Traveling Pointing Dogs

Luke pointing a pigeon.

Tur Bo after the pigeon has flown.

Blaze pointing a pigeon.

When I’m training dogs I try to stay ahead of them but usually they out figure me. I trained yesterday and today at the county park near my home. It dawned on me that Tur Bo moved on any bird he could see on the ground. He held his point until I got there but he wanted to flush the bird. Yesterday, Blaze also moved on a bird that was slow getting off the ground. Luke hasn’t been moving on his birds but he may be lying in the kennel trying to out figure me some where. Time will tell.

When we got to the park I put the e-collars on Luke’s neck and flanks. I had a bag of pigeons and as we went through the high weeds I tried to put a pigeon to sleep. I must have tried 5 or 6 times and the pigeon wouldn’t go to sleep. They must not like this very much. I gave up and when Luke ran close to me I threw the pigeon in front of him. The pigeon went right in front of him just above the grass. He stopped. I kicked the tall grass then stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is.

We have a weather front coming in and the wind was blowing pretty hard but erratic. Some time from the north and sometime from the south. I put a pigeon to sleep and hid it in the grass. Even in the green fescue he was about 10 yards from the bird when he pointed. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the tall grass. I flushed the pigeon and he watched it fly away without moving. I took him back to the truck.

I put the e-collars on Tur Bo and heeled him to the field. As we started through the field I put a pigeon to sleep and called him back. When the dogs get close I tell them to, “look close”. I hope this carries over to the field and when I know where some singles have landed, I can get them to hunt close to me. Tur Bo pointed the pigeon. He was real close to the pigeon but couldn’t see it. I knew that he would see it the second it awoke. I held his collar as I kicked the grass. He saw the pigeon and tried to move. I picked him up and set him farther back. I woke the bird and it flew away. He watched without moving. I kicked all around then released him.

As we went on through the field I put another bird to sleep and hid it in the grass. Tur Bo caught the wind just right and he was well off this pigeon when he pointed. I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I took pictures then flushed the bird. He didn’t move. I kicked the tall grass some more then released him after stroking his sides.

The next pigeon I put to sleep was a white one. Dogs can see white pigeons really well. He was 10 or 12 yards from this bird when he pointed but he could still see it. I started kicking the cover between him and the bird. After about 15 seconds he decided to help me but I was between him and the bird. I caught his collar, as he made a move for the pigeon, and picked him up. I shook him 4 or 5 times and then said, “whoa” one time. I put him back where he had originally pointed. I kicked in front of him hen woke the pigeon. It stood for a couple of seconds before flying but he just stood and watched it fly away. I stroked his sides then walked around kicking the cover then went back to him and stroked his sides again. I tapped his head to release him. I took him back to the truck.

I put the e-collars on Blaze and walked down the field with her. I had another pigeon that didn’t want to go to sleep so when she got close I threw the bird right over her head. She stopped and watched it fly away. I kicked the cover then went to her, stroked her sides then released her.

Yesterday, she had tried to catch a bird that was slow flying off. The pigeon was real close and it took a few steps before flying. When she moved I grabbed her and as I carried her back I held the button on her flank collar down. As soon as her feet touched the ground I let off the button. Today, when I hid a bird in the grass she was 8 yards or more from it but could still see the pigeon. I was holding the transmitter as I walked in front of her. When I woke the pigeon it took 2 or 3 steps then fluttered toward a tree. It stayed low coming within about 4 or 5 feet of Blaze. I just knew she was going to grab it but she never moved. I went to her immediately, stroked her sides and told her what a good girl she is. I kicked the cover in front of her then petted her again. I released her and took her to the truck.

I think with enough repetitions all 3 of these dogs will figure out that they can’t move until I release them. I ran Tur Bo in 2 AKC hunt tests in the Junior Hunter class. He qualified in both of them and he needs 2 more to get his Junior Hunter title. If he goes on to the next class he has to be steady to wing, shot and fall. He, also, has to retrieve. I have been working all 3 of them on retrieving, also. I enjoyed running the hunt tests and this fall I will try to get the other two legs of the Junior Hunter. I may try to get his Senior Hunter and maybe his Master Hunter titles. That takes a lot of work but I enjoy working with my dogs.

Luke

Tur Bo

Blaze

Luke pointing a pigeon.

Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.

Blaze pointing the pigeons on their house.

