I had my gall bladder removed almost two weeks ago so I haven’t been training the setter puppies the last two weeks. This morning I decided I could start back to training. I should have started really early but I didn’t get out until 7:45 am.
Babe pointing a pigeon.
Mann on point.
Babe on the chain gang waiting her turn.
I put an e-collar around the neck and flanks of the pups, have them drag a check cord and heel them out with the piggin’ string. I don’t even have the e-collars turned on. I’m just getting them used to wearing them.
This morning I went into Mann’s kennel to walk him first. He jumped onto his house but before I got inside his kennel he jumped off. He went to the back of his kennel and wouldn’t come to me so I went to Babe’s kennel. She jumped onto her house with a little help from me. I put the e-collars on her neck and flanks, hooked the check cord to her collar and heeled her out with the piggin’ string.
I walked her toward the front yard, stopping every few feet and telling her to whoa. I would tap her on the head and say, “heel” and step off. After a few feet say, “whoa” and stop. This morning I decided to try to walk around her while she was on whoa. I’ve always let her move when I step off but now I want her to stand still and let me walk around her.
I said, “whoa” and stood beside her for a few seconds then stepped in front of her. She was okay with me being in front but when I walked back beside her she wanted to turn with me. I tightened the piggin’ string by popping it then letting off. She yelped like I was killing her but I didn’t relent. She tried to sit down. I tapped her head and stepped off. After a few feet I whoaed her again.
Again, I stood beside her for a few seconds then started around her. This time she tried to move but stopped when I tightened the piggin’ string. This is really hard for the puppies. They want to do something but it’s hard for them to understand that all I want is for them not to move their feet.
Babe got better at standing still after 8 or 10 times of me trying to walk around her. I have a whoa board near the retrieving bench and I whoaed her on it and walked around her several times. I, also, whoaed her on the board and gently tugged on the piggin’ string while I stood right in front of her. She seemed to understand that she wasn’t supposed to move.
Next to the retrieving bench I have an airline kennel. I took the piggin’ string off and held the check cord. I walked her to the front of the kennel and said, “kennel”. I’ve worked both setter puppies on the kennel command. They both kennel pretty well. Babe went in several times then I put her on the chain gang.
I took the e-collars off Babe and went to the kennel after Mann. This time when I went into his kennel he jumped onto his house without any help from me. I put the e-collars around his neck and flanks. I hooked the check cord to his collar and put the piggin’ string around his neck. When he jumped off the house he landed in a pile. Sometimes, when they first have the e-collar around their flanks they act like their rear ends don’t work. He hit in a pile then jumped up.
Mann on point.
I walked him a few feet then whoaed him. After 7 or 8 times I whoaed him and tried to walk around him. He, too, wanted to move with me. I popped the piggin’ string a couple of times and said, “whoa”. The puppies start trying to figure out what I’m wanting. They try following and when that doesn’t work they try to sit. When they sit I tap their head and step off for a few feet.
After 7 or 8 times trying to walk around him he finally stayed without moving his feet. We will have to continue working on this. I whoaed him on the whoa board and was able to walk around him. I stood in front and gently pulled on the piggin’ string and he stayed on whoa.
I heeled him to the airline crate and kenneled him several times then put him on the chain gang, with Babe.
I hid two pigeons on the training grounds and put the e-collars back on Babe and turned her loose dragging a short check cord. The e-collars are not on and I never touch the check cord. I just want them to be used to having them. Later I will use them.
I had ridden the 4-wheeler to the back on my side but hid the pigeons on the neighbor’s side. Babe went to the back on my side then crossed to the neighbor’s side. When she smelled the pigeon she pointed then moved around the bird. I sat on the 4-wheeler and watched. She didn’t try to run in. She circled the pigeon pointing for a few seconds. I flushed the pigeon and it flew to a tree and lit on a limb. Babe chased and tried to jump high enough to get the bird.
Sally pointing a pigeon.
I walked to the cover near where the pigeon had been hidden and took a bird from the bird bag. I called Babe’s name as I kicked the cover. When she came toward me I dropped a pigeon from my hand and she chased as it flew away. I rode the 4-wheeler on toward the back and Babe came in front of me, hunting.
When we got near the bird hidden in the back she went on point on the other side of a clump of brush. She pointed for several seconds then started to move. I flushed the pigeon when she moved. She chased this bird about 35 yards and it lit in a tree. She jumped, walked on her hind legs and did everything she could think of to get the bird. I took a pigeon from the bird bag and kicked the cover near where the pigeon had been hidden. When she came close I dropped the pigeon and she chased it as it flew away.
I put Babe back on the chain gang. I reloaded the release traps and turned Mann loose with the e-collars and dragging the check cord. By the time I got on my 4-wheeler and rode about 25 yards he was at the back on my side. He rimmed the back and crossed to the neighbor’s side.
When he got close to the first bird, hidden in the tall weeds, he pointed. I took a pigeon from the bird bag and kicked the cover. I dropped the pigeon from my hand and he took about two steps closer to the bird he was pointing and went back on point. I flushed the bird in the release trap. The bird that flew into the tree when I worked Babe flew out of the tree, too.
Tur Bo
We went on back toward the back. I was looking for Mann and finally saw him on point on the other side of a clump of brush. I got off the 4-wheeler to walk around the clump and get some pictures. When I got to the other side he wasn’t there. He had moved back to the side where I had been. He was on point so I dropped the pigeon from the bird bag. When it flew off he didn’t move. I kicked the cover then flushed the pigeon from the release trap. He chased a short distance then went back to hunting.
I turned Babe loose and let them play for a while. It was warm and their play consisted of lying in the shade so I put them in their kennel.
It’s fun to get back to dog training after being off for a couple of weeks. It would be a lot nicer if the weather would get back to normal instead of this heat we are having. But it’s a great life I’m living. I have been blessed.
Mann pointing a pigeon.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
Babe after I’ve styled her.