Traveling Pointing Dogs

Tur Bo

Blaze

Lucky

The last time I worked Tur Bo on pigeons he came up lame. At the end of the work out he was carrying his left rear leg. I never thought much about it. Dogs do this from time to time. Saturday when I cleaned pens I turned all of the dogs into a big pen that surrounds my kennels. All of the dogs were running back and forth in pen. Tur Bo ran toward the back and I heard him yelp then start carrying his left rear leg. By the time I finished cleaning pens and filling feed pans he was no longer carrying the leg. I stopped at his kennel before returning to the house and he stood on his hind legs as I petted him.

On Sunday I turned them into the big pen as I cleaned kennels and he was just fine. He ran back and forth with the other dogs with no discomfort. Monday afternoon I decided to run him to see if there was any problems. I turned him loose and we went to the retrieving bench. He jumped onto the bench and I had him hold a retrieving dummy. He hasn’t been force broke but I’ve worked him on hold and give. He ran up and down the bench with no problem. I put him on the ground and he jumped back on the retrieving bench before I could take a step. I put him back on the ground and we started toward the back of my yard. He had only gone about 50 yards when he yelped and started carrying his rear leg.

I put him in the truck and started to the Independence Animal Hospital. As I drove I thought about a friend of mine’s dog that had to have an operation on his ACL. I figured that was what Tur Bo had. My friend spent a lot of money getting his dog fixed.

Dr. Becker checked Tur Bo then had me lead him around as he watched him move. By this time he was using all 4 legs just fine. Dr. Becker said he just had a pulled muscle. I said he jumps on and off his house all day long. He should be in really good shape. Dr. Becker said that’s who pulls muscles. Athletes. Old guys don’t pull muscles. I got to thinking about it and I haven’t pulled a muscle in a long time. He told me not to run him for a while so I’m going to work the young dogs on the retrieving bench.

I put the e-collar around Tur Bo’s neck and heeled him to the retrieving bench. After he jumped onto the bench I walked him up and down the bench petting him. I want all of the dogs to enjoy being on the bench so I do a lot of petting. I have worked with Tur Bo a little while on the hold and give commands. He is a natural retriever and learning the hold and give commands gets him to not drop the bird before he gets to me and he drops it when I say give.

I opened his mouth and put a retrieving dummy behind his canine teeth. I held his mouth shut telling him to hold. After I few seconds I said give and held the end of the retrieving dummy until he moved his head away from it. I went through several repetitions with three different bumpers. I set him back on the ground and heeled him back to the kennel. I don’t let my dogs jump to the ground. This way I get to say when the session is over not them jumping down and running around.

I put the e-collar on Blaze’s neck and heeled her to the retrieving bench. She jumped onto the bench and I went through my petting ritual. Blaze has been worked on the bench before so I placed 3 bumpers on the other end of the retrieving bench. I put the dogs on whoa while I place the bumpers. I pointed and said fetch. Blaze moved down the bench but her mouth wouldn’t open wide enough to pick up the first bumper until I tapped her with the e-collar on level 3. Her mouth flew open and she picked it up and trotted down the bench to me. We went through several repetitions while I tried to get pictures. She had no trouble getting her mouth around any of the bumpers after the first one. I set her on the ground and let her run to the back of the training grounds then back to the kennel.

I put the e-collar on Luke and heeled him to the retrieving bench. He jumped onto the bench and we went up and down with me stopping him and petting every few feet. I put him on whoa and placed 3 bumpers on the other end of the bench. Luke does every thing fast. Really fast. I pointed and said fetch. He ran down the bench and was back in an instant. I got some pictures but it was hard. The bench is only 16 feet long so I don’t have much time. Once a round bumper rolled down the bench until it hit another bumper. He ran down and tried to pick them up and lost them both when he whirled to come back. I petted him anyway. He tried. I set him on the ground then let him run to the back then back to the kennel.

