Traveling Pointing Dogs

I worked Sally and Tur Bo on pointing dog stuff and Sally on the retrieving bench. It was about 45 degrees when I started but today it got warm in a hurry. I had trouble with Tur Bo not being able to smell one of the pigeons. There was almost no wind and where I hid the pigeon made it hard. I moved it to another place for Sally.

Tur Bo on his first pigeon this morning.

I like the seriousness of this look of Sally’s..

Tur Bo on another pigeon.

I heeled Sally to the retrieving bench. She jumped onto the bench and I walked her back and forth petting her. I whoaed her and put 2 bumpers about half way down the table. I said, “fetch” and walked her down the table. I put my hand close to the bumper and she picked it up. We went back to the other end of the bench.

Both bumpers had ends that would raise them off the bench. I put another smooth bumper down with them. I walked, each time, down the bench and placed my hand near the bumper. On the smooth bumper she started to pick it up then turned back without it. I held the button on the transmitter down and held the end of the bumper up an inch or two. She grabbed the bumper and I let off the button. That was the only time I had to hit the button on the transmitter. When I got back to the kennel I found that I had the transmitter on the wrong e-collar. So she turned around and retrieved on her own. Sometimes, I think she needs another trainer.

After she retrieved each of the bumpers several times I let her run for a while then took her back to the kennel.

Now it was time for the pointing dog stuff. I hid 3 pigeons on the training grounds and had 2 in a bird bag. I brought Tur Bo out of the kennel with an e-collar on dragging a check cord with a half hitch around his flanks. I have been heeling them through my yard to start with but this morning I went to the neighbor’s side. Anything for a change.

I put Tur Bo on whoa and tied his check cord to a tree. I walked in front of him, put a pigeon to sleep and placed it about 5 feet in front of him. The pigeon awoke within about 15 seconds and flew away. I shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move.

I got the other pigeon out of the bag, put it to sleep and placed it a few feet in front of him. Before I could start kicking the grass the pigeon awoke and flew away. I shot the blank pistol. He did his dance with his front feet but didn’t take a step. I untied the check cord and heeled him away. I released him to hunt.

He ran half way down on the neighbor’s side then crossed over to my side. When I crossed over I could see the back half of him on point with the front half blocked by a big tree. I took pictures then tied his check cord to a tree. I walked in front kicking the bushes. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I untied the check cord and heeled him away. I released him to hunt.

The next pigeon was in a little thicket. He knew it was in there but he couldn’t get enough scent to point. I don’t know how many times he circled that thicket. Finally, when he got close I whoaed him. I stood on the check cord, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He took a couple of steps. I set him back and heeled him away. I released him to hunt.

The next pigeon was almost as bad. With no wind it makes it really hard for the dogs. He went on both sides of the pigeon before he got enough scent to go on point. I held the check cord in my hand, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He took a step and I stopped him with the check cord. I’m usually in front of him when I flush the birds but this time I was behind. I set him back then heeled him away. I let him run until we got to the kennel.

Sally stretched out.

I reloaded the release traps and put a couple of pigeons in the bird bag. I brought Sally out with the e-collar around her neck pulling a check cord with a half hitch around her flanks. I heeled her to the neighbor’s side then put her on whoa. I tied the check cord to a tree and walked in front of her. I took a pigeon from the bird bag, put it to sleep and placed it about 5 feet in front of her. I walked around the pigeon then went to her and petted her. I walked around the pigeon again and rolled it over with my foot. The pigeon woke up but just stayed in place. I let her watch it for a few seconds then took a step toward the pigeon. It flew about 10 feet never getting much above the grass. I shot the blank pistol. Her front end was saying, “I can catch that bird” and her front feet moved forward but her back feet stayed put. This really stretched her out.

I took the other pigeon from the bird bag, put it to sleep and placed it in front of her. She was still stretched out. I walked around this bird kicking the grass. I rolled it over waking it up. It flew away and I shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I untied the check cord, petted her and heeled her away. I released her to hunt.

