Traveling Pointing Dogs

The mornings are cooler, right now, than they have been. At least the puppies will lie down in the shade when they get too hot. The older dogs aren’t that smart. I think, they would run until they passed out. Usually, July and the first part of August is too hot for the older dogs.

I have a real good camera that I don’t really know how to use. Babe looked better in some of the pictures I tried to take but the camera went to videos. I don’t know why. Trying to watch a puppy and flush the pigeon at the puppies first movement is a full time job. To take pictures just adds to the problem.

Delmar Smith said that the sire and dam put the tail where it is going to be and I believe this. When I’m working puppies, especially as young as these, I never touch their tail or push on their butt or talk to them. I just stand and watch for any movement. If they have a foot in the air and put it down I flush the pigeon. If they take a step I flush the pigeon. I want that puppy to know that any movement on his part will flush that bird. It will, most of the time, on wild birds.

I left the puppies in the kennel until I hid three pigeon, in release traps, on the training grounds. I turned Babe out and we started down to the training grounds. When she got about 40 yards ahead of me I called her back and gave her a little piece of hot dog. The puppies have been running away from me when it comes time to put them up or put them on the chain gang and the hot dogs help. Babe came to me and I petted her after giving her the chunk of hot dog. I released her to hunt.

I walk the puppies on these same grounds, sometimes, without having any birds hidden. The puppies seem to know the difference. When I have birds out they hunt harder. Babe has been a little slower than Mann on hunting and pointing but the last couple of times she has done better. She came to the first bird and slammed into a point. I took the top picture then as her tail came up my camera went to video. My blog won’t take a video. She took a step and I flushed the pigeon. She chased a short distance then went back to hunting.

There was almost no wind this morning. On her next bird she got too close and I flushed the pigeon. She chased a short distance then went back to hunting.

She smelled the third bird hidden on the training grounds and went toward it without pointing. I flushed the pigeon. She chased then went back to hunting.

I’ve been wanting to see this in Babe. She hasn’t been hunting or even acting as if she cares for pigeons at all but now she’s trying to find the birds. It just takes some puppies longer than others to let their prey drive kick in. I called her to me, gave her some hot dog chunks and put her on the chain gang.

I reloaded the release traps and turned Mann out. I rode the 4-wheeler so I could keep up with him. He went to the neighbor’s side. He went on wrong side of the first bird and went on to the back. He came around the fence row on the back and hit the scent cone. He pointed with a lot of style. He decided to turn into the scent better and I flushed the pigeon. He chased then went back to hunting.

I left the 4-wheeler thinking I could keep up with him. He started back toward the first bird then crossed to my side. He went to the back on the south side, crossed the back then back toward me on the north. He crossed back to the neighbor’s side. We went on to the front. When he hit the scent cone he pointed. I took pictures and didn’t move. He stood for a long time with a rear foot in the air. I’m surprised how many times he points with a rear foot in the air. I stood watching him until he set the rear foot on the ground and I flushed the pigeon. He chased then went back to hunting.

The bird hidden on my side was close to the front along the north fence line. When we crossed to my side I called him to me and gave him some hot dog then walked toward the north fence line. He was well out front when he caught the scent and slammed into a point. I stopped and took some pictures. He took a step and I flushed the pigeon. He chased then went back to hunting. I called him to me, gave him some hot dog and put him on the chain gang.

I reloaded the release traps and came back to the chain gang. I gave both puppies some hot dog. I want to be the nice guy and let the chain gang be the bad guy. I rescue the puppies from the chain gang. I released Babe and went hunting.

I had moved all of the release traps and she got birdy where the first pigeons had been hidden. Dogs remember places really well. She was hunting hard but when she hit the scent cone on the first bird she went toward it. I flushed the pigeon. She chased and then went back to hunting.

Went to the neighbor’s side. There still was almost no wind blowing. She was close to the next bird when she pointed. She had her front foot in the air and when she put it down I flushed the pigeon. She chased then went back to hunting.

When she pointed the third bird she held for a little longer than she had been. I quietly watched her until she decided to take a step. I flushed the pigeon. She chased a short distance.

