Traveling Pointing Dogs

Tur Bo pointing at the quail pen.

Luke pointing at the quail pen.

Blaze on the whoa board.

It’s been pretty dry until this week. Today was the first day without rain for several days and I was able to do some dog training. I put the Sport Dog e-collars on Tur Bo’s neck and flanks and heeled him to the retrieving bench. I stopped him right out of the kennel and had him carry a retrieving dummy. Just before he jumped onto the bench I took the dummy from him. I walked him up and down the bench petting him every few feet.

I put 5 bumpers on the other end of the bench and sent him to retrieve. He retrieved each one with no problems. I’m making all of the dogs wait until I send them to retrieve and then make them hold the bumper until I say give. I set him on the ground.

I dropped all 5 bumpers next to the bench and sent him to retrieve. He retrieved the first one and held it until I said, “give”. I sent him to get the next one and he ran out scooped it up, ran to the whoa board and reared up on it. I called him but he wouldn’t even look at me. I think he was saying lets do something with birds. I only called him two times. If a dog doesn’t perform a command the first time and you keep saying the command, over and over, you are teaching him to ignore your commands. I went to him, put the piggin’ string around his neck, told him to hold the bumper and heeled him back near the retrieving bench.

I stopped him, took the bumper and lined him up on the other bumpers on the ground. I sent him to retrieve. He ran out and scooped the bumper up and returned. I petted him for a few seconds before having him give the bumper. I sent him to get the other two and he retrieved them perfectly. I threw a bumper for him and although he made several circles like he was going to the whoa board he went ahead and retrieved them just fine. I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold the bumper and heeled him to the whoa board. Just before we got to the board I took the bumper from him. I placed him on the board.

I put a pigeon to sleep in front of the whoa board. I took some pictures then threw my gloves near the pigeon. I woke the pigeon up and it flew away. He didn’t move. I set him on the ground and told him to whoa.

I put a pigeon to sleep in front of him. I threw my gloves near the pigeon but they didn’t bother Tur Bo. I put my foot close to the pigeon and he reared back without moving his feet. I went to him, stroked his sides and he quit leaning back. I went to the pigeon and when my foot got close to the pigeon he leaned back. When I woke the pigeon up it just stood up. Tur Bo charged toward the pigeon and I pushed the button on the e-collar around his flanks but I also grabbed his collar. He got close to the pigeon but didn’t catch it. The pigeon flew away. I carried him back. I always lay the piggin’ string near the whoa board and set the dogs behind it. Then if they move I know where to reset them.

I whoaed him and put another pigeon to sleep in front of him. I took some pictures, threw my gloves and woke the pigeon. He didn’t move when it flew away. I put another pigeon to sleep in front of him. After I threw my gloves he started leaning backwards as my foot got close to the pigeon. I went to him, stroked his sides telling him to whoa. He leaned back forward. When I got close to the pigeon he started leaning back. I had the transmitter to the e-collars in my left hand. I gently woke the pigeon up and Tur Bo charged again. I held the button down on the flank collar and caught his regular collar in my right hand. He got close but didn’t catch the pigeon. The bird flew away. I set him back behind the piggin’ string.

I put another pigeon to sleep in front of him. I threw my gloves then went to him and stroked his sides. I picked up the gloves and threw them again. I woke the pigeon up and he watched it fly away. I had one more pigeon on the 4-wheeler and put it to sleep in front of him. I threw my gloves. I went to him and stroked his sides. I picked the gloves up and threw them again. One of the gloves must have woke the pigeon up. It flew away. Tur Bo didn’t move.

I went to him, put the piggin’ string around his neck, had him hold a bumper and heeled him away. We went about 30 yards and I stopped him. I took the bumper and heeled him another ten yards. I whoaed him then tapped him on the head for the release. He ran to the quail pen and went on point.

I chased the quail to the other end then back. He didn’t move so I went inside the pen to chase the quail. I got a couple to fly and one flew right in front of him. He didn’t move. I chased them back by him again then put the piggin’ string on him. I heeled him back to the kennel.

I brought Blaze out next. I had her hold the bumper on the way to the retrieving bench. Just before she jumped onto the bench I took the bumper. I walked her back and forth petting her every few feet. I put 5 bumpers on the other end and sent her to retrieve. She scooped each one up, ran back to me and held each one until I told her to give. I set her on the ground.

