Traveling Pointing Dogs

I worked puppies on pigeons this morning. The temperature was in the low 70’s with almost no wind. I worked Babe first on three pigeons then decided to work her on three more. About the time I cut her loose for the second time my wife, June, called. I had to drop everything and go to my son’s house and get a key for her. Babe had already found one of the three pigeons so after she found the other two I put her in the kennel and went after the key.

Babe with her head in the pigeon coop.

Babe after a pigeon under the coop.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

When I got back from getting the key for June I reloaded the release traps and turned Mann out. I jumped on the 4-wheeler and followed him to the training ground. He’s really fast. We went down the neighbor’s side then he crossed over onto my side. He went by the release trap without showing that he smelled anything. He went all the way to the back and I led him back past the trap again. He still never showed that he smelled anything. After he had passed the trap I rode close and the trap had released the bird. This trap sometimes releases on it’s own. Usually, it releases with me bending over the trap and the pigeon hits me in the face.

I’ve wondered if part of the smell the dogs get is the smell of the trap. My smell has to be there as well as the smell of broken grass and weeds that I use to cover the trap. Mann doesn’t have much experience but he knew there was no bird there.

He found the other two birds and let me walk in front of him, kicking the cover. Babe was on the chain gang and a few days ago Mann wouldn’t come to me when I was close to the chain gang. I had put him in the kennel and worked Babe. After she found her pigeons I had let her play while Mann was still in his kennel. Today I went to the chain gang and called him. He came right to me. I put him on the chain gang.

I reloaded the three traps and turned Babe loose. She hunts hard and sticks her nose in every place I’ve ever hid a pigeon for her but when she smells a bird she thinks there is something else she needs to do. Some of the time she points then gets behind me. Sometimes she points then circles the bird. I started flushing the bird at the first movement. The third pigeon she pointed and held for about 30 seconds. She took a step and I flushed the bird. She chased for a short distance.

I went to the chain gang and called her. She came right to me and I hooked her to the chain gang. I reloaded the release traps. I turned Mann loose, jumped onto the 4-wheeler and followed him. He found all three pigeons. He points and lets me walk in front kicking the cover. Most of the time he doesn’t move, even after I kick the cover several times, until I flush the pigeon.

I went back to the chain gang and called him. He came close but not close enough for me to get my hands on him. I gave him several opportunities. I needed more pigeons so I went back to the coop. When I opened the door he reared up at the door. I led him to his run in the kennel. I got six more pigeons and reloaded the traps.

I worked Babe on three more pigeons. When we got close to a bird I would get off the 4-wheeler. Most of the time she wanted to point then come to me. I set her up in the scent cone and stroked her sides, belly and even stroked her tail. She looked good and would stand as long as I wanted her to. I thought more birds might be the answer.

Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.

We went back to the chain gang and when I called her she came right to me. I put her on the chain gang and reloaded the traps. I turned her loose again. She found all three and pointed but didn’t hold very long. As soon as she moved I flushed the birds. We went back to the kennel area.

I wanted to get her to really liking the pigeons. I had her stand with her feet in the door of the coop and try to catch a pigeon as they moved around the house. I turned some pigeons loose for her to chase. A couple of pigeons were too young to fly very good. They sat on the ground and she chased until they went under the pigeon coop. She tried to get under the coop but wouldn’t fit. One of the small pigeons tried to run but Babe herded it like a sheep dog. It finally flew into a tree.

After a while I put her in her kennel. I’m not sure how I’m going to get through to her but I’m going to keep trying. I may just not work her on birds for a while and see if the absence makes the heart grow fonder. She doesn’t act like she’s afraid of the birds or the release traps. When she points she is well away from the birds so she has a good nose. She’s smart, she checks most of the places I’ve hidden birds for her in the past. She’s worth working with to get her through this.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

This morning, 8/11/18, I hid three pigeons, in release traps, on the training grounds. I turned Mann loose. I ran to the 4-wheeler and followed him to the training grounds. I was right behind him as we went down the neighbor’s side. I saw him cut across to my side and I followed. When I got on that side he was no where in sight. I rode by the bird on that side without seeing him. I went back to the neighbor’s side and found him rolling the release trap around trying to get the pigeon. He probably pointed for a little while then jumped in. I set him back and he went on point. I held him and stroked his sides. I turned him loose and flushed the pigeon. The pigeon didn’t even try to fly. It landed right beside the trap and Mann caught it. He wouldn’t come to me. In fact he hid and I never saw him for at least fifteen minutes.

