We have had rain for 9 days in a row. The most days in a row we have ever had rain was 10 and that has happened a couple of times. It is extremely hard to get anything done, much less work dogs, but I was able to get them out today. I was able to get them out a couple of times last week, between the rains.
Abby pointing a pigeon.
Boss pointing a pigeon in a tree.
Abby on point.
The weather is getting warmer and I tried to get out a little earlier. I wasn’t real early and it didn’t really cool down over night.
I put a bark collar on Luke along with a GPS collar and had him drag a check cord. Luke is retired so I’m not going to use a training collar on him. I put the bark collar on him and leave it on after I let him run, so he doesn’t bark at the pigeons, when I work the young dogs. He doesn’t run off here at home but just as sure as I didn’t use the GPS, he would take off.
I let him run to the back and then he went to the neighbor’s side. I waited for him at the retrieving bench but he went back near the kennels. I sat on the rock wall around the water faucet and petted him for a while. When I first started petting him, at the water faucet, he would walk away in just a few minutes. Now he will stay for a long time and he will wag his tail the whole time. I put him in his kennel but left the bark collar on him.
I didn’t anticipate having to use an e-collar on Mann but I put one on him along with the GPS collar. I heeled him out dragging the check cord. When we got a little way away from the kennel I whoaed him then tapped his head to let him run. We went all the way to the back then back to the retrieving bench. He jumped on to the bench without any help.
I petted him as we walked to the end of the bench then down the other side. I whoaed him and placed 3 retrieving dummies on the other end of the bench. I sent him to retrieve with a fetch command. I had him hold until I said, “give”. He retrieved all 3 and then I set him on the ground. As he touched the ground I said, “whoa”.
I placed the 3 dummies out a little farther than the bench was long. I went back and stood beside him. I said, “fetch” and waved in the direction of the dummies. He started then decided he needed to eat some grass. I had the e-collar on 2 momentary and held the medium button down. It was like he said, “oh, yeah. I remember”. He went straight to the dummies and grabbed one and came straight to me. He retrieved the next two with no problem. I let him run.
Boss pointing a pigeon.
All of the dogs like the petting at the water faucet but I believe Mann likes it better than any of them. He would stay all day, I think. And because I like it too we stay longer than with any other dog. I put him in his kennel.
Boss should have been next but wouldn’t quit whining when I worked Luke so I had put a bark collar on him and worked Abby instead. I put an e-collar and GPS collar on her and heeled her out dragging a check cord. We worked on whoa a few times then I let her run. I walked all the way to the back as she roamed on both sides of the training grounds. When we got close to the retrieving bench I helped her on.
Abby pointing a pigeon.
I walked down both sides of the bench petting her every few feet. I took a retrieving dummy and placed it behind her canine teeth. (On a dog, aren’t all of their teeth canine teeth?) I said, “hold” over and over. After a few seconds I said, “give” and she moved her head off the dummy. We did this 6 times on the bench. Then I set her on the ground and had her hold and give with the dummy, two times. I tapped her head to let her run. After a session of petting at the water faucet I put her in her kennel.
I put the e-collar and GPS collar on Sally and heeled her out dragging a check cord. Sally got to lagging behind because she thought I would say, “whoa” at any time. So I did. I whoaed her several times before I let her run. I walked all the way to the back as she investigated everything. When we got near the retrieving bench I helped her onto it.
Boss pointing a chukar.
After I petted her several times on the bench I whoaed her and placed 3 dummies on the other end of the bench. When I sent her to fetch she held until I said, “give”. I set her on the ground and said, “whoa”. I put the 3 retrieving dummies a little farther than the bench was long. I sent her to retrieve. She retrieved all 3 as she should have. I let her run.
I petted her at the rock wall, around the water faucet, for a while then took her back to her kennel.
Boss hadn’t been making any noise with the bark collar on so I changed the bark collar into an e-collar and put the GPS collar on him. I heeled him out dragging the check cord. I whoaed him several times before letting him run. I walked to the back as he worked both sides of the training grounds. When we got close to the retrieving bench he jumped onto it.
Abby on point, peeking through the milo stalks.
I walked down both sides of the retrieving bench petting him every few feet. I had him hold and give with the retrieving dummies 6 times on the bench. Then I set him on the ground and said, “whoa”. I placed the retrieving dummy in his mouth twice on the ground and made him hold and give. I let him run back to the water faucet. After petting him I put him in his kennel.
I hid 2 pigeons, in release traps, on my side of the training grounds. It’s so wet I haven’t been using my neighbor’s side. I don’t want the 4-wheeler to put a lot of ruts in his side. One good thing about all of the rain there is plenty of cover. The weeds and grass are growing great.
I brought Boss out first with an e-collar and GPS collar. I heeled him out near the 4-wheeler and said, “whoa”. I took the piggin’ string off, got on the 4-wheeler, started it and let it run for a few seconds. Then I said, “okay”. He was away in a hurry. No way, even on the 4-wheeler, could I keep up.
Abby pointing a chukar with Ally honoring.
When I crossed the creek he was running along the back fence. He came down the side toward the front and went on point looking into some tall weeds. It was not were I had planted a bird. I went to him and tapped his head but he didn’t move. I kicked the grass and he still stayed on point. I tapped his head and he moved up. He pointed again then went on.
I thought he was on the wrong side of the first bird but he hit the scent cone and went on point. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and it went about 10 feet up in a little tree and landed. Boss pointed the bird he could see. I took a picture then walked away calling him.
He didn’t want to leave the bird he could see but as I got away from him he followed. The next bird was buried in some tall weeds and he pointed when he hit the scent cone. I took some pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and he didn’t move until I said, “get that bird, get that bird”. This bird also lit in a tree but in a few seconds flew back toward the pigeon coop. He chased. When we got back I put him in his kennel.
Boss in the berry vines pointing a chukar..
I reloaded the release traps and heeled Abby out with the piggin’ string wearing a GPS collar and e-collar. When we got near the 4-wheeler I said, “whoa”. I took the piggin’ string off, got on the 4-wheeler, started it and let it run for a few seconds. When I said, “okay” she was gone in a hurry.
When I crossed the creek she was coming back from way down the field. She hit the exact same spot that Boss had hit, where I hadn’t planted a bird, and went on point. As I started to her she moved up then went on. There may have been a turkey or something crossed right there.
Abby pointing a chukar.
She moved on and hit the scent cone on the first bird and pointed. She’s fun to watch. She’s running all out then she’s on point. I took some pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the bird and she was after it. The pigeon flew back toward the coop and Abby came back.
We went on to the end of the field and she pointed again. I took more pictures then walked in front kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and she chased a short distance. I picked up the release traps and took her back to the kennel.
In a couple of hours I had 4 solid points on pigeons and 12 retrieves of retrieving dummies. That makes my day great. What a blessed life I have.