Traveling Pointing Dogs

The weather has been excellent this week for about anything. I have done a little dog training but I have spent a large amount of time working in my yard. This time of year, it’s easy to put the dogs on the back burner. We think we have plenty of time, it’s only April but when I start putting things off it gets easier to put them off, then it’s opening day. I’m going to get back in the groove.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

Abby on point.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

I have worked the dogs on the whoa post, some. I had decided to not work Mann on the whoa post because he showed signs of stress from the training. But he may need this training and it may make him a little more used to training of all kinds. Sometimes the dogs learn more than just what the training is. They learn to learn.

Anyway I put him back on the whoa post and he handled it pretty well. It still takes him a few minutes to loosen from the stress after he’s turned loose to run. When I turned him loose he stayed close for a few minutes so I walked part of the way to the back. He finally started to run. Then I had to call him several times before he came back to the retrieving bench.

Mann does like the retrieving bench. I pet him as he walks back and forth. Then we go to the water faucet wall where I sit and pet him some more. All of the dogs except Luke want the petting at the water faucet. They get in front of me and it’s hard to get them out of the way to sit.

I had already run Luke for a few minutes so I put the GPS and e-collars on Boss and brought him out. He’s been worked on the whoa post for a long time. I still pull him until the whoa post rope tightens around his flanks but when he licks his lips I pick him up, set him back a few feet then pull the check cord tight. He doesn’t move and it doesn’t take long for him to acknowledge. I pet him then we go to the next whoa post. After the third whoa post I let him run.

After a few minutes I put him on the retrieving bench. Actually, he jumps onto the bench without help. I pet him for a few seconds then stick two fingers behind his canine teeth and say, “hold”. He’s fighting less all the time. When he quits fighting and holds my fingers for just a few seconds I wiggle them and say, “give”. He’s always ready to open his mouth. After 3 times I set him on the ground and say, “whoa”. This gives me time to get untangled from the check cord. We go to the water faucet where I pet him for a couple of minutes then put him in the kennel.

Abby was next. I worked her on the whoa posts just as I did Boss. She is more of a free spirit. When I hook them to the whoa post there is usually some slack in the rope. Abby always moves with me and takes all of the slack out of the rope. I gently pull on the check cord to make sure there is a cue on the flanks. She acknowledges real quick and I set her back a few feet and pull on the check cord. She doesn’t move until I tap her on the head. I worked her on all 3 whoa posts then let her run.

Mann on a pigeon.

After a few minutes I helped her onto the retrieving bench. Abby, too, is going to be force broke to retrieve, also. I placed two fingers behind her canine teeth. She fought some but both of these young dogs are fighting less each time. I petted her then released her to run while I walked to the water faucet. I petted her for a couple of minutes then put her in the kennel.

I also worked Sally on the whoa post. The only difference is she doesn’t have me put fingers in her mouth. She has been force broke to retrieve.

This morning I worked them all on the whoa posts but then I put out some pigeons out for Mann, Abby and Boss. I worked Mann first. When I put birds out the dogs in the kennel bark unless I turn the e-collars into bark collars. I have one bark collar and 3 e-collars so I put the bark collar on Luke and the 3 e-collars go on Sally, Abby and Boss. With everyone else quiet Mann doesn’t bark much.

Abby on a pigeon.

I put the GPS collar on Mann and heeled him out near the 4-wheeler where I put him on whoa. After I started the 4-wheeler and put it in gear I said, “okay”. He was gone. I followed on the 4-wheeler. By the time I crossed the creek and could see down the field he was rimming the very end. I had hidden the pigeon in a grass strip in the middle. Mann knew there was a bird close but didn’t immediately pin it down. He was coming up the north side when he wheeled around and went on point.

I took pictures then stroked his sides. I went in front of him kicking the cover then went back and stroked his sides. I went back in front and flushed the pigeon. He was watching it fly away until I said, “okay”. Then he chased it back toward the coop. When the pigeon got way ahead Mann went back to hunting.

Boss on a pigeon.

The next pigeon was close to the north fence line. Mann hit the scent cone and went on point. As I came up he took a step and I flushed the pigeon. I don’t know why he’s started moving on his birds but this is the perfect time to work it out. I’ll keep flushing his birds until he understands that his movement is flushing the birds. I took him back to the kennel.

