Traveling Pointing Dogs

Layla looking for a pigeon.

Layla chasing a pigeon.

Layla and Rocky on their stake out chains.

We have had a stretch of hot weather and I haven’t worked the big dogs but I have been working the puppies. I mainly worked the pups on retrieving but one morning I took several pigeons with me and walked the pups to the back hiding a pigeon in the tall grass for them to find.

I had both pups staked out. I released Rocky and we walked to the back. I have left some strips of grass grow to have a place to hide birds. When I tried to put a pigeon to sleep Rocky wouldn’t take his eyes off me. Once I got the bird to sleep I had to grab his rope and distract him for a few seconds, plant the bird then lead him away. After walking about 20 yards we would go back. As soon as he smelled the pigeon he would leap into the tall grass waking the bird up. He only chased a few yards. I hid 3 pigeons for him then took him back to the stake out.

I released Layla from the stake and we walked to the back. She gets a little farther away from me than Rocky does. I hid a pigeon in the tall grass and called her back. She smelled the bird and went straight to it waking it up. She also chased farther than Rocky did. I was able to get a couple of pictures of her chasing pigeons. I hid 3 birds for her and she found them all plus she smelled the hot spots where I had hidden the birds for Rocky. I took her back and released Rocky so they could play for a while before I returned them to the kennel.

I ordered George Hickox’s “Training The Upland Retriever” and also got his “Great Beginnings”. Great Beginnings has some tips on clicker training. I decided to try clicker training on these pups. The way the dvd said start them is to click and treat without asking anything of the puppies at first. The first day it was raining so I took the pups into my shed one at a time. I had cut a hot dog in 24 pieces. The first time I offered the hot dog Rocky licked it but didn’t try to eat it. Finally, he ate one and he was hooked. I clicked and gave Rocky a piece of hot dog 12 times then put him up and did the same with Layla.

The next day I put the pups on their stake out while I cleaned kennels then released Rocky. We walked to the retrieving bench and I lifted him on. I petted him and walked him around to get him used to being off the ground. I clicked and treated him 12 times. This time he could hardly wait for me to get the treat out. I set him on the ground and we went back to the stake outs. I put him on the stake out and released Layla.

I put Layla on the bench, hooked her to the cable that runs the length of the bench and walked her down the bench to get used to it. She showed no fear of the edge. I started clicking and treating. She got excited and walked off the edge. I helped her back on, clicked and treated her. She came off again. I helped her back on. I gave her all 12 treats then took her back to the shed and released both pups to play.

I clicked and treated the puppies 4 times before I started asking for a certain behavior for them to get a treat. We went back to the retrieving lane I had built for them. Rocky ran into the lane and I threw the tennis ball. He grabbed it and came back. When he got to me I clicked and gave him a treat. I have been petting him until he dropped the ball but with the treat he dropped the ball immediately. I threw the ball about 10 times and he grabbed the ball and returned each time. I took him into the yard and threw the ball without him being in the lane. He raced after the ball and came running back to me. I clicked and treated. I had tried him out of the lane before and he came back but it was after he made a victory lap around me. Both times with the treats he came right back. I put him back on the stake out and released Layla.

She ran into the lane and I threw the ball. She grabbed it and returned. I clicked and treated. I threw the ball again and she touched it with her nose and came back wanting a treat. I threw the ball again and she grabbed it. She brought it back and I clicked and treated. I threw the ball another 8 or 10 times but she never brought it back again. She would touch it with her nose but wouldn’t pick it up. I took her into the yard and threw the tennis ball. She ran out and touched it with her nose then came back wanting a treat. I released Rocky and had both of them chase the ball when I threw it. I threw the ball and Rocky grabbed it starting back to me. Layla wanted the ball if Rocky wanted it. When he got to me with the ball I clicked and treated him. Layla wanted a treat too but didn’t get one. I used all of the treats and Rocky retrieved the ball each time. I released the pups to play.

The next time I worked the pups I didn’t use the retrieving lane. I threw the ball in the yard and Rocky ran to the ball, grabbed it and raced back. I clicked and treated. He retrieved the ball all 12 times. I put him back on the stake out and turned Layla loose. I threw the ball and she grabbed it and came back. I clicked and treated. I threw the ball again and she touched it with her nose then came back for a treat. I picked up the ball and tossed it again. She touched it with her nose and came back. I threw the ball several times and she never retrieved it again. I put her back on the stake out and released Rocky. I used the rest of the treats on him retrieving the ball. I turned them loose to play before putting them back in the kennel.

