a pile, a rope will go moving in front of them and they will grab it and pull back. This teaches them to give to the lead without me having to be involved. Don’t blame it on me.
It’s been 3 years since I have had a litter of puppies and I’m really enjoying these. I’m sure that Sally thinks I’m down there too much but it’s hard to stay away. But the more I handle them the more socialized they will become.
Mann watching a pigeon fly away.
Babe beside the whoa barrel.
Mann by the whoa barrel.