Traveling Pointing Dogs

TurBo pointing a pigeon

Luke pointing a pigeon.

Rocky checking out a grass strip.

I have been working Rocky on his retrieving. He’s almost 4 months old and is doing real well. I throw a bumper as far as I can then as he races out to get it I throw a bumper to the right and one to the left. When he brings the farther one in I click then give him a little piece of hot dog then wave in the direction of one of the bumpers I threw to the side. Most of the time he will run to the one on the side then race back to me. I click and give him a piece of hot dog then wave to the other one.

Only one time did he have trouble. I threw the first bumper as far as I could then threw the bumpers to the right and left. Rocky saw the one to the left and went to it instead of coming to me. He dropped the one he had and picked up the other one. Then he dropped that one and picked up the other. He did that 3 or 4 times then laid down with them. I kept calling him and he finally picked one up and brought it to me. I clicked and treated. I waved in the direction of the bumper on the left and he raced out and brought it back. I clicked and treated. I sent him after the one on the other side. He raced out, scooped it up and brought it back to me.

A few days ago I put a pile of bumpers out and threw a bumper into the pile. He raced to the pile but he picked up several and dropped them before finally settling on one. Each time I sent him he tried several before settling on one to bring to me. When he finally got to the last one he grabbed it and raced to me. Having more than one to pick up confuses him but he will work through it.

I put 3 pigeons, in release traps, in the tall strips of grass that I had left on both sides of the training grounds. I put one pigeon on my side and two on the neighbors side. I watched him real close. When I could see that he was smelling the pigeon and going toward it, I flushed the bird. He found all 3 pigeons.

I haven’t worked the big dogs in several days because of the hot weather. I did run them one morning when it was a little cooler near Atchison, Kansas. One of the walk-in places I have hunted for years has a big draw running through it. There were a couple of smaller draws that came out of the big draw. Each of these smaller draws had a covey of quail in them last year. I drove by and both of them had been bull dozed down and the dozer was still sitting there. No telling how much cover will be pushed out but for sure the cover that held 2 coveys of quail is gone.

I replaced the 3 pigeons in the release traps and brought Blaze out with the e-collars on her neck and flanks. I released her and followed on the 4-wheeler. She found the first pigeon and pointed. She was running all out and whirled into a point. I walked in front of her after taking pictures. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I released her.

She was just getting her speed up when she hit the scent cone on the second bird. She slid to a point. I took pictures then flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I released her and we hunted on to the back then over to my side of the training grounds. She was on the wrong side going to the back but pointed when we started back up the other side. I took more pictures then walked in front of her and flushed the pigeon. She didn’t move even when I shot the blank pistol. I let her run before going back to the kennel.

I put the e-collars on Tur Bo and released him to hunt. The last time I ran him a pigeon didn’t fly real well and he caught it. I thought he might try to catch another one. I followed him on the 4-wheeler. He hit the scent cone on the first pigeon and pointed. He had stopped in the edge of the scent cone so he was about 10 yards from the pigeon. I took pictures then walked in front of him. I had a pigeon behind my back. I dropped the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover and flushed the pigeon. He ran toward the pigeon and leaped into the air to catch it. I was anticipating this. I held the button on the e-collar on his flank down until he stopped. I picked him up and carried him back to where he had originally pointed. I got another pigeon from the 4-wheeler. I continued to kick the cover then dropped the pigeon in front of Tur Bo and shot the blank pistol. I was holding the transmitter but he didn’t move. I released him.

I rode to the back and Tur Bo ran in front of me but he didn’t come close to the pigeon I had hidden. When I got to the back I didn’t see him. I rode over to my side and he was standing over the release trap. He moved as I got close. He was trying to get the pigeon out of the trap. I picked him up by the collar and his flank e-collar and carried him back to where he should have pointed. Before I set him down I shook him 3 or 4 times then placed him on the ground and said whoa. I walked in front of him with a pigeon hidden behind my back. I held the transmitter to the e-collar in my hand when I dropped the pigeon and shot the blank pistol but he didn’t move. I continued to kick then flushed the pigeon in the release trap. He didn’t move. I released him.

I was close when he hit the scent cone on the next pigeon and he pointed. He was about 10 yards from the bird. I took pictures then walked in front of him. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I let him run for a while before going to the kennel.