Tur Bo watching me get a pigeon from the bird bag.

She went all of the way to the back on the neighbor’s side and pointed the pigeon I had hidden there. This was the one that was hard for Tur Bo and I had moved. It worked better in the new place. I tied her check cord to a tree and walked in front of her. I kicked the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I untied the check cord and heeled her away. I released her to hunt.

She checked everything back to about the middle and we crossed to my side. She ran the edge toward the back and went on point when she hit the scent cone. I tied her check cord to a huge tree. Kind of over kill. She hasn’t been moving. I walked in front of her kicking the bushes. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I untied the check cord, petted her and heeled her away. I released her to hunt.

She checked out my side then crossed back to the neighbor’s side. Again, this scent cone was hard to come up with but she did get enough to point. I stood on her check cord, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I heeled her away. I let her run on the way back to the kennel.

When we got back near the pigeon hutches there were about 7 or 8 pigeons on the ground. Sally went on point. I walked by the hutches flushing the pigeons. I shot the blank pistol and she never moved. I put her in the kennel.

This morning I spent about 2 1/2 hours with these two dogs on pointing dog stuff. I got six points and a lot of retrieves right in my back yard. I don’t know how life could get any better.

This pigeon woke up and only flew a few feet in front of Sally.

Sally on point.

Tur Bo watching the pigeon that is asleep.

I gave the pointing dogs the weekend off. Yesterday, I only worked Sally on retrieving but this morning I worked her on retrieving then worked her and Tur Bo on pigeons. I enjoy the work on pigeons and so do the dogs, I think.

Tur Bo with a pigeon in front of him, asleep.

Sally with a pigeon in front of her, asleep.

Tur Bo watching the pigeon that is asleep.

Yesterday, when I worked Sally on retrieving I decided to change her from the string on her foot to the e-collar. I thought this would take a couple of days. I held a bumper on the edge of the table, wrapped the string around the transmitter of the e-collar, pulled the string, pushed the button on the transmitter and said, “fetch”. She took the bumper but she acted like it was too much stimulation. The e-collar was only on low 2 but I went down to medium 1. She was okay with that. She wasn’t vocal she just laid down to take the bumper. She dropped the bumper when I said, “give”.

After about the third time she was taking the bumper with just the e-collar stimulation. I worked her on 8 different bumpers, twice each, then set her on the ground. I let her run before taking her back to the kennel.

This morning I heeled her all the way to the retrieving bench so she wouldn’t be panting. We started about 7:00 am to beat some of the heat. I thought I might have to put the string back on her but it wasn’t necessary. I only used a couple of the wooden bumpers that had ends to hold the middle off the table. I put her on whoa and took the two bumpers to the other end of the retrieving bench. I started off calling her to me and when she got there saying, “fetch” as I held the end of the bumper. When she took the bumper I clapped my hands and we went to the other end of the table. I said, “give” and she dropped the bumper in my hand.

I, then walked down the bench, clapping my hands and when she got close to the bumper I touched it with my hand and said, “fetch”. One time, this morning, she tried to go back to the other end without the bumper. I held the transmitter button down, on medium 1, and she turned, came back and grabbed the bumper. I still have to have my hand on the bumper but that won’t last long, I hope. After she retrieved the bumpers several times each I set her on the ground. I let her run before taking her back to the kennel.

I put 3 pigeons, in release traps, and hid them in the brush on the training grounds. I had 2 pigeons, in the bird bag, when I brought Tur Bo out with an e-collar around his neck and pulling a check cord with a half hitch around his flanks. As we passed some trees I whoaed him. I tied the check cord, with just a little slack, to a tree and walked back in front of him. I put a pigeon to sleep by putting it’s head under it’s wing and straightening it’s legs out. I placed the pigeon 3 or 4 feet in front of him.