I had already decided not to work Babe so I replaced the one pigeon and turned Sally loose. She had an e-collar around her neck and one around her flanks. I followed her on the 4-wheeler as she went down the neighbor’s side. She pointed the pigeon at the back. I took pictures then kicked the cover. I flushed the bird and she didn’t move. I hooked a leash to her collar and heeled her away. I had a frozen quail and I held it in front of her and said, “fetch”. She took it and held it until I said give. I laid the quail on the ground in front of her and said, “fetch”. She picked it up and held it until I said, “give”. I tossed the frozen quail about 15 yards and said, “fetch”. She grabbed the quail and brought it to me and held until I said, “give”.

Sally found all three pigeons and was steady for the flush and stayed on point until I led her away. Each time she pointed I threw the frozen quail for her three times. I’m hoping this will make her realize that the birds we shoot are mine and she should bring them to me. I’m hoping to get some pen raised birds to work her on as well. I took her back to the kennel.

Mann on another pigeon.

I was getting some more pigeons when Mann came to me. He reared up on the pigeon coop and I took him back to the kennel. If he won’t let me put him on the chain gang he has to go to his kennel.

I reloaded the release traps, put the e-collars on Tur Bo’s neck and flanks, put a long check cord on him with a half hitch around his flanks and turned him loose. I rode the 4-wheeler and followed him to the training grounds. He was really going when he hit the scent cone on a pigeon and slid to a stop. I had the stake with me and pushed it into the ground right behind him. I tied the check cord to the stake. I kicked the cover then flushed the bird. He may have hit the end of the check cord but when I looked he had some slack in the check cord. I pulled the stake, untied the check cord and heeled him away. I put him on whoa and threw the frozen quail. Tur Bo doesn’t do anything half way. He dashed out, grabbed the quail, dashed back and sat beside me holding the bird. He held it until I told him to give. I threw it three times. He retrieved it each time. I turned him loose to hunt.

Tur Bo pointed his three pigeons and each time I pushed the stake into the ground but as dry as it is it wasn’t easy. The third pigeon he pointed I couldn’t get the stake very deep and I knew if he hit the end very hard it would pull out but he didn’t move. I threw the frozen quail each time after I heeled him away. He did a good job each time.

I’m hoping that working Sally and Tur Bo with the frozen quail will convince them to retrieve birds for me this year. I used Sally to guide a group this spring and she got really good at marking the downed birds. She didn’t retrieve but she found most of them. I’m hoping that she and Tur Bo both will retrieve this year.

I may start working the puppies on obedience instead of working them on birds. Babe is getting better about coming to me but Mann is getting worse. Usually, puppies come to me because I control the birds but I may have let them play too much. If there was only one puppy it would key on me but with two they key off of each other. Trying to figure out what they need is part of the fun of training puppies.

Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.

Sally pointing a pigeon.

Sally holding a frozen quail.

I’ve been working my puppies on pigeons for a little while now. Mann does real well. He points with a high head and usually a twelve o’clock, straight tail. He has been holding for a couple of minutes and this morning he let me walk in front. I kicked the cover several times and he didn’t move. Babe acts like she doesn’t know what to do. Most of the time when she has pointed she can see either the trap or the bird. I worked her a couple of days on pigeons in cages rather than the release traps to see if the noise of the release traps bothered her. Didn’t seem to matter.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

Mann in front Babe behind.

Wire cages with strings that I used for Babe.