On the way back to the chain gang I called her to me a couple of times and gave her some hot dog chunks. For me, this works well. I put her on the chain gang.

I reloaded the release traps. I gave both dogs some hot dog chunks then released Mann to hunt. After he’s run one time and fought the chain gang for a while he’s not too fast for me. I can keep up, most of the time. I may not be able to keep up when he gets a little older though.

I had the pigeon, on my side, close to the crossing to the neighbor’s side and he nailed it. He stood for quite a while with me watching for any movement. He took a step and I flushed the pigeon. He chased then crossed to the neighbor’s side.

He headed to the back. Even at less than 14 weeks old these puppies remember where I have hidden birds for them in the past. They check them all. He hit the scent cone and wanted to get a step or two closer. I flushed the pigeon. He chased for a short distance.

It was all I could do to be there when he smelled the next bird. He had to check all of the places he thought there might be a bird. I knew where the bird was and I cut across. When he hit the scent cone he pointed. His rear foot was raised and when he put it down I flushed the pigeon.

On the way back to the chain gang I called him back and fed him some hot dog. I released Babe and let them play. I usually let them play for 15 minutes or longer. As the puppies play I sit in the shade thinking about what a great life I have.

Yesterday, 7/19/18, I worked both puppies at the same time. Babe hasn’t been hunting the way I would like for her to. She seems to like the pigeons when I have them in my hand or around the pigeon coop but when I have birds in the release traps she doesn’t seem interested. I thought if she saw Mann pointing she might get more interested.

I put the puppies on the chain gang and hid three pigeons, in release traps, on the training grounds. When I turned the puppies loose to hunt Mann went back and forth but at a fast pace. Babe went about 25 yards then waited on me.

Mann pointed the first pigeon. Babe wasn’t at all interested. She saw Mann but didn’t try to honor or go toward him. It was like she didn’t understand there was a bird there or she didn’t really care. I was watching both of them and when Mann took a step I flushed the pigeon. Mann chased a short distance. Babe just watched the pigeon fly away.

Mann found all three pigeons and pointed each one. Babe never showed any interest. After the third pigeon I put them back on the chain gang and hid three more pigeons in different spots than the first three.

When I turned the puppies loose Mann went to hunting but Babe wanted to play. As Mann hunted she ran after him barking. Mann pointed the three pigeons. I watched him and when he took a step I flushed the pigeon. Babe continued to want to play.

Babe doesn’t seem to be as mature as Mann. I have ran them together and by their selves and it doesn’t seem to make a difference. I needed to do something different.

This morning, 7/20/18, I decided to put some real young pigeons in the release trap for Babe. I left the puppies in the kennel while I hid the pigeons then came back for Babe. We started down to the training grounds with her staying about 25 yards ahead of me.

She was on the wrong side of the first pigeon as we came down the field. She came to the next strip of grass and went from the south end to the north. The pigeon was hidden in the last few feet. I could tell she smelled the pigeon but she didn’t point. When she got close I flushed the pigeon. The bird flew about 10 yards and hit the ground. Babe stood and watched. I tried to encourage her to chase. Finally, she went near the pigeon and pointed. The pigeon sat in the edge of the brush with Babe pointing for several seconds.

After a few seconds the pigeon started walking into the brush. This brush is real thick. Babe went into the brush after the pigeon and kind of herded the bird. Pretty soon they came out of the brush with Babe right behind the bird. The pigeon flew away from the brush and lit in the open grass. Babe followed. She herded the bird for several feet and the bird flew back into the brush.

Babe would touch the bird with her nose but wouldn’t try to pick it up. When the pigeon walked she followed or would circle the bird. They went back in the brush. It was too thick for me. I waited. I couldn’t see or hear her. I walked the edge trying to see her. Then she showed up behind me. I tried to get her away but she went back into the brush. After a minute or so the pigeon came walking out of the brush with Babe right behind it. When the pigeon came out of the brush it flew across the clearing and lit in a tree. Babe followed the pigeon across the clearing and went into the brush. She came back out and we went toward the next pigeon.

When she got close to the next pigeon I could see she smelled the bird but she didn’t slow so I flushed the pigeon. This bird flew away with her chasing. We went on toward the next pigeon.

