Traveling Pointing Dogs

I haven’t trained dogs in several days. I have been fighting the flu for the last few days. I don’t get sick very often but when I do no one has ever been that sick. That’s what I think anyway. This morning I felt pretty good so I put 6 pigeons, Blaze, Whitey and Tur Bo into the truck for the trip to the county park. When we got to the park I hid 2 pigeons in the tall grass of the bird field.

By the time I carried the release traps and pigeons out, hid the birds then walked back to get a dog I knew this bout with the flu wasn’t over. The temperature was about 50 degrees and I was in shirt sleeves but I was sweating like crazy. I didn’t stake the dogs out. I left them in the truck dog box until I ran them then returned them to the box.

Blaze

I heeled Blaze out with an e-collar around her flanks and another around her neck. When they know there are birds out the dogs want to pull me to the field so I do several 180 degree turns. After awhile they settle down where I can release them to hunt. Blaze made a nice cast then went on point. I took a few pictures then walked in front kicking the grass. She was 20 yards from the bird and I made her stand for quite awhile before I flushed the pigeon. I thought she looked so nice I took another picture then flushed the pigeon and fired the blank pistol. The bird flew behind her and she turned to watch it fly off. I picked her up and returned her to her original spot then tapped her on the head to release her.

She was moving pretty fast when she hit the scent cone on the next bird and slammed into a point. The pigeon was behind her but she was afraid to move. I took a picture, walked all around her then flushed the bird and fired the blank pistol. She took one step and stopped. I picked her up and set her back. I walked in front of her then tapped her on the head to release her. She hunted back to the truck.

Whitey

Whitey

After putting Blaze up and hiding 2 more pigeons in the grass I got Whitey out. I put the e-collars on her and heeled her toward the field. Usually she handles real well but this morning she was trying to tow me to the field. After a few 180 degree turns she finally settled down. I released her to hunt and she hit the first bird right away. I took some pictures then walked in front kicking the grass. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I kicked the grass some more then tapped her on the head to release her.

On her second bird I saw her head come up and she squared up on the bird then went on point. She was at least 25 yards from the bird but she had it good. I walked in front, kicking the cover then flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I walked around her kicking the cover then tapped her on the head to release her. Whitey is pretty steady on these birds in release traps. I need to shoot some birds over her to make sure she will hold to birds being shot.

Tur Bo

Tur Bo

My energy level was about gone but I had one more dog to do. I put the e-collars on Tur Bo and heeled him out to the field. After a half dozen or so 180 degree turns I whoaed him then tapped him on the head to release him to hunt. I had moved the 2 pigeons close together for him and I had him dragging a check cord. He went on point with a real high head and tail. I took some pictures then picked up his check cord. Of the 2 birds, I could tell which one he was smelling so I flushed the other one. He wanted to chase but I stopped him. I stood him up and waited until he got the scent of the bird again. He went back on point and I stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he was. I flushed the second bird and he tried to chase again but I stopped him. I whoaed him, stroked his sides then tapped him on the head to run.

All 3 young dogs are doing better each time with Whitey a little better than Blaze. Blaze resists the training more. She is probably the better bird dog but she doesn’t give to the training as easy as Whitey. But dogs are like people there are no two alike.

I put a pigeon in a release cage then 4 more birds in release traps about 20 yards away from the caged bird. After putting the e-collars on Tur Bo I heeled him out of the kennel with the piggin’ string. When we got close to the training grounds I took the piggin’ string off and snapped a check cord on his collar. I let him go to the end of the check cord then moved him to the area where he could smell the caged bird. As soon as he hit the scent cone he pointed.

Tur Bo

I walked up beside him and stroked his sides saying whoa. He was only about 5 yards from the caged bird and was really concentrating on it when I flushed one of the pigeons about 25 yards away. He didn’t move as the bird flew away from us. I stroked him some more telling him what a good boy he was and flushed another pigeon. This bird flew back over us and he wanted to move but he only took one step. I set him back to the original spot and stroked his sides. Just before I flushed another bird I said whoa. This bird also came close to us and he moved his front feet but not his back. I set him back again. I stroked his sides, telling him what a good boy he was then flushed the last pigeon. Just before I flushed the bird I said whoa. This pigeon didn’t fly close to us and he didn’t move. To flush the bird in the cage I would have to be in front of him and if he moved he could possibly catch it. I picked him up and carried him away. After I put him up I released the bird in the cage.

He kept wanting to go back but I got him on the retrieving bench and he forgot about the bird in the cage. I took one of the retrieving bucks and placed it in his mouth saying hold over and over. The first couple of times I held my hand under his chin to keep him from spitting it out. Then I would grab the end of it and take my hand from under the chin and say give. I don’t pull it out of his mouth he has to move his head off. He was holding real well so I put the buck in his mouth then walked to the other end of the bench and he followed carrying the retrieving buck. When he got to the other end I took hold of the end, said give and he moved his head off of it.