Abby was next. I have to make sure I have good flying pigeons or she will catch them. She waited for me to get on the 4-wheeler and start it. When I said, “okay” she was gone. She was near the back when I got to the back. She went on point across from the bird along the timber to the north. The only thing I can think is Mann’s pigeon was on the ground in that area. I took a picture then tapped her head. She acted like there was a bird right in front of her but as she moved around she hit the scent cone on the hidden pigeon and went on point.

I took pictures, stroked her sides then went in front of her kicking the cover. I went back and stroked her sides then walked back in front kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and it flew real low back toward the coop with Abby right behind it. She came back and went to hunting.

There is a pigeon in a release trap right here.

When she got close to the next bird she went on point then before I could even get off the 4-wheeler she ran to the release trap. I went to her, picked her up and set her back. I whoaed her then flushed the pigeon. I didn’t want to take a chance on flushing the pigeon with her standing over the trap. The trap may have hit her but for sure she would have caught the bird. I took her back to the kennel.

Boss waited for me to tell him, “okay” after I got on the 4-wheeler and started it. When I release these dogs after working them on the whoa post they take off pretty good but nothing like they do with birds hidden on the training grounds.

The rock wall around the water faucet.

I got to the back and Boss was on point. He was standing with a really high head and tail. I took pictures then stroked his sides. I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I went back and stroked his sides then walked back in front kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and had to say, “okay” before he chased. He came back and went back to hunting.

He was well off the next bird when he went on point. Maybe he didn’t have a lot of scent because he wagged his tail. I waited just a second or two and he was still wagging so I flushed the pigeon. He will quit wagging on the pigeons if he doesn’t get to point for very long, I think. Early in the year like this I have plenty of time to get this worked out. He just does it when he’s not getting a lot of scent.

All 3 dogs made mistakes on their birds today but that is the time to do it. Here at home when we aren’t hunting. And we have lots of time to get these things worked out.

Vince Dye and I took Abby and Boss to one of his private places to see if we could get them into some quail. One of the nice things about gong to the north is we get to stop by the Hungry Mule Cafe in Lathrop Missouri. They have a really good breakfast.

Abby pointing. Whatever it was ran out on her.

I took several pictures of the same point.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

It had started to rain before I picked Vince up. The forecasters said the rain was over but when we turned dogs loose it was still spitting rain. But it did quit before we got very wet.

Vince and I had found several coveys of quail on this place right at the end of the season. After that we had some really bad, snowy weather with extreme cold. We weren’t sure if the quail had survived the weather. He had seen some while he was coyote hunting on this place, though.

I put GPS collars and e-collars on both dogs, Abby and Boss, and turned them loose. We started down a hedge row that when we were hunting here we found a covey close to where we parked the truck. They weren’t home today. This hedge row was on the north property line. We took it to the end then turned south.

Just a short distance to the south Vince had found a covey of birds both times he had quail hunted this place. I had been with him one of the times.

The GPS collar I had on Boss wasn’t working right. It kept turning off like it wasn’t charged. Boss gets out farther than Abby so I called him in and traded collars.

There was a small draw running through the CRP where Vince had found a covey one time. Abby was headed toward it when she went on point. As I grabbed my camera I saw Boss honor Abby’s point. I stayed out to the side of Abby as I walked in front of her. I went about 10 yards in front of her and nothing happened. I went back and tapped her head and said, “okay”.

She moved up about 15 yards and went on point again. I took more pictures. Then walked ahead of her. I went about 10 yards in front of her and again nothing flushed. I went back and tapped her on the head. She moved up then started trailing. Boss came in and they were both really excited but we never came up with anything.

We went down a small creek to the south. There was a lot of CRP around a harvested milo field. There is a few pheasants in this area but any game bird that is still alive this late in the year knows how to evade predators.

We went on to the south then turned to the east and crossed the road. There was a nice draw that ran to the property line on the south. The farmer to the south had some half grown calves in the pasture just across the fence from us. Boss never knows what to think about cows.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

The first time he saw them in Kansas he honored them. I thought I wasn’t going to get him away from them. Today he honored for a few minutes then decided he should chase them. The calves had already started away from us and he went through the fence. I hit the tone on his e-collar and called him back. When I hit the tone he made a 180 and headed back to me.