I’m going to continue the click and treat with both pups. Layla will learn that she must do the job to get the treat, I hope. This is my first time with the clicker so I’m learning too.

Waiting

Layla chasing a pigeon.

Pups on the stake out.

Puppies staked out.

The retrieving lane I rigged up for the puppies.

Tur Bo stopping to flush.

I drove two stakes in the ground near the shed to tie the pups to. I have a female puppy from the litter out of Tur Bo and Blaze left and an English cocker spaniel that I’m going to work on retrieving. I’m using the fence of the big pen on one side and some baby gates on the other. This gives me a lane where I can bounce the tennis ball off the shed and they have to run to me with the ball.

Yesterday was the first time the pups were staked out or had a tennis ball thrown for them. I staked them both out while I cleaned kennels then I walked Rocky, the cocker spaniel, into the lane and threw the tennis ball. He grabbed the ball and came right to me with it. I petted him and told him what a good boy he is until he dropped the ball. When he released the ball I bounced it off the side of the shed and he pounced on it and brought it back. I petted him and praised him until he dropped the ball. I threw the ball 10 to 15 times and he retrieved it each time. I never tried to take the ball until he dropped it. As soon as he dropped the ball I threw it for him again.

I put him back on the stake out and brought out the setter puppy that my grandson, Isaac, calls Layla. I bounced the tennis ball off the shed and Layla ran to it and laid down with it. I picked the ball up and bounced it off the shed again. Layla rolled it around with her nose then laid down with it again. I bounced it off the shed again and she picked the ball up. I called her to me but she didn’t pay any attention. Both pups still have the short ropes on their collars so I pulled her to me with the rope. I petted her until she dropped the ball. I tossed it again. Some of the times when I threw the ball she would pick it up but sometimes she just laid down with it. There is a lot of difference between a dog that is bred to retrieve and one that isn’t. I turned them both loose so they could have some play time.

This morning I put both puppies on the stake outs while I cleaned kennels. When I finished I turned Rocky loose and we went to the retrieving lane. I tossed the tennis ball and he ran to it, picked it up but didn’t come to me. I grabbed his rope and led him to me. I petted and praised him until he dropped the ball. The first 5 or 6 times he laid down with the ball in his mouth. I had to lead him to me then pet him until he dropped the ball. The last several times he came to me as soon as he picked it up. I put him back on the stake out.

I called Layla into the retrieving lane. I threw the tennis ball and she ran after it. She rolled it around with her nose then pushed it with her feet. I threw it again and she ran after it and laid down beside it. I teased her with the ball and threw it again. She ran after it, picked it up and laid down with it. I grabbed her rope and led her to me. I petted and praised her. I threw the ball again. She picked it up and tried to run by me. I held her and petted her. I threw it again and she dropped it before she got to me but she tried. Finally, she brought it to me 3 times and we quit. I turned them both loose to play for a while.

This evening, I put the pups on the stake outs while I cleaned pens. We think that dogs would really hate to be chained up but this is just the fourth time they have been on the stake outs and they ran to me as I knelt down by the stakes. As I cleaned the kennels the pups played with each other as they waited.

I unchained Rocky and he beat me to the retrieving lane. He was already trying to find the ball before I threw it. I threw the ball and he grabbed it and raced to me. I petted and praised him. When he dropped the ball I threw it again. After 4 or 5 times he grabbed the ball and laid down to play with it. I pulled him to me with his rope. I had to pull him to me a couple of times then he went back to coming to me. I put him back on the stake out.

I turned Layla loose and she ran to the retrieving lane. I threw the ball and she ran to it and laid down. I threw the ball again and she pushed it with her feet then pushed it round with her nose. I threw the ball again and she picked it up and I had to pull her to me with her rope. I threw the ball several more times and she picked it up some of the time. A few times she still had it when I pulled her to me.

I remembered that I had a small bumper with some feathers on it. I got it out and threw it for Layla. She started toward it and pointed then jumped forward then back real fast. She got close then started barking at it. I picked it up and let her smell it then threw it again. She was still scared of it. I held it in front of her and she smelled it. I threw it and she got close but barked at it. I held it for her again and she took it but dropped it. I threw it and she picked it up then tried to get by me. I petted her until she dropped it. I put her back on the stake out and turned Rocky loose.