When Babe smelled the birds in the cages she would stop then come to me. The second day that I worked her on the cages I started putting her in the scent cone, as well as I could tell, and styling her up. If she just didn’t know what to do maybe this would teach her. She was hunting hard but when she smelled the birds she was lost. She wasn’t blinking the birds because she was hunting hard. Finally, with the cages she pointed a couple of birds. She didn’t hold very long but at least she pointed.

I couldn’t see that the cages made any difference, so this morning I decided to use the release traps on both puppies. I hid three pigeons on the training grounds and turned Babe loose. She hunts hard and fast so I rode the 4-wheeler. I had decided that when she got close to a bird and I could tell that she smelled it I was going to flush the pigeon. If she is afraid to move for fear of flushing the pigeon maybe she would point.

I know where she’s going to find the birds so all I need to do is watch close when she’s close to a bird. She passed the first bird on the wrong side so we went to the back of the grounds, across the back then back the other side. When we got close to the bird I rode to the other side like I was crossing to the neighbor’s side. She hit the scent cone, raised her head and went toward the bird. I flushed the pigeon. The bird stayed low as it flew back toward the pigeon coop and she chased for about 50 yards. We crossed to the neighbor’s side.

I had a pigeon hidden in a strip of tall grass. She circled on the wrong side without getting any scent then came around to the right side. She raised her head and I flushed the pigeon. This pigeon flew into a tall tree just above her head. She kept an eye on the bird and was reluctant to leave. I rode the 4-wheeler away calling her. She came.

There was very little wind and the next bird was hard to smell. I got off the 4-wheeler and walked in the area I wanted her to hunt, calling her name. She came into a lane between two clumps of brush and wheeled around. I flushed the pigeon. She chased a short distance then went back to hunting.

I went to the chain gang and called her name. She came to me to be tied to the chain gang. I really like putting puppies on the chain gang. I think they learn a lot.

I reloaded the release traps and turned Mann loose. He’s hard to keep up with, even on the 4-wheeler. My 4-wheeler was pointed down my side and when I released Mann he went down the neighbor’s side. I went pretty fast down my side then crossed to the neighbor’s side just in time to see him cross over to my side about half way down the training grounds. I followed him over to my side. About the time he was going to point I flushed the pigeon. I think, flushing a bird every once in a while makes the puppies more cautious. He chased a short distance then went back to hunting.

Babe on point.

I only had one pigeon on my side so we crossed to the neighbor’s side. We went to the back and that pigeon was still hard to smell. I got off the 4-wheeler and worked him into the area of the pigeon. He wasn’t moving very fast when he hit the scent cone but he froze. He was on point for a couple of minutes and I decided to walk in front of him. This was the first time I have ever tried. I scrubbed my feet on the ground and he never moved. I kicked some brush and he still didn’t move. I grabbed a limb on a small bush and whipped it back and forth. He still didn’t move and I flushed the pigeon. He chased a short distance then went back to hunting.

I rode the 4-wheeler back toward the front. He was on the right side to point this pigeon from about 15 yards. I sat on the 4-wheeler watching for a while then got off to kick the cover. He had a rear foot in the air and as I walked up he put the foot down. I flushed the pigeon. He chased for a short distance then went back to hunting.

A couple of weeks ago he wouldn’t come to me at the chain gang. He didn’t want to quit hunting. That day I caught him at the pigeon coop and put him back in his kennel. That straightened him up for a while. The next two times, maybe three, he came right to me at the chain gang. This morning he decided he didn’t have to come to the chain gang or get near me. I rode the 4-wheeler to the pigeon coop. When I opened the door he reared up to look in. I grabbed his collar and took him to his kennel.

Mann pointing.

I had already decided that I would work Babe on 9 pigeons this morning. I was going to work Mann on 6 but he was through for the day. I moved the release traps and reloaded them. Babe went right straight to where the bird had been before. She tried to point but I kept encouraging her to move on. She checked both grass strips out and was crossing to the neighbor’s side when she smelled the hidden pigeon. I flushed the bird. She chased a short distance then went back to hunting.