I walked around the pigeon kicking the grass. The last time I worked him on a pigeon like this he hit the end of the check cord 4 times. This morning he hit the end one time and stopped. I picked him up and set him back. I continued to walk around the pigeon but he didn’t break again. I rolled the pigeon over with my foot and it awoke. As it flew away I shot the blank pistol. Tur Bo did a dance with his front feet but didn’t move. I petted him then walked in front.

Sally pointing a pigeon.

I took another pigeon from the bird bag and put it to sleep in front of him. I walked around the pigeon but he didn’t move again. I rolled the pigeon over and shot the blank pistol as it flew away. He did his dance but didn’t try to chase. I untied his check cord and heeled him away. I released him to run.

It was warm with no wind. He ran by the pigeon I had hidden on my side of the training grounds without hitting the scent cone. When I got close he came in front of me and whirled around on point. He had almost been exactly the same spot before without smelling the bird. That’s how easy it is to miss birds when we are hunting. I tied his check cord to a tree and went in front of him kicking the bushes. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I untied the check cord and heeled him away. I released him to run.

There must have been some thermals moving up the hill from the next pigeon because he had no problem pointing it. I tied his check cord, petted him then walked in front kicking the bushes. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He did his dance with his front feet but didn’t chase. I heeled him away then released him to hunt.

He was up hill from the next pigeon as well. I tied his check cord to a tree. This pigeon was in a thicket. When I flushed it, it hit a limb and fluttered. I shot the blank pistol. He just turned to watch the bird fly away. I untied his check cord and led him away. I released him to run on the way back to the kennel.

I reloaded the release traps and put a couple of pigeons in the bird bag. I heeled Sally out, with an e-collar around her neck, dragging a check cord with a half hitch around her flanks, with the piggin string. I whoaed her after we went by some trees and tied her check cord to a tree.

Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.

I walked in front of her and put a pigeon to sleep. I placed it on the ground about 3 or 4 feet in front of her. I walked around the pigeon but she didn’t move. I rolled the pigeon over with my foot. It woke up and stood up. She thought she could catch it and made a lunge. The check cord stopped her and I shot the blank pistol as the pigeon flew away. I set her back.

I went back in front of her, put another pigeon to sleep and set it in front of her. I walked around the pigeon kicking the grass. She didn’t move so I woke the pigeon. I shot the blank pistol as the bird flew away. Sally didn’t move. I untied the check cord, petted her and heeled her away. I released her to hunt.

Between the time I worked Tur Bo and Sally the breeze had come up a little. Sally was 125 yards ahead of me when she went on point. I watched her as I walked to her and she didn’t move. When I got to her I tied the check cord to a tree. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I untied the check cord, petted her and heeled her away. I released her to hunt.

We crossed onto the neighbor’s side and went to the back. I came around a clump of brush and saw her on point about 40 yards away. Sally hasn’t been moving so I tied her check cord to a large grape vine that was hanging from a tree. I went in front of her kicking the bushes. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I untied her check cord, petted her and heeled her away. I released her to hunt.

Sally

I was close to the next bird and was watching Sally cross the ground. She was moving really fast and when she hit the scent cone it looked like she slammed both front feet to the ground at the same time, to stop herself. It was neat to watch. I tied her check cord to a tree and walked in front of her. I kicked the bushes, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon hit a limb and almost came back down to the ground then flew away. Sally hit the end of the check cord but not very hard. I set her back. I untied the check cord and heeled her away. I released her to hunt on the way back to the kennel.

We may have turned the corner on the weather. I thought the winter was never going to end but now if I don’t get out pretty early it’s going to be too hot to work dogs but working pointing dogs is a lot more fun than force fetch.

Sally pointing a pigeon.

Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.

Sally pointing a pigeon.

