Tur Bo pointing at the quail pen.
Luke pointing at the quail pen.
Blaze on the whoa board.
It’s been pretty dry until this week. Today was the first day without rain for several days and I was able to do some dog training. I put the Sport Dog e-collars on Tur Bo’s neck and flanks and heeled him to the retrieving bench. I stopped him right out of the kennel and had him carry a retrieving dummy. Just before he jumped onto the bench I took the dummy from him. I walked him up and down the bench petting him every few feet.
I put 5 bumpers on the other end of the bench and sent him to retrieve. He retrieved each one with no problems. I’m making all of the dogs wait until I send them to retrieve and then make them hold the bumper until I say give. I set him on the ground.
I dropped all 5 bumpers next to the bench and sent him to retrieve. He retrieved the first one and held it until I said, “give”. I sent him to get the next one and he ran out scooped it up, ran to the whoa board and reared up on it. I called him but he wouldn’t even look at me. I think he was saying lets do something with birds. I only called him two times. If a dog doesn’t perform a command the first time and you keep saying the command, over and over, you are teaching him to ignore your commands. I went to him, put the piggin’ string around his neck, told him to hold the bumper and heeled him back near the retrieving bench.
I stopped him, took the bumper and lined him up on the other bumpers on the ground. I sent him to retrieve. He ran out and scooped the bumper up and returned. I petted him for a few seconds before having him give the bumper. I sent him to get the other two and he retrieved them perfectly. I threw a bumper for him and although he made several circles like he was going to the whoa board he went ahead and retrieved them just fine. I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold the bumper and heeled him to the whoa board. Just before we got to the board I took the bumper from him. I placed him on the board.
I put a pigeon to sleep in front of the whoa board. I took some pictures then threw my gloves near the pigeon. I woke the pigeon up and it flew away. He didn’t move. I set him on the ground and told him to whoa.
I put a pigeon to sleep in front of him. I threw my gloves near the pigeon but they didn’t bother Tur Bo. I put my foot close to the pigeon and he reared back without moving his feet. I went to him, stroked his sides and he quit leaning back. I went to the pigeon and when my foot got close to the pigeon he leaned back. When I woke the pigeon up it just stood up. Tur Bo charged toward the pigeon and I pushed the button on the e-collar around his flanks but I also grabbed his collar. He got close to the pigeon but didn’t catch it. The pigeon flew away. I carried him back. I always lay the piggin’ string near the whoa board and set the dogs behind it. Then if they move I know where to reset them.
I whoaed him and put another pigeon to sleep in front of him. I took some pictures, threw my gloves and woke the pigeon. He didn’t move when it flew away. I put another pigeon to sleep in front of him. After I threw my gloves he started leaning backwards as my foot got close to the pigeon. I went to him, stroked his sides telling him to whoa. He leaned back forward. When I got close to the pigeon he started leaning back. I had the transmitter to the e-collars in my left hand. I gently woke the pigeon up and Tur Bo charged again. I held the button down on the flank collar and caught his regular collar in my right hand. He got close but didn’t catch the pigeon. The bird flew away. I set him back behind the piggin’ string.
I put another pigeon to sleep in front of him. I threw my gloves then went to him and stroked his sides. I picked up the gloves and threw them again. I woke the pigeon up and he watched it fly away. I had one more pigeon on the 4-wheeler and put it to sleep in front of him. I threw my gloves. I went to him and stroked his sides. I picked the gloves up and threw them again. One of the gloves must have woke the pigeon up. It flew away. Tur Bo didn’t move.
I went to him, put the piggin’ string around his neck, had him hold a bumper and heeled him away. We went about 30 yards and I stopped him. I took the bumper and heeled him another ten yards. I whoaed him then tapped him on the head for the release. He ran to the quail pen and went on point.
I chased the quail to the other end then back. He didn’t move so I went inside the pen to chase the quail. I got a couple to fly and one flew right in front of him. He didn’t move. I chased them back by him again then put the piggin’ string on him. I heeled him back to the kennel.