We crossed to the neighbor’s side. I had moved the bird at the back to a small clump where she could circle the whole thing to get the wind right. She hit the scent cone and went on point but almost immediately took a step. I flushed the bird and she chased a short distance then went back to hunting.

We got back to the front and she was wanting to point where the pigeon had been the last time. I made her move on. She hit the scent cone and pointed. She held this point for a good thirty seconds then took a step. I flushed the pigeon. She chased then went back to hunting.

We went to the front on the neighbor’s side. She was moving pretty fast when she hit the scent cone. She turned to go toward the pigeon and I flushed the bird. She chased a short distance then went back to hunting.

Babe hidden in the brush on point.

I called her to the chain gang. She came right to me. I moved the release traps and reloaded them. I turned Babe loose again.

I had hidden a pigeon on my side in a strip of grass. Each time she had come down through here before she had checked these out and there was no bird there. She was not expecting a bird and as she went down the side, and smelled the bird, she turned her whole body toward the pigeon but didn’t try to point. I flushed the bird. She chased a little way then went back to hunting.

We crossed to the neighbor’s side. She went toward the front. She was about 15 yards from the pigeon when she slammed into a point. As soon as she smelled the bird she locked up. I sat on the 4-wheeler watching her. She stayed on point for about 30 seconds then took a step toward the pigeon. I flushed the bird. She chased a short distance then went back to hunting.

I decided that would be a good place to quit. She had gone from not much to pointing birds. This last bird, she had done everything right and had held the point for quite a while, for a young dog. So we headed back to the kennel.

Mann was wanting out but he stayed in his kennel as I let Babe run loose and play. After she played for a while I decided to pick up the release traps. I thought I had hit the right button to release the last bird that I didn’t work Babe on. When we got close I could see the pigeon was still in the release trap. Babe was off to my left so I waited on her to get near. When she hit the scent cone she locked up. I stood still watching her. She took a step after several seconds and I flushed the pigeon. She chased then we went back to the kennel.

Maybe, what I’m doing will move her in the right direction. She has never acted as if she is afraid of the traps or of the birds. She just acts like she’s not sure what she should do. I’ve always said you can fix anything with enough birds. We will see. I have the birds and we have a lot of time, I hope.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

I have been training the puppies most of the cool mornings. I don’t think the sound of the release traps are causing a problem for Babe but I decided to try something different. I have some cages that you put a pigeon under and step on to release the bird. I decided to tie a long string to the cage so I could stand behind her to release the bird. When puppies first start pointing I don’t like to walk in front of them or make any noises while they figure out what they are doing.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

To use the cages the way I wanted I had to find a limb on a tree just right to throw the string across and also have a good place to hide the bird. I found three good areas and hid the pigeons.

The puppies were still in the kennel. I turned Babe loose and we headed to the training grounds. She runs ahead but waits for me as though she’s not sure where we are going but she is going farther and the waits are less frequent. When she got to the first bird she started wiggling all over. She circled along the edge of the cover and never really pointed. I pulled the string to release the pigeon and it flew over her. She leaped to catch the pigeon but it flew away. We went on to the next area.

The next two birds were a repeat of the first. She smelled the birds then moved back and forth never jumping in. It’s almost like she’s not sure what she’s supposed to do. I put her on the chain gang and reloaded the cages with three more pigeons. I didn’t move the cages. I wanted her to be successful in finding the birds.

I released her from the chain gang and she started hunting. I could see a big difference in the way she was hunting. She wasn’t waiting for me at all. She came to the first bird and started moving back and forth in front. Usually, I don’t put my hands on the puppies but this is a special case. I caught her and set her up in the scent cone. I stroked her tail up, rubbed her belly and sides and told her what a good girl she is. I pulled the string releasing the pigeon. She chased a little way when it flew away then went back to hunting.

