I’ve been working the two setter puppies I got from my cousin that are out of a female that I sold him. They were almost 8 weeks old when I brought them home. They are out of the same litter but the male is white and orange and the female is white, black and tan.
Using their nose to find dog food in the grass.
Babe pointing her brother, Man.
Man on the left and Babe on the right.
After they spent a few days in the kennel here I started putting pigeons out for them. I started with a lock wing but the male pup was too aggressive, right away. So I started putting the pigeon to sleep and letting them wake it up. The older pigeons would get away from the puppies after a little while then the male got too aggressive, again. Now I just let the pigeon fly away.
The puppies must keep an eye on me because they can be playing in the brush or somewhere that I can’t see them and when I go to the pigeon coop they come running. The female stands back a few feet but the male rears up on the side of the coop. He would like to get in with the pigeons.
When it comes time for them to go back in the kennel the female hides. The male comes to me most of the time but the female will head for the brush.
A few days ago I let the puppies out while I cleaned the kennels. When I was finished I sat in a chair and turned a pigeon loose every once in a while. It got time to put the pups up and the female wasn’t in sight. I was sitting in a chair looking for her. I stood up and finally saw her. She was across my neighbor’s side lying in the edge of the bushes with just her head sticking out. She knew where I was but I couldn’t see her until I stood up.
Man would also try to evade me but he wasn’t near as bad a she was. I was getting frustrated and knew I would have to do something.
I had my wife, June, pick me up some hot dogs when she went to the store. She got me some Bar S long as the bun hot dogs. I cut one hot dog into 30 pieces, put it in a plastic bag and turned the puppies loose. When I first turn them out they come to my chair to be petted. I petted them then gave them each a chunk of hot dog. They didn’t want to leave.
After I gave them a few chunks all they wanted to do was get more. They wouldn’t leave my chair so we went for a walk. They just wanted to follow me so I kept walking. When both of them got out in front of me I knelt down and called them to me. No matter how far away they were they came running.
Babe checking to see if I’m getting a hot dog out.
We walked to the back and then back to my chair. I gave them a couple of pieces. Then when it was time to put them away I still had some pieces of hot dog. I went to their kennel door, knelt down and called them. The first time Babe came running. I gave her a piece of hot dog then put her in the kennel. I called Man and he came to me. I gave him a piece then put him in the kennel. I went into their kennel and gave them the rest of the hot dog. I had three or four pieces for each.
That evening I turned the puppies loose while I cleaned kennels. When I came out and sat in my chair the puppies wouldn’t leave my side so we went for a walk. The pups wanted to stay behind me and follow so they could be close for the hot dogs. I wouldn’t give them a piece until they were well out in front. And both of them had to be in front. Once, Babe was about 20 yards ahead of me and on the other side of the yard. I knelt down and said, “here”. They both came to me in a dead run.
Man with a jump on Babe.
I, again, knelt down in front of their kennel and called them. Man was the first to come. I gave him a piece of hot dog and put him in his kennel. I gave him another piece. I knelt down and called Babe. She came to me. I gave her a chunk and put her in the kennel. I went into their kennel and gave them the rest of the hot dog.
Today was a busy morning for me. I didn’t get a chance to play with the puppies until about 11:00 am. I cut my hot dog up and turned the puppies loose. I sat down but the puppies wouldn’t leave me so we went for a walk.
I have a chain gang just behind my retrieving bench so I hooked Babe to it and put Man on the retrieving bench. I hooked his collar to the pulley system on the bench. I gave him a chunk of hot dog then walked to the other end of the bench. I called him and when he came to me I gave him another piece. Man isn’t shy about anything. He decide he could step off the side of the bench. I helped him back on. It didn’t bother him.
I walked to the other end and he came to me. I gave him another chunk and he stepped off the side of the bench. The second time made more of an impression. I gave him a few more pieces then put him on the chain gang and put Babe on the bench.
She’s more careful. After walking her back and forth feeding her hot dog chunks I set her on the ground and released Man from the chain gang. We went for a walk.
On the road with two puppies.
When they both got well out in front of me I called them back and fed them some hot dog. I didn’t have a lot of time so I knelt in front of their kennel and Man came right to me. I was afraid that Babe would hide but after I put Man in the kennel I saw her looking for me. I knelt down and called her. She came in a run. I gave her a chunk and put her in the kennel. I fed them the rest of the hot dog inside their kennel.
So far I’ve used 3 hot dogs and the pups are coming to me. I’m no longer frustrated and all it took was about 79 cents worth of hot dogs.
Some people don’t think you should use food in the training of dogs. In my opinion, when the dog learns a response, it learns it. No matter how it got to that point. I will continue to work on the “here” command with the hot dogs. Later on I will only give the hot dogs occasionally but I will expect for the pups to come to me.
Later, when I collar condition them they should already know “here”. My game plan is to teach, kennel, heel and whoa, then here. If I can get them going when I want them to go, stopping when I want them to stop and coming when called, I’ll have well trained dogs.
Coming to get hot dogs.
Another dash for hot dogs.
Babe pointing her brother, Man.