I brought Blaze out next. I had her hold the bumper on the way to the retrieving bench. Just before she jumped onto the bench I took the bumper. I walked her back and forth petting her every few feet. I put 5 bumpers on the other end and sent her to retrieve. She scooped each one up, ran back to me and held each one until I told her to give. I set her on the ground.
I whoaed her and dropped the 5 bumpers next to the bench. I sent her to retrieve. She retrieved each one and held them until I said, “give”. I whoaed her and tossed a bumper. She stood until I sent her to retrieve. She retrieved it 5 or 6 times and held it until I took it from her. I put the piggin’ string on her, had her hold the bumper and heeled her to the whoa board.
I took the bumper and placed her on the whoa board. I put a pigeon to sleep in front of her. I threw my gloves then woke the pigeon up. It walked to the whoa board then went under it. Blaze wanted off the board but the drop chain held her on. She has fell off before so she knew how far she could go. I straightened her up and the pigeon continued to walk around under her. I herded it back and forth. I stroked Blaze’s sides, straightened her up and told her to whoa. I moved the pigeon under her again. Finally, the pigeon flew about 20 yards and landed on the ground.
I got a fishing net to catch the pigeon then set Blaze on the ground. I put another pigeon to sleep in front of her. I threw my gloves then woke the pigeon. It stood for a second before flying and Blaze tried to catch it. I held the button on her flank e-collar down and caught her regular collar, stopping her. The pigeon flew away. I set her behind the piggin’ string, telling her to whoa and put another pigeon to sleep in front of her.
I threw my gloves and walked around her taking pictures. I let her stand for a longer period of time before waking the pigeon. She didn’t move when it flew away. I put another bird to sleep in front of her. I threw the gloves and the retrieving bumper. I woke the pigeon and she didn’t move when it flew away. I put the piggin’ string on her, had her hold the retrieving bumper and heeled her away. We went about 30 yards. I stopped her and took the bumper. I heeled her about ten yards then released her. She ran to the quail pen and went on point.
I chased the quail in front of her. I went inside the pen causing some quail to fly. She moved up to the edge of the pen. I moved her back. I went back into the pen causing some of the birds to fly. This time she didn’t move. I chased the quail in front of her another couple of times then took her back to the kennel.
I heeled Luke to the retrieving bench with him holding a bumper. I took it from him before he jumped onto the bench. I walked him back and forth petting him every few feet. I put 5 bumpers on the other end and sent him to retrieve. He retrieved each one and held them until I took them from him. I set him on the ground.
I told him to whoa and dropped the 5 bumpers next to the bench. I sent him to retrieve and he retrieved each one holding until I said, “give”. I tossed a bumper 5 or 6 times and he retrieved each one. He held them until I said, “give”. I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold a bumper and heeled him to the whoa board. I took the bumper before placing him on the board.
I put a pigeon to sleep in front of him. I took pictures, threw the gloves, then woke the pigeon. He didn’t move when the bird flew away. I set him on the ground and put a pigeon to sleep in front of him.
I threw the gloves, took pictures and woke the pigeon up. He didn’t move when the bird flew away. I put another pigeon to sleep closer to him. I threw the gloves and the bird woke up. It stood up and took a step. Luke tried to catch it but I was in front of him. I held the button on the flank e-collar down and set him back. As soon as his feet touched the ground I let off the button. I was out of birds on the 4-wheeler so I made him stand, on whoa, for a couple of minutes.
I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold a bumper and heeled him away. We went about 30 yards and I stopped him taking the bumper. I released him after another ten yards. He went to the quail pen and went on point. I chased the quail in front of him then went inside the pen causing some birds to fly. He didn’t move. I chased the birds in front of him several times with some of them flying. He didn’t move. I took him back to the kennel.
The dog training is paying off. All of the dogs are holding the bumpers, most of the time, until I tell them to give. Although, all 3 dogs moved on the pigeons today they are getting better. I’m placing the birds closer to them causing them to break but they need to learn that they aren’t supposed to move until I tell them. It’s a long time until the season opens and with enough repetitions they will get there.
A pigeon right in front of Luke.
A pigeon under Blaze.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.