The next pigeon was a strong bird. It had moved the cage out of the cover and it was in the open. Babe beat me to the bird and was going back and forth in front. I set her up where I thought the scent cone was, stroking her sides and belly. I stroked her tail up and pushed on her butt. Once I set her up she was willing to stay in a pointing position. I pulled the string releasing the pigeon and encouraged her to chase. We went on toward the back.

She was fifty yards ahead of me checking every where I had ever hidden a bird for her when she hit the scent cone on the last pigeon. She pointed! It didn’t last long but she pointed. She moved back and forth in front of the pigeon. When I got to her I set her up where I thought the scent cone was. I let her stay on point, as I stroked her sides and tail, for a couple of minutes. I pulled the string and she chased as the pigeon flew away. She went back to hunting.

She has pointed before but usually it was a bird she could see. When she smells a bird she acts like she doesn’t know what to do. With enough birds she will get this figured out. She’s only 14 or 15 weeks old. Most puppies this age haven’t had the opportunity to point a bird hidden in the cover. I put her back on the chain gang.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

I got the release traps out and hid three pigeons where I had hidden the birds in the cages. Mann was in the kennel waiting not very patiently. I turned him out and jumped onto the 4-wheeler. I went down the neighbor’s side and Mann went on my side. I didn’t see Mann on the neighbor’s side so I crossed to my side but still didn’t see him. I went back to the neighbor’s side and saw him cruising through the cover near the back. He hit the scent cone of the pigeon hidden near the back and slid to a point. I sat on the 4-wheeler and took pictures. He is holding longer and longer. He held this point for at least two minutes without moving or flinching. If he has a foot up or he wiggles his tail I flush the pigeon. I want him to know that any movement on his part will make that bird fly. I do let him slowly move his head. Occasionally, he will try to locate the exact place of the bird by slowly moving his head. For me, that is okay. He moved and I flushed the pigeon. He chased a little way then went back to hunting.

I was still on the 4-wheeler and it was a good thing. Mann went about half way back up the neighbor’s side then crossed over to my side. He never came close to where I had hidden the bird on my side then crossed back to the neighbor’s side. There wasn’t much wind but he hit the scent cone on the next bird a long way off then moved about five yards and went back on point. When he first hit the scent cone he was not sure and I could tell he didn’t have it very good so I let him move without flushing the bird. I sat on the 4-wheeler and took pictures. He moved after about a minute and I flushed the pigeon. He chased then went back to hunting.

He hunted the neighbor’s side then crossed to my side. There wasn’t much wind and the next bird was close when he pointed. I took a few pictures then flushed the pigeon. I didn’t want him jumping in and being hit by the release trap when it opened or getting to the bird without me being able to flush the bird. He chased a ways then went back to hunting. I put him on the chain gang.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

A few days ago Mann wouldn’t come to me to be put on the chain gang. I caught him and put him in the kennel then proceeded to work Babe on pigeons and then let her play near the kennel when we got through. The last two times I have worked Mann he has come to me to be put on the chain gang.

I moved the release traps and reloaded them with pigeons. I turned both puppies loose to hunt. The second time through Mann is easier to stay with so I walked rather than ride the 4-wheeler. We started down my side but crossed to the neighbor’s side about half way back. He came around the back and hit the scent cone and slowed to a point. I videoed this point and put it on Wanted!! Bird Dogs! Babe saw Mann but didn’t know what to do. She walked around behind me then toward Mann without ever getting close. It’s hard to video, watch the puppy that is on point for any movement and set up a puppy for a backing situation. More than I can handle. I watched until he moved then flushed the pigeon. He chased then went back to hunting.

We went toward the front and both dogs went close to the next bird but neither pointed the first time. We had almost no wind and the bird was hidden in some tall, thick grass. Both dogs knew there was a bird close but couldn’t figure it out for a while. Finally, Mann got enough scent to point. He was close but not right on top of the bird. He had a foot up and when he put it down I flushed the pigeon. They both chased then went back to hunting.

He caught the scent cone when he moved in front of her.

