Tur Bo came off the whoa board.
Retrieving dummies.
Blaze on the whoa board.
Luke on the whoa board.
I spent the morning training dogs. I am working the dogs on retrieving and being steady to wing and shot. I’m writing almost the same thing each time because it takes a lot of repetition. One seminar, I went to, showed how to make a dog steady to wing and shot by turning the e-collar all the way up and shocking the dog when it moved. It works but in my opinion you take something out of the dog and some dogs will just quit. It takes longer the way I do it but the dog and I both feel better about it.
I put the Sport Dog e-collars on Tur Bo’s neck and flanks and heeled him to the retrieving bench with the piggin’ string. I took the retrieving bumper, that I had him carry, before he jumped onto the retrieving bench. I petted him every few feet as he walked back and forth on the bench. I put 6 bumpers on the other end and sent him to retrieve. When he got back to me with the bumper I petted him for 15 seconds or more before taking the bumper from him. He waited until I sent him to retrieve then held the bumper until I said, “give” each time. I set him on the ground.
I dropped the 6 bumpers next to the retrieving bench. I sent him to retrieve then made him hold the bumper, while I petted him, before I took it. I whoaed him and threw a bumper. I tapped his head and said, “fetch”. He brought the bumper back and I petted him for a few seconds before saying, “give”. He dropped it in my hand. He would still rather go to the whoa board where the birds are but he retrieved each one when he was sent. I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold a bumper and heeled him to the whoa board. I took the bumper from him and placed him on the whoa board.
I got a pigeon from the 4-wheeler, put it to sleep and placed it below Tur Bo on the ground. Tur Bo was standing on the whoa board looking almost straight down on the pigeon. Luke started barking, in his kennel, so I left Tur Bo and walked to the kennel. I put a bark collar on Luke and when I came back Tur Bo was off the board. Since I was gone he thought he could catch the pigeon. The chain and cable kept him from getting to it. I put him back on the whoa board. I woke the pigeon and it flew away.
I put another pigeon to sleep and put it beneath him. I threw my gloves and walked around the whoa board then woke the pigeon. He didn’t move as it flew away. I set him on the ground. I had driven a stake in the ground and tied on a check cord. I tied a half hitch around his flanks and snapped the end to his collar.
I whoaed him and put a pigeon to sleep in front of him. I threw my gloves near the pigeon then kicked the ground. When I moved my foot near the bird to wake it up Tur Bo leaned back as if he was going to grab the bird. The last time I worked him on this he tried to catch two pigeons. He leaned back a little but when the pigeon flew away he didn’t move. I worked him on 3 more pigeons as he stood on point and although he leaned back a little he never moved to catch one. He never tightened the check cord around his flanks.
I put the piggin’ string on him, had him hold a bumper and heeled him away. After about 30 yards I stopped him and took the bumper. I heeled him another 10 yards then released him. He ran to the quail pen and went on point.
I chased the quail back and forth in front of him. He didn’t move so I went into the pen and got a few of them to fly. He stood taller but he didn’t move. I took him back to the kennel.
I brought Blaze out with the e-collars on her neck and flanks. I had her hold a bumper as we went to the retrieving bench. I took it from her before she jumped onto the bench. I petted her then put 6 bumpers on the other end and sent her to retrieve. I make her wait until I send her to retrieve then have her hold the bumper until I say give. She did it each time real well. I set her on the ground.
I dropped the 6 bumpers beside the bench and sent her to retrieve. I make her retrieve beside the bench just as she does on the bench. After she retrieved all six I threw a bumper for her 5 or 6 times. I say, “whoa”, throw the bumper and after it quits rolling I say, “fetch”. She enjoys this more than the retrieving beside the bench. I put the piggin’ string on her, had her hold a bumper and heeled her to the whoa board.
I placed her on the whoa board, got a pigeon from the 4-wheeler and placed it below her. I’m not sure I could walk away and have her stay on the board but she didn’t move even when I woke the pigeon and it flew away. I set her on the ground and put a half hitch around her flanks with the check cord.
I put a pigeon to sleep and placed it in front of her. I threw my gloves and the retrieving bumper. I walked back and forth, kicking the ground. I gently rolled the pigeon over and it woke up. It stood for a couple of seconds before flying away but she didn’t move. I put another pigeon to sleep in front of her and she handled it just as well. At no time did she move her feet. I put the piggin’ string on her, had her hold a bumper and heeled her away.
I heeled her about 30 yards, stopped her and took the bumper. I heeled her another 10 yards and released her. She ran to the quail pen and went on point. I moved the birds back and forth in front of her. I went inside the pen and got a few to fly from one end of the pen to the other. She didn’t move. I put the piggin’ string on her and heeled her away. About half way to the kennel I turned her loose. There were some pigeons sitting on top of their house and she went on point. She looked really good so I took some pictures then flushed the pigeons. She didn’t move. I put her in the kennel.
These dogs are steady to wing on wild birds and now I’m trying to get them steady to wing and shot. It’s a long time until the season opens so I’m only working them 2 or 3 times a week. I’m also working them on retrieving. I sometimes work them twice a day on retrieving but not every day. I have 5 dogs and some days I throw bumpers for each one. They all enjoy this fun time. And I do too.
Blaze pointing the pigeons on their house.
Luke pointing a pigeon near the whoa board.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon near the whoa board.