I worked the dogs yesterday on the whoa post and again today. But today I also put out some pigeons for Abby, Boss and Mann. Yesterday, when I took Mann to the whoa post he tried to stop before we got to the rope. Today he went to it just fine. He is still a little stressed but when I release him he’s fine. So he’s making some gains.
Mann pointing a pigeon.
Boss pointing a pigeon.
Abby pointing a pigeon.
Abby.
Boss.
Mann.
This is Jim Smith’s dog Bay Lee, I think.
The rock wall around the water faucet.
Jim Smith walking in on a point.
Abby on point.
Boss pointing a pigeon.
Vince with Sally pointing.
Sally on point.
This morning I let Luke run for a few minutes. He’s old and may have had a stroke at sometime. When I let him out he used to run to the back, hunting. Now he just goes from place to place near the kennel. That’s okay. I just sit on the rock wall around my water faucet and wait for him to come to me. I pet him for several minutes then put him back in his kennel. He’s happy.
I brought Mann out next with the e-collars and GPS collar on and dragging a check cord. This morning he went right to the whoa post. I put the half hitch around his flanks and hooked the rope to his collar. I pulled him until he felt the rope tighten around his flanks. I kept the check cord tight until he moved his feet to get comfortable. I picked him up and set him back a few feet. I kicked the ground in front of him but he never tried to move. I unhooked him and went to the next whoa post.
I worked him on all 3 whoa posts and he did just fine but it’s still stressful for him. His tail is tucked under. I will keep working him on the whoa posts until he loosens up some. He does it correctly and I do lots of petting. I think he will get to accepting the whoa posts soon. I led him away from the third whoa post and whoaed him. I tapped his head to let him run for a few minutes.
He came back to the retrieving bench and jumped onto it. He loves the retrieving bench, now. All we do on it is he runs up and down and I stop him and pet him. After a few minutes I set him on the ground on whoa. I stroke his sides then tap his head to release him. We go to the water faucet where I pet him some more then I put him in his kennel.
I worked Boss, Abby and Sally on the whoa posts. They have all been on the whoa post more than Mann has and are ready to move on but we will probably continue until Mann finishes. When Mann finishes I can take the who posts out until I train another dog which may be a while.
I let all of the dogs run for a little while after the last whoa post then get them on the retrieving bench. Sally and Mann have been force broke to retrieve and Abby and Boss will be this year. I have started putting my fingers in Abby and Boss’s mouth behind the canine teeth and making them hold my fingers. When we first started it was a big fight. Now it’s just a little fight. When they stop fighting and hold my fingers I rub their head then wiggle my fingers and say, “give”. They are ready for me to get my fingers out of their mouth. I make them hold my fingers 3 times for just a few seconds.
Then I set them on the ground and say, “whoa”. When I get clear of the check cord I tap their head and we go to the wall around the water faucet. I sit on the wall and pet them for a couple of minutes. I want each one of the dogs to think they are my favorite.
Then I hid two pigeons, in release traps, on my side of the training grounds. I brought Mann out first, wearing the GPS collar. I put him on whoa, got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said, “okay”. He was gone in a hurry. Mann has been wanting to get closer to his birds. He will point then take a really short step and I have been flushing the bird. He doesn’t chase so pretty soon this will stop the steps, I think.
He was on the wrong side of the training grounds for the first bird and went on toward the back. He was still on the wrong side but went all the way around the end and started back down the other side. He hit the scent cone and slid to a point. I took some pictures from the 4-wheeler then as I got off he took a short step. I flushed the pigeon and made him stand for a few seconds then said, “okay”. He went back to hunting.
Now he was on the right side and as he got near the pigeon he pointed. I took a picture and got almost to him. He had a foot in the air, when he put the foot down I flushed the pigeon. I had him stand for a few seconds then said, “okay”. He went back to hunting. I sat at the water faucet until he came to me. I petted him for a minute or so then put him in his kennel.
I led Boss out next with an e-collar, GPS collar and dragging a check cord. I put him on whoa, got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said, “okay”. He was running all out. He went down the south side and was on point on the first pigeon before I crossed the creek. I got off the 4-wheeler and started toward him and he started wagging. I flushed the pigeon. He didn’t chase so after a few seconds I said, “okay”. He went back to hunting.
We went on to the back and he hit the scent cone on the next bird and pointed. I watched him for a while before getting off the 4-wheeler. He wasn’t wagging or moving. I took some pictures then went to him and stroked his sides. I went in front kicking the cover. He didn’t move. I flushed the pigeon and he still didn’t move. I said, “okay”. He chased a little way then went back to hunting.
I went back to the rock wall around the water faucet but Boss wasn’t ready to quit. I hit the tone on the e-collar and watched the yardage on the GPS. He wasn’t coming closer so I toned him again and held the button on the e-collar transmitter down for a few seconds on medium 2. He came to me. I petted him for a couple of minutes then put him in the kennel.
Abby was waiting but not very patiently. I led her out with an e-collar, GPS collar and dragging a check cord. With her on whoa I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said, “okay”. She’s fast. When I crossed the creek she was on point on the first bird. As I got close she moved and I flushed the pigeon. She chased but soon went back to hunting.
She pointed the next one and I sat on the 4-wheeler, watching her. She wasn’t moving. I took some pictures then walked to her. I stroked her sides then walked in front kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and she chased. Hard. We went back near the kennel. I petted her at the water faucet for a couple of minutes then put her in the kennel.
All 3 of these dogs messed up. On these training grounds is where I want them to mess up. That’s how they learn. I’ve never seen Mann move on wild birds or flush wild birds. But he’s moving now. And Abby moved on one of her birds. Flushing the pigeon when they move is the way we used to train dogs. We trained on wild birds and if the dog moved they flushed. It will stop these two from moving, also.
Boss was just wagging. He only wags when he’s a long way from the bird and not getting a lot of scent. But I want him to work that out too. I think with flushing enough birds, when he wags, will stop that. Time will tell.