It’s hard, with it raining every day, to get time to train these English setters. It didn’t rain much last night so I went out this morning to work the dogs. Sally is really big, with puppies, so I worked her first. Her due date is a week from today. That will be 63 days from her first breeding. I will put her in the air conditioned shed next Tuesday which is 59 days from the first breeding. My vet told me there are as many pups born on the 60th day as the 63rd. That may be to keep me awake more nights.
Sally, one week before the puppies are born.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
Luke pointing a pigeon.
I hid two pigeons, in release traps on my side of the training grounds. I put the GPS and e-collar on Sally and heeled her out with the piggin’ string. I whoaed her, climbed on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear then said, “okay”. As soon as I said, “okay” she was gone. Not as fast as she is when she’s not pregnant but she ran. I followed on the 4-wheeler.
I had hidden one of the birds in a grass strip that I had left on the training grounds. Sally was running the edge and missed the first bird but pointed when she hit the scent cone on the pigeon at the very back. I took some pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon. She turned her head but didn’t move. I stroked her sides and heeled her away.
I had a frozen quail with me. After a few yards I whoaed her and threw the frozen quail. She ran out, grabbed the quail and ran back. I stroked her sides for a few seconds then held my hand under her chin and said, “give”. She dropped it in my hand. As I started to throw the quail again she followed my hand. I threw the bird and she ran to it, picked it up and came back. I petted her for a few seconds then had her drop it in my hand. She wanted to retrieve again but I released her to hunt.
She was pretty close to the next bird when she pointed. I don’t know if there wasn’t much smell or she was breathing too hard to smell them at a distance. I set her back a little ways then went in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon. She didn’t move. I heeled her away.
I tossed the frozen quail into the grass strip. She ran out, scooped the quail up and ran back. I petted her for a few seconds then had her drop the frozen quail into my hand. I tossed it into some cover and she went after it. She found it right away, grabbed it and brought it back. I petted her for a few seconds then threw the quail one more time. After she brought the bird back we returned to the kennel.
I reloaded the release traps and heeled Tur Bo out wearing the GPS collar and an e-collar. I whoaed him, got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear and said, “okay”. He was gone. I followed on the 4-wheeler. He was just off the edge as he ran down the training grounds. He was going all out when he got a little of the scent cone, stopped, took a step to straighten up then went on point. I took pictures then walked in front kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and he took one step. That’s as close as I will ever get him to steady to wing and shot. If I had of had the blank pistol he would have taken another step when I shot. I’m okay with this.
I stroked his sides then threw a frozen quail for him. He ran out, grabbed it and came back. He circled me then sat in front of me but he was looking away from me, so he could see me throw the quail again. I had him hold while I stroked his sides then had him give. I threw the quail into some cover. He raced out, scooped it up and came back. He sat in front of me looking out. I had him drop the bird in my hand then heeled him away. I released him to hunt.
Sally pointing a pigeon.
There was a large walnut tree between Tur Bo and the next pigeon when he went on point. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. When the pigeon flushed he took a step and watched it fly away. I stroked his sides then heeled him away.
After a few yards I whoaed him and threw the frozen quail. He charged out, grabbed the bird and came back in a dead run. He sat, looking away from me. I had him drop the quail in my hand after I petted him for a few seconds. A pigeon flew out of a tree as I threw the quail and he watched the pigeon rather than the quail. I sent him in the direction of the quail but he came back before he got close. I walked out with him sayin, “hunt dead, hunt dead”. He made a couple of passes, found the bird and scooped it up. He brought it to me. I had him drop it in my hand. We went back to the kennel.
After I reloaded the release traps I brought Luke out with the GPS and e-collars on. I whoaed him, got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear and said, “okay”. Luke, at nine years old, is the fastest dog I have. I followed on the 4-wheeler.
He was going really fast when he hit the scent cone and locked up. I took some pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon. He didn’t move. I stroked his sides then tapped him on the head. Luke will hunt dead but he doesn’t retrieve.
He hit the edge and took it on to the back. When he hit the scent cone on the pigeon he slid to a stop. I stroked his sides, took some pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon. He didn’t move. I took him back to the kennel.
Mann pointing a pigeon.
As I reloaded the traps the clouds started rolling in. I heeled Mann out with the GPS and E-collars around his neck. Usually, I put him on the retrieving bench but with the sky looking like it would rain any second, I heeled him to the training grounds and turned him loose to hunt. The wind was blowing a little harder and when he got close to the first pigeon he pointed. High on both ends. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon. He didn’t move. I heeled him a few yards then released him to hunt.
He went on toward the back and hit the scent cone on the pigeon and went on point. Some of the time the dogs don’t look as good on pigeons as they do on wild birds but Mann was looking really good today. I took pictures then went in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon. He didn’t move. I took him back to the kennel.
After reloading the release traps I heeled Babe out with the piggin’ string, wearing the GPS collar and an e-collar. Babe is a special case. When she first started pointing she wanted to circle the bird. I think I have convinced her to just point and stay in one spot but she is so happy to find the bird that she wags all over. I have been putting her on the whoa barrel to stop the tail wagging. I whoaed her a few times then put her on the barrel.
She would clamp her tail down if I let her. I styled her up. I took a pigeon from the bird bag holding it by it’s feet letting it flap. After a few seconds I let it fly away. She didn’t move. I took another pigeon from the bag, put it to sleep and placed it on the ground near the barrel. She watched the bird. I took some pictures then rolled the bird over waking it. She didn’t move as it flew away.
Babe with the pigeon awake on the barrel.
I put another pigeon to sleep and placed it on the barrel right in front of her. I stroked her sides repeating, “whoa, whoa”. The pigeon awoke but just stood there. I took pictures. I took a short video that I put on Face Book, on Hunting With English Setters. The pigeon stood in front of her for several seconds. Finally, I flushed the pigeon and it flew just a few yards away and walked around. She still didn’t move.
I took the last pigeon from the bird bag, held it by it’s feet, to let it flap then let it fly away. She didn’t move. I set her on the ground and said, “whoa”. She stood with her tail not moving. I heeled her to the training grounds.
I worked her with a long check cord because she likes to go to the west of my place. Sometimes a long way west. She has a lot of room to work at the end of the check cord and when she hit the scent cone on the first bird she whirled into a point. Her tail was going. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. Her tail stopped moving and I flushed the pigeon. She just turned her head to watch the bird fly away. I stroked her sides then tapped her head.
When we got close to the next pigeon she pointed. Her tail was really happy. I stood beside her and put just a finger on the tip of her tail and it stopped moving. If I moved my finger she started wagging. I kept my finger on her tail and let her point for about a minute, telling her what a good girl she is. I flushed the pigeon and removed my finger. I tapped her head and we went back to the kennel.
I’m not sure what it’s going to take to stop Babe’s tail from moving. I may not ever get it to quit moving but she still will make a bird dog. She’s just happy to find a bird. That’s a lot better than having a dog that doesn’t want to find a bird. She’s not a field trial dog but I’m not sure other dogs will recognize her being on point if she’s wagging. They might not honor her points. It’s a long time until the season opens so I will keep working with her. Wild birds may do the trick. We’ll see.
I had only been back to the house a few minutes when it started raining. Somedays things work out. I have a lot more good days than bad. I have been blessed.
Mann pointing a pigeon.
Babe with the pigeon asleep on the barrel.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.