Lucky and Dolly don’t get to play as often as the young dogs do so I put the e-collar on Lucky and heeled him to the retrieving bench. He’s been force broke so this is old hat to him. I walked him up and down the bench petting him every few feet. I put him on whoa and placed the bumpers at the other end of the bench. I pointed and said fetch. He trotted down the bench and retrieved them as he had been trained to do. It was easier to get pictures of him than it was of Luke. He’s not as fast. After several repetitions I set him on the ground and let him run for a while then took him back to the kennel.

Dolly could hardly contain herself while I put the e-collar on her. I heeled her to the retrieving bench. After she jumped onto the retrieving bench I walked her up and down it petting her every few feet. Dolly is not as fast as Luke but she runs when I say fetch. She’s been force broke so she knew what we were doing. After running through several repetitions I put her on the ground and let her run before going back to the kennel.

Lucky and Dolly have been force broke to retrieve and they still enjoy getting on the bench because I do a lot of petting. I have started Luke and Blaze but for some reason it didn’t transfer to picking up birds. I’m going to work on that with them and Tur Bo this summer and hope I have 5 good retrievers by next season.

I don’t like to force break dogs to retrieve but it’s sometimes necessary. I will help friends with about anything when it comes to training dogs but I won’t help with force breaking. I will loan training DVD’s or bumpers but I won’t help.

Tur Bo

Luke

Dolly

Luke

Tur Bo

Blaze

Turkey season is open so I didn’t work the young dogs until about 10:00 am. My neighbor, Dave Hatton, sometimes hunts deer and turkeys. He works nights so I waited until I thought he would be getting ready for work before I went out.

The dogs get excited when I start getting pigeons, release traps and e-collars out. Luke wants to bark so after hiding 2 pigeons in release traps on my side of the training grounds I brought him out with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. I worked him first then put a bark collar on him while I worked the other dogs.

I followed Luke all the way to the back of my neighbor’s side then crossed over to my side. I usually ride the 4-wheeler on both sides, of the training grounds, so the dogs don’t learn to just follow the 4-wheeler tracks to the birds. Luke hit the edge on my side then crossed the back and came back up the other side. He pointed as soon as he hit the scent cone. I stepped it off and he was 10 yards from the pigeon on a warm morning with little wind. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I dropped a pigeon from the bird bag and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I led him away after stroking his sides then released him to hunt.

He pointed the second bird and I took more pictures. I walked in front of him kicking the cover, dropped a pigeon from the bird bag and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I stroked his sides then walked him toward the back.

Luke knew I wanted to throw a pigeon as he hunted down the field. He ran a few yards then stopped, watching me. I kept walking until he finally started hunting. Then I threw a pigeon in front of him. He stopped and I shot the blank pistol. This teaches the dogs to stop to flush. I stroked his sides then tapped his head for the release. I let him run for a while before returning to the kennel.

I reloaded the release traps and brought Tur Bo out with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. After I released him he hunted all of my neighbor’s side then crossed over to my side of the training grounds. As he ran down the edge he caught the scent cone and slid to a point. I took pictures then walked in front kicking the cover. I dropped a pigeon from the bird bag and shot the blank pistol. He watched the pigeon fly away but didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He still flinches on the bird in the release traps but he doesn’t move. I stroked his sides then released him.

Tur Bo was right on top of the second bird when he pointed. I took pictures then walked around kicking the cover. I dropped a pigeon from the bird bag and shot the blank pistol. He looked at the pigeon as it flew away but he knew the bird he was pointing was right in front of him. If the pigeon in the release trap didn’t fly real well it was in trouble. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon flew over Tur Bo’s head and he whirled around. I tapped him with the e-collar on his flanks and he didn’t chase. I stroked his sides and led him away. I released him.

I started to the back and he came in front of me. When he came close I threw a pigeon in front of him. The pigeon hit the ground and Tur Bo was after it. I held the button on the transmitter down on level 3 and said whoa. The pigeon hopped a couple of times then flew away and Tur Bo stopped. I shot the blank pistol. I stroked his sides then let him run for a while before going back to the kennel.