We crossed to my side. Babe was still checking where there had been birds earlier. It was getting warmer and with no wind the birds were hard to smell. Mann hit the scent cone on the next bird and pointed. Babe was still not sure what to do. I watched Mann and when he moved I flushed the pigeon. They both chased then went back to hunting.

I got the 4-wheeler and the puppies followed as I picked up the release traps then we went around my house then back to the kennel. The puppies played for about thirty minutes while I sat in a chair. I turned a few pigeons loose when the puppies came to me. Some of the time I would just pet the puppies telling them what great dogs they are.

I felt like I was making some progress with Babe. She’s hunting better and I think if I will set her up each time on her birds she will figure out what she is supposed to do. I may try to set her up in a pointing position when I run her with Mann and he goes on point. The problem with that is there is a lot going on with me trying to watch Mann for any movement and also put my hands on Babe. We will see if I can multi task at that level.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

I’ve trained puppies a couple of times that I couldn’t put on the blog because I had no internet. We have Century Link and it goes off and on real regular. It was out for four days last month and has been out for at least six days this month. They are really good about telling us they won’t charge us for the days we don’t have internet. They still charge us but they tell us they won’t.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

Babe isn’t as aggressive on her birds as Mann is so a few days ago I worked her on some pigeons. One of the pigeons I tied a long string to and the other end to the release trap. It was a strong flying bird and when I could tell she was smelling the bird I flushed it. It flew to the end of the string and hit the ground. Babe ran to it and then ran around the bird. It flew a little way then hit the ground again. She ran to it and again it flew a short distance.

Finally, she caught the pigeon and just held it. I went to her, petted her and released the pigeon. It flew to the edge of the brush and lit on the ground. Babe pointed when she got close. The pigeon didn’t move nor did Babe. I took a few pictures but didn’t try to get close. After a couple of minutes the pigeon started walking through the brush with Babe right behind.

The brush the pigeon and Babe were in is real thick. I called Babe but she didn’t come out. I walked back and forth and couldn’t see her in the brush. I walked all along the edge peering into the brush but no Babe. I thought maybe she had caught the pigeon and taken it to the kennel area so I rode the 4-wheeler to the kennel. No Babe.

I rode back to where she had disappeared. She came out of the brush without the pigeon and we worked the other two birds I had out. I put her on the chain gang, reloaded the release traps and turned Mann out.

Mann is so fast I ride the 4-wheeler to the first bird then I can walk and keep up, usually. I had replaced the pigeon in the release trap where Babe had worked the pigeon on the string but I hadn’t put a string on Mann’s bird. He pointed his bird and when he took a step I flushed the pigeon. He chased a short distance then smelled the bird that Babe had caught. It was a long way in the brush and I tried to call him off but he went on into the brush.

In just a few seconds he came out with the pigeon in his mouth. I tried to get him to come to me but he stayed away. He started toward the kennel so I got on the 4-wheeler. He would cross onto the neighbor’s side then when I went over there he would cross back. Finally, after about 5 minutes he got tired of the pigeon and let me catch him. The pigeon must have been a real young pigeon or it would have flown away when I released it for Babe. The bird was still alive but not in very good shape.

This morning I hid three pigeons, in the release traps, on the training grounds. I have two strips of tall grass I have left on my side and I hid a pigeon in each strip. The second strip had a pigeon that I had tied a string that was tied to the release trap.

I released Babe from the kennel and followed her to the training grounds. I could tell when she smelled the first pigeon. She stopped then instantly took a step toward the pigeon. I flushed the bird. She chased a few feet then went back to hunting.