In his book, Training Pointing Dogs, Paul Long tells how to get your dog steady to flush. In the book he emphasizes that the dog must be well broke on “whoa”. Then, with a bag of birds, you let your dog run. When he comes by you throw a pigeon or any good flying bird in front of him. Without saying anything hit the button of the e-collar. He should pause. If not wait a few minutes and throw another when he comes close. Hit the e-collar again. Continue to do this until he no longer chases. Usually, they will stop on the third or fourth bird. When Paul Long wrote his book e-collars were on or off. On was really hot.

I use his method with a few changes. E-collars now have different levels of shock so we can train differently. I train my dogs with an e-collar around their flanks. They know that any time they feel stimulation on their flanks they should stop. I run the dogs and when they come by I throw the pigeon in front of them and hit the button on the flank e-collar. The transmitter is set on the level that they are trained with. I hold the button down until they stop.

With this in mind, I loaded Blaze, Tur Bo and Luke plus several pigeons in the truck and drove to the county park near my house. I turned Luke loose first. As he ran to the front I threw a pigeon when he came close. He stopped without me having to hit the e-collar. He’s been through this before. This exercise makes them sticky. He would run a ways then stop and look at me. I kept urging him on. He went into a line of brush so I took this opportunity to put a pigeon to sleep and hide it in the grass. I didn’t see Luke so I called him. I took a couple of steps and saw him standing watching me. I think he had watched me hide the bird. I tapped his head to release him. He acted surprised when he hit the scent cone but he locked up on point. I walked around him kicking the grass then woke the pigeon. He didn’t move when it flew away. I took him back to the truck.

Next up was Tur Bo. As he ran in front of me I hid a pigeon in the grass. I called him back. All of my dogs are more used to the pigeons being in release traps. I think the release trap puts some scent out, also. He slammed into a point. I walked around him kicking the grass. I woke the pigeon and it flew away. He took a couple of steps and stopped. I carried him back. I walked around kicking the grass then released him.

As he ran close I threw a pigeon. He started chasing. I held the button on his e-collar down but it didn’t faze him. I turned it up 2 notches and he stopped. I went to him and stroked his sides then tapped his head to release him. He ran the field but every once in a while he would stop expecting me to throw another pigeon. I had to keep urging him on. Finally, I threw another pigeon and he stopped. The pigeon didn’t get very high and flew directly over his head. I was holding the transmitter but I didn’t have to touch it. This was the second day I had used this on him. Luke and Blaze had been through this before. He was sticky until we headed back to the truck. Dogs seem to sense when we are through training. I put him in the truck.

I brought Blaze out. As she ran the field I hid a pigeon in the grass. I called her back and she went on point, when she hit the scent cone. I walked around her kicking the grass. I woke the pigeon and it just stood there for a second. Blaze couldn’t stand it. She broke to catch the pigeon and it just barely got away. She had a feather in her mouth. As soon as the pigeon flew away she stopped. I carried her back and kicked the grass some more then released her.

We went on toward the back. When she got close I threw a pigeon in front of her and she stopped. I walked around her kicking the cover. I stroked her sides then released her. She, too, was really sticky. Stopping every once in a while waiting for me to throw another pigeon. I took her back to the truck.

Doing this exercise makes the dogs really sticky. You should run them several times after you finish this to make sure they will run like normal. I didn’t do this several years ago and ran a pointer I owned in a walking trial. We were half way through our run before she went to hunting like she usually did. Once she figured out there were birds in the field she forgot about me.

I am going to run the dogs through this for a while then use a couple of pigeons then throw a quail in front of them. I’m hoping the pigeons will entice them to stop even on quail. Luke is 6, Blaze is 4 and Tur Bo is 3 and they have been allowed to chase after the flush, when we are hunting. Now I’m asking them to stop. If you never let them chase or only chase for a short time as pups it’s easier to break them steady to wing and shot. But if my dogs were perfect I wouldn’t have anything to write about.

Blaze beside the whoa board.

Luke pointing the quail pen

Tur Bo and Dolly both on point.

Tur Bo came off the whoa board.

Retrieving dummies.

Blaze on the whoa board.

Luke on the whoa board.

I spent the morning training dogs. I am working the dogs on retrieving and being steady to wing and shot. I’m writing almost the same thing each time because it takes a lot of repetition. One seminar, I went to, showed how to make a dog steady to wing and shot by turning the e-collar all the way up and shocking the dog when it moved. It works but in my opinion you take something out of the dog and some dogs will just quit. It takes longer the way I do it but the dog and I both feel better about it.

I put the Sport Dog e-collars on Tur Bo’s neck and flanks and heeled him to the retrieving bench with the piggin’ string. I took the retrieving bumper, that I had him carry, before he jumped onto the retrieving bench. I petted him every few feet as he walked back and forth on the bench. I put 6 bumpers on the other end and sent him to retrieve. When he got back to me with the bumper I petted him for 15 seconds or more before taking the bumper from him. He waited until I sent him to retrieve then held the bumper until I said, “give” each time. I set him on the ground.

