Traveling Pointing Dogs

I have been working the dogs, weather permitting, on retrieving. Abby and Boss on the bench, force breaking them, and Sally and Mann, who have been through the force breaking, on getting better at retrieving. Mann will retrieve the dummies and is really good at retrieving birds he sees fall but he doesn’t enjoy retrieving. I had someone force break him and they used too much force, I think. But with a lot of easy retrieves and lots of treats he’s starting to enjoy retrieving, maybe.

A head shot of Sally pointing a pigeon.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

Sally pointing a pigeon.

I heel Abby and Boss close to the retrieving bench, whoa them then tap their head and say, “up”. They run and jump onto the retrieving bench from about 15 yards away. I had started by running the chain, that I hook to the dogs collar, around the 4×4 post at one end of the retrieving bench so the dog couldn’t move around to fight me. After a few days they were no longer fighting so I quit hooking them to the chain at all. Boss decided he had had enough. He jumped off the retrieving bench but didn’t go far. I whoaed him then said, “Up”. He jumped back on.

After that I continued to attach the chain where they could run up and down the bench. Again, Boss decided to get off. This time the chain held him where his feet were touching the ground but he couldn’t go anywhere. I started toward him to put him back on but he was able to climb back on by himself. He hasn’t tried that again. After the retrieving session is over I always pick them up and set them on the ground. Just before I set them on the ground I say, “whoa”. It’s really hard on dogs, especially puppies, bones to jump off anything.

I tried to use the ear pinch to make the dogs open their mouth but either I don’t understand exactly what I’m doing or I don’t have the strength. But long story short, after pinching Abby’s ear for a few seconds and her yawning at me I went to the string around the toes. I’ve used this in the past and it works for me. I don’t ever jerk on the string. I use a steady pull until they open their mouth then let off as I insert the dowel.

Like I said earlier, when I first started, I ran the chain around the 4×4 at the end of the bench so the pups had to stand. I pulled on the string until they opened their mouth and I placed the dowel right behind their canine teeth. The dogs learned pretty quick that the pressure came off when they opened their mouth. After about 3 days I quit wrapping the chain around the post. This gave them a little more room to move but they, by this time, were used to standing and taking the dowel.

Wrap the chain that’s hooked to his collar around the 4×4 and he can’t move his head.

Before all of this, I had, for several weeks, been squeezing their lip against their teeth and when they opened their mouth I placed my fingers behind their canine teeth. So this concept wasn’t new to them. After a few days of not saying anything when I put pressure on their toes I started saying, “fetch” just before I pulled on the string. A few times both dogs opened their mouth when I said, “fetch” before I could pull on the string. That tells me they understand how to take the pressure off.

I was helping them, by whenever they opened their mouth, whether before or after I pulled on the string, I placed the dowel behind their canine teeth. The last few days I have been making them reach an inch or two for the dowel. So far, they are moving slow, but they are reaching for the dowel.

Mann after the pigeon had flown.

All of this is really stressful for the dogs so I let them run for a while after we’re through. I pet them a lot and even feed them a few treats as we get back to the kennels. Abby really likes the treats but Boss just wants to be petted, most times. The other day when I got to the back of my place Boss was about a hundred yards to the west. All of the dogs check this area out from time to time. I started back to the kennel and called Boss and toned him with his e-collar.

I walked on toward the kennels. I checked the GPS and he was even farther west of my place. I called him, hit the tone on his e-collar and continued on toward the kennel. I checked the GPS and he was still going west. I hit the tone and gave him a light stimulation with the e-collar. Usually, he comes with the tone but he always comes with the tone and a little stimulation. I checked the GPS and he wasn’t coming. Well really, he would come a few yards and I would think he’s on his way. Then he would be going west again.

I started getting serious with the e-collar. I kept turning it up but he wasn’t coming. Pretty soon he was a mile to the west. That’s probably out of my e-collar range. I worked Abby on the retrieving bench then let her run for a while. When we got back to the kennel I petted her for a while and put her up.

Boss pointing Abby honoring.

I got on the 4-wheeler and rode to the back calling Boss. Part of the time he was over a hill and my GPS just showed a question mark. A lot of times, because I have run them off the 4-wheeler, they will get in front of it when I’m riding the training grounds, looking for them. Not this time.

I rode back to the kennel. I turned the other dogs out into my big pen, cleaned pens, changed their water and fed them all. Just before I finished with the last kennel Boss came to the kennel area. He was hot and he wanted a drink. His tongue was hanging to his knees, almost. I took the GPS collar off and put him in his kennel. No treats or petting for Boss tonight. But he didn’t care. He had a good run. I had thought maybe his e-collar wasn’t working but when I checked it was just fine.