I’m going to have to work on Tur Bo for a while after he caught the pigeon. It’s much better to not let them catch a bird but sometimes the birds don’t fly well. When I picked him up and shook him I only said whoa one time. You want the dog to know that he did wrong but you don’t want to intimidate him. Bird dogs must be bold. Screaming at them will make them cower. That’s not what you want.

II’m going to work the older dogs some more before the season opens. I must convince Tur Bo that I don’t want him catching the birds, just pointing them.

Thanks for reading the blog and thanks for clicking on the ads that are run with these posts. I had to reuse some pictures today. I’ve got someone coming to work on my computer tomorrow. Hopefully I won’t have to reuse pictures after tomorrow.

Blaze pointing a pigeon.

A close up of Tur Bo when he’s pointing.

Blaze pointing a pigeon.

Layla pointed and while I was getting the camera she moved. I flushed the bird and she pointed the trap.

Pointing a hidden pigeon.

This is more like a stop than a point.

I sold, Layla, the last puppy from my litter out of Blaze and Tur Bo. I advertised her on face book on Upland Bird Dog and Stuff Buy Sell Trade. There is no charge to use it and I got several questions the first day and sold her within 3 or 4 days. I have been working her for quite a while on retrieving and she was doing real well but I had not worked her very much on pigeons in the release traps.

Rick Manfredi called from the ad on face book and wanted to see her work. He got to my house about 7:30 am. I staked Layla and Rocky out while we talked dogs. I showed him my adult dogs. I turned Layla loose and threw a retrieving bumper. She raced out, scooped it up and ran back. I threw it again and she retrieved it just like the first time. I started to throw it again and Rick said, “that’s good. I can see she really likes to retrieve.”

I had worked her twice before on pigeons. Both times I had hidden the pigeons in almost the same place. This time I wanted her to be surprised when she smelled them. I hid two on my neighbor’s side of the training grounds and one on my side. None of these were close to where I had hidden them before. I rode my 4-wheeler to hide the birds and Rick walked down. I knew Layla would beat me to the area I had hidden the birds for her so I showed Rick where I had hidden the birds the first two times.

I went back to the stake out and turned Layla loose with a check cord attached to her collar. She stayed with me until I got close to the training grounds. She was hunting where I had hidden the birds the first two times when I got there. As we went on toward the back she smelled the first pigeon and started toward it. I flushed the pigeon. She chased a short distance then came back to investigate the release trap.

We went on toward the back. There was almost no wind blowing. She went on the south side of the second pigeon without smelling it but when she got to the north west of it she pointed. I just stood watching her not saying anything. She took a step and I flushed the pigeon. She held point for about 10 seconds. She chased a short distance then went back to hunting. We hunted to the back then went over to my side.

She was really hunting when we got to my side. She checked each strip of grass I had left. Again she was on the south side of this pigeon and when she went around to the north west side she slammed into a point. She was about 10 yards from it. She held this point for over a minute. I didn’t say anything or do anything. I just watched for any movement. When she took a step I flushed the pigeon.

As we started back to the kennel I was thinking that if he didn’t buy her she was no longer for sale. I would keep her. Rick said, “Will you take a check.” Rick field trials, guides and bird hunts so this will be a good fit for Layla. He promised to let me know how she does.

Layla retrieving.

Layla retrieving a bumper.

Puppies waiting

Layla pointed and while I was getting the camera she moved. I flushed the bird and she pointed the trap.

Pointing a hidden pigeon.

Rocky retrieving.

I have been working the two puppies, Layla and Rocky, on retrieving. Yesterday and today I worked them on birds as well. They really like birds.

Both pups have been retrieving a few times then decide to go into the trees with the retrieving buck instead of bringing it to me. Several years ago I had a litter of pups that when I turned them out some of them would go to the pigeon pens and eat pigeon poop. I started putting the ones that eat the poop back in the kennel and let the others play. They all quit eating the poop. Yesterday when the pups ran to the trees with the retrieving buck I grabbed the check cord that they had on and led them back to the stake out. I put them on the stake out and released the other one to retrieve. I had to lead both of them back to the stakeout twice.

