Traveling Pointing Dogs

It was cool this morning, after last nights rain, so I worked the young English setters. I have been putting both of them on the whoa barrel with 6 pigeons in release traps in front of the barrel. I haven’t used the whoa barrel for a long time until I thought it might stop Babe from wagging her tail. She doesn’t just barely wag, or tic, she wags like she’s the happiest dog in the whole wide world.

Babe with the 6 release traps in front of the whoa barrel.

Babe on the whoa barrel.

Mann on the whoa barrel.

I put the pigeons in the release traps in front of the whoa barrel and heeled Babe out with the e-collar and GPS collar on. She was dragging a long check cord. Just a short distance out of the kennel I whoaed her and walked about 50 feet in front of her. I watched her for a few seconds then knelt down and said, “here”. She came in a run. I heeled her away.

When we got to the whoa barrel she jumped on when I said, “up”. You would think the dogs wouldn’t like the barrel but they don’t show it. I took the check cord and piggin’ string off and styled her up. She looks great on the barrel and doesn’t move or change her style. I walked in front of her, kicking the grass, and flushed a pigeon. She didn’t move. I went to her and petted her telling her what a good girl she is.

Today, I put another wrinkle in the exercise. I walked back in front, kicking the grass and flushed another pigeon. I waited just a second or two and shot the blank pistol. This was new and she flinched but didn’t come off the barrel. I went to her and straightened her up. She styled up. I went in front, kicking the grass. I flushed another pigeon but didn’t shoot the blank pistol. She didn’t move and still looked great. I went to her and stroked her sides telling her what a good girl she is.

After kicking the grass for a few seconds I flushed another pigeon then a second or two later I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. This time she didn’t move. After flushing each pigeon I went to her and stroked her sides then walked back in front. After the sixth pigeon I set her on the ground and styled her up. She looked good. I put the piggin’ string and check cord on her and heeled her to the retrieving bench.

Luke pointing a pigeon.

When we got to the bench I said, “up” and she jumped onto it. I walked her back and forth petting her. I took a wooden dowel rod and opened her mouth and had her hold. I had her hold in three places on the bench before I remembered that I had been trying to get her to walk with the dowel. The fourth time I had her hold then pulled on her collar and made her walk. As soon as she moved all 4 feet I stopped pulling and had her give the dowel. I had her walk in one more place then put her on the chain gang.

I reloaded the release traps and brought Mann out with an e-collar on and dragging the long check cord. A short distance out of the kennel I whoaed him and walked about 50 feet ahead of him. When I called him he came in a run. I heeled him to the whoa barrel and he jumped on when I said, “up”. I styled him.

I walked out front kicking the grass. When I flushed the pigeon he only turned his head to watch it fly away. I went back to him and stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is. I went back in front, kicking the grass and flushed another pigeon. After a second or two I shot the blank pistol. He flinched but didn’t come off the barrel. I went to him and stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is.

I walked back in front kicking the grass. I flushed another pigeon but didn’t shoot the blank pistol. I went back to him, stroked him up then went back in front. I flushed another pigeon and a second later shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. He moved just a little but never came off the barrel. He watched the bird fly away. After I flushed all of the pigeons I heeled him to the retrieving bench. He jumped onto it when I said, “up”.

Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.

I walked him back and forth petting him on both sides of the bench. I opened his mouth and placed the dowel behind the canines. He’s just now holding the dowel. I’m not trying to get him to walk with it, yet. I had him hold it in 6 different places on the bench then put him on the chain gang.

I put two release traps close together in two different places on the training grounds, for a total of 4 pigeons. I heeled Babe away from the chain gang, whoaed her, took the piggin’ string off and tapped her on the head to release her. I held onto the long check cord because if I let her go she goes to the west for a long ways. She drug me down the field.

She was quite a ways from the pigeons when she got a snoot full and pointed. Her tail was going like she was the happiest dog in the world. I walked in front of her, aggressively kicking the cover. The last couple of times she quit wagging when I really kicked the cover hard. Today it didn’t matter. I flushed the first pigeon. She continued to wag. I walked back in front kicking the cover.

