Traveling Pointing Dogs

I haven’t worked dogs for several days because of the weather. We have had a bunch of rain this year and some of the time it has been too warm. I watched the weather last night and the weather people said it would be 60 degrees this morning. I could hardly wait. When I got up this morning a little before 6 am it was 72 degrees. The cool front didn’t drop down as fast as they thought. Hopefully, it will be cooler in the morning. I worked dogs anyway.

I put 4 pigeons, in release traps, in the tall weeds on the training grounds. I had some frozen quail on the 4-wheeler. I have been working Sally and Tur Bo on retrieving the frozen quail after pointing the pigeons in the release traps. I have been only using two pigeons but this morning I used four birds.

I thought that Sally had been moving after establishing point. After hiding the pigeons I heeled Sally out of the kennel with an e-collar around her neck. I put a short check cord on her and whoaed her near the 4-wheeler. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and put it in gear. I sat for several seconds before saying, “okay”. At the “okay” Sally went fast but I was right behind her on the 4-wheeler.

She was going with the wind and as she came past the first pigeon she wheeled around and pointed. She took a step and I flushed the pigeon and yelled, “whoa”. I got off the 4-wheeler and set her back. I got back on the 4-wheeler and made her stand for a few seconds before saying, “okay”. She started hunting toward the back.

When she got close to the next pigeon she whirled around and pointed but took a step. I flushed the pigeon and yelled, “whoa”. I got off the 4-wheeler and set her back. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear and said, “okay”. She went back to hunting.

We crossed to the neighbor’s side. I was right behind her when she hit the scent cone on the third pigeon. She slammed on the brakes and didn’t move. As I got off the 4-wheeler I took one of the frozen quail from the bag and dropped it on the ground. I walked in front of her, after taking pictures, kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move.

I heeled her a few feet then said, “hunt dead”. She found the frozen quail and brought it to me. I threw it 3 times and she retrieved it each time. She and Tur Bo both have been force broke to retrieve but I live in the city limits and can’t shoot here. I’m hoping this will make them understand that they should retrieve fresh shot birds. And they seem happy to retrieve these frozen quail. I released her to hunt.

When she came to the next pigeon she slammed into a point and didn’t move. After a few pictures I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I had dropped a frozen quail before getting in front of her. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I heeled her a few feet then said, “hunt dead, hunt dead”. She found the frozen quail and brought it to me. I threw it 3 times and she retrieved it each time. I took her back to the kennel.

When I had the traps reloaded I heeled Tur Bo out with an e-collar around his neck and he was pulling a short check cord. I whoaed him near the 4-wheeler. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear and after a few seconds said, “okay”. Tur Bo is fast and I had trouble keeping up. I had to slow to cross a little creek but I saw him go on point on the first pigeon. I think by the time he got stopped he couldn’t smell the pigeon. He took a step and I flushed the pigeon and yelled, “whoa”. He didn’t chase. I set him back.

I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and we didn’t move for several seconds. Finally, I said, “okay”. Tur Bo was gone with me following on the 4-wheeler. He hit the scent cone on the next pigeon and slid to a point but then took a step. I flushed the pigeon and yelled, “whoa”. He didn’t chase. I set him back. After several seconds I said, “okay”. He hunted my side then crossed to the neighbor’s side.

Tur Bo went toward the front of the neighbor’s side and I followed. He didn’t show up so I rode toward the back. He was on point when I saw him. I don’t know for sure whether he moved after going on point but since I didn’t see him move I took some pictures then walked in front of him. I kicked the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon hit a limb on it’s way out and Tur Bo had it.

He had not moved until the bird flew which is all I require of him when we are hunting. But when Tur Bo catches a bird he doesn’t take any prisoners. I stepped onto the check cord, knelt down and called him to me. He proudly came. I petted him while he held the pigeon then said, “give”. He dropped it into my hand. I had dropped a frozen quail before I walked in front of him. I heeled him a few feet then said, “hunt dead, hunt dead”.

He found the quail and brought it to me. I tossed it and he retrieved it. I threw the quail and he retrieved it, again. I tossed the just killed pigeon not knowing what to expect and Tur Bo retrieved it. I let him hold the bird for a few seconds as I petted him. When I said, “give” he dropped it in my hand. I heeled him a few feet then said, “okay”. He went back to hunting.

I saw him point the next pigeon. He stopped as soon as he hit the scent cone and didn’t move. After I dropped a frozen quail, I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He had just caught a pigeon and thought he would get another but this one flew away. He had moved a couple of body lengths but didn’t chase as the bird flew away. I set him back.