If I work Abby and Boss on retrieving twice a day I also work Mann and Sally twice a day. Sally has been force broke to retrieve and she enjoys it. I force broke her a few years ago and she’s getting better about retrieving dead birds. She does a good job on the dummies I throw for her but retrieving birds is not the same.

Sally center, Mann on the left honoring Ally on the right.

This last season she did a good job on the dead birds but I think all of the exercises we are doing with the Dokken quail, dove and chukar, she will do even better next season. I think she will be faster maybe not better. Sally definitely works for the treats so if I carry treats or start feeding her the heads from the quail she will retrieve really well, I think.

Mann is a different dog. He doesn’t really care for the treats but he really likes to be petted. He leans against me when he comes in, holding the dummy until I say, “give”. For him and Sally I only throw the dummies 6 or 7 times then let them run for a while. Mann is now, after about a month of retrieving in the yard, retrieving like he kind of enjoys it. Not whole heartedly but kind of likes it. But he does like the petting and he will even take a treat once in a while.

Boss honoring.

Just having something to do with the dogs, that will get me out of the house and will get the dogs out is worth a lot. I think having the dogs disciplined enough to be good retrievers makes a better bond between man and dog. When dogs understand what you want and they know you’re happy with them for doing it, they’re happy, too.

The rain has been relentless the last couple of weeks. It has my training grounds muddy and when I drive the 4-wheeler it creates ruts. Monday it was dry enough to use the 4-wheeler but I didn’t go onto the neighbor’s side. Their side has more trees that shade it keeping the ground a little wetter than my side. I really don’t want to do anything that might make them say, “We would rather you don’t use our side anymore.” Their side has more areas for hiding birds than mine.

Mann concentrating on a pigeon.

Boss, stretched out, pointing a pigeon.

Abby pointing a pigeon.

I have known for a while that I need to start the forcing part of my force fetch but I hate this part. Usually, it doesn’t last long but it still the part I hate. I took Abby to the retrieving bench. She jumped onto it and I petted her several different times then fed her some treats. I put my fingers under her collar and pinched her ear with my thumb. She started gritting her teeth and didn’t make a sound. I hung on and so did she. After just about a minute I gave up. Abby never opened her mouth.

I have never been able to use the ear pinch. In the past I have successfully used the half hitch around the toes. I decided that I would go back to that. I wasn’t set up for it so one more time I pinched her lips against her teeth and inserted my fingers. I did this six times then set her on the ground to run. I walked to the back then back to the kennel where I petted her for a few minutes then put her in her kennel.

I didn’t even try the ear pinch on Boss when I had him jump onto the retrieving bench. I petted him in several places and fed him some treats. I pinched his lips against his teeth and stuck my fingers behind his canines. After 6 times I set him on the ground to run. I walked to the back then to the kennels. I petted Boss then put him in his kennel.

I worked Sally and Mann on retrieving a thrown dummy. Sally works hard because she really likes the treats. Mann retrieves because he’s been force broke to retrieve. I did Sally and she seems to enjoy retrieving but I paid to have Mann force broke and the force was really heavy. Mann, when the bird drops in his view, retrieves really quickly. I’ve been working him quite a bit on retrieving in the yard and he seems to enjoy it a little. He’s not too crazy about the treats. Hopefully, he will really get to like retrieving.

Sally and Mann both must retrieve 5 times without a mistake before they can be turned loose to run. A mistake is refusing a retrieve, running out and not able to find the dummy, dropping it before they are told to give or trying to leave the area. The last few times they both have completed their retrieving without a mistake. I let them run then pet them for a while before putting them in their kennel.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

I hid 2 pigeons, in release traps, on my side of the training grounds. Sally is in the first kennel so I put the e-collar and GPS collar on her and whoaed her near the 4-wheeler. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said, “okay”. The dogs run pretty fast when I just let them run but when they know there are birds, they really go.

I had one bird on the north fence row and Sally ran the south side to the back. The way the wind was she hadn’t hit a scent cone when I first got to the back but she circled in front of me and slammed on the brakes. When I got close to her I noticed her back legs shaking. She’s 5, almost 6 years old and still gets excited about these pigeons. I took some pictures then walked in front and flushed the pigeon. She was steady until I tapped her head.

By the time I got on the 4-wheeler she had pointed the other pigeon. I took some more pictures then walked in front of her. I flushed the bird and tapped her head to release her. I let her run for a while before putting her back in the kennel.