I put the e-collars on Blaze and heeled her to the 4-wheeler. I followed her as she hunted my neighbor’s side then crossed over to my side. She was deep in the brush when she pointed the first bird. I took pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I dropped a pigeon from the bird bag and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover then flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I stroked her sides then released her.

The scenting conditions must have been getting bad because she, too, was right on top of the second pigeon when she pointed. I walked around kicking the cover after taking pictures. I dropped a pigeon from the bird bag and shot the blank pistol. She watched it fly away without moving. She knew the bird she was pointing was right in front of her. I continued to kick the cover then flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. She turned and watched the bird fly away but didn’t chase. I turned her back around and stroked her sides then led her away. I released her to hunt.

We started to the back and she did like Luke and stopped every few yards and watched me. I continued walking until she went back to hunting then threw a pigeon in front of her and she stopped. I shot the blank pistol and said whoa. I went to her, stroked her sides then released her to hunt. I let her run before returning to the kennel.

Most of dog training is doing the same things over and over until the dog does it the same each time. My dogs have never got tired of hunting and pointing

pigeons. Most problems can be worked out with birds and a light hand. I never get tired of going out my back door, hiding some pigeons and watching my dogs point.

I want to thank the people who have clicked on the ads on my blogs. I make a few cents on each click. If I get enough clicks it might keep me on the road to more bird hunting places this fall. Thanks again.

Luke

Tur Bo

Blaze deep in the brush

Blaze

Tur Bo

Luke

Usually I write more than I have these last 5 or 6 weeks. In January I was diagnosed with Basal Cell Carcinoma. When I was young and working at Allis Chalmers I had an accident that cut my head open. About 6 or 7 years ago an indention appeared by the scar from the accident. I asked a couple of doctors about the indention and they both said it was no big deal. In January a dermatologist did a biopsy on it and it came back as Basal Cell Carcinoma. If you have to have cancer that’s the kind to have. The cancer was all through the scar so when it was removed March 16 it was a large spot on the very top of my head.

Then on March 31 the doctors cut my scalp and pulled the skin over the top of the hole where the cancer had been removed. The doctors don’t want me to lift anything heavy, strain much or bend over for very long. I think they will probably release me when I go back May the first.

The reason I went into this, I showed the indention to 2 doctors that didn’t recognize it as a problem. The dermatologist said almost every time he saw an indention, such as I had, it was cancerous. If doctors can’t recognize skin cancer when they see it the average person sure can’t. If you have any suspicious spots go to a dermatologists. When I first felt the indention on my head, six years ago, a dermatologist might have recognized it as cancer and it would have been much smaller.

Now to the dog tales or dog tails. Blaze started pointing pigeons when she was only about 8 or 10 weeks old. When she went on point she had a twelve o’clock tail. I worked her on pigeons a lot and before she was a year old she was pointing wild quail. She always had a high tail and high head. In the off season after the first year I worked her on pigeons and she looked like a million dollars on point. Her second season there wasn’t a lot of quail but she still pointed some and looked good doing it.

Some time last year she decided to start wagging when she pointed. It started out with just a little then progressively got to be more. It was like she was saying, “here they are boss. I’ve got’em. Come on boss. Hurry”. It wasn’t a big deal for me as a bird hunter but if I have puppies out of her and someone wants to field trial them a wagging tail is a big fault.

This was a learned habit. If she had of started off wagging that might be something in the genetics but hers came on later. I got to thinking about it and decided I could get her to stop wagging.

When I started whoa breaking her I walked with her at heel and would stop. She would stop when I did then we would start again. At first I didn’t say heel or whoa. I would walk for a few steps then stop. When she got to where she anticipated me stopping I started saying heel and whoa. I walked her at heel all the way around my yard which is over 1/2 mile heeling and whoaing her every few feet. From the first I would put an e-collar on her neck and flanks. Usually at first I wouldn’t even turn them on. I wanted her to get used to having them on.