I let him stand for several seconds then heeled him a few feet. I said, “hunt dead, hunt dead”. He found the frozen quail and brought it to me. I threw it 3 times for him then took him back to the kennel.

After reloading the release traps I heeled Luke out close to the 4 wheeler and whoaed him. He had an e-collar on but no check cord. I wasn’t going to make him retrieve a frozen bird, either. He’s old and kind of set in his ways. He will point birds and hunt dead but he doesn’t retrieve. I’m okay with that.

At almost ten years old he’s still as fast as any of my dogs. We were moving with what little wind we had as we came into the training grounds. He got a little of the first bird and started to point but went on toward the back. When he got close to the second bird he pointed. Once he points he doesn’t move unless the birds move. After a few pictures I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I heeled him a few feet then released him to hunt.

He was going into the wind as we came back toward the front of the training grounds. He hit the scent cone on the next bird and pointed. I took more pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I petted him for several seconds before heeling him away. I released him to hunt. He went back to the kennel.

There were still pigeons in two release traps so I got two more and reloaded the two that he had pointed. The puppies enjoy walking the training grounds so I followed along. They were still a little way from the first pigeon when I flushed it. They all 3 had to smell the trap and they all were excited.

We continued on down the training grounds to the next pigeon. I was watching them for any sign that they smelled the pigeons. One of the females may have. I flushed the pigeon before they got real close. I don’t want to hit them with the release trap and make them trap shy. They got excited.

We started back toward the front and the two girls went back to the kennel. The male pup and I went on to the back on the neighbor’s side. When he got close to the pigeon I flushed it. He chased for a few feet then came back.

We went on to the last bird and when he got close I flushed it. I haven’t done anything to get the puppies to point, yet. They are old enough that I will start working them one at a time, trying to get them to point.

I think that having Sally and Tur Bo retrieve the frozen quail will get them to retrieve fresh killed birds. They seem to enjoy retrieving when I throw the quail and Tur Bo caught the pigeon and brought it to me. I hope this works. I need some retrievers.

I had a call from a man in Oregon, Charles Stock, wanting one of my puppies. We talked and he started trying to find someone to haul it from Missouri to Oregon. He texted me with the information on the dog hauler. A few hours later he texted me again and said he thought the guy was trying to scam him. He would try something else.

I didn’t hear from Charlie for a few days and I was thinking that it was just too hard to get the puppy to him and he, probably, backed out. Monday morning as I was talking to someone on the phone I got a text from Charlie. He would fly into Kansas City on Wednesday, pick up the puppy and fly back on Thursday.

I met him at the airport and brought him to see the puppies. We sat in the shade as the puppies played and they came by to be petted every once in a while. I had taken a bag of birds earlier and put some pigeons to sleep in the tall grass, in the back. I grabbed some more and we took the puppies for a walk.

At 11 weeks old they are under foot a lot of the time but, occasionally, they got out a way in front of us. When we got near the strips of tall grass, I had left in the field, and the puppies were away from us, I put a pigeon to sleep and hid it in the grass. I called to the puppies and clapped my hands real loud. They came back and found the pigeon asleep in the grass.

Some of the time the puppies just stumbled over the pigeon but sometimes you could see them smell the bird and go toward it. We, also, had a few points although they didn’t last long. This was the second time I had done this with the puppies and they learned, quickly. As soon as they saw me bend over to hide a pigeon they came running.

I wanted to show Charlie my dogs and how I trained so the next morning we got out while it was still cool. I hid two birds in the release traps on the training grounds. Usually, with Sally, Luke and Tur Bo I follow on the 4-wheeler. With two of us, we walked. I heeled Sally to the retrieving bench and decided to show Charlie what I was dealing with on retrieving.

Sally jumped onto the retrieving bench. I petted her for a few seconds then put her on whoa. I put 3 bumpers on the other end of the bench. I came back to her and motioned to the other end of the bench and said, “fetch”. She ran down the bench, picked up a bumper and brought it back. Sally held the bumper until I said, “give”. She dropped it in my hand. She retrieved all 3 bumpers. I set her on the ground.

I heeled her a few yards then whoaed her, tapped her head and said, “okay”. She ran toward the back but got out of sight by going around some bushes. We checked on the other side then came back and saw her on point on the first bird.