The wind was light and out of the north east. Babe went by the next pigeon on the north side. She went along the edge to the back then started back toward me. She smelled the pigeon and started toward it. I flushed the bird. It flew to the end of the string and hit the ground. Babe ran to it and started circling. The pigeon flew again and she followed. She started circling again and the pigeon flopped, trying to fly and she pounced on it. I let her mouth the bird for a few seconds then went to her. I petted her then released the pigeon. It flew low for about fifty yards without getting much altitude with Babe right behind. I called her back and we went back to hunting.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

We crossed to the neighbor’s side. I can tell, by watching the pups, where I’ve hidden birds for them in the past. They check the niches where they have found birds before. Babe came around a clump of brush, hit the scent cone and locked up. I could just barely see her through the clump. I started around the clump to get a picture but she moved before I could get around. I flushed the pigeon. She chased a short distance then went back to hunting.

Babe comes to me to be put on the chain gang. After I petted her for a few seconds I put her on the chain gang. I reloaded the release traps and turned Mann out.

Mann is so fast to the first bird I ride the 4-wheeler but this morning he still got ahead of me. When I got near the first bird on the neighbor’s side he was already on point. I shut the 4-wheeler off and sat on it taking pictures. Mann was pointing with a rear foot raised. I was waiting for him to put it down and I was going to flush the pigeon. The foot started down then he raised it back. I took more pictures. He started down with the foot. I got ready to flush the pigeon and he raised it again. He started down with the foot and when it hit the ground I flushed the pigeon. He chased then went back to hunting.

Puppies around the pigeon cage.

We went on to the back on the neighbor’s side. On the next one he went on point but he was a long way from the hidden bird. I took some pictures and watched him closely for any movement. He took a step and I flushed the pigeon. He was far enough away to have trouble seeing the flying bird. He went back to hunting.

We crossed over to my side. He was on the wrong side of the next bird and went all the way to the back. He crossed the back and swung back up the side. He was still away from the bird when he hit the scent cone and pointed. I stood watching not saying anything and not moving. When he moved I flushed the pigeon. He went back to hunting.

Babe comes to be put on the chain gang but Mann doesn’t. He can see her and he won’t come close. I called him and he stayed away from me. I walked toward the kennels and he stayed about 40 yards from me. He likes to stick his nose into the pigeon coop so I opened the door to the coop. He reared up in the door. I petted him for a few seconds then led him to his kennel and put him inside.

I reloaded the release traps and turned Babe loose to hunt. When we got close to the first pigeon I could tell when she smelled it but she didn’t point. I flushed the pigeon. She chased then went back to hunting.

Another dash for hot dogs.

We checked my side to the back then crossed to the neighbor’s side. We came around the end then started back toward the front. She hit the scent cone and started toward the pigeon. I flushed the bird. She chased then went back to hunting.

We continued toward the front. She hit the scent cone on the next pigeon and locked up for just a few seconds. When she moved I flushed the pigeon. She chased then went back to hunting.

I got the 4-wheeler and she ran with me as I picked up the release traps. We went back to the area of the pigeon houses. Some of the pigeons were on top of their house. Babe really watched them and when they flew she chased. I went to the coop and got a pigeon out and let it fly past her. I tried to get her to rear up in the door and watch the pigeons. She was reluctant so I left the door open and moved away. I sat in a chair watching her.

Usually, I let her and Mann play but he was in exile. She went away from the coop then came back and reared up in the door. She watched for a while. I grabbed another couple of birds and let them fly for her to chase. I’m doing everything I can think of to get her bird crazy. She came back and reared up in the door.

I put her in her kennel. I took the three release traps and placed them about three feet from her kennel. I put a pigeon in each. The older dogs were pointing the release traps but Mann was still barking because he wanted out and Babe was reared up on the end of her kennel, watching the traps. I released the first pigeon. The dogs all watched it fly away. I waited a few seconds then released the second bird. They all watched it. After a few seconds I released the last bird. All the dogs watched it fly away.

Mann’s points are lasting longer and pretty soon I will start walking in front of him. Babe still doesn’t point every time she smells a bird but she likes the birds a little more each time I work her. When she smells a bird sometimes she points then thinks she should do something else. I’m going to continue to show her birds until she gets it figured out. These puppies are only 14 weeks old so they have plenty of time.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

Mann pointing a pigeon.