This morning when I turned Rocky out to retrieve he ran out, scooped it up and brought it back to me. About the third or fourth time he looked at the trees on both sides but didn’t go to them. It was warm so I only let him retrieve about 6 times then put him back on the stake out and released Layla. So the pups know they aren’t being punished when I put them back on the stake out I let them run loose to the stake out then pet them for a while.

I released Layla to retrieve. I threw the bumper and she ran out, grabbed it and came right back. She still doesn’t bring it to hand but drops it a few feet from me. I still click and reward her. About the fourth time she retrieved she ran around a tree and I started to her to lead her to the stake out but she circled the tree and came to me. I clicked and treated. After about 6 retrieves I let her run back to the stake out where I petted her for a while.

I released Rocky and worked him on bout 6 more retrieves. He looked at the trees but never tried to go into them with the bumper. I released Layla after putting Rocky back on the stake out. Layla retrieved the bumper. Then, about the third time, she took off for the trees. She circled a tree then brought the bumper to me. I wish I knew what goes through their mind. After she retrieved about 6 times I put both of them in the kennel.

Yesterday, I hid three pigeons in the strips of tall grass on my neighbor’s side of the training grounds. I released Layla with a check cord attached to her collar. I took her to the back of my side so we could get the wind right for her when we got close to the hidden pigeons. We got close to the first pigeon I held the check cord and watched her. When I could tell that she smelled the pigeon I stopped her. She pointed and I dropped the check cord. She didn’t stay on point very long and when she moved I flushed the pigeon. She investigated the release trap instead of chasing the pigeon. I stopped her on the next one and flushed it when she moved, also, but she pointed the third one with out me stopping her. She didn’t hold very long and when she moved I flushed the bird.

I hid 3 pigeons for Rocky. I walked him down to the back of my side before going onto the neighbor’s side. I didn’t have a check cord on him. I could tell when he smelled the pigeon and started toward it. When he got close I flushed the pigeon. After the first or second one he started running down the middle of each of the strips of tall grass. By the time he flushed all 3 pigeons he was really wound up. I took him back to the kennel.

I put 3 more pigeons in the release traps and turned Layla out again. This time I didn’t put a check cord on her. The first pigeon she got to she didn’t even slow down. I flushed the bird before she could get on top of it. The second one she pointed but didn’t hold it very long. When she moved I flushed it. The third pigeon she pointed as soon as she smelled it. I thought I would get pictures of it. I got the camera out and turned it on and she moved. I flushed the pigeon and she pointed the release trap. I got a good picture of that. I took her back to the kennel.

I put three more pigeons in the release traps and walked Rocky to the training grounds. Training a flusher/retriever is different for me but I enjoy training Rocky. Without him I wouldn’t have Layla retrieving as well as she is. He hit the tall grass on each of the strips as soon as we got close. When I thought he smelled the pigeon I flushed it. He found all three.

This morning I hid 3 pigeons on my neighbor’s side of the training grounds, again. I turned Layla out with a check cord attached to her collar. We got close to the neighbor’s side and she ran ahead of me toward the first pigeon. I ran after her and when I got close enough to see her she came around the outside edge of the area where I had the pigeons hidden. She came back in front of me, smelled the pigeon and went on point. She only stayed on point a couple of seconds and I flushed the pigeon when she moved. She chased a few feet then came back and investigated the release trap.

She stayed in front of me and pointed the second pigeon. I took some pictures before she moved and I flushed the pigeon. We went on down the training grounds and she got too close to the last pigeon and I flushed it. She chased a little way. I took her back to the kennel.

I hid three more pigeons and brought Rocky out. I walk a zigzag pattern as we go toward the training grounds. This keeps him from getting very far from me. As soon as we got to the strips of tall grass he jumps in and goes from one end to the other. When he smells a pigeon his head comes up and he starts for it. I flush the pigeon when he gets close. He found all 3 pigeons. So far he doesn’t chase very far but stops to smell the release trap. I took him back to the kennel.

I am enjoying these two puppies. I’ve never worked with a flusher before so it’s making me spend more time thinking about what I should be doing. Trying to get the pups to bring me the bumper instead of taking it into the trees is fun to work on. Time will tell whether I have them retrieving to me most of the time or not.

Rocky

Rocky checking out a grass strip.

This is more like a stop than a point.