He ran into the retrieving lane. I threw the bumper with the feathers on it against the shed. He went toward it but was slamming his front feet on the ground expecting the bumper to run. He didn’t get very close but kept slamming his feet against the ground. Finally, he started barking at it. I held it in front of him and he smelled of it. I threw it and he got close but only barked at it. I held it in front of him again so he could smell it. He took it from me but didn’t want to give it up. I continued to pet him until he finally dropped it. I threw it against the shed and he picked it up but didn’t come to me. I pulled him to me but he didn’t want to give it to me. He dropped it and I threw it again. He grabbed it and tried to get past me. I petted him until he dropped it but he still had some of the feathers in his mouth. I took the feathers from him and we quit. I turned them both loose to play for a while.

We put our thinking on dogs. To us it would be terrible to be chained up but these pups, after just a few times of being tied, run to the stake outs. Dogs like routine. If you can get them to repeat an exercise a few times and praise them for it, it will become a learned action.

It’s really hard to get pictures of these pups in the retrieving lane. To get enough pictures on the post I will have to recycle some.

To the people that have clicked on ads that they have seen on these posts, I want to say thanks. I make a few cents each time someone clicks on them. Thanks again.

Teasing the puppies with a pigeon.

Tur Bo holding a bumper on the retrieving table.

Luke pointing a pigeon.

Puppies

Puppies hunting puppy chow.

Tur Bo after the pigeons have flown away.

I’ve been too busy to train dogs the last few days so when I got home today I took the puppies for a walk. I only have the female that hasn’t sold yet and my English cocker spaniel. I put 6 pigeons in a bird bag and we started toward the back. The puppies knew I had pigeons in the bag and they stayed right under my feet for the first hundred yards.

After the pups ran a little way in front of me I dizzied a pigeon and threw it in front of me. The first pigeon lit on the ground then took off flying with both puppies chasing. We were in an area with a lot of trees and bushes. The pups had to check each one out but they still kept an eye on me.

After going a short distance I dizzied another pigeon. The pups saw me shaking it to make it dizzy and were right in front of me. I threw the pigeon in front of us and it flew away with the pups chasing. The pups never chase very far. I think they know they can’t catch them.

I dizzied another pigeon as we reached the back and started toward the kennel. I threw it in front of the pups and it lit right in front of them. Rocky, the English cocker was in front and left the ground in a leap as the pigeon flew off.

As we walked back toward the kennel we came by a strip of weeds that I have been leaving to hide birds in. I wanted to hide a bird in the cover but the puppies were watching each time I pulled a pigeon from the bag. The pups have been pulling 18 inch ropes from their collar since they were 3 weeks old. I put a pigeon to sleep and grabbed the ropes on both pups and placed the pigeon in the weeds. I led them away then walked them back near the pigeon. They acted like the didn’t remember me hiding the pigeon. The the setter pup smelled it and went straight to it. She tried to hold it with her front feet but it flew away with both puppies chasing.

I decided that putting the pigeon to sleep and hiding it in the weeds worked better than making them dizzy. I came by another strip of weeds and caught the ropes on the puppies and hid another pigeon. I led them about 20 yards then turned around and went back. The pigeon was well hidden in the weeds. The female setter flash pointed then jumped in flushing the pigeon. They both chased.

I had one pigeon left. I grabbed the ropes on the puppies and hid another pigeon in the tall weeds. I led the puppies away for about 20 yards. The pups see me hide the bird then when they are led away they forget. We started back toward the hidden pigeon. The pigeon was no longer asleep but was standing up. Rocky smelled it and started running toward it and it flushed before he could get to it. Both pups chased it. We went back to the kennel.

I decided after I got to the kennel to walk the puppies and didn’t take my camera. The pictures I used in this are some I’ve used before. I really enjoyed walking the puppies and hiding the pigeons for them so I may do it again. Hopefully, next time I will take the camera.

Luke pointing a pigeon.

Blaze pointing a pigeon.

Lucky pointing a pigeon.

Tur Bo on a stop to flush.

Another stop to flush.

Tur Bo on the retrieving bench.

The temperature was in the fifties this morning so I worked Tur Bo on the retrieving bench then on some pigeons hidden in release traps. The first thing, when I go down to the kennels, I clean all of the runs. I have a big pen, that surrounds my kennels, that I turn the grown dogs into. After I put the older dogs back in their kennel I turn the puppies out into the yard.

This morning, I took a handful of Puppy Chow and threw it in the grass for them to find. Two of the pups have already gone to their knew homes so I only had 2 English setters and an English cocker spaniel. The pups just pick at the food in the grass. Each of them will eat a few bites then go play. A few minutes later they will take another few bites.

I have some lawn chairs set up in front of the pigeon coops, in the shade. I sit in the shade as the pups play and every once in a while I will turn a pigeon loose. As soon as I open the door, to the pigeon coop, the puppies are trying to get in. I dizzied 3 or 4 pigeons and threw them in front of the pups. Before the pups would get close the pigeons flew away. The puppies chased. They have seen a lot of pigeons this way and it has made them bird crazy.