I have been putting a frozen quail in with the pigeon for Sally and Tur Bo. This morning I hadn’t done that but I think the frozen quail has made them a little less steady to wing and shot. I walked in front of Sally, kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and she took a step or two. I set her back and made her stay for a few seconds. I heeled her away, whoaed her and tapped her head. She went back to hunting.

She checked my side out and went across to the neighbor’s side. When we got near the next bird she was already on point. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon. She took a step but didn’t chase. I stroked her sides then released her to hunt. We took her back to the kennel.

I put an e-collar on Tur Bo and heeled him to the retrieving bench. He wants to do everything with speed. On his third bumper he dropped it when he turned to come back. I told Charlie that when they dropped the bumper on purpose I pinched their lip against their teeth. I gave Tur Bo the benefit of the doubt. I don’t think he dropped it on purpose. I picked the bumper up from the ground and sent him again. This time he did it right. I set him on the ground and heeled him a few yards and released him.

We were half way back, on my side, when we saw him on point. I walked in front of him kicking the cover. Tur Bo moved up a couple of steps then stopped. I set him back. I kicked a little longer then flushed the pigeon. He moved a step but didn’t chase. I heeled him a few yards then released him.

By the time we got close to the pigeon hidden on the neighbor’s side he was on point. As I started in to flush Tur Bo moved up a step. There was a rose bush between him and me, so I didn’t move him back. I flushed the pigeon and he took a step. I heeled him a few yards then released him. We took him back to the kennel.

I moved both of the release traps into the tall grass strips I have left and put pigeons in each. We turned all 4 puppies out and walked them toward the back. The puppies have found pigeons asleep in this tall grass so they move through it. When we got close to the first release trap the puppies were on it before I could release the pigeon. As they pawed at the release trap they released the pigeon. They chased a few steps then went back to playing.

As we got near the second pigeon hidden in the grass we saw the puppy that Charlie had chosen wheel and start toward the release trap. I flushed the pigeon before the puppies could get too close to the trap. They chased a few steps. We took them back to the kennel.

We wanted to let Charlie’s puppy get tired as well as clean out a little before getting on the airplane. We brought her to the front and let her play. I gave her a bath. She stood for the bath like we had done it before.

We put her in a soft sided carrier and started to the airport. I had taken her to the vet in a carrier just a few days before and she had barked for just a short time. This time she started barking when we left the house and barked all the way to the airport, about 45 minutes. When I stopped at the airport she stopped barking. There was a little grass strip near where I parked and Charlie walked her through the grass.

He brought her back and put her in the carrier. He knew if she barked like that on the airplane they wouldn’t let him fly. I told him if he had to, to leave her and take his flight. I would get her and take her back to my kennel.

Charlie texted me that there was hardly a peep out of her since they had left the car. That was about 20 minutes before they boarded. The next text they were taxiing and all was well.

The next text was from Portland and Charlie said she was perfect. He said, “Man am I glad, She really had me worried but it could not have gone better”. I was worried, too. All’s well that ends well.

Most of the mornings were from warm to hot, this week. Finally, this morning was in the low sixties and I hid some pigeons and worked all of the dogs. Well, I just turned the puppies out and let them play. I still have 4 here. One will be going to Oklahoma when we can make arrangements. I was going to keep three of the puppies but I have now decided to sell one of the females and the male. On the females, I’m going to keep whichever doesn’t sell. I can’t tell that one is better than the other.

Tur Bo and Sally have been force broke to retrieve but haven’t made the connection of retrieving just shot birds to me. I’m working on this by putting a frozen quail in the release trap with the pigeon. After I flush the pigeon and shoot the blank pistol I send them to retrieve the frozen quail. When they bring it back to me I throw it for them 3 times. They seem to like retrieving the quail. I hope that this convinces them to bring me just shot birds.

I heeled Tur Bo out with the piggin’ string. He was wearing an e-collar and dragging a long check cord. I heeled him near the 4-wheeler and whoaed him. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and put it in gear before saying, “okay”. He was off like a shot.

When I turn them loose near the kennel they go fast to the bird field. Without the 4-wheeler I wouldn’t be able to tell what they are doing. They would beat me to the bird and could creep and get right on top. If I’m fast enough on the 4-wheeler I can watch them go on point.

There wasn’t much wind and as usual it was whirling. The way the ground lays the wind usually swirls. Tur Bo went down my side. I was right behind him when he hit the scent cone and slammed into a point. I took pictures then walked in front of him, kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He moved a step with his front feet but not his back. I let him stand for a few seconds then tapped his head and said, “fetch”.

