Traveling Pointing Dogs

With the heat it’s hard to pick a good time to train puppies. Last Saturday, it was a little cooler, early. June and I decided to shoot some video of the puppies. I like to put a pigeon in a release trap, let the puppy smell the pigeon then flush it when the puppy moves toward the bird. Usually, when I continue to put a pigeon in the same place the puppy will anticipate a bird being there and point.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

Mann pointing a pigeon.

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

I started these puppies with lock wing pigeons. When they got too aggressive we went to letting the birds fly after the puppies had seen and smelled the bird. I have also hidden pigeons in traps that I stand on to release the bird. The puppies have been able to move in on these birds when they smell them.

To get the puppies ready for the release traps I placed the traps outside their kennel and flushed birds from them. The first day I did 4 traps that were from 10 to 25 yards from their kennel. The second time I moved the traps closer; 4 traps with the farthest being 12 yards and the closest 2 yards. The puppies showed no fear even on the close traps.

I hooked both puppies to the chain gang that is close to my retrieving bench. I hid a pigeon in a release trap in a strip of grass, got June with the camera set up on the training grounds and brought Mann in to work him on the pigeon.

I led him part of the way then released him to hunt. He knows where the pigeons have been hidden in the past and he wastes no time in getting there. As I came around a clump of brush I saw him smell the pigeon, throw his head up and start toward the bird. I flushed the pigeon. He chased a short distance then went in to smell the trap.

I snapped a leash to his collar and led him away. I tied him to a tree and replaced the pigeon. When I turned him loose he went right back to the pigeon. He flash pointed then jumped in. I flushed the pigeon and he chased then went on toward the back.

I replaced the pigeon and called him back. I had left the leash on him to make it easier for me to catch him. He came back, smelled the pigeon and pointed. He pointed, for maybe 10 seconds, then he moved in. I flushed the pigeon.

I worked him on 5 or 6 pigeons. On the last one he held his point for a little longer than the others but it still was only about 15 seconds. Not too bad for a puppy that is eleven weeks old. I put him back on the chain gang and turned Babe loose.

Babe runs ahead of me but when she gets out a ways she will wait for me. When we got close to the pigeon hidden in the grass she started toward it. I flushed the pigeon. She chased for a few feet then went to June and laid down.

I snapped the leash on her and led her to a tree and tied her. I replaced the pigeon and turned her loose. She was dragging the leash. She acted like she was being punished. She wouldn’t go near the pigeon. She laid down. I tried to call her to me but she wouldn’t come.

I went to her and grabbed the leash. I led her to the pigeon. She smelled it and started toward the bird. I flushed the pigeon. I tied her to a tree and replaced the pigeon.

When I untied her this time I took the leash off. She was happier. She smelled the pigeon, pointed then went toward the bird. I flushed the pigeon.

She chased the pigeon for a short distance then went toward an old pond. That is one of her favorite places to play. I didn’t even try to call her back. I took Mann off the chain gang and let him join his sister at the pond.

That shows the difference in different dogs. Mann has always been more aggressive toward the birds. Babe likes the birds but just isn’t as aggressive. Before I hide birds all over the training grounds for them I will do this exercise a few more times. When they chase they don’t chase very far. Hopefully, they will get more pleasure out of pointing than chasing.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

Mann pointing.

Using their nose to find dog food in the grass.

I didn’t get out, to let the puppies out, until about 8:00 am. I wanted to get them used to the noise of the release traps so I placed 4 traps, in a row, from about 30 yards away to less than five yards, from their kennels.

3 of the 4 release traps in front of the kennels.

Mann trying to find a pigeon.

Puppies around the pigeon cage.

I turned the pigeon, farthest from the puppies, loose. I thought that Mann had gone back into his house so I went to look. He was just standing behind Babe watching Luke and Tur Bo. His tail was still straight up so he wasn’t showing any fear.

I released a closer bird and again there was no sign of fear. Babe stayed close to the end but Mann watched the older dogs. This took him back away from the end of the kennel but I watched closely for any sign of fear but saw none.

I released a closer bird and when I didn’t see any fear I released the closest pigeon. The puppies were excited by the pigeons and there was no fear. I will do the same exercise again tomorrow watching to see if there is any fear.

These puppies will be 11 weeks old tomorrow and I don’t want to scare them with the noise of the release traps. At this age, the fear of the release traps, along with birds in the air, might be hard to overcome. In the morning I will move the traps closer to the kennel and watch the puppies closely. Any thing, other than excitement, I will back off and go slower.