After she was responding real well to the heel and whoa I started walking circles around her. I would drop the piggin’ string and walk out front then to the rear. Sometimes I would pick up sticks and throw them. When she was doing real well at these exercises I turned both e-collars on. I would heel her and before I said whoa I would hold the transmitter button down, on a low setting, then say whoa. As soon as she stopped I let off the transmitter. After just a few times she had this figured out. I would hit the button on the transmitter and before I could say whoa she would stop.

At this point I could usually get her to whoa wherever she was just by saying whoa. If she didn’t stop I would hit the button on the flank collar and she would stop. Every time I worked her on pigeons I made her whoa. During the first few hunting season every time before releasing her to hunt I would heel and whoa her. Teaching whoa is, for me, one of the most important commands you can teach.

Now, with all of this whoa training I thought I could break this habit with the e-collar and birds. Most problems with bird dogs can be cured with birds. I put some pigeons in release traps and heeled her out then whoaed her. I released her and when she hit the scent cone on the first bird she pointed. Her tail was wagging saying, “hurry boss”. I got off the 4-wheeler and held the button on the transmitter down on level 2. Her normal number is level 3 for most training. About 5 seconds into me holding the button down her tail slowed so I let off. It went back to wagging. I held the button down and about 5 or 6 seconds her tail stopped. I let off and her tail started wagging. I held the button down and she stopped after just a couple of seconds. She didn’t start wagging right away and I flushed the pigeon. She didn’t move but she was wagging when I went to her. I released her.

She pointed the second pigeon with a happy tail. She was wagging to beat the band. I held the button down on level 2 but she didn’t quit wagging. The transmitters will shut off after about 8 seconds. I turned the e-collar to level 3 and held the button down. She quit wagging in about 5 seconds. I let off the button and turned the e-collar back down to level 2. When I let off the button she started wagging again. I held the button down on level 2 and she quit quickly. This time she didn’t start back real soon so I flushed the pigeon. She didn’t move so I released her although she did wag as I walked to her. I put her up for the day.

I waited a couple of days and tried it again. She pointed her first pigeon and was wagging. I held the button on the flank e-collar down on level 2. She quit wagging in just a couple of seconds. I let off the button and let her stand. She started wagging and I held the button down. She quit wagging. I waited a couple of seconds then flushed the pigeon. She didn’t move but she went to wagging. I released her after a lot of petting.

She pointed her second bird but was wagging but it was kind of off and on. I hit the button and she stopped. I waited for about 20 seconds and she started to flag a little. I held the button down and she stopped. I waited about 20 seconds and when she didn’t start wagging I flushed the pigeon. I released her after a lot of petting.
I put her up for the day.

I worked her about 5 or 6 times like this before she quit wagging on point but she did stop. I believe this worked for me because she had a good back ground in whoa and the use of the e-collar on her flanks. The tail not wagging is just a refinement of the whoa command. She can’t move her feet and she can’t move her tail. The e-collar on her flanks was never turned high enough to cause her to turn or show any sign of being shocked.

The reason I went into so much detail was to show the background Blaze had with e-collar and whoa training. This worked for my dog’s tail and I think it will work for anyone that will take the time to build in the background with the e-collar. If like me you are just a bird hunter a wagging tail is no big deal but the dog sure looks better if they are real rigid.

Blaze

Luke

Tur Bo

Tur Bo

Blaze

Luke

I finally got to work the young dogs today. The dogs, pigeons and I needed the exercise. Plus it was fun for the dogs and me. I put 5 pigeons in a bird bag and hid 2 of them on my side of the training grounds. I rode the 4-wheeler on my neighbor’s side and on my side of the training grounds. If I don’t drive on both sides the dogs learn to follow the 4-wheeler tracks to the hidden birds.

I put the e-collars on Tur Bo’s neck and flanks then heeled him close to the 4-wheeler. I released him and we went down on the neighbor’s side of the grounds. I make all of the dogs run to the very back and check the back fence line each time. If I don’t make them finish out their casts here they will not finish them when I’m hunting. We checked all of the neighbor’s side then went across to my side.