After I put the puppies back in the kennel I heeled Tur Bo to the retrieving bench. He jumped onto the bench and we walked back and forth with me petting him every few feet. I took a bumper and held it above his eye level and said fetch. He grabbed the bumper. I held it at his feet and he grabbed it. I told him fetch as I walked down the bench with the bumper touching the bench and he grabbed it. I told him to fetch 10 or 12 times and he grabbed the bumper each time holding it until I said give. While he was holding the bumper I set him on the ground.

I took the bumper and held it about chest level on me. I said fetch and he jumped up and grabbed the bumper. I had him hold it while we walked around. I said give and took the bumper. I held it near the ground and said fetch. He took the bumper but dropped it on the ground. I pointed at it and said fetch. He didn’t pick it up. I picked it up and held it about chest level. I said fetch and he grabbed it. We walked around then I said give and he dropped it in my hand.

I held the bumper close to the ground and said fetch. He grabbed it but promptly dropped it. I picked the bumper up and pinched his lip against his teeth. When I got close to him he grabbed the bumper. We walked a big circle with him holding the bumper until I said give. I held the bumper about chest level and said fetch. when he jumped to grab it he put his front feet on my chest. When he went back to the ground he dropped the bumper. I held the transmitter button down, on level 3, until I replaced the bumper in his mouth. We walked around with him holding the bumper. When I said give he dropped it in my hand.

I had him fetch several more times and he held it each time until I said give. I’m trying to be upbeat when he is retrieving on the ground to make him enjoy retrieving. He seems to enjoy the petting and me being upbeat but he could do without the retrieving bumper. I put the bumper away and told him to whoa.

I got on the 4-wheeler and released him to hunt. The last time he was worked on pigeons he was right on top of the release trap when he pointed. I think he is pointing then moving up a few steps. I decided to stay with him this morning and if he didn’t slam into a point I was going to flush the bird.

We went down my side all the way to the back then crossed over onto the neighbor’s side. I saw him smell the first pigeon and turn toward it. I flushed the pigeon. He stopped to the flush and I shot the blank pistol. I let him stand while I kicked the cover looking for another bird. I led him away and whoaed him. I got on the 4-wheeler and released him to hunt.

He got close to the next pigeon and wheeled around to point. I flushed the pigeon and he stopped to flush. I shot the blank pistol. I walked around kicking the cover then led him away. I had another pigeon real close so I whoaed him then tapped his head to release him.

He checked the release trap I had just flushed the last bird from then went back to hunting. He was on the wrong side of the next pigeon but when he got close I flushed it, also. He stopped to flush and I shot the blank pistol. I shot the blank pistol and said whoa. I continued to kick the cover then shot the blank pistol and said whoa. I had one more blank in the pistol so I shot it and said whoa. He’s stopping to the flush because I’ve always said whoa after the flush. Now I’m shooting the blank pistol and saying whoa. He should get to anticipating the whoa after the shot. This will give him two things telling him to whoa. The flush and the shot. let him run for awhile before returning to the kennel.

This evening after cleaning kennels I turned the 2 setters and the cocker spaniel out in my yard. The puppies hung around the chair I was sitting in for a little while wanting to be petted then crossed the yard to play in the fence row on the other side. While they were away from me I put 2 pigeons to sleep and hid them in the tall grass on my neighbor’s side. When they came back I called them and started walking toward the cover on my neighbor’s side. All 3 dogs were in front of me when they smelled the first pigeon. The male setter started toward the pigeon with the other 2 right behind. Before they got to the pigeon it woke up and flew away.

We continued on down the edge of the cover until they smelled the other pigeon. All 3 dogs turned about the same time but the female setter got there first. This pigeon was slower to wake up and she pounced on it. The other 2 dogs were coming to help when the pigeon woke up and flew away. They didn’t chase the first bird very far but they followed this one almost back to the pigeon coop. I let them play for a while before going back to the kennel.

I enjoy having puppies but I’m also happy when they go to their new home. Tomorrow will be ten weeks for the puppies and I have had to stay pretty close to home to take care of them. Every day I went down to the kennels twice. Some days 6 or 7 times when several people came to see them. But I have some well socialized puppies that really like people, birds and they aren’t afraid of the country. They have crossed fences, ditches and heavy cover. I’m ready for them to go to their new homes.

Another stop to flush.

Another pigeon.

The puppies like pigeons.