I decided I would kick really aggressively until she quit wagging. After a few minutes I picked up a large stick and started beating the cover. She was still happily wagging her tail. I stood still and waited. That didn’t work. She was on point for a good 15 minutes. Finally, I went to her and styled her up. I pushed on her tail and stroked it up. With me stroking the tail she wasn’t wagging. I flushed the pigeon. She started to chase then stopped. I heeled her away. I whoaed her then released her to hunt with me holding the check cord.

It has finally dried up enough I can hide birds on the neighbor’s side. That’s where the next two were. She drug me to the other side and when she got close to the pigeon she went on point. She was wagging just like before. I went in front aggressively kicking the cover. She continued to wag. I went to her and stroked her tail and pushed forward. She quit wagging. I flushed the first pigeon. When I took my hands off her tail she went back to wagging. I stroked her tail and pushed her forward. I flushed the pigeon she was pointing. She didn’t move. I heeled her away then back to the kennel.

Sally one week before the puppies were born.

I reloaded the release traps and heeled Mann away from the chain gang. I whoaed him and tapped his head to release him. I don’t have to run him with the check cord. He checked most of the places I had ever hidden a bird for him in the past. When he got close to the birds, hidden at the very back on my side, he went on point. The last time I worked him on pigeons he took a step after going on point. Not today. I walked in front kicking the grass and flushed a pigeon. He watched it fly away without moving. I continued to kick the cover and flushed the pigeon he was pointing. He didn’t move. I heeled him away then tapped his head to release him.

He continued to check my side of the training grounds out then went across to the neighbor’s side. When he hit the scent cone he slammed into a point. I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon that was farthest away. He didn’t move. I flushed the bird he was pointing. He watched it fly away. I heeled him away. I tapped his head to release him.

When I got back to the 4-wheeler I let him run in front while I picked up the release traps. We went back to the kennel.

I will continue trying to get Babe to stop wagging. Stroking her tail as she points seems to help some. I may try to get some quail or chukars to work her on to see if that helps. She is too nice of a dog, with too much potential, to give up on.

Babe on the whoa barrel.

Mann on the barrel with the traps in front.

Babe on the barrel.

The weather forecast for this week is rain every day except Monday morning so I decided to just work the young English setters, Mann and Babe. I have been working the older dogs most of the time but with Sally being due to deliver her puppies any day, I decided not to work the older dogs.

Six release traps by the whoa barrel.

Babe on the whoa post.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

Babe has been wagging on her points. Not just a twitching but a full wag like she is the happiest dog in the whole wide world. I don’t field trial but even so, it doesn’t look good and the other dogs may not recognize her wagging as a point. I have been putting her on a whoa barrel and she doesn’t wag. I keep flushing pigeons while she is on point on the barrel. She doesn’t move. I even put one pigeon to sleep and laid it on the whoa barrel. It woke up and walked around in front of her until I flushed it. She didn’t move with the pigeon walking right under her chin.

This morning I put all six of my release traps in front of the whoa barrel, with pigeons in them. After putting the e-collar and GPS collar on Babe and heeled her out with the piggin’ string. I had her dragging the long check cord. In a short distance I whoaed her and walked about 50 feet in front of her. I came back and walked around her. I heeled her away for several more yards then whoaed her again. This time I knelt down and called her to me. She came in a run.

When we got to the whoa barrel I took the check cord and piggin’ string off and set her on the barrel. I styled her up. She stands with a perfect tail and she doesn’t move. She does not wag. The first time she was put on the barrel she jumped off. The chain stopped her with her back feet just touching the ground. She hasn’t moved on the barrel since.

After styling her up I walked in front taking pictures. I kicked the cover and flushed a pigeon. She moved her head to watch the pigeons but didn’t try to chase or move her feet. I continued to kick the cover and flushed another pigeon. I stroked her sides then walked back in front before flushing another pigeon. After each pigeon I stroked her sides and told her what a good girl she is, then went back in front kicking the cover. I flushed all six pigeons. I set her on the ground and styled her up. Right beside the barrel she doesn’t move after I style her up. I heeled her away.