I was pretty proud of him. When he got to the fence he turned and started after the calves again. This time when I hit the tone on the e-collar he didn’t even act like he heard it. The e-collar was on level two and I held the button down on 2 low. Boss made a 180 and came all the way to me. We went around the end of the draw and started back to the north.

Both of these pups think they can still catch these birds. We had seen several owls come off the ground. The owls fly slow and circle around. That gave both of these pups ample birds to chase. One time I saw Abby after an owl and Boss was in the other direction chasing two doves. This helps build desire, I think.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

Just when the pups were getting tired about 7 or 8 owls came off the ground right in front of them. They chased. It had been a good day for the pups. They never got to point anything that held for them but they got to chase a lot of birds and this helps teach them that they can’t catch wild birds.

We got back to the truck and Abby loaded right up. Boss hates to ride and he went across the road and laid down in some tall weeds beside the road. When I get close he doesn’t run away but all year I’ve walked across and led him back to the truck. Today, I kneeled down next to the truck and hit the tone on his e-collar. He got up and came to me. I loaded him in the truck.

That was Monday that we took the pups to northern Missouri. Today I worked Abby, Boss and Sally on the whoa post and then worked Abby, Boss and Mann on two pigeons each.

Abby pointing a pigeon.

I worked Mann first. I had the e-collars and my one bark collar on the other dogs so I just had a GPS collar on Mann. I had hidden two pigeons, in release traps, on my side. It’s too muddy to cross over to my neighbor’s side.

I led Mann out near the 4-wheeler, whoaed him, got on the 4-wheeler and before I could start it Mann took off. When I yelled whoa he stopped. I started the 4-wheeler and said, “okay”. He was gone.

When I crossed the creek he went on point. He had circled a large clump of brush then hit the scent cone. I got off the 4-wheeler and took some pictures. I walked to him and stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is. As I walked in front of him he took a step then another. I set him back. He took a couple of steps real slow. I set him back and flushed the pigeon before he could move again. He didn’t move until I said, “okay”.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

I have never seen him move on wild birds. But if I let him move on these pigeons he will try on wild birds. He was going all out when he hit the scent cone on the second bird. He slid into a point. As I started to get off the 4-wheeler he took a step and I flushed the pigeon. He stopped. I said, “okay” and we went back to the kennel.

Mann doesn’t chase the birds so the only fun he gets is pointing the birds. He should quit moving if I flush the pigeon every time he tries to take a step. We will see.

Abby was next. I led her out near the 4-wheeler and said, “whoa”. She waited for me to start the 4-wheeler and say. “okay” before flying toward the back. She was on the wrong side of the field and missed the first bird but slammed into a point at the very back. I went to her and stroked her sides after taking pictures. I went in front of her kicking the cover then came back and stroked her sides again. I went back in front, kicked the cover and flushed the pigeon. She thought she would catch it but she didn’t.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

She circled the clump that held the next bird and when she hit the scent cone she pointed. I took pictures then went to her and stroked her sides. I kicked in front of her then stroked her sides again. I went back in front and flushed the pigeon. She chased but her chase is getting shorter. I took her back to the kennel.

When I put Boss on whoa and got on the 4-wheeler he decided to go hunting. I whoaed him. He stopped and looked at me for a second then took off again. I whoaed him then had to whoa him again before he waited for me to start the 4-wheeler and say, “okay”. At my okay he was gone.

He went on point for just a second then moved. I flushed the pigeon and he seemed surprised. He didn’t chase for a few seconds. We went on to the back but he didn’t want to hunt the very back. He would get within 50 yards of where the bird was hidden but then cross to the neighbor’s side or go back to the front. I waited.

Boss pointing a chukar.

I didn’t call him. I just sat on the 4-wheeler. After 3 or 4 minutes he came around the end of the training grounds, smelled the pigeon and went on point. The wind was strong and he was able to point with intensity from a long distance. I took pictures then stroked his sides. I kicked in front of him, went back and stroked his sides. I walked back in front kicking the cover and flushed the pigeon. He chased a short distance then went back to hunting.