I whoaed her and dropped the 5 bumpers next to the bench. I sent her to retrieve. She retrieved each one and held them until I said, “give”. I whoaed her and tossed a bumper. She stood until I sent her to retrieve. She retrieved it 5 or 6 times and held it until I took it from her. I put the piggin’ string on her, had her hold the bumper and heeled her to the whoa board.

I took the bumper and placed her on the whoa board. I put a pigeon to sleep in front of her. I threw my gloves then woke the pigeon up. It walked to the whoa board then went under it. Blaze wanted off the board but the drop chain held her on. She has fell off before so she knew how far she could go. I straightened her up and the pigeon continued to walk around under her. I herded it back and forth. I stroked Blaze’s sides, straightened her up and told her to whoa. I moved the pigeon under her again. Finally, the pigeon flew about 20 yards and landed on the ground.

I got a fishing net to catch the pigeon then set Blaze on the ground. I put another pigeon to sleep in front of her. I threw my gloves then woke the pigeon. It stood for a second before flying and Blaze tried to catch it. I held the button on her flank e-collar down and caught her regular collar, stopping her. The pigeon flew away. I set her behind the piggin’ string, telling her to whoa and put another pigeon to sleep in front of her.

I threw my gloves and walked around her taking pictures. I let her stand for a longer period of time before waking the pigeon. She didn’t move when it flew away. I put another bird to sleep in front of her. I threw the gloves and the retrieving bumper. I woke the pigeon and she didn’t move when it flew away. I put the piggin’ string on her, had her hold the retrieving bumper and heeled her away. We went about 30 yards. I stopped her and took the bumper. I heeled her about ten yards then released her. She ran to the quail pen and went on point.

I chased the quail in front of her. I went inside the pen causing some quail to fly. She moved up to the edge of the pen. I moved her back. I went back into the pen causing some of the birds to fly. This time she didn’t move. I chased the quail in front of her another couple of times then took her back to the kennel.

I heeled Luke to the retrieving bench with him holding a bumper. I took it from him before he jumped onto the bench. I walked him back and forth petting him every few feet. I put 5 bumpers on the other end and sent him to retrieve. He retrieved each one and held them until I took them from him. I set him on the ground.

I told him to whoa and dropped the 5 bumpers next to the bench. I sent him to retrieve and he retrieved each one holding until I said, “give”. I tossed a bumper 5 or 6 times and he retrieved each one. He held them until I said, “give”. I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold a bumper and heeled him to the whoa board. I took the bumper before placing him on the board.

I put a pigeon to sleep in front of him. I took pictures, threw the gloves, then woke the pigeon. He didn’t move when the bird flew away. I set him on the ground and put a pigeon to sleep in front of him.

I threw the gloves, took pictures and woke the pigeon up. He didn’t move when the bird flew away. I put another pigeon to sleep closer to him. I threw the gloves and the bird woke up. It stood up and took a step. Luke tried to catch it but I was in front of him. I held the button on the flank e-collar down and set him back. As soon as his feet touched the ground I let off the button. I was out of birds on the 4-wheeler so I made him stand, on whoa, for a couple of minutes.

I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold a bumper and heeled him away. We went about 30 yards and I stopped him taking the bumper. I released him after another ten yards. He went to the quail pen and went on point. I chased the quail in front of him then went inside the pen causing some birds to fly. He didn’t move. I chased the birds in front of him several times with some of them flying. He didn’t move. I took him back to the kennel.

The dog training is paying off. All of the dogs are holding the bumpers, most of the time, until I tell them to give. Although, all 3 dogs moved on the pigeons today they are getting better. I’m placing the birds closer to them causing them to break but they need to learn that they aren’t supposed to move until I tell them. It’s a long time until the season opens and with enough repetitions they will get there.

A pigeon right in front of Luke.

A pigeon under Blaze.

Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.

Blaze after a pigeon had flown.

Luke on the ground pointing a pigeon.

Tur Bo on the whoa board pointing a pigeon.

I worked dogs for the first time, this morning, since I ran Tur Bo in the AKC Hunt Test. I put the Sport Dog e-collars on Blaze’s flanks and neck then heeled her toward the retrieving bench using the piggin’ string. I whoaed her and had her hold a retrieving dummy as we went to the bench. I stopped her and took the bumper before she jumped onto the retrieving bench. I usually say, “up” just before they jump onto the bench. I walked her back and forth petting her every few feet.