I had him carry the buck down the bench a couple more times then put him on the ground. I threw the buck 5 or 6 times and he retrieved it all but one time. That time he brought it most of the way back then dropped it. I walked out, picked it up, threw it and he retrieved it. Last season he retrieved a quail almost to me (he dropped it just before he got to me with it) so I think he will retrieve. If he learns hold and give I think he will be alright. I will try him on some pen reared birds before bird season. I put him back in the kennel.

I had to wait on my pigeons to come back before I could work another dog. I only have 7 pigeons that will return to the pigeon coop and 2 of them are setting so that leaves me with 5 to work dogs with. I have 7 more homers that I just got but they won’t return to my houses until they have been in this coop for a while.

Blaze

I brought Blaze out with the e-collars on and worked her in where she could point the caged bird. She pointed in almost the same place that Tur Bo had. I stroked her sides then flushed one of the birds about 25 yards away. She just turned her head then turned it back to the caged bird. I stroked her sides telling her what a good girl she was then flushed another pigeon. Again she just moved her head. I flushed all 4 birds and she never tried to move her feet.

Then I decided as steady as she was I could release the caged bird. The cage has a handle that you step on and it raises the cage off the bird and it flies away. I walked in front of her and I was watching her. She was still rigidly on point. I stepped on the handle and when the cage raised the pigeon walked out then started to fly. It kind of fluttered getting off the ground and that was more than she could stand. She started to move and I yelled whoa. She stopped. She had only moved 3 or 4 steps, so I put her back. I made her stand for awhile then let her run back to the kennel.

Whitey

I put the e-collars on Whitey then heeled to the training grounds with the piggin’ string. I put the check cord on her in place of the piggin’ string and worked her toward the caged bird. This was probably 3 hours after working Blaze, I had to wait on pigeons to come back, and the wind had changed. Tur Bo and Blaze had been on the south side of the caged bird and Whitey was on the north. I stroked her sides, said whoa and flushed a pigeon. She turned her head but never moved. I stroked her sides then released another bird. She never moved. I flushed all 4 birds and she never moved.

Whitey has been real steady on her birds so I decided to flush the caged bird for her as I had for Blaze. I walked in front of her and stepped on the cages handle. This pigeon walked out and stood there. Whitey didn’t move. Then the bird flew away and she never moved. I stroked her sides telling her what a good girl she was then tapped her on the head to release her. She ran back to the kennel.

I could tell a lot of difference in Tur Bo on the bench and on his birds. It will take a lot of repetitions but they will all get where I want them before quail season starts.

It rained last night and was still trying to rain this morning but I hadn’t trained since Friday so I decided to do something a little different with Tur Bo. I put 1 pigeon in a release cage then 4 more in release traps a little ways from the first.

I put the e-collars on Tur Bo, hooked a check cord into his collar and slipped the piggin’ string around his neck. I heeled him part of the way to the training grounds then picked up the check cord. I worked him back and forth as we went down the training ground toward the hidden pigeons. When he got to the end of the check cord I said hup and walked toward the other side of the field. I hupped him back and forth until we got close to the bird hidden in the cage.

Tur Bo

He pointed when he hit the scent cone, about 8 or 10 yards from the pigeon. I walked up beside him holding the check cord. I told him whoa one time then stroked his side. I took a picture then stroked his side again and flushed one of the birds hidden about 25 yards away. He tried to chase and I gently stopped him. I carried him back to where he originally pointed. He could smell the bird in the cage so he pointed again.

I stroked his side and told him whoa again. I let him point for 45 seconds or so then flushed another pigeon about 25 yards away. He tried to chase and I gently stopped him. I carried him back and he went on point again. I stroked his side and let him stand for about 45 seconds then flushed another pigeon about 25 yards away. He tried to chase again and I stopped him. I carried him back and he went on point again. I flushed the last pigeon hidden in release traps and he tried to chase again. I gently stopped him.

This is the first time I have tried to keep him from chasing so I just want to stop him from chasing. Tur Bo is only 11 months old and I don’t want to put a lot of pressure on him. I held the check cord and when he hit the end I let my arms move to soften the jerk of the check cord. I didn’t say whoa or anything when he was chasing I just stopped him. Yelling scares the dog and I’m trying to build confidence in these dogs.