I keep thinking that Mann is an old dog but he won’t be 3 years old until next month. He’s just performed in the field like an old dog. I’ve never seen him take a step on wild birds until I either say, “okay” or tap him on the head. Now he’s trying to see if he can move on the pigeons. I will just flush his birds every time I see him move. Even if he just has a foot raised and lowers it to the ground I will flush the pigeon. He will quit moving, soon.

Abby pointing a chukar.

Abby is doing real well on her birds. During the season she let me walk in front of her and flush the birds. When we ran the pups Monday she pointed and let me walk in front. When nothing flushed I went back, tapped her head and she moved and pointed again. Again she held until I tapped her head. She’s getting pretty steady. She still chases hard when the birds fly but not as far as she used to.

Boss is still trying to figure out what will work. Some days he points his birds great and some days he tries other things. On all 3 of these dogs I just need to be alert and flush their birds when they don’t do it correctly.

My back started bothering me yesterday and although it rained yesterday morning I could have worked dogs, had I felt like it. I thought it would be better today but when I got up it was hurting about like yesterday. I believe walking will cure about anything so this morning I started walking. I made a couple of trips around my yard and thought if I’m going to walk I may as well have bird dogs out. So I started working dogs.

Boss pointing a chukar.

Abby pointing a pigeon.

Mann with a pigeon in the tree above him.

I had walked to the back and then back to the front porch. After a cup of coffee I went to the back again. That’s when I decided I may as well be working dogs. I went to the kennel and led Luke out with a check cord. I let him run for a few minutes then petted him near the water faucet. I turned Mann out and let him run for a few minutes. He jumped onto the retrieving bench so I petted him there and then we went back to the wall around the water faucet where I petted him some more.

I had to call Luke to the water faucet to be petted but he was happy to be there. All of the others are waiting for me to get there. In fact they stand between me and the rock wall. But as soon as I get seated they are ready to be petted.

I put an e-collar and GPS collar on Boss and led him out with the check cord. Abby, Boss and Sally are still being worked on the whoa post. I hooked the whoa post rope to Boss’s collar after running it between his back legs and making a half hitch around his flanks. As usual I pulled him until the whoa post rope was taut. I held the check cord tight until he licked his lips.

This morning we are doing something different. After Boss licked his lips I went to him and picked him up and set him back where the whoa post rope was loose. I said, “whoa” and pulled the check cord taut. He didn’t try to move and he licked his lips again. I stroked his sides, unhooked him from the whoa post, tapped his head and said, “okay”. We went to the next whoa post.

I did the same thing on all 3 whoa posts. After the third one I led him a few feet away, tapped his head and let him run. He ran toward the back but I only walked to the retrieving bench. In a couple of minutes he came back and jumped onto the retrieving bench.

One of my dumb pigeons.

I petted him several times on the bench then I could see him remember that I had been putting my fingers in his mouth. He didn’t want to come to me for more petting. I said, “here” and pulled him to me. I stuck two fingers in his mouth behind his canine teeth. I stroked his head as he tried to get rid of my fingers. After a little fight he held my fingers. I wiggled my fingers and took them out of his mouth. I did that 3 times. I set him on the ground.

I always lift my dogs off the retrieving bench. In my opinion its hard on their joints to hit the ground from that height plus I want to be the one to end the session. I don’t want them to be able to jump off and run off.. As they are lowered to the ground I say, “whoa” then walk around them so I’m not tangled in the check cord. I tap their head to release them and we go back to the water faucet wall. I did all of this to Boss and after I petted him at the water faucet wall we went back to the kennel.

Abby pointing a pigeon.

Boss is a tall skinny dog. He doesn’t weigh very much. Abby is a different story. I worked her on the first whoa post and she acknowledged real quick so I picked her up and set her back. I felt it in my back. We went to the second whoa post and when I set her back on that one I almost couldn’t get straightened up. We skipped the third post. We will work on that when my back is better.

I let her run for a while then helped her to jump on the retrieving bench. The fingers in the mouth doesn’t bother her much. After I petted her for a few minutes she held my fingers with no fight. I set her on the ground, whoaed her then tapped her head to release her. We went to the water faucet where I petted her before putting her in the kennel.