She jumped onto the retrieving bench and we walked up and down it with me petting her every few feet. I took a one inch dowel rod and placed it behind her canine teeth and said, “hold”. I would pet her for a few seconds as she held the dowel until I said, “give”. I had her hold the dowel in 6 different places on the bench. Each time she held the dowel I had her take a step. This is hard for the puppies. All I want from her is to move all 4 feet. I put her on the chain gang.

On the retrieving bench I have been using a canvas covered dummy that I keep in a plastic milk container. I think, some animal took my canvas bumpers. There were two of them in the container and now there is none. My retrieving bench is not where I would expect a person taking them, although this is possible, but I really think some animal took them.

I got more pigeons and picked up the release traps. I hid the pigeons, three traps in two different locations.

I took Babe off the chain gang and heeled her away. She was dragging me with the long check cord when she hit the scent cone on the first set of pigeons. She was wagging but not as bad as before. I walked in front of her aggressively kicking the cover. She stopped wagging as I attacked the cover. I flushed a pigeon and she turned her head to watch it fly away. She didn’t move her feet. I started kicking before she could start wagging. I flushed the other two pigeons. I went to her, styled her up and petted her. I tapped her head and she started dragging me to the next set of pigeons.

Babe with the pigeon asleep on the barrel.

When she got close to the next set of pigeons she pointed, when she hit the scent cone. She was wagging but it wasn’t as bad as before. When I went in front of her, aggressively kicking the cover, she quit wagging. I flushed all 3 pigeons, starting with the farthest from her, and she only moved her head. I stroked her and styled her up then tapped her head. I took her back to the kennel.

Leaving the release traps where they were, I reloaded them. I heeled Mann out with the e-collar and GPS collar around his neck dragging the long check cord. Mann doesn’t have to work on the whoa barrel. I drug the whoa barrel out of the woods for Babe. I hadn’t used it for a lot of years.

Mann heeled for a short distance when I whoaed him. I walked about 50 feet in front of him then walked back to him and all around him. I heeled him away. I whoaed him again and walked about 50 feet in front of him. I turned and called him to me. He came in a run. I heeled him to the retrieving bench. He jumped onto it.

As we walked up one side and down the other I stopped and petted him. Mann doesn’t hold the dummy as well as Babe does so I have to work with him a little more. I opened his mouth, placed the dowel rod behind the canines, took my hand away as I said, “hold”. He spit the dowel out. I put some pressure on his lip against his teeth, not enough to make him yelp, and replaced the dowel in his mouth. He spit it out. We went through this about 4 times before he held the dowel. When he held it, I petted him and told him what a good boy he is.

Luke pointing a pigeon.

I had him hold the dowel in 6 different places on the bench. Three times he held it fine and three times I had to pinch his lip against his teeth. When he spits it out there has to be a consequence. I set him on the ground and heeled him away.

I don’t make him drag the check cord when I work him on birds. When I tapped him on the head he checked most of the spots I had ever hid a bird for him before as he moved down the field. He hit the scent cone and went on point. As I started toward him he took a step toward the bird and went back on point. I yelled, “what are you doing”. I picked him up and set him back.

As I kicked in front of him I flushed the pigeon that was farthest from him. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover and flushed another pigeon. He watched the bird fly away but didn’t move. As I continued to kick the cover I flushed the pigeon he had pointed. He watched it fly off but didn’t move. I heeled him a short distance, tapped his head and he went back to hunting.

He hit the scent cone on the next set of birds and slid to a stop. I watched him closely but he didn’t move. I walked to him kicking the cover. I flushed the first pigeon and he watched it fly away without moving his feet. I flushed another then flushed the pigeon he was pointing. He never moved. I took him back to the kennel.

I may be able to break Babe from wagging with enough work on the whoa barrel but I will probably never be able to work her without the long check cord. Her breeding is telling her to go wherever she has to, to find birds. As long as she’s hunting I can live with it.

An update on Sally. She, finally, 65 days after her final breeding, had a litter of 8 pups. One was born dead. This morning I checked on the pups and found another puppy dead. This happens but as a breeder I feel like I failed the pups. I checked them often but sometime in the night the little puppy passed away. There may have been something wrong with the little girl but I didn’t see a problem.

