I did more dog training on Tuesday morning. The temperature was in the 50’s. It was nice for me and the dogs. I have been running the dogs with a half hitch from the check cord around their flanks but this morning I decided to not use the check cord.
Sally watching the pigeon in my hand.
Betsy watching me.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
I put 3 pigeons, in release traps, in a triangle, about 10 yards apart on the training grounds. I had 2 pigeons in a bird bag when I led Sally out with the piggin’ string. She had e-collars around her neck and flanks. Today there was no check cord.
I heeled her about 20 yards then said, “whoa”. I walked around her then out front and to the rear. She didn’t move so I heeled her away.
After another 20 yards I whoaed her, walked out front, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. I was really watching her and she didn’t move. She didn’t flinch, blink or anything. I stroked her sides telling her what a good girl she is. I heeled her away.
After another 20 yards I whoaed her and took a pigeon from the bird bag, by the feet, as I walked out front of her. I let the pigeon flap for a few seconds, released it, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I went to her, stroked her sides and heeled her away.
A few yards farther and I whoaed her again. I walked in front and took a pigeon from the bird bag, by the feet. I let it flap for a few seconds, released it, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I stroked her sides and heeled her away.
When we got to the retrieving bench I released her to hunt. As we went toward the back of my side, when she came within about 30 yards of me, I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She stopped immediately. She looked at me but didn’t move her feet. I walked to her, stroked her sides and tapped her head for the release.
We went to the back on my side then crossed to the neighbor’s side and went to the back on his side. I had the birds hidden at the very back. She was 10 or 12 yards from the bird that she was pointing but I could tell which one it was. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed one of the pigeons that was away from the one she was pointing. I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She raised her head a little higher but didn’t move her feet. I went to her, stroked her sides then walked back in front of her.
I walked back in front kicking the cover. After a few seconds I flushed another pigeon. One that was about 15 yards away, that she wasn’t pointing. I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I went to her, stroked her sides and heeled her for about 40 yards toward the kennel. I whoaed her then released her to hunt.
Sally pointing a pigeon. Some of these pictures are older and the dogs still hjave a check cord on.
As we headed back to the kennel, when she came within about 40 yards of me I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She stopped, looking at me. I walked to her and tapped her head. We went back to the kennel.
I reloaded the release traps and put a couple of pigeons in the bird bag and heeled Betsy out with the piggin’ string. She had e-collars on her neck and flanks but no check cord. After about 20 yards I whoaed her and walked around her. I tapped her head and heeled her on.
About 20 yards and I whoaed her again. This time when I walked in front of her, I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I stroked her sides then heeled her away.
Another 20 yards or so I whoaed her again. I walked in front, taking a pigeon from the bird bag by the feet. I let it flap for a few seconds then released it, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She turned side ways to watch the bird fly away. I set her back where she was. I went back in front, took another pigeon from the bag, by the feet and let it flap. As it flew away I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. This time only her head turned. I stroked her sides and heeled her away.
When we got near the retrieving bench I whoaed her then tapped her head to release her. Without the check cord she runs a lot bigger but stays in front of me. When she came by at about 40 yards I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She stopped. I stroked her sides then released her.
She went to the back on my side then crossed over to the neighbor’s side. When I got to the back she was standing right over one of the pigeons in the release trap. By the way she was looking at the release trap (her head was twisted around to her middle) I think she didn’t get the scent until she was right on top of it. I set her back about 5 yards.
I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed a pigeon about 15 yards from her, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I stroked her sides.
Sally pointing a pigeon.
I went back in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed a pigeon, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I went to her, stroked her sides and heeled her away. After about 40 or 50 yards I released her. As we went back to the kennel, when she came close to me, I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t stop so I hit the button on her flank e-collar. She came to me. Not what I wanted. I carried her back to where she was when I shot the blank pistol. I whoaed her and returned to my spot then walked to her. I stroked her sides then tapped her on the head.
We continued on toward the kennels and when she came close I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. This time she stopped. I went to her, stroked her sides then tapped her head to release her. We returned to the kennels.
Since the raccoons got some of my pigeons I have to wait for some to come back before I could work Tur Bo. The pigeons get smart. They sit on my house until I get through training. They know if they come back too early I may use them again. I went to the house and had a cup of coffee. When I came back I had birds.
I reloaded the release traps and put a couple of pigeons in the bird bag. I put the e-collars on
Tur Bo and heeled him out with the piggin’ string. After 20 yards I whoaed him. I walked around him, stroked his sides and heeled him away.
Another twenty yards and I whoaed him again. I walked in front of him, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. He does a little dance with his front feet but doesn’t really move. I stroked his sides and heeled him on.
Another 20 yards or so and I whoaed him again. I walked in front of him taking a pigeon from the bird bag by the feet. After it flapped for a few seconds I released it, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. He did his dance with his front feet but didn’t chase. I went to him and raised his front end up and told him, “whoa”. I heeled him away.
A few more yards and I whoaed him again. I walked in front taking a pigeon from the bird bag by the feet. After it flapped for a few seconds I released it, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. He did his dance but didn’t really act like he wanted to chase. I raised his front end and then heeled him away.
When we got to the retrieving bench I released him to hunt. When he ran back close to me I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. He slowed but didn’t stop. I held the button on his flank e-collar down until he stopped. I went to him and carried him back to where he was when I shot the pistol. I whoaed him and walked around him. I tapped his head for the release.
Betsy on point.
He hunted to the back on my side then crossed to the neighbor’s side. He was 20 yards from the pigeons when he went on point. I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. He did his dance. I raised his front end up then went back in front. I kicked the cover then flushed a pigeon. I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. He didn’t move. I stroked his sides then went back in front.
I continued to kick the cover, flushed another pigeon, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. His head came up and he did his little dance. I raised his front end up. I went back in front of him, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. This time he didn’t move.
I continued to kick the cover, flushed the last pigeon, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. I noticed that he didn’t do his dance until I shot the blank pistol. I raised his front end up then went back in front. I shot the blank pistol 5 more times saying whoa after each time. The last two times he didn’t do his dance. I think he may have to have more shots from the blank pistol to break him of his dance. I released him to go back to the kennel. On the way back when he came close I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. He didn’t slam on the brakes but he stopped before I could press the button on his flank e-collar. So he’s learning. We went back to the kennel.
I know these posts all sound about the same but dog training is about repetition. All 3 dogs are doing better. I don’t do field trials and I’m not a pro trainer. I’m a bird hunter that writes a blog. So I don’t need my dogs to be steady to wing and shot but I do need something to write about in my blog. I enjoy dog training and teaching anything to my dogs.
Betsy pointing a pigeon.
Sally pointing a pigeon..
Tur Bo watching a pigeon fly away.