I worked dogs on Monday and it’s rained ever since. Rainy days drive me up the wall but we need the rain. I sold Bodie to a horse back field trialer. Although he had broken his leg earlier, Bodie not the field trialer, he was running pretty well. Because the rain moved in Monday afternoon I just worked Bodie on three birds. I didn’t work any of the others on birds.
Bodie running on a big ranch in Kansas.
Boss running on that big ranch in Kansas.
Abby the first time she jumped onto the bench, peeking around the tree at me.
When the guy that bought Bodie came to look at him Bodie wagged his tail on a couple of the pigeons he pointed. He had never done that before and I was surprised. It may have been because the buyer and his wife were there and it had always been just me watching. I don’t know. But anyway I put three birds out, in release traps.
I went ahead and worked Bodie on the whoa boards then put him on the bench and worked him. I don’t count a dog sold until he’s been paid for and left my kennel. After the retrieving bench I set him on the ground and tapped him on the head saying, “okay”.
The dogs run harder when they know there are birds out. I followed him on the 4-wheeler. I had put all three birds about 40 to 50 yards apart near the back of the property. The first bird he scented he pointed. He looked good for a few seconds then started moving his tail. I flushed the bird. Some times young dogs try different things to see what will work. That may be what he’s doing on the tail wagging. He didn’t chase much then went back to hunting.
He hit the scent cone on the next bird and pointed. His tail didn’t move. I watched him until he moved a foot then flushed the pigeon. The pigeon came out of the trap without flying. It landed right beside the trap. Bodie only went a couple of steps and pointed again. The pigeon was unconcerned. It walked around pecking at the ground. Bodie was on point with his right rear leg raised. He held this point, with a twelve o’clock tail, for about 45 seconds. As the pigeon walked around he couldn’t stand it any longer. He moved and the pigeon flushed. He chased this one back toward the coop and when he was about 45 yards away I shot the blank pistol. He had no reaction to the shot.
He came back really cracking his tail. He was running, at the very end of the place, when he hit the scent cone on the last bird and slammed into a point. He didn’t hold it long but his tail wasn’t wagging. When he took a step I flushed the pigeon. He only chased a short distance then went back to hunting.
Bodie and his mother Abby.
I let him run for a while in front of the 4-wheeler. When we got back to the kennel he wouldn’t come close to me. He didn’t want to go back in the kennel. I got back on the 4-wheeler and went toward the back. He came in front of the 4-wheeler. We went to the back then back to the front of the house and back to the back. When we got back to the kennel his tongue was about to his knees and he was ready for a drink. He came to me. I put him in the kennel.
I had videoed both the pigeon that walked on the ground and the next bird that he had pointed, with my phone. I can’t put videos on the blog and I don’t know how to move pictures from my phone to my blog. But I texted them to my buyer of Bodie. I thought he was coming over Tuesday to get him but he showed up a couple of hours after I sent the videos, on Monday. He was pleased with what he saw.
Bodie circling the multi-floral-rose.
I may regret selling Bodie. I think he’s going to make a really nice dog but I have wanted a field trialer to run some of my puppies. This same field trialer is wanting a pup out of my next litter, too. I hope they work out for him.
The weather next week is supposed to be some better. I hope I can get back to working dogs. The dogs miss it too, I think.