I read quite a bit about shotguns and dog training. I read that sometimes when dogs wag, when they are on point, it’s because they were stopped from chasing birds before they were ready to stop chasing. Boss, when he’s a long way from the birds will sometime wag. Abby never does. She usually looks good on her points. Mann doesn’t wag but sometimes his tail is not as nice as it is other times. I decided I would start working Boss and Abby on 2 pigeons each day. Then I decided to put two out for Mann, also.
Abby pointing a pigeon.
Boss pointing a pigeon.
Mann pointing a pigeon.
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday I worked Sally, Abby, Boss and Mann on the whoa post. Yesterday after working Mann on the whoa post I let him run for a little while then put him on the retrieving bench. I could tell he was still stressed from the whoa post. I took him for another run then had him get on the retrieving bench again. He was much better.
Early this morning I got to thinking about what I was doing. For some reason the whoa post stresses Mann out. I was asking Mann to do something that he really didn’t need. I have had dogs for over 50 years and he’s the best I’ve ever had. He will whoa whenever and wherever I ask him to now.
I worked Sally on the whoa post first. Some of the time she acknowledges really quickly but today wasn’t the day. On the first post she wasn’t real slow but on the next two I waited probably 2 minutes on each one. She would look away then stare at me. She was licking her lips quickly but this morning she just moved her feet to get comfortable. As soon as she did I gave slack in the check cord and went to her. After the 3 whoa posts I heeled her away, whoaed her then tapped her on the head to release her.
She ran toward the back and I walked to the retrieving bench. I had the GPS on her so I could watch how far she ran. She came back and jumped onto the retrieving bench. I petted her for a while then set her on the ground. We went back near the kennels. I sat down on the rock wall that surrounds my water faucet and petted her some more. I took her to her kennel where she jumped onto her house. I petted her some more after taking the e-collar and GPS collar off.
Abby jumped onto her house and I put the e-collar and GPS collar on her. I petted her for a short while before heeling her out of the kennel. Abby acknowledges pretty quickly on the whoa posts but every time when I tighten the check cord she bites at the knot near the snap on her collar. A couple of bites then she straightens up and acknowledges. After the third whoa post I heel her a short distance, whoa her then tap her head to release her.
My 20 year old retrieving bench.
She’s off like a shot. It wouldn’t do to have the check cord around your leg or foot. I walk to the retrieving bench and wait. All of the dogs like the retrieving bench. They get lots of attention. After I pet her for a while I set her on the ground, whoa her then release her to run. We go back to the kennel where I sit on the rock wall around the faucet and she comes to be petted. I took her to her kennel where I pet her again after taking the e-collar and GPS collar off.
Boss was next. He also acknowledges really quickly on the whoa post. I let him run. He was back to the retrieving bench really quick today. A few days ago I ran him first and when he went toward the back he chased a deer for a while. I was still a little way from the retrieving bench when he jumped onto it.
I went through my petting routine on the bench then we went to the water faucet for more petting. A few days ago Boss went to the north off my place and didn’t want to come back. Now he’s ready to go to the water faucet area to be petted. I petted him some more after taking the e-collar and GPS collar off.
The rock wall around the water faucet.
Luke is old and retired but I let him run for a few minutes then pet him. He doesn’t run far but he does beat me to the retrieving bench. He can’t jump on the bench without my help but he wants on it. I pet him for a while then put him on the ground. He just barely beats me back to the water faucet area but he does get there first. I pet him just like the others.
Mann was next. I petted him after putting the e-collar and GPS collar on. He was already tightening up as we left the kennel. I walked him out close to the whoa post, whoaed him then tapped his head to release him. He couldn’t believe he was free. He ran off a little way then came back. I tapped his head again. He ran off a little way but didn’t really decide to run until we passed the last whoa post.
I walked to the retrieving bench but Mann didn’t go much past it. I wanted him to run farther than that so I walked on toward the back. Finally, he went on to the back on my side then to the back on the neighbor’s side. He jumped onto the retrieving bench when he came by. I petted him then set him on the ground and we went back to the kennel area. I sat on the rock wall and petted him. He laid his head on my knee and seemed content just to stand there. I was content too.
One of the whoa posts.
