I’m Still Training English Setter Puppies

Yesterday, 7/19/18, I worked both puppies at the same time. Babe hasn’t been hunting the way I would like for her to. She seems to like the pigeons when I have them in my hand or around the pigeon coop but when I have birds in the release traps she doesn’t seem interested. I thought if she saw Mann pointing she might get more interested.

I put the puppies on the chain gang and hid three pigeons, in release traps, on the training grounds. When I turned the puppies loose to hunt Mann went back and forth but at a fast pace. Babe went about 25 yards then waited on me.

Mann pointed the first pigeon. Babe wasn’t at all interested. She saw Mann but didn’t try to honor or go toward him. It was like she didn’t understand there was a bird there or she didn’t really care. I was watching both of them and when Mann took a step I flushed the pigeon. Mann chased a short distance. Babe just watched the pigeon fly away.

Mann found all three pigeons and pointed each one. Babe never showed any interest. After the third pigeon I put them back on the chain gang and hid three more pigeons in different spots than the first three.

When I turned the puppies loose Mann went to hunting but Babe wanted to play. As Mann hunted she ran after him barking. Mann pointed the three pigeons. I watched him and when he took a step I flushed the pigeon. Babe continued to want to play.

Babe doesn’t seem to be as mature as Mann. I have ran them together and by their selves and it doesn’t seem to make a difference. I needed to do something different.

This morning, 7/20/18, I decided to put some real young pigeons in the release trap for Babe. I left the puppies in the kennel while I hid the pigeons then came back for Babe. We started down to the training grounds with her staying about 25 yards ahead of me.

She was on the wrong side of the first pigeon as we came down the field. She came to the next strip of grass and went from the south end to the north. The pigeon was hidden in the last few feet. I could tell she smelled the pigeon but she didn’t point. When she got close I flushed the pigeon. The bird flew about 10 yards and hit the ground. Babe stood and watched. I tried to encourage her to chase. Finally, she went near the pigeon and pointed. The pigeon sat in the edge of the brush with Babe pointing for several seconds.

After a few seconds the pigeon started walking into the brush. This brush is real thick. Babe went into the brush after the pigeon and kind of herded the bird. Pretty soon they came out of the brush with Babe right behind the bird. The pigeon flew away from the brush and lit in the open grass. Babe followed. She herded the bird for several feet and the bird flew back into the brush.

Babe would touch the bird with her nose but wouldn’t try to pick it up. When the pigeon walked she followed or would circle the bird. They went back in the brush. It was too thick for me. I waited. I couldn’t see or hear her. I walked the edge trying to see her. Then she showed up behind me. I tried to get her away but she went back into the brush. After a minute or so the pigeon came walking out of the brush with Babe right behind it. When the pigeon came out of the brush it flew across the clearing and lit in a tree. Babe followed the pigeon across the clearing and went into the brush. She came back out and we went toward the next pigeon.

When she got close to the next pigeon I could see she smelled the bird but she didn’t slow so I flushed the pigeon. This bird flew away with her chasing. We went on toward the next pigeon.

When we got to the next pigeon she circled around behind me. She didn’t try to point so I flushed the pigeon. This young bird tried to land on me. I backed away and it hit the ground right in front of Babe. She went toward it and it flew a few feet and lit in the edge of some brush. Babe followed the pigeon. It flew across a little clearing and lit on the ground in the edge of some brush. Babe was right behind it.

Babe started herding the pigeon through the brush. I don’t know what made her change but she grabbed the pigeon. I called her but she wouldn’t come to me. She carried the bird a little farther into the brush. She held the bird for a little while then turned it loose. She followed it until it almost got out of the brush then picked it up and took it back into the brush.

I watched her with the pigeon. She carried it around for a little while then turned it loose again. She followed it to the edge of the brush where she grabbed it again. I went into the brush and petted her while she held the pigeon. When she turned the pigeon loose I put it in the bag I had on. She looked for the pigeon a few minutes then came back out of the brush. We went to the chain gang.

After putting her on the chain gang I put three more pigeons in the release traps. I didn’t move them. I wanted her to find the birds with no problem.

We started down to the bird field. When we got close to the first pigeon she smelled it and went straight toward it without pointing. I flushed the pigeon and it flew away. She chased for a little way then came back.

We went on to the next bird with her hunting better. She smelled this pigeon and went straight toward it. I flushed the bird. She chased as it flew away.

We went on to the last pigeon. When we got close she went around behind me and I thought she was near but she had gone around another clump of brush. I flushed the pigeon and it flew just a few feet landing in the edge of the brush. Babe was farther away than I thought but when the pigeon landed on the ground she was after it in a dead run. When she hit the brush the pigeon flew across the clearing landing in a tree. She chased it. She circled the tree trying to see the pigeon.

I took her back to the kennel. This was what I was wanting to see from Babe. Especially the last bird. That showed that her prey drive is building. I may try to give her a young pigeon every so often.

I hid some pigeons for Mann. He usually points and holds it long enough for me to get some pictures. If he points with a foot in the air then sets it down I flush the pigeons. If he takes a step I flush the bird. I want him to think any movement causes the bird to flush.

He pointed the first three birds and held them just fine. The second set of birds was different. He pointed the first one fine. We crossed to the neighbor’s side. I thought he had gone toward the back but when I got to the bird he wasn’t there. I went back toward the other bird. When I saw him he was grabbing the release trap. I couldn’t flush the pigeon without the trap hitting him. He got the trap open and the bird flew away with him chasing.

We went on toward the back. He was about 25 yards from this pigeon when he went on point. I took some pictures then watched him. After a few seconds he took a step. I flushed the pigeon. He chased then went back to hunting. We went back to the kennel.

All puppies mature at different times. Mann is all business when he’s in the bird field. Babe has been wanting to play instead of hunting but catching a few birds may have changed her mind.