I put 4 bumpers on the other end of the retrieving bench and sent her to retrieve. She ran down the bench, grabbed a bumper and ran back. I petted her then said, “give”. She held it each time until I said, “give”. I have been working them more on the hold command and I insist on them holding until I say, “give”. I set her on the ground and said, “whoa”.

I threw the 4 bumpers along side the bench and sent her to retrieve. She retrieved each one and held them until I told her to give. I told her to whoa then threw a bumper. I waved in the direction of the bumper and said, “fetch”. She retrieved it 5 times in a row and held it each time until I said, “give”. I put the piggin’ string on her, had her hold the bumper and heeled her to the whoa board.

I took the bumper from her and put her on the whoa board. I got a pigeon from the box on the 4-wheeler and put it to sleep in front of her. I threw my gloves and the bumper close to the pigeon. She didn’t move. I woke the pigeon up and it flew away. She still didn’t move. I set her on the ground saying, “whoa”. I put a pigeon to sleep right in front of her. I threw my gloves and the bumper near the pigeon. I woke it up and it flew away. She didn’t move.

I put another pigeon to sleep in front of her. I threw my gloves near the pigeon. I picked the gloves up, shook them and threw them past her. I woke the pigeon up and it flew away. The last time I worked her on this she moved a couple of times but today she didn’t move. I put the piggin’ string on her, had her take a retrieving bumper and heeled her away. I stopped her and took the bumper after about 25 yards. I heeled her for another 10 yards, whoaed her then tapped her on the head to release her.

She ran to the quail pen and went on point. I chased the quail around in front of her and she didn’t move. I went inside the quail pen and chased the birds until a few flew from one end to the other. She didn’t move. I chased the birds around for a few minutes then put the piggin’ string on her and heeled her away. I took her back to the kennel.

I brought Luke out with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. I had him hold a retrieving bumper as we went to the retrieving bench. I took the bumper from him just before he jumped onto the bench. I walked him up and down the bench petting him every few feet. I put 4 bumpers on the other end and sent him to retrieve. He retrieved each one and held them until I said, “give”. I have really been emphasizing the hold command and it’s starting to pay off. I set him on the ground and said, “whoa”.

I threw all 4 bumpers right beside the bench and sent him to retrieve. He got each one but he made a circle each time like he was going to the quail pen. After he brought the 4 bumpers from beside the bench back I threw a bumper for him. The first time I threw it he wanted to spit it out as soon as he got close to me but I made him pick it up and hold it. I then threw it for him 5 times and he held it each time until I said, “give”.

I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold the bumper and heeled him to the whoa board. I took the bumper from him and placed him on the board. I put a pigeon to sleep in front of the whoa board. I threw the gloves and retrieving bumper near the pigeon. Then I woke the pigeon up and it flew away. He didn’t move. I set him on the ground and said, “whoa”.

I put a pigeon to sleep in front of him. I threw the gloves near the pigeon and it woke up and flew away. I got another pigeon from the 4-wheeler, put it to sleep and put it a little closer to him. I threw the gloves and the bumper. I gently rolled the pigeon over with my foot and it flew away. He didn’t move.

I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold the bumper and heeled him away. After about 25 yards I stopped him, took the bumper and heeled him another 10 yards. I tapped him on the head to release him. Luke first checked where he thought a pigeon had lit then went to the quail pen and went on point. I chased the quail around in front of him then went inside the pen. I got a few to fly and he never moved. I put the piggin’ string on him and took him back to the kennel.

I had to put more pigeons in the box on the 4-wheeler before I worked Tur Bo. I brought him out with the e-collars on him. I had him carry a bumper. Near the retrieving bench I stopped him and took the bumper. He jumped onto the bench and I walked him around petting him every few feet. I put 4 bumpers on the other end of the bench and sent him to retrieve. He retrieved each one and held them until I said, “give”. I set him on the ground and said, “whoa”.

I tossed the 4 bumpers right beside the bench and sent him to retrieve. He retrieved each one and held them until I said, “give”. I tossed the bumper 6 or 7 times and he held it each time until I said, “give”. Some of the time I made him whoa until I told him to fetch and some of the time I teased him with it then threw it. When I teased him with the bumper he went without waiting.

