We don’t get many mornings in August, for dog training, as cool as Friday morning was. The temperature was in the low 50’s and it was almost cold riding the 4-wheeler. My kind of morning.
Sally pointing a pigeon.
Betsy watching a pigeon fly away.
Sally on a pigeon.
I couldn’t let such a cool morning go by without working dogs but I had some work I had to get done so I only worked Sally and Betsy. After the raccoons got through with my pigeons I only have about a dozen good flying birds. On days when I’m not busy I can wait for some to get back and work more dogs.
Dog training is doing the same thing over and over until the dogs do what is expected of them, most of the time. I hid 4 pigeons in release traps on my training grounds. I have a long strip of grass that I haven’t mowed all year and I hid a bird on each end. I put 2 more in a fence row about 10 yards from the others.
I had a pigeon in the bird bag when I heeled Sally out with e-collars on her neck and flanks. All of my dogs heel, usually pretty well, but just working them once a week or so they are really anxious when they know there are birds to be found. Sally started trying to pull me but after I made a few 180 degree turns she decided I could be in charge.
After a few turns I whoaed her. I walked in front, kicked some branches that had fallen from my trees, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa.” She kind of flinched when I kicked the branches but didn’t move. I stroked her sides then heeled her away.
After another 50 yards I whoaed her again. I walked in front of her taking a pigeon from the bird bag by it’s feet, letting it flap. I set the pigeon on the ground on it’s back and let it flip up and fly away. I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She turned her head to watch the pigeon fly away but didn’t move her feet. I stroked her sides and heeled her away.
When we got to the edge of the training grounds I released her to hunt. I ride the 4-wheeler to the back on both sides of the grounds, when I hide the pigeons, so the dogs don’t just follow the 4-wheeler tracks to the birds. Sometimes instead of dog training it’s dogs training the handler.
Sally hunted to the back on my side then crossed to the neighbor’s side. When I came through a line of trees she was already on point on one of the birds in the strip of grass. I took pictures then stroked her sides. I walked in front of her kicking the tall grass. I flushed the pigeon in the other end of the grass strip, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She raised her head to watch the pigeon but didn’t move her feet. I stroked her sides.
Betsy
I went back in front of her kicking the tall weeds. I flushed a pigeon that was in the fence row, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I stroked her sides telling her what a good girl she is.
I went back in front kicking the tall weeds. I flushed the other pigeon in the fence row and it flew low right between me and Sally. She turned her body to watch it fly but didn’t try to follow. I shot the pistol and said, “whoa”. I stroked her sides and put the piggin’ string on her and heeled her away.
I didn’t flush the pigeon she was pointing. I heeled her for about 50 yards then released her to run. She tried a couple of times to circle back but I kept her in front of me. Once when she was about 45 yards from me I shot the blank pistol and she stopped before I could say, “whoa”. I stroked her sides and we went back to the kennel.
I reloaded the release traps, put a pigeon in the bird bag and heeled Betsy out with the e-collars around her neck and flanks. I only had to make one 180 degree turn to get her to heeling. I whoaed her near the blown down down branches. When I kicked the branches her front feet did a little dance and she turned to the right to watch me closer. I went to her and set her back. I kicked the branches and when she didn’t move I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I heeled her away.
After another 50 yards I whoaed her again. I took a pigeon from the bird bag by the feet, letting it flap. I set the bird on it’s back and when it turned over it ran on the ground for a few feet then flew. I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. Her front feet did their dance and she turned to watch the pigeon. She didn’t try to follow. I set her back, stroked her sides and heeled her away.
I released her to hunt when we got to the edge of the training grounds. Betsy was a self hunter when I got her. I’ve been trying to get her to hunt with me. Early this year I hunted her on a hunting preserve with a drop chain on. She would hardly get away from my side. I took the drop chain off and used a check cord. She moved out a little but not much. That worked okay for a training session but I want her to run just not too much. I worked her here for a while dragging a check cord but she still didn’t run much. The e-collar on her flanks restricts her some also. But this morning she ran like I wanted. She stayed in front of me and checked all of the cover.
Sally watching the pigeon in my hand.
When I came through the tree line she was on point at the end of the line of tall grass. I took pictures then stroked her sides. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon at the other end of the grass strip, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She did her dance with the front feet and turned a little. I set her back, stroked her sides and went back in front.
I continued to kick the cover, flushed one of the pigeons in the fence row. She was in a position where she couldn’t see this bird but she heard it. I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move this time. I stroked her sides.
I went back in front kicking the tall weeds. I flushed the other pigeon in the fence row, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She saw this bird when it came off the ground and did her dance with the front feet turning her body to follow the sight of the bird. I stroked her sides after setting her back.
I haven’t been flushing the bird they have been pointing for a little while but I decided to on this last pigeon. I went back in front of her kicking the cover. Betsy was off of this bird about 7 or 8 yards. I flushed the pigeon, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She did her dance but didn’t try to follow. I set her back, stroked her sides then heeled her away.
On the way back to the kennel I didn’t shoot the blank pistol to see if she would stop. This was the best she had ran for me with the flank collar on and I didn’t want to hinder that. When I got to the kennel she was on point at the pigeon coop. When I walked up the pigeons on their house flew. She didn’t follow. I put her in the kennel.
I don’t field trial and I don’t really care if my dogs are steady to wing, shot and fall but I think if they are trained this way they are steadier on their birds. Also, if they don’t go running in when the birds flush there is sometimes a late bird or birds that can give additional shots. Plus this gives me an excuse to be dog training.
Betsy, after the dance, watching a pigeon fly away.
Sally pointing a pigeon.
Betsy pointing a pigeon.