Tur Bo on the whoa board pointing a pigeon.
Luke pointing a pigeon walking around under the whoa board
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon on the whoa board.
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. He jumped onto the bench and we walked back and forth with me petting him every few feet. I held a bumper in front of him and had him fetch. He held it until I said, “give”. I placed the bumpers on the other end of the bench and sent him to retrieve. He retrieved the bumpers twice with no problem. I set him on the ground.
I held a bumper in front of him and had him fetch then give. I tossed the bumpers beside the bench and told him to fetch the first one. He ran down, scooped it up and came back but dropped the bumper before I said, “give”. I made him fetch and told him to hold. He held it until I took it from him. I had that bumper in my left hand when I sent him to fetch the other bumper and he tried to take it from my hand instead of going for the one on the ground. It’s easier that way. I tossed it on the bench and sent him for the one on the ground. I tossed it for him 5 or 6 times. He retrieves it real well but he doesn’t always hold until I say give.
I heeled him away from the bench holding a bumper. After about 50 yards I whoaed him and took the bumper. I tossed it 4 or 5 times and he retrieved it each time. I had him hold the bumper and heeled him to the whoa board. He held it until I said, “give” near the whoa board. I set him on the board.
I had some pigeons on the 4-wheeler. I got one out and put it to sleep in front of the whoa board then walked around. I sat in front of Tur Bo and threw my gloves close to the pigeon. I picked the gloves up shaking them then threw them away from the pigeon. Anything to get him to understand that he should stay on point no matter what I do. I flushed the pigeon. He didn’t move. I used 3 pigeons on the whoa board then put him on the ground.
I heeled him away with a bumper in his mouth. We went about 20 yards and I whoaed him. I said, “give” and he dropped the bumper in my hand. I heeled him about 10 yards and released him. He ran to the quail pen and went on point.
I moved the quail back and forth in front of him and dropped a pigeon. He didn’t move when the pigeon flew away. The second pigeon only flew a few yards and lit in the yard about 20 yards from him. I got a fish net to catch the pigeon with and by the time I got there the bird had run into some bushes that grow along the fence row. Tur Bo had turned to watch but he didn’t come to help. I caught the pigeon and replaced it in the box on the 4-wheeler. I turned Tur Bo back around to watch the quail. I moved them back and forth and dropped two more pigeons. He never moved as they flew away. I took him back to the kennel.
I brought Luke out with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. On the way to the retrieving bench I stopped him and had him carry the bumper. After about 15 yards he dropped the bumper. I held the button down on the neck e-collar until he picked the bumper up. We started back toward the bench and he dropped the bumper. I held the button down until he picked it up. I turned back toward the kennel then after about 20 yards turned around and went to the retrieving bench. He held the bumper and jumped onto the bench.
After walking him up and down the bench petting him I put 3 bumpers on the other end and had him retrieve. He did all three correctly holding until I said, “give”. I set him on the ground and put the 3 bumpers on the ground near the bench. He retrieved them, holding until I said, “give”. I threw the bumper a few times and he retrieved it.
I put the piggin’ string on him then had him hold a bumper. I started heeling him to the west then turned and started to the whoa board. He dropped the bumper. I held the button on the neck collar down until he picked the bumper up. We turned away then back toward the whoa board. He dropped the bumper again. I held the button down on the neck collar until he picked it up. This time we made it all the way to the whoa board without him dropping the bumper. I took the bumper and set him on the whoa board.
The first pigeon that I put in front of him was a young one. After I threw my gloves at it I woke it up and it just walked around in front of him. I just kept the pigeon close to the whoa board for a minute or two then tried to flush it. It flew a few feet so I got my fish net. It stayed just out of my reach and finally went under the shed. I flushed another two pigeons in front of him on the whoa board. He never moved all through me chasing and the other two flying away. I set him on the ground.
I put the piggin’ string on him and had him hold the bumper and heeled him away. He dropped the bumper. I held the button down on the neck collar until he picked the bumper up. I heeled him back to the whoa board then went toward the quail pen. We went about 50 yards with him holding the bumper. I stopped him and took the bumper then heeled him another 10 yards. I took the piggin’ string off and released him. He ran to the quail pen and went on point.
I moved the quail back and forth then dropped a pigeon. He didn’t move as the bird flew away. I continued to move the quail around and dropped two more birds. He didn’t move as they flew away. I carried him away and released him to go back to the kennel. He kept trying to go to the shed where he knew there was a pigeon hiding but I was able to call him back. I put him in the kennel.
It’s hard for me to tell a young pigeon from an older bird once they get grown. The first few times they don’t fly real well but they get better.
Blaze is in her heat cycle so I didn’t work her. I’m going to breed her to a son of Erin”s Hidden Shamrock that has been doing pretty well in his derby year on the all age field trial circuit. I’ll report on her being bred and on the puppies when they come.
Tur Bo’s head as he points a pigeon.
A pigeon walking around in front of Luke.
Luke’s head as a pigeon walks around in front of him.