He went close to the release trap but didn’t get the frozen quail. I kept saying, “dead. Hunt dead”. I stood on the check cord so he had to stay close to the release trap. When I flush the pigeon the frozen bird doesn’t go very far. One of the times it landed back on the release trap. I kept him close until he picked up the frozen quail and brought it to me. I threw it 3 times and he raced out and back. I released him to hunt.

He checked out my side then crossed to the neighbor’s side. He went toward the back where he hit the scent cone and slid to a stop. I took more pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He took a step but didn’t chase. I told him to hunt dead. He was a little quicker to pick up the frozen quail and bring it to me. I threw it 3 times and he raced out and raced back with it. Tur Bo doesn’t do anything slow. I took him back to the kennel.

After reloading the release traps I heeled Sally out with piggin’ string. She, too, was wearing an e-collar and dragging a long check cord. I whoaed her near the 4-wheeler. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and put it in gear. I said, “okay” and she was gone. I followed on the 4-wheeler.

With the wind swirling she had trouble figuring out where the pigeon was. She pointed looking the wrong way then lost the scent and tried to work into the brush but went away from the pigeon. She came back around, hit the scent cone and pointed. I took some pictures then walked in kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move.

I sent her to retrieve the frozen quail. She touched it with her nose but didn’t bring it back. I wound up sending her 4 or 5 times before she finally picked it up. She would touch it with her nose but not pick it up. Finally, she picked it up and brought it to me. I petted her while she held it for a few seconds. When I said. “give” she dropped it in my hand. I threw it 3 times for her and she retrieved it each time. I released her to hunt.

She checked my side then crossed to the neighbor’s side. Near the back she went on point. I took pictures then went in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I sent her to retrieve.

This time she grabbed the frozen quail and brought it to me. I petted her for several seconds before telling her to give. She dropped it in my hand. I threw it 3 times for her and she retrieved it each time. I took her back to the kennel.

I reloaded the release traps and brought Luke out wearing an e-collar but I didn’t make him drag the check cord. I heeled him near the 4-wheeler and whoaed him. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and put it in gear. When the 4-wheeler jumped a little when I put it in gear Luke took off. I yelled, “whoa” and he stopped looking at me. I made him stand for half a minute before saying, “okay”.

Luke doesn’t retrieve and I don’t try to make him so I hadn’t put the frozen quail in the release traps. He at nearly 10 years old is still really fast. I was right behind him when he hit the scent cone and went on point. I took pictures and went in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I released him to hunt.

Luke went on toward the back checking the cover. I rode on to the neighbor’s side but Luke was through. He went back to the kennel. Once I decided he had gone back I reloaded the one release trap that we had used and went back to the kennel to put him up.

I heeled Mann out with an e-collar around his neck dragging a long check cord. The reason for the check cord on him is, if a pigeon doesn’t fly well and he catches it, I can catch him. I walked him toward the back and whoaed him. I walked about 25 yards in front of him, knelt down and called him to me. He came in a run. I heeled him to the retrieving bench. He jumped onto it.

I petted him in several different spots on the bench. I pried his mouth open and placed a piece of PVC pipe behind his canine teeth. I walked (drug) him a short distance down the bench. The second time I started toward his mouth with the PVC pipe he opened his mouth to take it. He held fine until I started him moving down the bench. He spit the pipe out. I pinched his lip against his teeth and replaced the pipe. When I pinch the lip against the teeth I don’t pinch it hard enough to make him yelp, just hard enough that it’s uncomfortable. He didn’t drop it again and each time I started toward his mouth he opened to take the pipe. I set him on the ground.

When we got close to the training grounds I tapped his head to release him. He didn’t come close to the bird hidden on my side before he crossed to the neighbor’s side. He checked it out as he went toward the back where he hit the scent cone and pointed. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I stroked his sides then heeled him a few yards and released him.

He checked the neighbor’s side then went back to my side. When he got close to the pigeon he slid to a stop. I took more pictures then walked in front, kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon. I was out of primers in my blank pistol but I snapped it several times. He didn’t move. I heeled him a few yards then took him back to the kennel.

To get set up for Babe I put 3 release traps, with pigeons, in front of the whoa barrel. Babe wags her tail when she points like she is the happiest dog in the world. On the barrel she doesn’t wag or even beside the barrel she doesn’t wag. And she likes being on the barrel.