I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold the bumper and heeled him to the whoa board. I stopped him, took the bumper and placed him on the whoa board. I put a pigeon to sleep in front of him. I threw my gloves then the bumper near the pigeon. I woke the bird up and it flew away. He didn’t move.

I set him on the ground. I put a pigeon to sleep in front of him. I threw the gloves and the bumper near the pigeon. When I put my foot next to the pigeon to wake it up he started leaning forward. I woke the pigeon up and he ran forward. I was holding the transmitter and held the button down on his flank e-collar. He kept moving and I grabbed the flank collar and picked his rear end up. He was able to just barely get to the pigeon but when I picked him up it flew away. I held the button on the e-collar down until I half dragged half carried him to where he had originally been. I let off the button when I released my hold on his e-collar.

I told him, “whoa” again and got another pigeon from the 4-wheeler. I put it to sleep but farther away from him than the first had been. I threw the gloves and the bumper. I shook the gloves and threw them back close to him. I held the transmitter in my hand as I woke the pigeon up but he didn’t move. I got another pigeon and put it to sleep. I placed it where the one just before had been. I threw the gloves near the pigeon. I shook the gloves and then threw them close to him. He didn’t move. I flushed the bird and he didn’t move.

I was anticipating Tur Bo chasing the birds so I had put 5 pigeons in the box for him. I got the last one out of the box and put it to sleep. I placed it about where the one he had tried to catch had been. I threw the gloves and the pigeon woke up on it’s own. It took a couple of steps then flew away. Tur Bo didn’t move. He just watched it fly away. I put the piggin’ string on him and had him hold a bumper. I heeled him about 10 yards and he started pulling to the side so he could go to the quail pen. I popped the piggin’ string and he came back by my side but dropped the bumper. I held the button on the e-collar around his neck until he picked up the bumper.

He and Luke both had been staring into the back yard. I thought maybe something was back there. I heeled him about another 100 yards. I stopped him and took the bumper. I heeled him another 10 yards into the back yard. I stopped him, took the piggin’ string off and tapped his head to release him. He turned around, went straight to the quail pen and went on point.

I chased the quail back and forth in front of him then went inside the pen. Because he had moved on the pigeon I made the quail fly several times. He stood for the first two but the third time a quail flew right in front of him he moved to the edge of the pen. I held the button down on the flank e-collar, picked him up and set him back. I let off the button when his feet touched the ground. I went back into the pen and caused the quail to fly again. This time he didn’t move. I put the piggin’ on him and took him back to the kennel.

All 3 dogs have gotten a lot better on the hold command and are fetching from the bench and the ground. They all act like they enjoy retrieving now. Hopefully, I will have them retrieving this fall and being steady to wing and shot. At least this will give me something to work my dogs on until the season opens.

Tur Bo on the whoa board.

Luke at the quail pen.

Blaze at the quail pen.

The quail wagon at the hunt test.

Gallery watching the call back.

Tur Bo waiting his turn.

Tur Bo is registered with American Field and American Kennel Club so he can run in either field trials or hunt tests with AKC clubs. He ran in a hunt test on Saturday, 4/16/16 and Sunday 4/17/16. This was a first for him and me both. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived at Hillsdale Lake for the hunt test.

Master hunt test would be run first followed by Senior hunters then Junior hunters which is what Tur Bo was in. Master hunters have to be steady to wing, shot and fall but, also, have to be steady to the other dog’s retrieve, without any handling. Senior hunters have to be steady to wing, shot and fall but on the other dog’s retrieve the handler can hold his dog. Both of these classes also have to have an honor. Junior hunters are scored on; Hunting, Bird finding ability, Pointing and Train-ability.

Saturday morning Tur Bo and I got there about 9:00 am. I checked in with the Hunt Test Secretary, Mark Swanson. He said we would probably run in about 5 hours, give or take a little. At least I wasn’t late. I talked to several people, asking lots of questions, since this is our first time. I staked Tur Bo out to a fence that was close to the truck. After a little while I decided I had time to go to town and get breakfast so I loaded Tur Bo into the truck.

When I got back I staked Tur Bo out under a tree with his water bucket close. Someone kept the hunt test runs on a white board near the grounds so I checked it to see the progress. There were several call backs which would delay our run. I’m not good at waiting. I paced back and forth talking to anyone that slowed down close to me. About noon I decided that Tur Bo needed some exercise so I loaded him into the truck and drove a few miles away. (It may have been me that needed the exercise.) I found an area that had a hedge row on the east and west sides of about 40 acres of plowed ground. Where I parked the truck was a big puddle of water.