I came to the house and drank a cup of coffee to let them simmer down a little. Then I hid two pigeons in release traps. One on my side and one on my neighbor’s side.
Abby and Boss are getting too fast for me to keep up walking so I decided to run them from the 4-wheeler. I brought Abby out first with the e-collar and GPS collar on. I put her on whoa near the 4-wheeler. I usually run them pulling a check cord. Today no check cord. I whoaed her and got on the 4-wheeler. Before I could start it she was off like a rocket.
I shouted whoa but she never broke stride. I held the transmitter button on the e-collar down on 2 high. She never slowed down. I went to 3 high and she stopped and looked at me. I knelt down and called her. She came about as fast as she went down the field. I put her on whoa in the same place. Before I could start the 4-wheeler she was gone again. This time she didn’t get as far. I called her back. I set her in the same place and got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said, “okay”. She was off like a flash.
Another whoa post. I have 3.
It’s been a while since I have worked them on pigeons but she hasn’t forgotten. She pointed the first and looked good. I tried to get pictures but for some reason the camera wouldn’t work. I went to her and stroked her sides and told her what a good girl she is. I kicked in front of her then flushed the pigeon. I didn’t try to stop her from chasing. We went to the neighbor’s side.
She found that pigeon too. I stroked her sides then walked in front of her kicking the cover. She held fine until I flushed the pigeon. This bird hit a limb and she almost had it but it managed to escape. She chased it back close to the pigeon coop. I petted her at the water faucet before putting her up.
I reloaded the release traps then brought Boss out with the e-collar and GPS collar on. I whoaed him near the 4-wheeler and before I could even get seated he was gone. The e-collar slowed him down but didn’t stop him. I rode down and caught him before he got to the first bird. I think he knew he had screwed up. I think he was coming back but when I caught him I held him on the 4-wheeler and took him back to the starting place.
Boss on a pigeon.
I set him on the ground and whoaed him, again. I got on the 4-wheeler but before I could start it he went to the other side of the 4-wheeler. I whoaed him then went to him. I picked him up and carried him back to the place where he had been on whoa. I whoaed him again. This time I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear then said, “okay”. He started off then stopped but I was gaining on him with the 4-wheeler and he went on toward the back.
On his way down he crossed over to the neighbor’s side. When he got near the bird he started slinking along. I don’t want that so I flushed the pigeon. He stopped and watched it fly away. I encouraged him to chase. We went toward the next bird.
He was going fast when he hit the scent cone and whirled into a point. I took some pictures. When he got stopped his back legs were spread out where it looked uncomfortable. I went to him and picked his back end up and dropped it. I stroked his sides and told him what a good boy he is. I went in front kicking the ground and cover. I flushed the pigeon and he didn’t move. I said, “okay” really quick so he could follow the pigeon. He did. I petted him at the water faucet then put him up.
Abby.
I put the e-collar and GPS collar on Mann after reloading the release traps. I whoaed him near the 4-wheeler, got on the 4-wheeler, started it and put it in gear then said, “okay”. Mann was off like a rocket. He, too, crossed over to the neighbor’s side. He nailed the bird at the back and I took pictures before stroking his sides and telling him what a good boy he is. When I flushed the pigeon it just lit in the tree right above him.
Mann just moved a few feet and went back on point. I led him away and sent him on. I followed him as he checked the neighbor’s side out then went over to my side. He was past the pigeon when he got the scent and slid into a really nice point. I stroked his sides then kicked in front of him. I flushed his pigeon and it lit in the tree right above him. About the time I said, “okay” the pigeon came out of the tree and only flew about 2 feet above the ground back toward the pigeon coop. Mann was right behind it. It stayed ahead of him but not by much.
My side by side and a quail.
When I got back to the kennel area Mann was ready for more petting. I sat by the water faucet and petted him for a while. I petted him some more after taking the e-collar and GPS collar off.
I know this sounds like a lot of petting for the dogs but I want every one of them to think they are my favorite dog. And it’s already paying dividends. Two weeks ago, I doubt if Abby would have come back to me when she knew there were birds on the training grounds. She came back not once but twice. And the dogs enjoy it and so do I.
I didn’t know how bad my retrieving bench looked until I put the picture on this post. I may have to rebuild that thing. But the dogs are happy to get on it.