I worked Sally on the retrieving bench this morning and did some dog training later. Sally is doing pretty well on the bench. I still have to pull on the string but not every time. I’m trying to make a game out of it because she seems to accept and enjoy the sessions better. I’m not really a runner but to get her to retrieve I run back and forth telling her what a good girl she is. In dog training, you must be able to change what you are doing to get through to the dog. Each dog is a little different.

Sally on the bench.

I tried to show the rubber band around the pigeons wing.

Tur Bo watching me get a pigeon from the bird bag.

After working Sally on the retrieving bench I put her back in the kennel, got some pigeons for the bird bag and some for the release traps. I hid three pigeons on the training grounds and had two in the bird bag. I brought Sally back out with an e-collar around her neck. She was dragging a long check cord hooked to her collar with a half hitch around her flanks. I heeled her past some trees and put her on whoa. I tied the check cord to a tree with just a little slack.

I walked out in front of her and took a pigeon from the bird bag. I put a rubber band around it’s wing. The rubber band is not very tight. I want it loose enough that after a couple of tries the rubber band will come off and the bird goes back to the coop. As I walked in front of her I dropped the pigeon. It hit the ground, flapped a little then flew away. I shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move.

I had another pigeon so I took it from the bag. I put a rubber band around it’s wing and dropped it. The pigeon fluttered up, hit the ground, fluttered up and flew away. I shot the blank pistol and she didn’t move. I untied the check cord and heeled her away.

I whoaed her and tapped her head to release her. She immediately went to the neighbor’s side and when I got to the first pigeon she was on point. Sally hasn’t been moving but I tied the check cord to a tree. I walked in front of her kicking the cover and flushed the pigeon. I shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I untied the check cord and heeled her away. I whoaed her and tapped her head for the release.

I was watching her when she went on point at the back of the field. She was about a hundred yards from me when she whirled into a point. I kept an eye on her as I got closer. She never attempted to move. I tied the check cord to a tree then walked in front of her. I kicked the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I petted her, untied the check cord and led her away. I released her to hunt.

She ran down one side of my property then back toward me on the other. I knew where the bird was hidden so I didn’t have to check everything. She crossed in front of me and went on point. She hasn’t moved for a long time so I didn’t tie the check cord, this time. I walked in front of her taking a video with my cell phone. I kicked the cover and flushed the pigeon. I shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I petted her then led her away. I let her run for a while then took her to the kennel.

As I sat on the 4-wheeler a friend called. He was coming by for a few minutes. I left the release traps out and went back to the house. After he left I ate lunch and it was time to go shoot some skeet. Missouri Conservation Department has built a skeet range about 2 miles from my house. If it’s possible, I may spend too much time there. When I got back I reloaded the release traps and put two pigeons in the bird bag.

Sally

I put an e-collar around Tur Bo’s neck, hooked the check cord to his collar with a half hitch around his flanks and heeled him out with the piggin’ string. I put him on whoa after we passed a tree. I tied the check cord to the tree. I went out in front of him and took a pigeon from the bag. When I felt in the pocket there were no rubber bands. I started doing this exercise for Tur Bo. He holds his birds pretty well but if the pigeon hits a limb or flutters trying to fly away he’s fast enough to catch them. Putting the rubber band around the wing makes the pigeon flutter and he wants to break.

I put the pigeons head under his wing, pulled his legs out straight and it went to sleep. I placed it in front of Tur Bo. I walked close to the pigeon kicking the grass. Tur Bo decided he could catch that pigeon. He charged toward the pigeon and the check cord stopped him about two feet short. When he hit the end of the check cord his back legs came off the ground and he bounced backwards, putting a little slack in the check cord. He charged again. Hard. Again, his back legs came off the ground and he bounced back. I didn’t say anything. I let him fight it out with the check cord. He hit the end 4 times really hard. Each time he bounced back putting a little slack in the check cord. After the fourth time he decided to go on point. I woke the pigeon up and shot the blank pistol as it flew away. He didn’t move this time.