I put the Garmin GPS collar and the Sport Dog e-collar on him before turning him loose. I walked the edge of the plowed ground as he hunted the hillside to the west. It was 70 degrees but he was soon out too far. I beeped him with the e-collar and he came back in. We circled the field and when we got back to the truck he laid down in the puddle. When I got back to the hunt test he was wet and muddy but cooler.

Tur Bo was in the first brace in the Juniors. I got ready to go out and they had to run a couple of call backs. They were close enough that Tur Bo watched and got fired up. He had been really calm all morning. I think he figured I had the nervousness covered so he could be calm. His brace mate was a young German Short-haired Pointer ran by a young lady. (I didn’t hear her name or write her dog’s name down.)

The course started with a short run to a turn then a long run to a water trough where we wet the dogs down good to cool them. It was about 75 degrees by this time. Just a little way from the water was the bird field. Tur Bo entered the field and went on point within a minute. I walked in front of him without flushing anything. I asked the judge if I could relocate and she gave me permission. He made a circle and pointed again in almost the same place. Again, I couldn’t flush anything so I relocated him and he left the area but about 30 yards away he pointed again. This time when I went in front of him a bird flushed and I shot the blank pistol. He chased it but came back.

We moved on through the bird field and he pointed again. He was closer to this bird and when I flushed it it got tangled in the grass. He’s fast. He caught it. I didn’t even have time to shoot the blank pistol. He started away from me and I grabbed for his collar. He dropped the quail and it tried to fly away again. He grabbed it again. This time I caught his collar and said,”give”. He spit it out. I handed it to the judge but I believe it would still fly. He didn’t hurt it.

The young short hair pointed and just as the judge said, “get your dog, hers is on point” Tur Bo honored. The bird flushed, the handler shot her blank pistol and they both chased. We walked them back to the truck stopping to get them wet, at a water trough, at the starting gate. Mark gave me a ribbon for his qualifying run.

Sunday I went to church then left about 11:30 getting to Hillsdale Lake about 1:00 pm. On Sunday I was in the fourth brace. I still paced a lot but I had fewer hours to do it in. I staked Tur Bo out and he was even calmer than the day before. He has always heeled real well when I use the piggin’ string but pulls when I use a leash. Not today, he heels like he should. He doesn’t try to jump on anyone or anything.

A young man had parked next to my truck with a Red setter that turned out to be our brace mate. At a GSP hunt test not a lot of dogs with tails. I saw a Gordon setter, also. When it came our turn it was even hotter than the day before. It was 79 degrees by temperature gauge in my truck when I left. We wet our dogs down at the gate before we started. Tur Bo started out not wanting me to put water on him but learned to like it before the day was over.

Since he had caught the quail the day before I was afraid Tur Bo would go straight to the bird field and try to catch another but he hunted in front of me real well. It was hot but both dogs hunted well. Had it been 40 degrees cooler they would have done better but for the conditions they did well.

Just before the bird field we wet them down again. We entered the bird field and Tur Bo checked where he had found a bird the day before but just slowed a little and went on. He was well into the bird field when he went on point. I had to walk about 75 yards to get to him and as I got close the young red setter ran by him, smelled the bird and went on point just in front of him. I continued to walk toward the dogs and the bird flushed. We both shot our blank pistols. (I think, I didn’t ask, but I think that counted as a point for both dogs.) Juniors aren’t judged on an honor.

Tur Bo was hunting really well and I had my camera so I decided to take a picture. I take a lot of pictures and he is usually on point, on the whoa board or at least stopped when I snap the picture. He was running really hard and I couldn’t keep up. Finally, he looped back close to me and I held the camera up and he stopped. I took a picture then said, “okay” and he went back to hunting. The judge started laughing and said, “I’ve never seen a dog stop for a picture before”. I told him, “it takes lots of training to get them to stop for photo ops”. It was a surprise for me too.

He pointed again and as I started to him I saw the quail in some brush running on the ground. Tur Bo saw it and gave chase. I shot the blank pistol. A little later I heard another shot from the red setter’s handler. We had a few more minutes but neither dog came up with a bird. When I got back to the water trough Tur Bo got in it and laid down. Just 30 minutes before he didn’t even want to get close.

