I haven’t trained dogs since February 27. On the 28th I guided at Bird Fever in Richmond, Missouri. I worked there a few times this season. The hunters shot more birds over my dogs Friday than I killed all season. Then March 1 the cold and snow moved in and we were trapped in the house. Today I finally got the young dogs out.
I worked Tur Bo first. I put him on the retrieving bench first. Mainly to get him used to being up high. I put 2 fingers in his mouth behind his canine teeth and had him hold them. When he stopped moving and fighting my fingers I took them out. When he is holding my fingers without fighting I will start telling him to hold and when I take the fingers out I will say give. I make sure they get “hold and give” down real well before I go to the trained retrieve. I worked him only about 10 minutes on the bench and most of this was just getting him used to walking up and down the bench. When I took him off the bench I put him on a chain gang, then put out 2 pigeons for him.
When I took him out of the kennel I used the piggin’ string and worked him on heel to the retrieving bench, then from the bench to the training grounds. When he tugs on the leash I turn and go the opposite way. Pretty soon he is watching me to see which direction I’m going next. I have worked him about 4 times and I haven’t told him “heel” yet. So far I just step off and expect him to go with me. Before I put a name to the action he is doing it well.
Tur Bo
I had 2 pigeons hid on the training ground for Tur Bo. The first one he pointed, he was about 10 yards from. Although I usually don’t walk around when he points, I was too far from him to get a good picture. The bird was between Tur Bo and me, so I moved up close to the bird and he never moved. I took some pictures then stood and watched him with my finger on the button of the release trap. He stood for well over a minute then moved his left foot and I released the bird. He pointed his second bird but he moved pretty quick and I flushed the bird.
Tur Bo on the 4 wheeler
I let him run and hunt on the way back to the kennel. When I got close to the 4 wheeler I saw him standing on the seat pointing the cage I use to hold the pigeons that I’m going to use for the other dogs. There was 4 pigeons in the cage. I’ve had dogs stand on the ground and point the pigeons in the cage but this is the first time I’ve had a dog stand on the seat.
Whitey was up next. She is doing real well on her birds. On wild birds she stands and lets me go in front and doesn’t move until the birds get up. Her first pigeon she pointed she stood and let me walk around her and take pictures. When I flushed the bird she didn’t move. I put the piggin’ string on her and lead her away. I released her to find her next bird. She pointed the second bird then moved almost immediately. I released the bird then whoaed her. She stopped and I picked her up and carried her back to where she originally pointed. I made her stand there a couple of minutes then lead her away. I let her run and have fun on the way back to the kennel.
Blaze also holds real well on wild birds but I’m going to get both of them steady to wing and shot. Blaze pointed her first bird and let me kick close to the bird without moving and she stood when I flushed the bird. I lead her away and released her to find her next bird. She pointed her next one and I was able to walk around, take pictures and then release the bird without her moving. She ran and had fun on the way back to the kennel.
If the weather will warm up and my pigeons hold up I will have these young dogs ready for next season. Then if the quail will only make a miraculous come back I will be in good shape.