Mann honoring Ally.

I reloaded the release traps and turned Abby out to hunt. Usually I heel the dogs near the 4-wheeler, put them on whoa, get on the 4-wheeler, start it then say, “okay”. Most of the dogs stay pretty well. Except Abby. On this morning even she did it well.

Abby is uncanny about finding the birds I have hidden. By the time I got across my little creek she was on point on the north fence line. A few times ago she took a step or two on her birds but not today. I took some pictures then went in front and flushed her bird. As soon as it came out of the release trap the race was on. She chased it until she saw she couldn’t catch it then went back to hunting.

By the time I got to the back on the 4-wheeler she was pointing the second bird. It’s like Sally told her where they were hidden. There was a long limb that had dropped from one of the trees and I used it to beat on the bush where the pigeon was hidden. The first time she flinched but after that she stood for each stroke on the bushes. I flushed the pigeon and it had a little trouble getting out of the bush but she didn’t catch it, although it was close. I let her run for a while then took her back to the kennel.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

Boss was next. All of the dogs are fast but he’s really fast. He went down the south side of the grounds and was still moving when I got to the back. The weather station said that the wind was out of the north but all of these dogs were on the west side of this bird when they pointed. Boss was really stretched out on his point. The long limb was still laying close so I beat the bushes. He flinched and I never noticed at first but he moved his back legs where he was no longer stretched out. Had I known I would have flushed his bird. I smacked the bush several times then flushed his bird. He doesn’t try to catch the birds as Abby does. He went back to hunting.

He came back around to the north fence row but was a long way from this bird when he pointed. I took some pictures then walked in front of him kicking the ground. I flushed his bird and it came right over his head and never got very high. He chased almost back to the kennel then came back and ran some more. I put him in his kennel.

After I reloaded the release traps I brought Mann out. Mann usually does a good job and this was no exception. He pointed both birds and was steady on them both until I released him. I let him run for a few minutes then put him in his kennel.

Abby concentrating on a pigeon.

This morning I decided if I couldn’t use the ear pinch it’s time I continued their force fetch, with the string on the toes. I’ve used it in the past and I understand how to use it.

I heeled Boss down to the retrieving bench and whoaed him about 15 yards from the bench. I took the Wonder lead off and tapped his head and said, “up”. He jumped onto the retrieving bench and I walked him up and down petting him. I put the string on his foot, pulled on the string and held a dowel rod in front of his mouth. He went ballistic. Screaming and turning his head like I was killing him. I led him to the end of the retrieving bench and circled the post with his chain so he couldn’t move his head, much.

I let him settle down for a few seconds then pulled on the string. This time when he opened his mouth to yelp I thrust the dowel in his mouth and let off the string. I had him hold for a few seconds then said, “give”. He held on. I pushed the dowel back and twisted it and he released it. I let him settle for a few seconds then pulled on the string. He still fought but not as hard. I had him hold the dowel 5 times then gave him some treats and let him run for a while.

Abby on point.

Actually, I let him run for a good while. I walked to the back of my place and he was about 150 yards west of me. When I started back to the east I called him and hit the tone on his e-collar. He kept going west. I kept walking but I toned him again. I looked at the GPS and he was farther to the west. I hit the tone then stimulated him on low 2. He was getting farther and farther away. Usually, he pretty good about coming back when I tone him.

I went to 2 high but he kept getting farther away. I started turning the e-collar up. When I got to level 5 I remembered that his e-collar was still on bark collar mode so all I had been doing he didn’t feel. When I ride the 4-wheeler he will get in front of it, most times. I got the 4-wheeler out and he came to me. When we got to the kennel I put him up.

I heeled Abby close to the retrieving bench and whoaed her. I took the Wonder lead off, tapped her head and said, “up”. She jumped onto the retrieving bench. I petted her before putting the string on her toes. I circled the end post with the chain so she couldn’t move her head. I pulled on the string and she clinched her teeth. I held a steady pull on the string. Finally after a few seconds she opened her mouth to yelp and I placed the dowel in her mouth. She is tough. There was no shaking of her head, yelping or anything. She just ground her teeth. But finally I won.

Mann after the pigeon had flown.

The next time was easier and before the fifth time she was opening her mouth to receive the dowel. She’s not only tough she’s extremely smart. I let her run for a while then put her in the kennel.

Most of the time I’m going to do these two young dogs twice a day, when the weather permits. I’ve started this and I need to get the job done without stopping.