I heeled her out dragging the long check cord and wearing an e-collar. Just out of the kennel I whoaed her and walked about 25 yards in front of her. I knelt down and called her to me. She came in a run. I heeled her on to the whoa barrel where I picked her up and placed her on the barrel.

I styled her up which doesn’t take much. She looks really good and doesn’t move her tail at all. I stroked her up then walked in front of her. I took several pictures then flushed a pigeon. She didn’t move only turned her head to watch it fly away. I stroked her sides but she never let down a bit. I went back in front and flushed another pigeon. She watched it fly away.

I stroked her sides then set her on the ground. I styled her up. I walked in front after taking pictures and flushed the pigeon. She never tried to wag or let down in any way. I heeled her to the retrieving bench where she jumped on.

I walked her around on the bench petting her. I placed the PVC pipe behind her canine teeth. It’s harder to get her mouth open than it is for Mann but she holds the dummies better. I lead her down the bench. I had her hold and walk 5 times on the bench then set her on the ground.

I held her check cord for a little way down the field but decided to see if she hunted with me or went a long way to the west as she has in the past. She got close to the first pigeon and went on point. At first she wasn’t wagging but as I got close she started. I stroked her tail then when she continued to wag I tapped her tail with my hand. She stopped for a few seconds then started again. I tapped it again and she stopped. While she wasn’t wagging I flushed the pigeon. She didn’t move. I tapped her head to release her.

When she got close to the west edge of my property I thought she might continue to the west but when I called she turned and came back. We went to the neighbor’s side. She checked everything until we got to the back where she hit the scent cone and went on point. I took some pictures. She started wagging and I tapped her tail and she quit. I flushed the pigeon and it flew right over the top of her. She jumped as high as she could and almost caught the pigeon. She followed the bird for a couple of steps but stopped on her own. I stroked her sides then released her to hunt. Before we got back to the kennel I called her to me and held the check cord the rest of the way.

I enjoy my dogs and we went in the back and got 9 points. If Luke would have worked his other bird we would have had 10 points. But it is really nice to be able to go in my backyard and get some points. It’s almost as good as a real hunt. I’m blessed.

It was pretty warm when I went out to work dogs this morning. It’s been a while since I have worked Mann and Babe so I went out early. By the time I cleaned pens it was already getting warm. Mann and Babe don’t care, they just want me to work them on pigeons.

I put two pigeon, in release traps, in front of the whoa barrel and four more release traps, with pigeons in them, on the training grounds. I brought Babe out with an e-collar around her neck and dragging a long check cord. I heeled her toward the whoa barrel with the piggin’ string. Before we got to the barrel I whoaed her and walked about 25 yards in front of her. I turned and watched her for a few seconds then called her to me. She came in a run.

We went on to the whoa barrel. I whoaed her beside the barrel then set her on top of the barrel. I styled her up but she did most of it herself. She likes the whoa barrel. I stroked her sides and belly telling her what a good girl she is. I took pictures and walked back and forth in front of her kicking the grass. I flushed a pigeon and it only flew to the chicken house and lit on the roof. Maybe 20 yards.

After I stroked her sides and styled her up again I went back in front of her kicking the grass. In a few seconds I flushed the second pigeon. She didn’t move. The second pigeon flew to the roof of the chicken house with the first. Babe looked good as she watched the pigeons on the chicken house.

I set her on the ground and styled her up, beside the barrel, before heeling her away. When we got to the retrieving bench she jumped onto it. I walked her down both sides of the bench, petting her. I placed the retrieving dummy behind her canine teeth and had her walk half way down the bench. At the middle of the bench I had her give then placed it back in her mouth and had her walk the rest of the way down the bench.

When we got to the end of the bench I had her hold the dummy as I petted her. I said, “give” and she dropped it into my hand. We walked both sides of the bench with her carrying the dummy and giving when I asked her to. I set her on the ground.

She was dragging the long check cord as we went toward the bird field. Actually, she was dragging me. I hold the check cord to keep her from leaving my property but I have started dropping the check cord when we get close to where I have hidden a bird so she has to stop on her own.

She got close to the first bird and was going with the wind. As she went past the bird she caught the scent and whirled around and went on point. Her tail was wagging a little but she wasn’t moving. I walked to her and stroked her tail softly saying, “whoa”. She would stop wagging then start again. I tapped her tail and she stopped. I walked in front of her, watching her to see if she started wagging but she didn’t. I flushed the pigeon and she turned to watch it fly away. I tapped her head while holding the check cord.

