I decided to train dogs this morning. The second morning of my last training session Tur Bo took a step after going on point. Although, he pointed just fine after I whoaed him and set him back I knew that if a pigeon hit a limb or fluttered any, on the way to flight, he would charge after them. I needed another way to train.
Sally with a slack check cord tied to a tree.
Sally after the pigeon has flown.
Tur Bo with a slack check cord.
Tur Bo after the check cord flipped him.
I put three pigeons in release traps in the tall weeds on the training grounds and I had another two pigeons in a bird bag. I brought Sally out first with the e-collars around her neck and flanks dragging a check cord. I had put a half hitch around her flanks. I heeled her past some fruit trees, put her on whoa and tied the end of the check cord to a tree with just a little slack. I took a pigeon from the bird bag, put a rubber band around one wing and another rubber band around the feet. I held the pigeon by the feet and let it flutter. I released the bird and it tried to fly but hit the ground in front of Sally. I shot the blank pistol and the pigeon tried to fly again but fluttered back to the ground. Sally was more intense but didn’t move. I caught the pigeon and took the rubber bands off letting it fly away. I shot the blank pistol again.
I still had another pigeon in the bird bag so I took it from the bag, holding it by the feet. After it fluttered for a few seconds I let it fly away. I shot the blank pistol but she never moved. I untied the check cord from the tree, heeled her a few yards away then released her to hunt.
We went on back to the training grounds and when I got close Sally was already on point. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. She still had the check cord around her flanks but since she hadn’t moved on the other pigeons I didn’t tie it to a tree. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I stroked her sides then heeled her away. I released her to hunt.
She hunted on to the back and slid to a point on the pigeon hidden in the tall weeds. I walked around her kicking the tall cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I stroked her sides and heeled her away. I released her to hunt.
I let her hunt for a few minutes then we crossed back to my side. She was running down the edge when she hit the scent cone, whirled around and went on point. I kicked the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I stroked her sides then heeled her away. I let her run back to the kennel.
I reloaded the three release traps and put two more pigeons in the bird bag. Tur Bo is really fast. If a pigeon hits a limb or just has some trouble coming out of the release trap he will grab them. I heeled him out of the kennel with the e-collars around his neck and flanks. I, also, had a check cord hooked to his collar and looped around his flanks.
I whoaed him, tied his check cord to a tree with a little slack lying behind him and walked out in front of him. I took a pigeon from the bag, put a rubber band around one wing and held it by the feet. After it fluttered for a few seconds I turned it loose. It flew just a few feet and hit the ground. As soon as it hit the ground it tried to fly away again. Tur Bo just knew he was going to catch him a pigeon. When he hit the end of the check cord he did a flip but was right back on feet but not charging. The check cord was tight but he stood still. I picked him up and set him back.
Sally
I went back in front of him and took the other pigeon from the bird bag holding it by the feet. After it fluttered a few times I released it to fly away and shot the blank pistol. This time he didn’t move. I stroked his sides, untied the check cord then heeled him away. I released him to hunt.
The check cord he was pulling had about 30 feet trailing behind him. He went all the way to the back of the training grounds and went on point. I could tell by the check cord that he was going fast when he hit the scent cone, turned and went on point. He was about 10 yards from the pigeon. I tied the check cord to a tree and walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I led him away and released him to hunt.
He ran back to the first part where he pointed the pigeon hidden in the tall grass. I tied the check cord to a tree and walked in front of him kicking the tall cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I led him away and released him to hunt.
Tur Bo
He hit the edge on my side and was really going when he went through the scent cone on the third bird. He spun around, took a step and went on point. I went to him and tied the check cord to a tree. I walked in front of him and for some reason he took a step. I went back to him and set him back. I walked back in front of him kicking the cover. I kicked for a longer time because he had moved. He moved again. I held the e-collar button down on his flank e-collar on a light setting and set him back. (2 low) Again I made him stay longer as I kicked the cover. Finally, I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I led him away and released to run back to the kennel.
I enjoy working with the dogs and if they did it perfectly each time there would be no reason to even get them out. Using the rubber band on the pigeons wing moved the training up a notch, I think. On both of these pigeons after the second time they tried to fly the rubber band came off and they flew away. That is perfect for what I’m trying to do. I will use this more in my training.
Sally
Tur Bo