I just let Sally run. We went toward the back then when we got close to the retrieving bench I helped her on. I petted her then set her on the ground, whoaed her and tapped her head to release her. We went to the water faucet wall where I petted her some more. I put her in the kennel.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

I went back to the house and ate lunch. After lunch I walked some more around my front yard. Once my back was feeling better I got the 4-wheeler out and hid two pigeons in release traps on the training grounds.

I had put the 3 training collars and the one bark collars on the other dogs, Luke, Boss, Abby and Sally so I just put the GPS collar on Mann and heeled him near the 4-wheeler. I whoaed him, got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear and said, “okay”. He was gone.

With my back bothering me I slowed way down to cross the creek and Mann was on point by the time I got to him. I took pictures then stroked his sides. I kicked in front of him and went back and stroked his sides again. I went back in front kicking the cover then flushed the pigeon. It was a dumb bird and only flew to a limb right above the trap. Mann didn’t move he just looked up. I took more pictures then led him away.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

He was going really fast when he hit the scent cone and pointed. I took more pictures, stroked his sides, kicked the cover and flushed the pigeon. Another pigeon that just came out of the trap and didn’t fly away. Mann just turned his head without moving. I stroked his sides and led him away. We went back to the kennel.

I turned right around after putting Mann up and went back to reload the release traps. Before I got to the first one I saw a pile of feathers where something, probably a hawk, had caught one of the pigeons. I think the hawks are migrating through. There are a lot of them.

Abby pointing a pigeon.

I brought Abby out and whoaed her next to the 4-wheeler. The last time I worked her on birds she had to be whoaed twice before I turned her loose to hunt. Today I said, “whoa” and as I climbed on the 4-wheeler I held my hand up like a traffic cop. She didn’t move until I said, “okay”. Then she wasted no time.

All of my dogs are more steady after the flush than Abby is so I try to make sure I have good flyers in the release trap for her. She was almost in the same tracks that Mann had been in on her first bird. I took pictures then stroked her sides. I kicked in front of her then came back and stroked her sides again. I kicked the cover and flushed the pigeon. It flew back toward the coop with Abby right behind.

Her chase is getting shorter. She came back and went on to the back where she pointed the next pigeon. Before she found this bird she had found the pile of feathers left by the hawk or whatever. I stroked her sides after taking pictures. I flushed the pigeon. It came out right over her head and she almost did a backwards flip before chasing the bird back toward the coop. After petting her at the water faucet I put her in the kennel.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

I whoaed Boss near the 4-wheeler, got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said, “okay”. He wasted no time getting to the training grounds. It’s like the dogs know where I hide the birds. It was too muddy to go on the neighbor’s side and the dogs knew. If any of them went on his side they didn’t stay long. If there are no 4-wheeler tracks over there, there are no birds.

Boss found the pile of feathers and spent a little time circling them trying to find the bird. He pointed the pigeon in the release trap and I took pictures. I stroked his sides then walked in front of him, kicking the cover. When I flushed the pigeon it lit in a bush just a few feet higher than Boss could jump. It was hard to get him away from the bird. I rode away, calling him a couple of times before he came away.

Sally pointing the covey.

Boss was going all out when he hit the scent cone on the next pigeon. He spun around and went on point. I took pictures then stroked his sides. I walked in front of him kicking the cover. When I flushed this pigeon it flew up in a tree right above the trap. Out of six birds I only had two that flew good. I took him back to the kennel, petting him at the water faucet before putting him up.

Even Abby and Boss are starting to understand when I say, “whoa” they must stop. Immediately. I thought with her personality, Abby would have the hardest time understanding whoa. But a couple of days ago, with birds on the training grounds, she took off before I said, “okay”, when she was on whoa. I yelled whoa and she stopped. She started again and again I stopped her with a whoa. Then released her with an okay. The last time she stayed until released.

Boss with a pigeon in the tree above him..

My pigeons are not doing well. Although I have some setting they aren’t smart enough to come back. I’ve had all of these birds in the coop for at least 5 months. When I turn some of them loose they just set in the trees near where they were released without even trying to fly back. It doesn’t take the hawks and owls long to find the ones that don’t return to the pigeon coop. A day or two and they are gone.