I had another pigeon so I put it to sleep and placed it where the other one had been. I walked around the bird kicking the ground. This time he didn’t move. I woke the pigeon and shot the blank pistol as the bird flew away. Tur Bo didn’t move. I untied the check cord, petted him and heeled him away. I released him to hunt.

Dolly on point.

He went about half way down on my side then crossed to the neighbor’s side. He went all the way to the back and went on point. I could see him a long time before I got to him. He wasn’t able to hunt very much this past season so he was a little rough on his birds. When we started working with pigeons, after the season, he moved on a bird. He didn’t try to catch it he just took a couple of steps. I flushed that bird and hollered, “whoa”. He stopped. I set him back and he’s not tried to move since, that I have seen. I tied his check cord to a fence as there were no trees close. I went in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He did his dance with his front feet but didn’t move, much. I led him away and released him.

He checked every where I had ever hidden a bird for him on the way back to the front. He went on point as soon as he hit the scent cone on the next bird. This pigeon was in a little thicket that might be hard for the bird to fly out of. I tied Tur Bo’s check cord to a big tree. I went in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He took one step but didn’t hit the end of the check cord. I set him back and walked back in front of him kicking the cover. A pigeon flew out of a tree near us and I shot the blank pistol, again. He did his dance with his front feet but didn’t move. I petted him and led him away. I released him to hunt.

He checked the neighbor’s side out then crossed over on my side. He went down one side then back up the other. He crossed in front of me and went on point. I tied his check cord to a tree then walked in front of him. I kicked the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon came out right above him and landed in a tree, just behind him. He turned sideways to watch the bird but he didn’t even tighten the check cord. I turned him back around then led him away. I let him run before taking him back to the kennel.

Dog training is getting the dogs to repeat something until it gets to be a habit. We have a long time to work on this. I enjoy working the dogs on birds but I really don’t like force fetch, but it’s necessary. Later on I’m going to work Tur Bo and Sally both really hard on retrieving to hand. When they point a pigeon and after I shoot the blank pistol I will toss a bumper or a frozen quail in front of them and make them retrieve it. If I can get them used to retrieving after the shot maybe they will retrieve in the field.

Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.

Sally pointing a pigeon.

Sally watching me take a pigeon from the bag.

The weather may be getting better so I will work more dogs. I’m getting bored with the retrieving table but I have to continue. So I’m going to work Sally and Tur Bo on pigeons. It’s just more fun to work pointing dogs.

Tur Bo waiting for me to release a pigeon.

Sally waiting for me to release a pigeon.

Tur Bo after I released the pigeon.

I took Sally to the retrieving bench and worked her on 7 different bumpers. She did most of them just fine but a couple of times I had to pull the string. Each time she dropped the bumper or failed to take it right away I pulled the string. That made her grab the bumper.

After she retrieved the bumpers two times each I made a game of taking them back to the basket. She seems to really like taking the bumpers back to the basket. Part of it has to be that she knows it’s about over. When we got them back in the basket I took her back to the kennel after letting her run for while.

I hid 3 pigeons in the brush and tall weeds on the training grounds. I, also, put two pigeons in the bird bag that was slung around my neck. I put the e-collars on Tur Bo’s neck and flanks, snapped a check cord to his collar after running a half hitch around his flanks and led him out with the piggin’ string.

I heeled him past some trees and put him on whoa. I tied the check cord to a tree then walked in front of him and took a pigeon from the bird bag. I put a rubber band around one wing and dropped it in front of Tur Bo. The pigeon tried to fly but hit the ground. It flapped it’s wings trying to fly. It got off the ground but come back down. The third time it tried to fly the rubber band came off and it flew away. I shot the blank pistol. Tur Bo didn’t move.

I had another pigeon in the bag. When I took it out it was so dirty I didn’t even try to put a rubber band on it, I just released it. I shot the blank pistol and Tur Bo didn’t move. I untied the check cord, petted him then led him away. I whoaed him after about 25 yards and tapped his head to release him.

