Rocky carrying his check cord.
Puppies on stake outs.
Puppies waiting.
I have been working the puppies on retrieving but it was really cool this morning so I ran the big dogs near Truman Lake on Corp. of Engineers land. But first an update on the puppies.
I have a bumper that is real small that had some feathers tied to it. Earlier I had thrown it for the puppies and both of them barked at it instead of retrieving it. I thought it might be easier for Layla to retrieve so I took the feathers off and used it.
I had both pups on the stake out and released Rocky. I threw the bumper and he grabbed it and ran away. He ran to the fence row and hid. When I got to him he was trying to bury the bumper. I grabbed the short cord that he still has on his collar and the bumper. I led him back to the area we were supposed to be training in. I threw the bumper again and he grabbed it and came back but didn’t want to give it up even for a piece of hot dog. He finally dropped it to take the hot dog and I threw it again. He grabbed it and ran for the fence line. I went to him and pulled him to me with his cord. He dropped the bumper and I got it. We went back to the area we were training in. The cord on his collar is only about 18 inches long but I threw the bumper and held onto the cord. This way he had to return to me. I would throw the bumper and just a small tug would get him returning to me. When he got to me I would click and treat. I used all 12 of his pieces of hot dog then put him back on the stake out.
I released Layla and walked her to the area I was training in. I’m training just a short distance from the pup on the stake out so they can watch each other retrieve. Layla usually retrieves once then wants a treat for touching the ball with her nose. I threw the small bumper. She scooped it up and in a dead run brought it back to me. I clicked and treated her. She usually does the first retrieve. I threw it again and she scooped it up and in a dead run brought it back. I clicked and treated. She brought it back all twelve times. Every once in a while she would drop it on the way back but she would pick it back up. I turned them both loose to play.
I don’t know what it is about that bumper but I thought since they liked it so well I would work them again in the evening. I had a real light check cord, about 20 feet long, so I hooked it to Rocky’s collar. I threw the bumper. Rocky grabbed it and I tugged on the check cord. He came to me. I clicked and treated. It seems that I just need to tug and release then he will come to me. After about 6 times I threw it farther than the check cord would reach but he brought it back anyway. I will use the check cord until he’s retrieving with out the tug. On the way back to the stake out he had the check cord in his mouth carrying it.
I put the check cord on Layla and walked her to the shady area just a short distance from the stake outs. I threw the bumper for her and she grabbed it and raced back to me. I clicked and treated her. She drops the bumper more than Rocky does but she usually picks it up and comes to me with it. She retrieved until I ran out of hot dogs and we both quit. I turned them loose to play.
Vince Dye gave me this bumper and I don’t know if he put some quail scent or something on it but these pups really like it. It’s smaller which might be a help to Layla. She didn’t like to pick up the tennis ball but she loves this bumper. I, also, think watching the other pup retrieve makes them want to get the attention and treats.
The weather guy said it was going to be in the forties this morning so I loaded the big dogs up and we went to check out some land near Truman Lake. About 20 years ago, when there were a lot more quail than now, I used to hunt some of these places. Some of these places have really changed.
The first place had wide, thick hedge rows around wheat stubble fields, corn fields and soy bean fields. The wheat fields had been combined and some of the corn had been picked but none of the soy beans had picked combined. Twenty years ago the hedge rows weren’t that thick but the farmers have moved out a little each year and now the hedge rows are really wide. This gives the birds more area to be in.
I turned Dolly, Luke and Tur Bo out with the Garmin GPS on as well as Sport Dog e-collars. We went south down a hedge row then crossed through a break into a wheat stubble field. Luke run one side while Dolly and Tur Bo ran the other side. We turned west on another hedge row that had wheat stubble on one side and soy beans on the other. The GPS showed Luke on point about 75 yards from me. As I started to him it showed Dolly come close and honor him then Tur Bo backed, also. I was fighting my way through the hedge row when the GPS showed all 3 dogs moving. When they got to me they were real excited. I don’t know whether one of the dogs moved or the birds flushed before I got there.
We hunted about 200 yards west down a hedge row then through a fallow field to the south. We came back through the area where the dogs had pointed originally and went up a hedge row to the north. The hedge row ran about 1/4 mile north then turned west. Dolly went on point a few yards after the turn. Luke backed and as I got close to Luke Tur Bo came by. I don’t think he saw Luke but he backed Dolly. I took some pictures then walked in front of Dolly. I was holding the transmitter in my hand to Tur Bo’s e-collar. I was watching him as I kicked the cover. I’ve worked him a lot on pigeons but this is different. After I kicked a few times he started to come in and help me. I didn’t say anything I just held the button on the e-collar down until he stopped. He only took a couple of steps. I continued to kick and a couple of quail flushed out the other side of the hedge row. I let the dogs stand for a few seconds then released them. All 3 dogs worked inside the hedge row expecting a quail at any time. We worked the hedge row to the end then back to the truck without seeing any more quail.
We drove to another area and I turned Lucky and Blaze out with the GPS and e-collars on. This corn field had been combined leaving some rows standing along the edges. It had a hedge row down each side and Lucky hit one side and Blaze the other. They joined up near the end and we went around a meadow that had a lot of weeds growing in it. We crossed into an area with a little taller weeds and a lot of black berry vines growing in it. Perfect quail habitat. About 50 yards into it Lucky pointed and Blaze backed. I took pictures then started in front of Lucky but I could tell he didn’t have anything. I said okay and he started trailing through the berry vines. Blaze came in and trailed, also. I think this may have been some turkeys moving through. Both dogs trailed for a while then went on. It was getting hot so we hunted back to the truck.
One of the places I hunted 20 years ago, that I drove by, was so grown up that I didn’t even get out. It was row crops with draws and hedge rows. Now it is just a thick tangle of worthless trees and brush. It is sad to think of what was and what could still be. I had a lot of good hunts here.
Dolly pointing Tur Bo backing.
Lucky pointing.
Blaze backing Lucky.