The weather is so warm and my life got in the way so I haven’t done any dog training since Monday morning. That morning, the temperature was in the low sixties. Cooler but by the time I was through the temperature was ramping up.
Sally pointing a pigeon.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
I worked Sally, first, on the retrieving bench. I whoaed her then placed 5 or more bumpers on the end of the retrieving bench and sent her to retrieve. Each time when she brings the bumper back I pet her for a few seconds before saying, “give”. She drops the bumper in my hand. She usually doesn’t make a mistake but sometimes when she grabs the bumper and wheels around the bumper will go flying. Some of the time she will turn and grab another bumper and bring it to me. Usually, I just place the bumper back on the bench.
After she retrieves several times, properly, on the bench I set her on the ground. I have 5 or 6 bumpers scattered, in the grass, in a large circle. A few days ago she would act like she couldn’t see the bumpers that she didn’t like but this morning she was almost eager to retrieve each one. I think, the petting before taking the bumper from her makes some difference in this. After retrieving each bumper twice I released her to run then returned her to the kennel.
I hid 3 pigeons, in release traps, in the brush, on the training grounds. I heeled Sally out with an e-collar around her neck, pulling a check cord with a half hitch around her flanks. This morning I put her on whoa and got on the 4-wheeler. I started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and said, “okay” to her. I have been too far behind the dogs to see them go on point but with the 4-wheeler I can stay with them, most of the time.
As Sally hit the scent cone she turned her head toward the pigeon and slid her feet to a stop. There is no pussy footing around. It’s scent bird, put on brakes. I pushed the stake into the ground, just a few feet behind her and tied the check cord to it. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I had the dowel rod bumper that has a cross at each end, holding it off the ground, that she really likes, with me. I heeled her a few feet then had her take the dowel from my hand a couple of times then threw it just a few feet in front of her. I heeled her to it and when we got close I said, “fetch”. She picked it up and brought it back. I petted her for a few seconds, said, “give” then heeled her away. I released her to hunt.
She hit the scent cone on the second bird, took a half step toward it and went on point. She was still about 15 yards from the pigeon. I pushed the stake into the ground, tied the check cord to it, petted her and walked in front kicking the brush. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. With all of the leaves on the bushes the birds make a lot of noise flushing. Sally seldom tries to move but this is a big temptation for Tur Bo. Putting the stake just a couple of feet behind the dog gives them less room to move.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
I untied the check cord and heeled her away. I had her fetch the bumper from my hand a couple of times then tossed it ahead of us. I heeled her to it, said, “fetch” as we got close. She picked it up and we walked a few feet. I petted her then said, “give” and she dropped it in my hand. I tossed it again and said, “fetch” without heeling her toward it. She ran to it and scooped it up and brought it back. I petted her, said, “give” and heeled her a few feet then released her to hunt.
With not much wind and as hot as it is, at 60 some degrees, the dogs still are pretty far away from the birds when they point, most times. I was watching her and as soon as she smelled the bird she locked up. I petted her, stuck the stake in the ground, tied the check cord to it and walked in front of her. I kicked the brush, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I petted her, untied the check cord and heeled her away.
After a few feet, I whoaed her, tossed the retrieving bumper a few feet then heeled her toward it. When she got close I said, “fetch”. She picked the bumper up and after a few feet I stopped her and said, “give”. She dropped it in my hand. I tossed it a couple of times and sent her to retrieve. She retrieved it each time. These are just small steps, on the retrieving, but I will make it harder, later. I released her to run before going back to the kennel.
I reloaded the release traps and heeled Tur Bo out. He was pulling the check cord with a half hitch around his flanks but he also had an e-collar around his flanks as well as the e-collar around his neck. Pushing the stake into the ground right behind the dogs doesn’t give him much room to move when the pigeon flushes. I put him on whoa, got onto the 4-wheeler and released him. He’s still hard to stay with, even on the 4-wheeler.
Sally pointing a pigeon.
He crossed in front of me as we got close to the first bird. As soon as he hit the scent cone he whirled into a point. Most of the time, on wild birds, both of these dogs point with a straight tail and their tail is straight when they first point on a pigeon but by the time I get the camera out the tail has a curl. They know this is a game but they still love to play.
I pushed the stake into the ground. (I make sure it is as far as it will go for Tur Bo. He sometimes puts it to a test and he is strong.) I tied the check cord to the stake, petted him then walked in front kicking the bushes. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. His front feet wanted to move but the stake held. I set him back but I only had to move him a short distance. Having the stake right behind them works. I untied the check cord, petted him then heeled him away.
After a few feet I whoaed him, threw the Dokken chukar and said, “fetch”. He ran out, scooped up the bumper and brought it back. I petted him before saying, “give”. He dropped it in my hand. I had him retrieve it three times then heeled him away. I released him to hunt.
Sally near and Luke. Divided find.
With the 4-wheeler I was close when he pointed the second bird. He pointed as soon as he hit the scent cone. I pushed the stake into the ground, tied the check cord and walked in front of him. I walked to the far side of the clump of brush, kicking the cover as I went, then came back around, closer to him and flushed the pigeon. The pigeon made a lot of noise flushing and he wanted to chase but the stake held. I set him back. When I untied the check cord it was really tight. I know that as tight as it was on the stake it had to tighten on his flanks as much. I heeled him away.
A few yards away I whoaed him and threw the chukar bumper. I tapped his head and said, “fetch”. He grabbed the chukar and brought it back. I petted him, said, “give” and threw the bumper again. After the third time I released him to hunt.
As we went on to the back he was really moving. I came around a clump of brush and he was on point. I took some pictures then pushed the stake into the ground right behind him. I tied the check cord. I walked in front kicking the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He tightened the check cord but didn’t strain against it. I think using the stake may be doing some good. I untied the check cord and heeled him away. He retrieved the chukar 3 times. I released him to run before taking him back to the kennel.
With both of these dogs I’m just taking small steps to get them to retrieve. Later, and probably much later, I will start using a frozen quail, then start hiding it so they will be used to hunting dead. I think they both will really like frozen quail. Then before season starts I will shoot some pen reared quail and make them retrieve. I don’t want to go through another season without some good retrievers.
Sally pointing a quail.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
Sally in the brush.