Sally and her babies.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

We had a cool morning, upper 50’s, so I got out early, for me, to train the English setters. Sally is really close to having her puppies but I still worked her this morning. Tomorrow, 5/31/19, is the 63rd day from the first breeding. If it was the second breeding that took, that day will be Sunday. My vet says there are as many puppies born on 60 days as there are 63. I’ve had Sally in the shed for the last couple of nights, so I can watch her.

Sally one day away from having puppies. I hope.

Tur Bo pointing pigeons.

Luke pointing a pigeon.

My yard and training grounds are still really wet but I rode the 4-wheeler to the back and hid two pigeons, in release traps, in the tall grass. Since Sally is really heavy I heeled her out first, so she had the advantage of the coolest part of the morning. She had the e-collar and GPS collars on. I whoaed her near the 4-wheeler and when I got it started and in gear I released her to hunt.

Sally is a little slower than before she was carrying this extra weight but not by much. I still had to go pretty fast, on the 4-wheeler, to keep her in sight. She was on the edge when she passed the first bird, that was in the middle of the field. She went on to the back, smelled the second bird and went on point. I stopped the 4-wheeler but before I could get off she took a step. I flushed the pigeon and said, “what did you do”. She stopped when the pigeon flushed. I set her back then tapped her head to resume hunting.

As soon as she hit the scent cone on the pigeon she pointed. I got a phone call as she pointed so I watched her with my finger on the transmitter while I talked. After I finished my call I went to her and stroked her sides. I went in front kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon. She didn’t move. I heeled her away.

I had a frozen quail in my vest. I tossed it for her. She ran out, scooped it up and came back. I petted her for several seconds then said, “give”. She dropped it into my hand. I threw the quail into some heavy cover. She ran out, grabbed the quail and came back. She stood in front of me holding the quail until I told her to give. She dropped it in my hand. We went back to the kennel.

After reloading the release traps I heeled Tur Bo out with the e-collar and GPS collar around his neck. I was afraid some of my pigeons wouldn’t fly real well so I put a check cord on Tur Bo. He’s caught pigeons before and I don’t want him to catch any more. When I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and put it in gear, I released him to hunt.

Tur Bo isn’t as fast as Luke is but he’s really fast. I followed on the 4-wheeler. He was just off the edge when he got the scent of the pigeon, hidden in the tall grass, in the middle of the field. He slid to a point. I took pictures then went in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon. He took his usual one step then stopped. I stroked his sides then heeled him away.

I took a frozen quail from my vest and threw it into some thick cover. He ran out, scooped it up and came back. He stood in front of me, looking out. I held my hand under the quail and said, “give”. He dropped the quail in my hand. I tossed it again and he retrieved it again. I released him to hunt.

He went on down the field and hit the scent cone on the next pigeon. He slammed into a point. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I went behind him and stood on the check cord because I thought this was a young bird, that might not fly. I flushed the pigeon and it flew just fine. Tur Bo took his usual step but didn’t attempt to chase. I heeled him away.

I tossed the frozen quail into some heavy cover. For some reason he didn’t see me throw the quail. He made a circle then a huge circle. I walked close to where I had thrown the quail but he was making larger circles. I started pulling grass and weeds. He came close, smelled the quail and grabbed it. He made a circle around me, stopping in front. I had him drop it into my hand.

Sally holding the frozen quail.

I threw the quail again and he retrieved it. I petted him then took the quail. We went back to the kennel.

I reloaded the release traps and heeled Luke out with the e-collar and GPS collar around his neck. I got on the 4-wheeler and released him to hunt. Even at 9 years old he’s hard to keep up with but when he points he will be there as long as the bird stays. Luke will hunt dead but he doesn’t retrieve so I don’t throw the frozen quail for him.

He made a cast to the north fence line then came back in front of me just before the first bird. He whirled to a point when he hit the scent cone. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. When I flushed the pigeon he didn’t move. I stroked his sides then released him to hunt.

He went on to the back and slammed into a point on the next pigeon. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon. He didn’t move. I petted him then released him to hunt. I took him back to the kennel.

After reloading the release traps I heeled Mann out with e-collar and GPS collar around his neck. After a short distance I whoaed him and walked out in front of him. I walked back to him and around him before heeling him on toward the back. I whoaed him and walked out in front of him. I knelt down and called him to me. He came in a run. I heeled him to the retrieving bench. He jumped onto it.

Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.

He knows the routine when he gets on the bench. We go down the bench with me petting him at 3 different spots then to the other side where I pet him at 3 different spots. He likes that but when I grab the canvas covered retrieving dummy he is not so happy. I’ve been holding my hand under his chin to help him hold the dummy but now I’m asking him to hold without my hand. When he drops the dummy I pinch his lip against his canine teeth. Not hard enough to make him yelp but firm enough to make it uncomfortable. I had him hold the dummy in 6 different places and he did fine on 4 of them. Two times we went through a few drops but he’s learning.

I heeled him away from the bench and whoaed him. I tapped his head for the release. He was running fast when he hit the scent cone on the first pigeon and slid into a point. I took pictures and walked in front kicking the cover. When I flushed the pigeon he never moved. I stroked his sides then heeled him away. I tapped his head to release him.

He ran toward the back checking the edges as he went. He was a long way from the next pigeon when he caught the scent and slammed into a point. I took pictures then walked in front of him. I like to vary how long I kick the cover before flushing the pigeon. This time I kicked for a long time then flushed the bird. He didn’t move. I stroked his sides then heeled him away. I released him to hunt. We went back to the kennel.

Luke pointing a pigeon.

Babe is a special girl. She, when she points, is so happy to find the birds she wags from her collar back. I’m trying to get her to quit wagging. I heeled her toward the back and after whoaing her a couple of times I put her on the whoa barrel. She’s been on the barrel several times and she doesn’t wag her tail. I put 4 release traps, with pigeons in them, right in front of the barrel. I styled her up on the barrel and as I walked back and forth in front of her I flushed a pigeon. She only moved her head to watch the bird fly away.

I stroked her sides, telling her what a good girl she is. I only flushed the pigeons when I was in front of her kicking the grass. I flushed all 4 pigeons over about 10 minutes. She never tried to move other than she watched them fly away. I set her on the ground and styled her up beside the barrel. She didn’t wag. I heeled her to the retrieving bench. She jumped onto the bench.

I petted her on both sides of the bench. I had her hold the canvas retrieving dummy. She’s better at it than Mann is. We are already past the point of her dropping the dummy. I’m trying to get her to carry it a few steps. When she gets it in her mouth I pull on her collar. As soon as she moves all 4 feet I say, “give” and take the dummy. After she holds the dummy in 6 different places I set her on the ground.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

Babe likes to run. If I turn her loose she will go to the west, a long way. So I run her with a long check cord and I hold the end. Some of the time she pulls hard enough to have me running but not for very far. I’m one of those people if you see me running there is something really mean behind me and probably really close.

When she got close to the first pigeon she stopped but her tail was going. I tried styling her up but as soon as I took my hands off she would wag. I went in front of her aggressively kicking the cover. Her tail quit wagging and she was ready for the bird to flush. I made her wait as I continued to kick the cover. I flushed the pigeon. She didn’t move. I went to her and stroked her. I heeled her a short distance then tapped her head to release her.

We went on toward the back. She hit the scent of the next pigeon and pointed. I went in front of her immediately, kicking the cover, aggressively. Her tail wasn’t moving. I kicked for about a minute then flushed the pigeon. She turned her head to watch it fly away but didn’t move her feet. Her tail was moving a little but not as much as she had before. I may be able to break her of wagging. Time will tell. We went back to the kennel.

Mann and Babe are just a year old and both are really doing great. Babe started out pointing then moving around the bird. She wasn’t trying to get the bird she just thought there was something else she should do. I, finally, got her to stop moving but she has always been happy that she found the birds. I’ve seen dogs that wagged from too much pressure but hers is different. And she has always wagged. She seems happy to have found the bird. I think in time she will stop.

I don’t field trial so the tail wagging is not a big deal other than I don’t like the looks of it. It’s better to have a dog that’s happy to have found birds than one that doesn’t find birds. Another thing about the wagging, other dogs may not honor because they don’t recognize her stopping as a point. I’ll keep working with her. I can already tell a little difference and that’s all I look for. A little change at a time.

The 4 release traps in front of the whoa barrel.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

Babe pointing a pigeon.