When we got to the next pigeon she circled around behind me. She didn’t try to point so I flushed the pigeon. This young bird tried to land on me. I backed away and it hit the ground right in front of Babe. She went toward it and it flew a few feet and lit in the edge of some brush. Babe followed the pigeon. It flew across a little clearing and lit on the ground in the edge of some brush. Babe was right behind it.

Babe started herding the pigeon through the brush. I don’t know what made her change but she grabbed the pigeon. I called her but she wouldn’t come to me. She carried the bird a little farther into the brush. She held the bird for a little while then turned it loose. She followed it until it almost got out of the brush then picked it up and took it back into the brush.

I watched her with the pigeon. She carried it around for a little while then turned it loose again. She followed it to the edge of the brush where she grabbed it again. I went into the brush and petted her while she held the pigeon. When she turned the pigeon loose I put it in the bag I had on. She looked for the pigeon a few minutes then came back out of the brush. We went to the chain gang.

After putting her on the chain gang I put three more pigeons in the release traps. I didn’t move them. I wanted her to find the birds with no problem.

We started down to the bird field. When we got close to the first pigeon she smelled it and went straight toward it without pointing. I flushed the pigeon and it flew away. She chased for a little way then came back.

We went on to the next bird with her hunting better. She smelled this pigeon and went straight toward it. I flushed the bird. She chased as it flew away.

We went on to the last pigeon. When we got close she went around behind me and I thought she was near but she had gone around another clump of brush. I flushed the pigeon and it flew just a few feet landing in the edge of the brush. Babe was farther away than I thought but when the pigeon landed on the ground she was after it in a dead run. When she hit the brush the pigeon flew across the clearing landing in a tree. She chased it. She circled the tree trying to see the pigeon.

I took her back to the kennel. This was what I was wanting to see from Babe. Especially the last bird. That showed that her prey drive is building. I may try to give her a young pigeon every so often.

I hid some pigeons for Mann. He usually points and holds it long enough for me to get some pictures. If he points with a foot in the air then sets it down I flush the pigeons. If he takes a step I flush the bird. I want him to think any movement causes the bird to flush.

He pointed the first three birds and held them just fine. The second set of birds was different. He pointed the first one fine. We crossed to the neighbor’s side. I thought he had gone toward the back but when I got to the bird he wasn’t there. I went back toward the other bird. When I saw him he was grabbing the release trap. I couldn’t flush the pigeon without the trap hitting him. He got the trap open and the bird flew away with him chasing.

We went on toward the back. He was about 25 yards from this pigeon when he went on point. I took some pictures then watched him. After a few seconds he took a step. I flushed the pigeon. He chased then went back to hunting. We went back to the kennel.

All puppies mature at different times. Mann is all business when he’s in the bird field. Babe has been wanting to play instead of hunting but catching a few birds may have changed her mind.

A cooler morning for training setter puppies. It wasn’t real cool but in the low 70’s which is cooler than last week. Babe at this point in her life is not real aggressive on pigeons. Mann hunts, points then jumps in. Babe likes the pigeons when they fly from the ground or from my hand. I decided today to run them together to see if that would fire her up.

I didn’t think that the release traps were bothering Babe but I set two traps near their kennel and released two pigeons before turning the puppies out to train. She showed no reaction to the traps but watched the pigeons as they flew away just as Mann did. I turned them out and hooked them to the chain gang.

I hid two pigeons, in the release traps, in the two strips of grass I left on the training grounds. I put one pigeon closer to where the puppies were chained, in the edge of the brush.

I turned the puppies loose and we started down the training grounds. Normally, they head right for the strips of grass but this morning they were both crisscrossing the field. Babe smelled the bird hidden in the brush first but turned the wrong way. Mann hit the scent cone closer to the bird and pointed. I took some pictures and watched Mann. He took a step and I hit the button to flush the pigeon but nothing happened. After the first step he had went back on point but when I went to see what was wrong with the trap he went to help. I got my knee between him and the trap. I released the bird by hand. He chased a few steps. I never figured out what was wrong with the trap. It worked every time after this.