Tur Bo came in front of me and down the edge to the very end. He crossed the back to the north and slammed into a point. I took pictures then walked in front of him. I kicked the cover, dropped a pigeon from the bird bag and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover and flushed the bird from the release trap. The pigeon flew about 4 feet high and started back down. As Tur Bo started after the pigeon I shot the blank pistol. He grabbed the pigeon and I knelt down saying, “bring it to me”. He dropped it in my hand. The pigeon wasn’t hurt.

If I had started yelling “whoa”, “no” or anything else he could have gotten the idea that I didn’t want him to retrieve. Even if he had killed the pigeon, it is worth about $4. A dog that will point, back and retrieve is worth a lot. Sometimes it only takes a few words to stop a dog from retrieving.

I stood him back up in the same place he was on point originally, dropped a pigeon from the bird bag and shot the blank pistol. He really watched the pigeon to make sure it flew away but he didn’t move. I went to him and stroked his sides then released him.

He ran the edge back toward the front and went on point when he hit the scent cone. I took more pictures then went in front of him kicking the cover. I dropped the pigeon from the bird bag and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the bird in the release trap. He flinched and really watched the pigeon but it flew well. I stroked his sides then released him. He ran back to the kennel.

I brought Blaze out with the e-collars on her neck and flanks. I followed her on the 4-wheeler toward the back of my neighbor’s side. About half way through the neighbor’s side she went on point. I thought she was just anticipating where a bird would be so I rode on to the back. She didn’t come on back so I started back to the front. She was still on point. It wasn’t a bird I had put out. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. Nothing flushed. I tapped her head and she went back to hunting. We covered the neighbor’s side then crossed over to my side.

She ran down the south edge to the end, turned to the north and went on point. I took pictures then walked in front of her. I dropped a pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon from the release trap and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I stroked her sides then released her to hunt.

She ran the edge toward the front and went on point when she hit the scent cone. I took more pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I dropped a pigeon from the bird bag and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover then flushed the pigeon in the release trap. She didn’t move even when I shot the blank pistol. I stroked her sides then released her.

I still had a pigeon in the bird bag so I walked toward the rear of the training grounds. Blaze hunted in front of me and when she came close to me I threw the pigeon in front of her. She stopped and I shot the blank pistol. She still didn’t move. I stroked her sides then released her. She ran back to the kennel.

I put the e-collars on Luke’s neck and flanks. I heeled him out near the 4=wheeler and released him. We started through the neighbor’s side and when he got near where Blaze had pointed he went on point, also. I walked in front of him and he acted like a bird was going to flush at any moment. Nothing flushed. I took a pigeon from the bird bag, dropped it on the ground and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I stroked him then released him. I think a turkey had stopped in this area and both dogs had pointed it.

We hunted on to the back on the neighbor’s side then crossed over to my side. Luke went down the south line then turned north on the west end and went on point. I took pictures then walked in front of him and dropped a pigeon from the bird bag. The bird dropped to the ground right behind me. I kicked the ground beside the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon flew about 5 feet and fluttered down. Luke’s eyes were bulging out but he didn’t move. I walked out to the pigeon and it flew before I got to it. This time it flew south then right back over us. Luke watched the pigeon but never moved. I stroked his sides then released him.

Luke was on point when I got to the next bird. I took more pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I dropped a pigeon from the bird bag and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon from the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I stroked his sides the released him to hunt.

The pigeon that didn’t want to fly shows that Luke really understands being steady to wing and shot. It’s easier for him than for Tur Bo because Tur Bo really likes to retrieve and Luke doesn’t. Later this off season I’m going to work on force fetch with all three of these young dogs. I would like to work them on pigeons and after the shot throw a frozen quail for them to retrieve. That would get them used to pointing and retrieving each time.

Tur Bo

Blaze

Luke