I carried him back and he went on point again. I said whoa and this time I had to drop the check cord. I walked in front of him and stepped on the cage handle to release the caged pigeon. He was still on point as the pigeon started walking out of the cage. The pigeon started to fly and Tur Bo was right after him. The pigeon was only about 3 feet off the ground when Tur Bo came by me. Evidently the bird saw him coming because it started going up pretty fast and just barely got away. When he came by I stepped on the check cord and stopped him. I let him run until we got back to the kennel.

I have used this exercise before to teach the dogs to be steady to wing. It takes a little while but as long as I stop them without jerking them or yelling at them it doesn’t put any pressure on the dogs.

I decided to work the dogs at home this morning rather than going to the county park. I have gone to the park for the last couple of weeks to train. Training at home showed me what I already knew, you need several places to train, to get the dogs to understand that they have to do what you are teaching them, everywhere. I hid 2 pigeons, in release traps, in the cover on my training grounds. At home it’s much easier, I can use my 4 wheeler to put the birds out instead of walking back and forth. I do walk when I run the dogs.

Blaze

Blaze

After putting the e-collars on Blaze I heeled her to the training grounds, whoaing her several times on the way. I turned her loose and she was on point, on the first bird, when I got to it. I walked in front of her, kicking the cover, flushed the bird and fired the blank pistol. She stood and watched the bird fly away until I shot the blank pistol. She started to chase until I whoaed her. I carried her back to the original place she had pointed. I walked in front of her, kicking the cover and fired the blank pistol. She started to move as soon as I shot the pistol. I carried her back again. After I kicked in front of her again I released her to hunt.

She pointed the second bird. I went in front, kicked the cover, flushed the bird and shot the pistol. She was steady until the pistol shot. In her defense, she has been hunted for 2 years and has been able to chase or retrieve after the shot. Now I’m trying to take this from her. She doesn’t see the necessity. I held the button down, on the e-collar on her flanks, on level 2. She stopped and I held the button down until I carried her back to the spot she had originally pointed. When her feet touched the ground I let off the button. I walked in front of her and shot the blank pistol. She flinched but didn’t move. I released her to run.

When she ran toward me, I shot the blank pistol and said whoa, loudly. She was running really fast but when I shot she went faster. I held the button on the e-collar on her flanks down, on level 2, until she stopped. I carried her back. I made her stand there for awhile then released her. The next time she came close, I shot the pistol and said whoa she stopped. I let her run until we got back to the kennel.

Whitey

Whitey

I heeled Whitey back to the training grounds and released her to hunt. She was on point when I got to the first bird. I walked in front of her, kicking the cover, flushed the pigeon and fired the blank pistol. She never moved. I continued to walk in front of her kicking the cover, then shot the blank pistol. She took 1 step and stopped. I put her back. After I walked in front of her again I released her to hunt.

She pointed the second bird and I walked in front of her. There was a dead tree lying on the ground near the bird and I started kicking it making a lot of noise. She was standing with all of the noise and I flushed the pigeon then shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I kicked the log some more then shot the pistol again. She didn’t move. I tapped her on the head to release her to run.

When she ran close to me I shot the blank pistol and said whoa, loudly. She continued to run and I held the button on the e-collar down, on level 2, until she stopped. I carried her back where she was when I yelled whoa. I made her stand there awhile then tapped her on the head to release her. The second time she ran close to me I fired the blank pistol and said whoa, she stopped. I let her run until we got to the kennel.

Tur Bo

Tur Bo

If you recognize that these pictures of Tur Bo have been posted before there is a good reason for this. I heeled Tur Bo back to the training grounds and released him to hunt. If I had put him on the chain gang he may have been a little calmer but I doubt it. He didn’t come close to the first bird on his first explosion. He wound up at the back of the training grounds, on point, on the second bird. I could see him through the trees and brush about 75 yards in front of me. Before I could get close he moved and I flushed the bird. He has to learn if he moves the bird flies. He chased.

When he caught the scent of the other pigeon he pointed but the bird was behind him. He decided to turn around and move toward the pigeon. I flushed the bird. He chased a little way then came back by me and I put the piggin’ string on him and heeled him back to the kennel. Hopefully, he will learn that if he doesn’t do things right he has to heel back to the kennel. If he does it wrong there has to be consequences.

At the park he had been letting me walk in front, take pictures, kick the cover then flush the pigeons. He doesn’t realize that he has to do that everywhere. This morning I didn’t even have time for one picture.

These 3 young dogs are learning but it seems real slow but this is different than the way I have done in the past. They have always been allowed to chase, which is really fun for them, but now I’m asking them to quit chasing. They are all really smart dogs but right now they are saying “NO”. At least Blaze is saying no. Whitey is saying maybe. Tur Bo at 11 months old is about where he should be although he hunted last year and was allowed to chase after the shooting. I will continue to work with them until they get where I want them.