We went on to the back. When the puppies got close to the grass strips they sped up. They both started up the strip with Mann leading. He smelled the pigeon and pointed. Babe was out farther and didn’t act like she smelled the pigeon. She wandered off. I took some pictures of Mann. He took a step and I flushed the pigeon. He chased a short distance and went back to hunting.

Babe was running the edge of the field when Mann started up the next grass strip. He hit the scent cone and didn’t even slow down. He started for the pigeon and I flushed it. He chased farther than usual but came back to smell the trap. I let them happy time on the way back to the chain gang.

I have left three strips of grass on my neighbor’s side of the training grounds and I hid a pigeon in each strip. I turned the puppies loose and we went all the way to the back on my side first. The puppies really checked the grass strips on my side but other than hot spots there was nothing there.

We crossed to the neighbor’s side. I tried to go toward the back first but the puppies seem to know where the birds are. Babe went in first on the strip but didn’t point. When she got too close I flushed the pigeon. She chased the bird then went back to hunting.

We came around a clump of brush and Mann went on point. I took some pictures then just stood and watched him. At this age I don’t talk to them or brush their tail up or try to walk in front of them. I stand still and watch them. I flush the pigeon if they have a foot up and put it down or if they take a step. I want them to know that their movement is what flushed that bird. After about 30 seconds he took a step and I flushed the pigeon. He went back to hunting.

It wasn’t far to the next strip and both dogs were on the wrong side of the pigeon. When they got too close I flushed the bird. That is exactly what would happen with wild birds. They both chased. I put them back on the chain gang.

I got more pigeons and moved the release traps. This time I put them in the edges of the brush. I will still use the grass strips but not every time. The puppies will have to hunt now.

To keep the puppies from just following the 4-wheeler tracks I usually ride both sides of the training grounds then start the puppies down the wrong side. We went to the back on my side then crossed to the neighbor’s side. We went to the back. I had a pigeon hid near the back in some brush surrounding a large tree. Mann hit the scent cone and pointed. Babe stopped and was watching him. She wasn’t rigid like she was backing but she was paying attention. I watched Mann until he took a step and I flushed the pigeon. They both chased then went back to hunting.

We got close to the next pigeon and didn’t seem like either dog could smell the bird. Sometimes that happens on these training grounds. There wasn’t much wind and where I had hidden this pigeon trees blocked the air flow. When the puppies got close I flushed the pigeon. They chased then went back to hunting.

We went on up the training grounds. We had one more pigeon hidden in the brush. Babe came close enough to the bird to have pointed it, in my opinion, but she didn’t act like she smelled it. She went on by and when she got on the north east side she went on point. I thought the wind was out of the north. She was on point for just for a couple of seconds then took a step. I didn’t even get to take a picture before I flushed the pigeon.

I decided that was enough for the puppies. I still had some pigeons in the box on the 4-wheeler. When we got close to the kennel I took the pigeons from the box one at a time and let them go right in front of the puppies. They both chased.

As I worked these dogs this morning I was trying to figure out what I should do to get Babe more enthused about birds. The first thing I thought of was that these puppies are only 13 weeks old, today. But the litter their mother was out of only had two pups. Their mother and a male dog. The owner of the male brought him back over to work it on pigeons and it didn’t show anything. It wouldn’t point them and it didn’t seem to even care about them. He worked it here two or three times with the same results. Quail season came around and the dog was great. He said it may be the best dog he’s ever owned. After quail season was over he brought him back. He loved the pigeons. He pointed them with lots of style.

Most of this week is supposed to be cool so I will continue to work them. I enjoy seeing them work almost as much as they like to hunt.

It was still real warm, this morning, so I started about 7:00 am training my English setter puppies. I walked Mann and Babe down to the chain gang and tied them. They bark and fight the chain gang but that’s it’s job. I like putting puppies and even older dogs on a chain gang. It is supposed to make soft dogs bold and aggressive dogs more biddable. It also makes them realize they must wait their turn, I think.

I have two strips of grass that I have left, without mowing, on my side of the training grounds. I put a pigeon, in a release trap, in each strip. What little wind we had was coming from the north so I put another pigeon, in a release trap, on the north fence line. The birds weren’t very far apart. I wanted the puppies to have success, quickly, finding birds.