Before we got to the next bird I turned loose of the check cord. She was moving really fast when she caught the scent of the next bird but didn’t stop. She turned and started toward the pigeon and I flushed it and yelled, “whoa”. She stopped and watched it fly away.

I carried her back to where she first smelled the bird and whoaed her. I stroked her sides and made her stand there for a few seconds then grabbed the check cord, tapped her head and started to the other side.

When we got close I dropped the check cord and she had trouble finding the next bird but she was looking hard. There was not much wind and it was swirling. This gave me the opportunity to use the phrase, “look in here”. She came by me and I repeated the phrase, “look in here” and she went on point. She stopped the instant she smelled the bird. I stroked her sides softly saying, “whoa”. I watched her as I went in front of her and her tail didn’t move. I flushed the bird and she took a step to see better. I stroked her sides, grabbed the check cord, tapped her head and we went toward the front of the training grounds.

To check her out I turned her loose long before we got to the next bird. I would like to work her without the check cord but I don’t want her just coming back when she gets ready. She hit all of the edge on the way to the next bird. When I came around a small thicket she was on point on the last bird. She was quite away from the pigeon so she had stopped when she first smelled it, I think.

Her tail was wagging. I went to her and tapped her tail, softly saying, “whoa”. Her tail would quit for several seconds then start again. I tapped it again and stroked it up. I pushed on her tail until she resisted. Finally, she quit wagging and I walked in front of her, kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and it went right over the top of her and she raised her head to watch it but didn’t move her feet. I stroked her sides, grabbed the check cord, tapped her head and we went back to the kennels.

Mann doesn’t like or do good on the whoa barrel so I don’t put him on it. But he doesn’t need it. He almost always has good style when he points. I didn’t use the release traps by the barrel but I reloaded the release traps that were hidden on the training grounds and heeled him out. After a few yards I whoaed him and walked about 25 yards in front of him and called him to me. He came in a run. We went on to the retrieving bench.

He jumped onto the bench. I walked both sides of the bench petting him. He takes the retrieving dummy better than Babe does but he doesn’t hold or walk the bench as well. I put the dummy in his mouth and drug him down the bench. It’s funny. His front feet move pretty easy but his back feet don’t want to take a step. After we did both sides of the bench I set him on the ground.

I had him drag the long check cord because some of the pigeons are young and don’t fly too well. If he catches one he takes it into the thick brush where I can’t get to him. He doesn’t kill the bird he just plays with it but with the check cord I might be able to make a retrieving exercise out of it, if I can catch him.

I turned him loose and he crossed the other side then came back to my side, made a circle and went back to the other side. We went toward the back with him checking most of the places I had ever hidden a bird for him. I lost sight of him with all of the clumps of brush. As I called him I saw him standing, looking good. With the swirling wind he had pointed on the opposite side than I thought he would. I’m often fooled on the places the dogs find the scent.

I took some pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and he didn’t move. I went to him, stroked his sides then heeled him away. I tapped his head to release him.

He was running hard and was on point long before I got to the next pigeon. The check cord was lying in a straight line showing how he had turned when he hit the scent cone. He stopped immediately, I think. I took pictures then stroked his sides before going in front of him. I flushed the pigeon and he didn’t move. I stroked his sides, heeled him a few yards then tapped his head to release him.

He checked this side out then crossed back to my side. When I came through the crossing I could see him on point through the brush. I took a picture through the brush then went on to him. I took more pictures then stroked his sides. I went in in front of him kicking the cover. When I flushed the pigeon he didn’t move. I heeled him a few yards and tapped his head to release him.

He was wound up and checking every where. He hit the scent cone and whirled around with his hind legs stretched out. He straightened up to stand tall and didn’t move. I took pictures then went in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and he only turned his head to watch it fly away. I took him back to the kennel.

Babe has always, even from a puppy, wagged her tail when she points. It’s not a little tick, it’s like she’s the happiest dog in the world. I’ve been working on her to stop. It’s a fine line between her thinking I don’t want her to point birds and I don’t want her to wag. I don’t field trial so the wagging is not a big deal for that reason but she wags so much the other dogs can’t tell she’s on point. They won’t honor her.

She has a lot of style on the whoa barrel and she likes being on it. With the whoa barrel and a few low level things I’m trying I think I will be able to break her from this. She hunts hard and looks good on the ground. Her tail is up and wagging a lot when she’s running, also. She is worth all the work.