One of the males.
Another male.
A female.
A female.
The first post was over about 4 weeks but this one will be a shorter time span. The puppies are growing and a lot of things are happening to them. I’m still playing the gun shy prevention cd twice a day. Since I have moved the puppies to the kennel I had to move the cd player. Years ago, my son, Ryan, had a dog that climbed out of a 6′ tall chain link kennel so I put a 2×4 welded wire top on one of my kennels. I put the cd player on the wire of this kennel. It’s about 6 feet away from the puppies kennel.
One of the male puppies was playing with a fish net that I had left on the ground by the pigeon coop. I had a young pigeon that stayed out 3 or 4 days that I had to catch with the fish net. Sometimes they go back in and sometimes it takes them a while to learn to get in the coop. The puppy was dragging it around then when I wasn’t paying attention he got inside the fish net. One of the openings in the net stretched enough for him to get his head through. He didn’t like that. He started yelping but just as soon as I picked him up he stopped. He must know I will help him.
I gave the puppies another bath. The wading pool works real well for this. I put the water in so the sun can warm it before bathing the pups. The ground slopes so I have a shallow side and for the puppies a deep side. I soap them on the shallow side then lead them to the deep side. They have all just started swimming. There is no panic. I will do this often enough that they become used to it.
I’ve had quite a few people coming by to pet the puppies. When I have visitors for the puppies I usually turn them out near the shed. I drop some Purina Puppy Chow in the grass and now the puppies are starting to use their nose to find it.
My daughter, Dana and grandson, Isaac came by. Isaac likes to race with the puppies. He carries one across the yard then starts back at a run. I clap my hands and call the puppy but Isaac usually wins. They will get big enough to beat him but it will be awhile but it’s good for the puppies. They both hold and pet all of the puppies.
I have been holding a pigeon in my hand to get all of the puppies excited about birds. When they are gathered around me trying to get the pigeon I turn it loose. The puppies try to follow but the pigeon is fast enough that they only take a step or two.
Sunday, Dennis Garrison came by to pet puppies then later my neighbors, Dave and Debbie Hatton, brought another couple over to pet puppies. The older dogs are excited when people come over and run back and forth in their kennels. I often show people how the older dogs will point a pigeon if I put it to sleep and hide it in the grass near their kennel. I put a pigeons head under his wing and straightened his legs out. I hid it in the grass in front of the kennels. They were all pointing and one of the puppies ran by and smelled the pigeon. He whirled around and pounced on the bird. The pigeon woke up and flew away. The puppy chased for a couple of steps. They are starting to use their nose.
My son-in-law, Robert Charpie brought my grandson, Isaac over to pet the puppies. It was really hot but the puppies don’t care. They like being turned loose in the yard. They, also, like the attention they get when people come to see them.
After I shot skeet Wednesday a couple of friends, Larry Hodges and Robin Barrows, came by to see the puppies. I held a couple of pigeons in my hands and teased the pups with them then let them fly away. The puppies chased a few steps. After the puppies had played for a while and were winding down a little I put a pigeon to sleep and placed it in the grass. As the puppies played they would smell the pigeon and pounce on it. The pigeon would wake up and fly away. Every few minutes I would hide another bird in the grass for them to find.
The puppies were 6 weeks old Wednesday so I gave shots and wormed them. Bird dog pups are tough. Not a puppy even acted like they felt the needle. To worm the puppies I need to know what they weigh so I have some scales in the shed to check them with. They are all growing well.
When I feed the puppies each morning and evening I still play the gun conditioning cd. I also, still bang pans, clap my hands to call them to me and just make lots of noise. I want the puppies to be used to noise when I’m around them.
I had a potential buyer stop by and we sat in the shade talking bird hunting and watching puppies play. I turned some pigeons loose for the puppies. I held the pigeons in my hands and teased the pups then released the bird. They chased a little way. I also, hid some of the pigeons in the grass. The pups would be playing and then smell the pigeon. As soon as they smelled the pigeon they charged toward it and pounced on it. When the pigeon flew away they chased a few steps.
Today my daughter, Dana and grandson Isaac, came by and played with the puppies. Isaac got some dog food and threw it in the grass for the puppies to find. The puppies would be running around and smell the dog food in the grass. They would stop and root around in the grass for a while then would be off again. They have food in the kennel but it’s more fun to find it in the grass.
I teased the puppies with a pigeon a couple of times then hid one in the grass. Two of the puppies were running down wind from the pigeon when one of them went on point. He held the point for a few seconds then pounced on the pigeon. It flew away with the pup following for a few steps.
I’m still playing the gun conditioning cd, clapping my hands very loud when I call them to me, hiding pigeons, throwing dog food in the grass, and getting as many people as possible to pet the puppies. I also take them for short walks and anything else I can think of to make them well adjusted pups.
Puppies playing.
More puppies.
Puppies