Last year I got down to 5 pigeons so I bought a dozen, supposed to be rollers. They didn’t come back very well so I bought another twelve birds. These were supposed to be homers. They may have returned to where I got them. I still have a few of both of these purchases but not many. Then a friend wanted to get rid of his pigeons and he gave me 5. I should have a lot of pigeons. I started, after the quail season was over, with 16 pigeons. I now have 11 birds. That’s enough birds to train my dogs. I can’t afford to lose many more though.

When I trained Wednesday the winds were over 40 MPH. Thursday they were a little less but not much. This morning it looked like rain after having rained Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I knew when I started it would probably rain me out but I made it all the way through. I may become a foul weather trainer for fowl dogs. Wow, that’s bad.

Abby pointing a pigeon.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

I ran Luke and Mann for a few minutes, petting them on the retrieving bench and as I sat on the rock wall around the water faucet. I worked the rest, Abby, Boss and Sally, on the whoa post. Abby and Boss have learned to acknowledge real quick on the whoa post. Sally does most of the time but usually on one of the three whoa posts she will try to wait me out. That will not happen. We will be there until dark before I quit.

I hid two pigeons, in release traps, on the training grounds. One on my side and one on my neighbor’s side. The e-collars double as bark collars and I had one on Sally, Abby and Boss. I have a bark collar that I put on Luke. The dogs don’t bark a lot except when I have pigeons out and when they sit on the landing perch outside their coop.

I put a GPS collar on Mann and heeled him to the 4-wheeler. I whoaed him, got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear and said, “okay”. Mann went toward the back in a dead run. I tried to keep up on the 4-wheeler but I have to slow down to cross the wet weather creek. Mann went across to the neighbor’s side. The strong wind was out of the south east and when he pointed he was standing on the south east side of the pigeon. The way the land lies causes the wind to change from minute to minute.

I took some pictures, stroked his sides, then walked in front of him kicking the cover. Mann, almost always looks really good. He was standing with a high head and tail. I flushed the pigeon, waited about 2 seconds and said, “Okay, get that bird”. He stood until I said, “okay” then he chased back toward the pigeon coop.

When he figured out he wasn’t going to catch that bird he quit and went back to hunting. The next pigeon was on the fence line on the north side of my place. It’s not a normal hiding place and it took a few minutes for him to find it. He was going really fast when he hit the scent cone and his front stopped and his rear end slid around. As I watched he straightened up.

I took pictures, stroked his sides and told him what a good boy he is. I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I went back to him and stroked his sides again telling him what a good boy he is. I went back in front kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and after a couple of seconds said, “get that bird”. He chased. When we got back to the kennel area I sat on the rock wall around the water faucet and petted him. Then I put him in the kennel.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

I brought Abby out of her kennel wearing an e-collar and a GPS collar. I whoaed her near the 4-wheeler, got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said, “okay”. She was gone. When there are birds hidden on the training grounds these dogs don’t mess around. They go in a hurry.

Abby had moved on both of her birds the day before and I had picked her up and set her back. Then I stroked her sides then walked in front of her kicking the cover before flushing the pigeon. Today she didn’t move on either one. She had gone to the neighbor’s side and was on the opposite side from where Mann had pointed. And farther away.

I went to her and stroked her sides telling her what a good girl she is. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. When I flushed the pigeon it hit a limb and fluttered a little bit before flying away. Had she been closer she would have had it. As it was she almost caught it anyway. She chased it back toward the pigeon coop.

Abby pointing a pigeon.

She checked all of the neighbor’s side and started checking my side. She made two passes down the divider between me and the neighbor before checking the north fence line. She hit the scent cone and locked up. I watched her for a few seconds but she didn’t try to move. I went to her, stroked her sides and told her what a good girl she is after taking some pictures. When I flushed the pigeon she chased it back toward the pigeon coop. I petted her at the water faucet and put her in the kennel.

I heeled Boss out wearing the GPS and an e-collar and whoaed him near the 4-wheeler. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said, “okay”. He was off. I followed but couldn’t keep up. I need a smoother crossing of the creek. He crossed to the neighbor’s side.