Both dogs had had two points on a 79 degree day. That was the last leg for Junior Hunter for the red setter. Tur Bo needs two more qualifying runs for his Junior Hunter.

I wasn’t sure whether I would enjoy the hunt tests. I have done some field trials. Hunt tests don’t have the same competitiveness as the field trials. Everyone was friendly and they were okay with your dog doing well. You aren’t competing against their dog. You either qualify or you don’t. I like that atmosphere better and it still makes you train to a higher level.

More pictures of the gallery.

Tur Bo

Tur Bo

Blaze beside the whoa board.

Luke with a pigeon beside the whoa board.

Tur Bo and a pigeon beside the whoa board.

I trained dogs this morning on the retrieving bench, whoa board and beside the whoa board. Whatever is done on the whoa board should be done right beside it. I put 6 pigeons in the bird box on the 4-wheeler and parked it close to the whoa board. Then I put the Sport Dog e-collars on Blaze’s neck and flanks and heeled her out of the kennel. I whoaed her, just out of the kennel, and held a retrieving dummy in front of her and said, “fetch”. She took it and I heeled her to the retrieving bench. Just before we got to the bench I stopped her and took the bumper from her.

She jumped onto the bench and I walked her back and forth petting her. I put 4 bumpers on the other end and sent her to retrieve. She retrieved each one and held it until I said, “give”. I replaced the bumpers on the other end and had her retrieve them again. She did a good job.

I set her on the ground and tossed all 4 bumpers right beside the bench and had her retrieve them. She retrieved all 4 with no problems except she seems unsure of where to stand when she gets back to me. I threw a bumper 5 times and she retrieved it each time. She seems to enjoy retrieving when a bumper is thrown. I put the piggin’ string on her and had her hold the bumper. I heeled her to the whoa board. Near the whoa board I stopped her and took the bumper from her.

I set her on the whoa board and got a pigeon from the 4-wheeler. I put the pigeon to sleep in front of her. I tossed my gloves near the pigeon and it woke up and flew away. She didn’t move. I set her on the ground and told her to whoa. I got another pigeon from the 4-wheeler. I put it to sleep and placed it on the ground right in front of her. I tossed my gloves then picked them up, shook them and threw them again. I, gently, rolled the pigeon over with my toe, waking it up. She took a couple of steps when it flew away. I set her back and sternly said, “whoa”.

I got another pigeon from the 4-wheeler. I put it to sleep and placed it even closer to her. I threw my gloves and the pigeon woke up. I had my back to the bird but it must have taken a couple of steps before it flew because she lunged at it, trying to catch it. I held the button on the flank collar down, picked her up and set her back letting off the button when her feet touched the ground.

I used a total of 6 pigeons on her. The last 5 were with were with her standing on the ground. Finally, the last two she didn’t move. Although they have had a lot of pigeons flushed from release traps just putting them to sleep in front of them is new. I expect her to be steady the next time we do this.

I put the piggin’ string on her, had her hold the bumper and heeled for about 30 yards. I stopped her, took the bumper, heeled her for about 10 yards and released her. She ran to the quail pen and went on point. I chased the quail back and forth. I even got one to fly and she didn’t move. After a few minutes I took her back to the kennel.

I put the e-collars on Luke and heeled him to the retrieving bench holding a bumper in his mouth. I stopped him and took the bumper before he jumped onto the bench. I walked him back and forth petting him every few feet. I put 4 bumpers on the other end of the bench and sent him to retrieve. He did 3 of them just fine but he would drop one before I told to give. So we did it over and over and over. When he dropped the bumper I would pinch his lip against his teeth then replace the bumper. He would hold it until I said, “give”. Then I would put all 4 on the other end and he would get it right on 3 of them. Finally, he did all 4 correctly. I set him on the ground.

I tossed all 4 bumpers next to the bench and sent him to retrieve. He did all 4 correctly. I tossed a bumper farther and sent him to retrieve. On this I like to get 5 retrieves in a row correctly. If he drops it or doesn’t bring it back we start over on the count. I don’t remember how many times I started the count over but at least one time he was almost back with the fifth one and dropped it. Finally, he did it right 5 times in a row. I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold a bumper and heeled him to the whoa board.