I dropped the 6 bumpers next to the retrieving bench. I sent him to retrieve then made him hold the bumper, while I petted him, before I took it. I whoaed him and threw a bumper. I tapped his head and said, “fetch”. He brought the bumper back and I petted him for a few seconds before saying, “give”. He dropped it in my hand. He would still rather go to the whoa board where the birds are but he retrieved each one when he was sent. I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold a bumper and heeled him to the whoa board. I took the bumper from him and placed him on the whoa board.

I got a pigeon from the 4-wheeler, put it to sleep and placed it below Tur Bo on the ground. Tur Bo was standing on the whoa board looking almost straight down on the pigeon. Luke started barking, in his kennel, so I left Tur Bo and walked to the kennel. I put a bark collar on Luke and when I came back Tur Bo was off the board. Since I was gone he thought he could catch the pigeon. The chain and cable kept him from getting to it. I put him back on the whoa board. I woke the pigeon and it flew away.

I put another pigeon to sleep and put it beneath him. I threw my gloves and walked around the whoa board then woke the pigeon. He didn’t move as it flew away. I set him on the ground. I had driven a stake in the ground and tied on a check cord. I tied a half hitch around his flanks and snapped the end to his collar.

I whoaed him and put a pigeon to sleep in front of him. I threw my gloves near the pigeon then kicked the ground. When I moved my foot near the bird to wake it up Tur Bo leaned back as if he was going to grab the bird. The last time I worked him on this he tried to catch two pigeons. He leaned back a little but when the pigeon flew away he didn’t move. I worked him on 3 more pigeons as he stood on point and although he leaned back a little he never moved to catch one. He never tightened the check cord around his flanks.

I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold a bumper and heeled him away. After about 30 yards I stopped him and took the bumper. I heeled him another 10 yards then released him. He ran to the quail pen and went on point.

I chased the quail back and forth in front of him. He didn’t move so I went into the pen and got a few of them to fly. He stood taller but he didn’t move. I took him back to the kennel.

I brought Blaze out with the e-collars on her neck and flanks. I had her hold a bumper as we went to the retrieving bench. I took it from her before she jumped onto the bench. I petted her then put 6 bumpers on the other end and sent her to retrieve. I make her wait until I send her to retrieve then have her hold the bumper until I say give. She did it each time real well. I set her on the ground.

I dropped the 6 bumpers beside the bench and sent her to retrieve. I make her retrieve beside the bench just as she does on the bench. After she retrieved all six I threw a bumper for her 5 or 6 times. I say, “whoa”, throw the bumper and after it quits rolling I say, “fetch”. She enjoys this more than the retrieving beside the bench. I put the piggin’ string on her, had her hold a bumper and heeled her to the whoa board.

I placed her on the whoa board, got a pigeon from the 4-wheeler and placed it below her. I’m not sure I could walk away and have her stay on the board but she didn’t move even when I woke the pigeon and it flew away. I set her on the ground and put a half hitch around her flanks with the check cord.

I put a pigeon to sleep and placed it in front of her. I threw my gloves and the retrieving bumper. I walked back and forth, kicking the ground. I gently rolled the pigeon over and it woke up. It stood for a couple of seconds before flying away but she didn’t move. I put another pigeon to sleep in front of her and she handled it just as well. At no time did she move her feet. I put the piggin’ string on her, had her hold a bumper and heeled her away.

I heeled her about 30 yards, stopped her and took the bumper. I heeled her another 10 yards and released her. She ran to the quail pen and went on point. I moved the birds back and forth in front of her. I went inside the pen and got a few to fly from one end of the pen to the other. She didn’t move. I put the piggin’ string on her and heeled her away. About half way to the kennel I turned her loose. There were some pigeons sitting on top of their house and she went on point. She looked really good so I took some pictures then flushed the pigeons. She didn’t move. I put her in the kennel.

These dogs are steady to wing on wild birds and now I’m trying to get them steady to wing and shot. It’s a long time until the season opens so I’m only working them 2 or 3 times a week. I’m also working them on retrieving. I sometimes work them twice a day on retrieving but not every day. I have 5 dogs and some days I throw bumpers for each one. They all enjoy this fun time. And I do too.

Blaze pointing the pigeons on their house.

Luke pointing a pigeon near the whoa board.

Tur Bo pointing a pigeon near the whoa board.