Abby pointing a pigeon.

When I saw him on point he was almost in the same place Mann had pointed with the wind in his butt. It must swirl around really bad. I took pictures, stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is. I went in front kicking the cover and flushed the pigeon. He didn’t move until I said, “get that bird”. He didn’t chase very far before going back to hunting.

He checked the neighbor’s side then went back to my side. As I got close to the bird on the north fence line he was ahead of me. I didn’t see him go on point but when I saw him he was wagging. I didn’t even get off the 4-wheeler, I just flushed the pigeon. I didn’t say anything to him I just rode back to the kennel area. I petted him at the rock wall around the water faucet and put him in the kennel.

This morning, thinking it would rain any minute, I let Luke and Mann run then worked the dogs on the whoa post. Abby and Boss acknowledge on the whoa post really quick, today. Sally not so much. I thought she was doing really well until it dawned on me that she may be beating me. The way dogs acknowledge is, licking their lips, sighing, yawning or moving their feet to get more comfortable. Sally moves her feet.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

Some of dogs will move a foot to get more comfortable. This morning Sally started moving backwards. She moved all 4 feet backwards. I didn’t notice the first time but she did it on the second whoa post, too. I pulled on the check cord to tighten the whoa post rope, again. I held the check cord where she couldn’t back up. She finally licked her lips and I took her off. We went to the third whoa post and again she tried to back up. I think, if I let her get by with this I have taught her to back up on whoa.

I held the check cord where she couldn’t back up on the third whoa post and we waited. After a couple of minutes she licked her lips. When she did I dropped the check cord and petted her as I took her off the whoa post. I let her run then jump on the retrieving bench. After petting her on the retrieving bench I petted her at the water faucet. I put her in the kennel.

Because of the rain and really wet training grounds I only hid two birds for Boss and Abby. I led Boss out first with the e-collar and GPS collar on. I whoaed him, got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said, “okay”. He ran, fast. Because of the muddy grounds I hid both birds on my side. By the time I got across the creek he was rounding the fence line at the back.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

As he came back toward me he hit the scent cone and locked up. The last time he wagged on his second bird. He wasn’t wagging today. I took pictures, stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is. I walked in front kicking the cover and flushed the pigeon. The pigeon lit just a few feet above the release trap. If he had of jumped a little higher he would have had the pigeon. It took a little persuading to get him to leave that bird and look for another.

Finally, he came away. He was a long way from the next pigeon when he hit the scent cone. He started to wag then took about 2 steps and went back on point. He must have had a lot more scent. Now he wasn’t wagging. I took pictures, then stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is. I went in front kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and it only flew to a limb right above the release trap. I encouraged him to try to get the pigeon but this one was higher in the tree. We went back to the kennel.

Abby on point with Ally honoring.

After reloading the release traps I heeled Abby out. I whoaed her, got on the 4-wheeler and Abby took off. I whoaed her and she stopped. I started the 4-wheeler and she took off, again. I whoaed her and she stopped. I should have carried her back but I didn’t. I said, “okay” and she was gone.

I try to make sure that Abby’s birds are good flyers. If she gets the chance she will catch them. And she’s fast. All I have to go on is size. I always hope the larger birds will fly good.

Abby on point, peeking through the milo stalks.

She was on point on the west side of a clump of brush as I came across the creek. I took pictures then went to her and stroked her sides. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and she chased it back toward the pigeon coop. I don’t have to encourage her to chase.

When she came back we went on to the west. As she came around the end of my side she hit the scent cone and locked up. After I set her back twice a few days ago she hasn’t tried to move. After I took pictures I stroked her sides then walked in front of her. I flushed the pigeon and she chased it back toward the kennel. I took her back.

Boss on a pigeon.

Both of these young dogs try different things to see what they can get by with. Abby chases farther and harder than Boss does. Boss did sometimes wag if he was a long way from the bird. I have decided that I will tap him on the head and encourage him to get closer, instead of worrying about him wagging. The other day I flushed his bird when he was wagging and he hasn’t wagged since. Maybe he’s decided that doesn’t work. Time will tell.