Roofers swarmed all over my house this morning so I just worked dogs in a small area. Usually, the pigeons I use fly to the top of my house, to wait for me to quit dog training, before going back to their house. This morning with the roofers on the house they had to fly to the trees around the yard.
Sally after the pigeons have flown.
Betsy after I’ve thrown a pigeon in front of her.
Tur Bo just styles up when I get the camera out.
I put two pigeons in release traps on my neighbor’s side of the dog training grounds. I put the e-collars around Sally’s neck and flanks, snapped a check cord to her regular collar and heeled her out of the kennel with a piggin’ string. We went to the highway in front of my house and turned back in the direction of the training grounds. I heeled and whoaed her every few yards.
When we got back past the house and across the yard from the kennels I took a pigeon from the bird bag and threw it down in front of her and said, “whoa”. When I threw the pigeon she started to chase but stopped when I said, “whoa”. I let her stand, for about a minute, watching the pigeon fly around then I tapped her on the head and heeled her away.
I heeled and whoaed her a few times without a bird then threw another pigeon in front of her and said, “whoa”. She was expecting the whoa this time and stopped immediately. I walked around her then tapped her head and heeled her away.
I heeled her by the hidden pigeons and she went on point. The pigeons, in the release traps, were about 10 feet apart. I walked around her kicking the cover then flushed the pigeon that was the farthest away from her. She wanted to chase but I set her back. I waited until I could tell that she was smelling the pigeon that was still in front of her. When she stiffened up I walked in front of her. I came back to her side and held on to the piggin’ string. I flushed the second pigeon. She wanted to chase but I stopped her with the piggin’ string. I set her back. I had her stand for about 30 seconds then tapped her head and let her run. I took her back to the kennel.
I replaced the pigeons in the release traps, put the e-collars around Betsy’s neck and flanks and heeled her out of the kennel with the piggin’ string. I heeled her to the highway, whoaing her every once in a while. When we got to the yard across from the kennel I threw a pigeon in front of her and said, “whoa”. She stopped and watched the pigeon fly away. I took a couple of pictures then heeled her away. After whoaing her another time or two I threw a pigeon and said, “whoa”. She stopped before I could say whoa. I walked around her then back to her and I stroked her sides. I heeled her away.
Before we got to the pigeons I had hidden in the release traps she smelled them. She pulled ahead of me and turned in front, going on point. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I held the piggin’ string as I flushed the pigeon farthest away from her. The pigeon went up and flew over the top of us. Betsy turned completely around and watched it fly away. She didn’t try to chase just watched the bird fly away. I turned her back around.
Tur Bo pointing a single quail.
It seemed like this pigeon wanted to tease us. It kept flying over us. Finally, Betsy became aware of the bird in front of her and went back on point. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. There was some slack in the check cord and I stood on it. I flushed the pigeon and Betsy didn’t move. She didn’t even tighten the check cord. I stroked her sides telling her what a good girl she is. I took the piggin’ off and let her run for a while before returning to the kennel.
I put the e-collars and the check cord on Tur Bo and heeled him toward the front yard. He’s been through this before. He wanted to pull me through the front yard so we could get to the birds. When he pulled to the front I turned to the rear. After 3 or 4 times he decided to heel. I whoaed him a few times as we went through the front. When we got across from the kennel I threw a pigeon and whoaed him. He stopped and watched the pigeon fly away.
I heeled him on toward the back and whoaed him a couple of times then threw another pigeon and said, “whoa”. He stopped and watched the bird fly away. I stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is. I heeled him away.
Sally pointing a single quail.
When we got close to the pigeons I had hidden he went on point. I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I walked back close to him but didn’t hold the check cord or the piggin’ string. I flushed the farther pigeon. His front feet moved but his back ones didn’t. That’s about as steady as I have been able to get him. I moved him back. I continued to kick the cover and flushed the closer pigeon. He didn’t move. Not even his front feet. Is this a break through. Only time will tell. I removed the piggin’ string, tapped him on the head and let him run before returning to the kennel.
These exercises are low stress on the dogs and I don’t jerk them around with the piggin’ string nor do I do any screaming. In my opinion, yelling at the dog is the worst thing you can do. When I set a dog back I only say, “whoa” one time and I don’t say it loud. If you yell at the dog when he’s by your side how loud do you have to yell when he’s a 100 yards away. How about 200 yards.
My pigeons usually fly to the top of my house and wait for me to get through training before going to their coop. If they come back too soon I’ll use them again. The guys roofing my house confused them. I had birds in the trees and as we moved around an occasional bird would fly from a tree close to the dogs. I worked Sally first and none flew from trees on her but I had to stop Betsy when it happened. Tur Bo stopped on his on. He’s been through this several times.
Late that evening I let Sally out after I cleaned pens and fed the dogs. I didn’t realize one of the pigeons hadn’t gone back to the coop and was sitting on the ground. I saw it and got my fish net to catch it with. As I started toward it Sally saw it and pointed. I thought, “boy, that pigeon doesn’t have long to live.” I walked up beside Sally and the pigeon started running. Sally didn’t move as I followed the pigeon. I wasn’t catching up so I threw the net and it landed on the pigeon, trapping it. Sally moved but didn’t try to catch the pigeon. I put the pigeon in it’s coop.
The dogs and I enjoy anything we do together. Sometimes what we do makes them do their jobs better. Now if I could just get better at my part of the job.
Sally watching a pigeon.
Betsy watching a pigeon fly away.
Tur Bo