I hid three pigeons, in the step on cages, on the training grounds. When I turned the puppies loose Mann knew there were birds hidden and he went to find them. By the time I had walked 25 yards he was a hundred yards ahead of me. He wasn’t just running, he was hunting. Babe was ahead of me but she waited for me to get close, then went ahead.

I had hidden the pigeon on the south edge and Mann had to check everywhere I had hidden a bird before. Babe and I caught up with him before he found the first pigeon. When he hit the scent cone his head came up and he headed for the pigeon. Babe was right behind him. I went to them, stepped on the cage and the pigeon flew away. They went back to hunting.

I had another pigeon hidden just a few yards from the first one. When we got close Mann raised his head and started slinking to the pigeon. He and Babe were side by side, pointing then moving up. When they got close they started nosing around the cage. Before I could get to them the pigeon was released and flew away. The puppies only chase a few steps then go back to hunting.

4 release traps from 2 yards to 12 yards from the kennel.

We went on to the back on the neighbor’s side then crossed over to my side. Both puppies were really hunting. They hit a strip of grass and went through the middle from one end to the other. Nothing there. They went down the edge until they hit the next strip of grass then started through the middle of it. They smelled the pigeon and pointed. They started slinking toward it. They have perfected the release on these pigeons, I guess. Before I could take more than a step or two the pigeon flew away. The pups went back to hunting.

When we got back to the kennel I sat in a chair and let the puppies play. I usually throw some dry dog food in the grass for them to find. I think this makes them learn to use their nose. Sometimes, while I’m sitting in the chair, while the puppies play, pigeons walk around on the ground near the pigeon coop. When the puppies come back to check on me they see these birds and either point or chase. I think this also builds desire. They like birds.

This morning, 7/3/18, I placed the 4 release traps closer to the puppies kennel. The closest was two yards and the farthest was twelve yards from the kennel that Mann and Babe were in. I released the first one then walked around each one before releasing the others. I kept an eye on both puppies to make sure there was no fear. Had there been I would have backed off with the release traps. Had they been real fearful I would have quit for the day and tried again tomorrow with the traps farther away. They showed no fear even with the one that was only two yards from their kennel. I left the traps out and hid three pigeons in the cages that I step on to release the birds.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

I turned the puppies out and this morning both of them hunted from the start. Babe still waits on me but not quite as much as before. This morning I didn’t put any birds in the grass strips that I have been using. When we came to the first two strips both pups went from one end to the other. I kept walking and we came to the third grass strip and Mann ran down it then on toward the back. Babe was way off the pigeon, hidden in some brush, when she went on point. Mann came back and when he hit the scent cone he followed it to the pigeon. I stepped on the handle and released the pigeon. They both watched it fly away then went back to hunting.

I had another pigeon hidden in some brush near the back. When we got close Mann could smell it but wasn’t sure where it was. He circled the bird then went on point. He started moving but went the wrong way. Babe came in and went on point. Mann pointed again and I stepped on the cage and released the pigeon. They watched it fly away then went back to hunting.

We went on to the back then back toward the front and crossed to my side. I have two strips of grass and both dogs checked them without finding a bird. We went to the back on my side then started back to the front. Mann hit the scent cone but went the wrong way. Babe pointed but didn’t try to move in. Mann came back, hit the scent cone and followed it to the pigeon. I stepped on the cage and released the pigeon. Both dogs watched it fly away. We went back to the kennel.

I sat in a chair while the puppies played. These puppies are eleven weeks old today. They have been exposed to a lot of birds. The more birds they see the better they will be able to start hunting wild birds, in my opinion. Most really good athletes, in any sport, have usually started early. I want these puppies to have the best chance they can have to be as good as they can be.

Babe pointing a pigeon.

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

Mann pointing a pigeon.

I’ve been working the two setter puppies I got from my cousin that are out of a female that I sold him. They were almost 8 weeks old when I brought them home. They are out of the same litter but the male is white and orange and the female is white, black and tan.

Using their nose to find dog food in the grass.

Babe pointing her brother, Man.

Man on the left and Babe on the right.

After they spent a few days in the kennel here I started putting pigeons out for them. I started with a lock wing but the male pup was too aggressive, right away. So I started putting the pigeon to sleep and letting them wake it up. The older pigeons would get away from the puppies after a little while then the male got too aggressive, again. Now I just let the pigeon fly away.