When I released Tur Bo he headed for the bird field. I followed. When I got close to the first bird he was on point. I didn’t see him go on point but I don’t think he had moved. I tied the check cord to a tree then went in front of him. I kicked the brush, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. Tur Bo never moved. I untied the check cord, stroked his sides then led him away. I released him to hunt.

He went to the back on my side then we went to the back on the neighbor’s side. I saw him when he hit the scent cone and he locked up as soon as he hit it. I stood back watching but he never moved. I tied the check cord to a tree then went in front of him kicking the brush. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon hit some limbs and fluttered through the trees. Tur Bo thought he could catch the pigeon so he started toward the bird. The check cord tightened up and stopped him. I picked him up and set him back. I walked in front of him kicking the brush. He didn’t move. I untied the check cord and led him away. I whoaed him and tapped him on the head to release him.

Again, I saw him when he scented the next pigeon. He slammed into a point. I watched him for a few seconds but he wasn’t trying to move. I tied the check cord to a tree. I went in front of him kicking the brush. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. Tur Bo didn’t take a step but his front feet did a dance. I untied the check cord, stroked his sides then led him away. I whoaed him then tapped his head to release him. I took him back to the kennel.

Sally backing Tur Bo at Black Kettle Grasslands.

I reloaded the release traps and put a couple of pigeons in the bird bag. I put the e-collars on Sally and led her out of the kennel with the piggin’ string dragging a check cord. We passed a tree and I whoaed her. I tied the check cord to a tree then walked in front of her. I took a pigeon from the bag and put a rubber band around one wing. I dropped the pigeon in front of her and it tried to fly. I shot the blank pistol. This was one of my small pigeons. It tried 3 or 4 times to fly without throwing the rubber band off. It decided to just walk. So far Sally hadn’t moved. I tried to catch the pigeon and it circled a tree. Finally, I caught it and removed the rubber band. I dropped the bird and it flew away. When I was chasing the pigeon Sally moved. I didn’t see her but the check cord was tight. I set her back.

I walked back in front of her and took the other pigeon from the bag. I put a rubber band around one of it’s wings. I dropped the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon tried to fly away and hit the ground again. The third time it tried the rubber band came off and it flew away. Sally didn’t move. I untied the check cord, stroked her sides and led her away. After a few yards I whoaed her and released her to run.

I’ve been working her on heel and she was a little sticky when I first turned her out. She may have thought I was going to put her back on the retrieving bench. Once we passed the retrieving bench she was okay.

She went on point in almost the same place that Tur Bo had. I tied her check cord to a tree and walked in front of her. I kicked the bushes, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I untied her check cord, stroked her sides and led her away. I whoaed her then tapped her head to release her.

She wasn’t sticky after finding a bird. She checked my side out then crossed to the neighbor’s side. We went to the back and she slammed into a point. I tied her check cord to a tree and walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I untied her check cord, stroked her sides and heeled her away. I whoaed her and tapped her head to release her.

Dolly honoring Sally.

She checked every place she had ever found a bird before on the way back toward the front. She whirled into a point when she hit the scent cone on the bird hidden in the bushes. She almost never moves but I tied her check cord to a tree, anyway. I walked in front kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I untied her check cord, stroked her sides and heeled her away. After a few yards I whoaed her and released her.

Last year when I was working her I could shoot the blank pistol as she ran and she would stop. I haven’t done this for a while and I decided to try. I waited until she wasn’t a long way from me because if she stops I have to walk to her and tap her for the release. She was about 25 yards from me when I shot and she stopped. I stroked her sides and released her to run. We went back to the kennel.

Probably, the reason I have pointing dogs, instead of retrieving dogs, is because I like to see pointing dogs, pointing. I would like to have some really good retrieving, pointing dogs but if it’s a choice between the two I will take pointing dogs, every time.

Sally pointing a pigeon.

Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.

Sally pointing a pigeon.