I took the bumper and placed him on the whoa board. I put a pigeon to sleep and put it in front of the whoa board. I threw my gloves close to it then picked them up and threw them again. I gently woke the pigeon up with my toe. When it flew away he didn’t move. I set him on the ground beside the whoa board and said, “whoa”. I got a pigeon from the 4-wheeler, put it to sleep and placed it right in front of him on the ground. I walked around the pigeon and threw my gloves. I flushed the bird and he didn’t move. I got another pigeon and we did it all again. Again, he didn’t move when it flew away. I put the piggin’ string on him and heeled him away with a bumper in his mouth.

After about 30 yards I stopped him and took the bumper. I heeled him about 10 yards then released him. He went to the quail pen and went on point. I chased the quail around but to get one to fly I had to get inside the pen. It didn’t bother him. He didn’t move. I chased the birds for him a couple of minutes then took him back to the kennel.

I heeled Tur Bo to the retrieving bench with e-collars on his neck and flanks. He held the bumper until we were about 10 yards from the bench. As soon as he spit the bumper out I held the button on his neck e-collar down until he picked the bumper up. We didn’t go to the bench we went to the back yard. He held the bumper while we walked past the bench and on down in the back yard, came back past the bench and then stopped next to it. I let him stand a few seconds before saying, “give”. He was ready to drop it in my hand. He jumped onto the bench. I walked him back and forth petting him.

I put the 4 bumpers on the other end of the bench and sent him to retrieve. He retrieved them correctly but his problem on the bench is his enthusiasm. He runs down the bench to 4 evenly spaced retrieving dummies and doesn’t take the first one. He may walk over two and take the third one. Some of the times he hits one of the ones he’s stepping over and it rolls off the table. Sometime he shakes the table with his enthusiasm and they roll off. I had him make 8 retrieves and he held them until I asked for them. I set him on the ground.

I put the 4 bumper beside the bench and he retrieved them all holding until I said, “give”. When I hold the bumpers he’s retrieved in my left hand he tries to take one of them when I send him after one on the ground. I threw a bumper and sent him to retrieve. I started my count over about 3 times before he finally got 5 in a row. He likes to retrieve but he wants to throw the bumper to me every once in a while. I put the piggin’ string on him and heeled him to the whoa board with a bumper in his mouth.

He held the bumper until we got to the whoa board. I stopped him and took the bumper. I set him on the whoa board. I got a pigeon out of the box on the 4-wheeler, put it to sleep and placed it in front of him. I threw the gloves and then woke the pigeon up. He didn’t move when it flew away. I set him on the ground and said, “whoa”. When I take the piggin’ string off of the dogs I drop it right beside the whoa board. When I set the dogs on the ground from the whoa board I place their feet near the piggin’ string and I know where to set them back, if the dogs move. I got another pigeon off the 4-wheeler, put it to sleep and placed it right in front of him. I walked around him and threw the gloves. I woke the pigeon up and he didn’t move when the bird flew away.

I got another pigeon from the 4-wheeler, put it to sleep and placed it closer to Tur Bo. I don’t know what was different about this pigeon but after I went through all my stuff and woke this pigeon up he pounced on it before it could fly away. He gave it to me without hurting it when I said, “give”. I set him back behind the piggin’ string. I got another pigeon from the 4-wheeler, put it to sleep and placed it in front of him. I went through my stuff, woke the pigeon up, and he stood and watched it fly away. I had one more pigeon on the 4-wheeler besides the one he had already caught so I put it to sleep and placed it in front of him. I walked around him, threw my gloves then woke the pigeon up. He just stood and watched it fly away.

I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold a bumper and heeled him away. He made it about 25 yards and spit the bumper out. I held the button on his neck e-collar down until he picked the bumper up. We walked a long way. We went past the retrieving bench then made a circle and came back. I stopped him and took the bumper. I heeled him another 20 yards then released him. He ran to the quail pen and went on point.

I ran the quail around but again I had to get inside to get any to fly. He didn’t move. I chased them around for a while then took him back to the kennel.

There was something different about that pigeon that Tur Bo grabbed and I’m not sure what it was. He has been really steady, in fact he still has style but these exercises are getting kind of boring for all of us. I want to work them on retrieving but I’m throwing the birds in to make it more fun for the dogs. I will have to think of another way to train.

Tur Bo on the whoa board.

Luke on the ground pointing a pigeon.

Blaze at the quail pen.