The puppies must keep an eye on me because they can be playing in the brush or somewhere that I can’t see them and when I go to the pigeon coop they come running. The female stands back a few feet but the male rears up on the side of the coop. He would like to get in with the pigeons.

When it comes time for them to go back in the kennel the female hides. The male comes to me most of the time but the female will head for the brush.

A few days ago I let the puppies out while I cleaned the kennels. When I was finished I sat in a chair and turned a pigeon loose every once in a while. It got time to put the pups up and the female wasn’t in sight. I was sitting in a chair looking for her. I stood up and finally saw her. She was across my neighbor’s side lying in the edge of the bushes with just her head sticking out. She knew where I was but I couldn’t see her until I stood up.

Man would also try to evade me but he wasn’t near as bad a she was. I was getting frustrated and knew I would have to do something.

I had my wife, June, pick me up some hot dogs when she went to the store. She got me some Bar S long as the bun hot dogs. I cut one hot dog into 30 pieces, put it in a plastic bag and turned the puppies loose. When I first turn them out they come to my chair to be petted. I petted them then gave them each a chunk of hot dog. They didn’t want to leave.

After I gave them a few chunks all they wanted to do was get more. They wouldn’t leave my chair so we went for a walk. They just wanted to follow me so I kept walking. When both of them got out in front of me I knelt down and called them to me. No matter how far away they were they came running.

Babe checking to see if I’m getting a hot dog out.

We walked to the back and then back to my chair. I gave them a couple of pieces. Then when it was time to put them away I still had some pieces of hot dog. I went to their kennel door, knelt down and called them. The first time Babe came running. I gave her a piece of hot dog then put her in the kennel. I called Man and he came to me. I gave him a piece then put him in the kennel. I went into their kennel and gave them the rest of the hot dog. I had three or four pieces for each.

That evening I turned the puppies loose while I cleaned kennels. When I came out and sat in my chair the puppies wouldn’t leave my side so we went for a walk. The pups wanted to stay behind me and follow so they could be close for the hot dogs. I wouldn’t give them a piece until they were well out in front. And both of them had to be in front. Once, Babe was about 20 yards ahead of me and on the other side of the yard. I knelt down and said, “here”. They both came to me in a dead run.

Man with a jump on Babe.

I, again, knelt down in front of their kennel and called them. Man was the first to come. I gave him a piece of hot dog and put him in his kennel. I gave him another piece. I knelt down and called Babe. She came to me. I gave her a chunk and put her in the kennel. I went into their kennel and gave them the rest of the hot dog.

Today was a busy morning for me. I didn’t get a chance to play with the puppies until about 11:00 am. I cut my hot dog up and turned the puppies loose. I sat down but the puppies wouldn’t leave me so we went for a walk.

I have a chain gang just behind my retrieving bench so I hooked Babe to it and put Man on the retrieving bench. I hooked his collar to the pulley system on the bench. I gave him a chunk of hot dog then walked to the other end of the bench. I called him and when he came to me I gave him another piece. Man isn’t shy about anything. He decide he could step off the side of the bench. I helped him back on. It didn’t bother him.

I walked to the other end and he came to me. I gave him another chunk and he stepped off the side of the bench. The second time made more of an impression. I gave him a few more pieces then put him on the chain gang and put Babe on the bench.

She’s more careful. After walking her back and forth feeding her hot dog chunks I set her on the ground and released Man from the chain gang. We went for a walk.

On the road with two puppies.

When they both got well out in front of me I called them back and fed them some hot dog. I didn’t have a lot of time so I knelt in front of their kennel and Man came right to me. I was afraid that Babe would hide but after I put Man in the kennel I saw her looking for me. I knelt down and called her. She came in a run. I gave her a chunk and put her in the kennel. I fed them the rest of the hot dog inside their kennel.

So far I’ve used 3 hot dogs and the pups are coming to me. I’m no longer frustrated and all it took was about 79 cents worth of hot dogs.

Some people don’t think you should use food in the training of dogs. In my opinion, when the dog learns a response, it learns it. No matter how it got to that point. I will continue to work on the “here” command with the hot dogs. Later on I will only give the hot dogs occasionally but I will expect for the pups to come to me.

Later, when I collar condition them they should already know “here”. My game plan is to teach, kennel, heel and whoa, then here. If I can get them going when I want them to go, stopping when I want them to stop and coming when called, I’ll have well trained dogs.

Coming to get hot dogs.

Another dash for hot dogs.

Babe pointing her brother, Man.