I took Babe from the chain gang and we walked toward the back. She runs out but she waits for me to catch up before going out again. She’ll get over this, I think. When she got close to the first strip she smelled the bird and started toward it. When she got close I flushed the pigeon. She chased a few feet then went back to hunting.

We got to the second strip of grass and she went up one side then down the other. Finally, she got on the south side where she caught the scent and started toward the bird. I flushed the pigeon and she chased.

We went on to the bird along the north fence line. She smelled it a long time before she got near. She was slinking toward the bird when I flushed it. She chased a ways. I let her run for a few seconds then called her to me. I put her back on the chain gang.

I reloaded the release traps and turned Mann loose. He was way ahead of me on the way to the bird field. He was on the north side of the first bird as he went through the strip of grass. He went on to the second strip and started slinking toward the next bird as soon as he smelled it. I was still a long way from him. As he started toward the bird I flushed it. He chased a few feet then went back to hunting.

He hunted that strip then we went back toward the first strip. When he smelled this pigeon he pointed then moved a step or two and pointed again. The next time he moved I flushed the pigeon. It only flew a few feet and tried to land in a tree. It missed the limb and went to the ground. Mann scooped it up and took off.

I tried to walk away from him and call him. Sometimes dogs want to show you their bird. Didn’t work. Mann went over on the neighbor’s side and when I got there he wasn’t in sight. I got on the 4-wheeler and started looking. I thought he might take the bird to the kennel. When I got close to the kennels I saw him. He was still carrying the pigeon.

I called him but he wasn’t going to share his bird with anyone. I got off the 4-wheeler and went toward him. He went away from me then came back and tried to run by me. I caught him. I didn’t try to take the pigeon. It was pretty warm and he needed to pant but he didn’t want to let go of the bird. I raised his front feet off the ground and petted him. His feet were on my knee. After about a minute of petting he released the bird and I grabbed it when it hit the ground. It was wet all over but still alive. I held the pigeon and petted him for a few more seconds then we went back to hunting. I put the pigeon in the box on the 4-wheeler.

We went back to the training grounds. He smelled the pigeon on the north fence line a long way from it. He pointed then moved up and pointed, again. He was still a long way off. He moved up and I flushed the pigeon. He chased a little way then went back to hunting. I put him back on the chain gang.

I didn’t move the release traps, I just reloaded them where they were. I didn’t want the puppies to have trouble finding birds. I released Babe from the chain gang. We started toward the grass strips. She still ran ahead then waited. When we got close, she smelled the bird in the first strip of grass. She raised her head and started toward the pigeon. I flushed the bird and she chased.

We went toward the next strip of grass and she smelled the pigeon. She slowed down and started slinking toward the bird. I flushed the pigeon and she chased then went back to hunting.

I went toward the bird on the north fence line and Babe started with me but wound up going back close to the chain gang. When she didn’t come with me I went to the chain gang and snapped her to it.

I reloaded the release traps and turned Mann loose. This time I was within about 50 yards when he got to the first pigeon, hidden in the tall grass. He pointed then moved up. I flushed the pigeon. He chased a few feet then went back to hunting.

He was on the south end of the next grass strip and smelled the bird from a long distance. He pointed then took one step and pointed again. He held this point for a long time. I took several pictures. When he moved I flushed the pigeon. He chased then went back to hunting.

There wasn’t much wind but it was carrying the scent of the last bird a long way. He smelled the bird and never attempted to stop. He was slinking. I let him get within about 20 feet of the pigeon and I flushed it. He chased a ways then went back to hunting.

We went back to the chain gang and I released Babe. I rode the 4-wheeler to pick up the release traps and the puppies went with me. To get the puppies in shape I rode the 4-wheeler by the kennels, around my house then back to the kennel. I sat in the shade while they played for a while.

Mann is obsessed with birds but Babe isn’t. She likes them and she watches them when they fly close to her but she doesn’t try to catch them. Mann wants that bird. One is not better than the other, they are just different.

These puppies will be 13 weeks old tomorrow, July 17, 2018. In a week or two both of them may be chewing through chain link to get to the birds. May not be. I will let them move at their own pace. In a few weeks it could be the other way around.