Tur Bo holding a frozen quail
Blaze with a frozen quail
Dolly with the quail in the sock.
In the month of May we have only had a few days when it didn’t rain. It rained last night so everything was wet when I went out this morning. The dogs don’t really care as long as I’m doing something with them.
I heeled Tur Bo down to the retrieving bench with an e-collar around his neck. I petted him after he jumped onto the bench. I have a milk crate on the bench that I put my bumpers in and that’s where I had the frozen quail for him to retrieve. I had to pull his head out of the milk crate to walk him up and down the bench to be petted. He would rather chew on the frozen bird.
I opened his mouth and put a frozen quail in making sure that his lips weren’t over a tooth. He walked up and down the retrieving bench holding the quail. I took hold of the quail and said give. He moved his head off the quail then tried to take it back. I was ready and held the button on the e-collar down on level 3. He quit trying to take the bird from my hand. I opened his mouth and put the frozen quail in his mouth again. We didn’t walk up and down on the bench. I just had him hold it for a few seconds then said give. He moved his mouth off of the quail but as I pulled the quail away he tried to take it back. I hit the e-collar button on level 3 and he stopped trying to get the bird. The next time I started to open his mouth he reached for the quail. I placed it in his mouth and after a few seconds said give. He moved his head off but still tried to get it back. I hit the e-collar button. I worked him on the hold and give several times then had him walk up and down the bench with the frozen quail. Using the e-collar seemed to keep him from trying to get the bird back. I didn’t work him on the ground with the quail. I need to break him from reaching for the bird. I let him run but only straight back to the kennel. His pulled muscle is getting better but I don’t want to over do it.
Blaze jumped onto the retrieving bench next. I petted her as she walked up and down the retrieving bench. I placed 3 frozen birds and the quail in the sock on the other end of the bench. She retrieved all 3 frozen birds and held them real well. I sent her for the quail in a sock. She touched it with her nose and came back. I held the button on the e-collar transmitter down on level 3 and walked down the bench with her. She picked the bird up and I released the button. She brought the bird back down the bench and gave it to me when I said give. I put all of the birds on the other end of the bench then told her to fetch. She retrieved the frozen birds but only touched the quail in a sock with her nose and came back to me. I turned the e-collar up to level 4 and held the button down as we walked down the bench. She grabbed the quail in a sock and we returned to the other end. I put all of the birds on the other end and sent her to retrieve. She brought the 3 frozen birds back. I sent her for the quail in a sock and she picked it up and brought it back. She dropped it in my hand when I said give. Maybe turning the e-collar up a level convinced Blaze to retrieve the quail in a sock.
I set her on the ground, told her whoa and threw a frozen quail for her. I released her and said fetch. She ran out and picked the bird up. She came right back and held it until I said give. I threw the frozen quail for her about 6 or 7 times. She retrieved it each time holding it until I said give. I let her run for a while before returning to the kennel.
Dolly jumped onto the retrieving bench and we went back and forth with me petting her. I put the 3 frozen birds and the quail in a sock on the other end of the bench. Dolly is eager to show me she can retrieve but I made her wait while I petted her some more. She retrieved them all with no problem.
I set her on the ground, said whoa and while holding her collar threw a frozen quail. I released her collar and said fetch. She picked up the bird and came back. She sat right in front of me and I petted her for a while before saying give. When I said give she dropped it in my hand. I threw the frozen quail 7 or 8 times and she retrieved it each time. I let her run for a while before returning to the kennel.
I heeled Luke to the retrieving bench and he jumped onto it. I walked him back and forth petting him. I decided to work with him some on the quail in the sock before having him retrieve. I held the live quail in front of him and said fetch. He grabbed the quail. I said give and he dropped it in my hand. I did this 4 or 5 times. I put the frozen birds and the quail in a sock on the other end of the bench. I sent him to retrieve. He brought the 3 frozen birds right back. He still likes to give before I’m ready but I made him hold. I sent him for the quail in a sock and he touched it with his nose and came back. I held the transmitter button down on level 3 and walked down the bench with him. He picked it up and we went back down the bench. He held it until I said give. I put the birds back on the other end. I sent him to retrieve. He brought all of them back to me.
I set him on the ground, said whoa while I held his collar and threw a frozen quail. I released him and said fetch. He ran out, picked it up but when he got close he released the bird and it went by me. I told him to fetch and when he picked it up I said hold. I had him hold it while I petted him for a few seconds then said give. I threw the quail 7 or 8 times then let him run for a while before going back to the kennel.
I heeled Lucky to the retrieving bench where he jumped on it. We walked back and forth with me petting him every few feet. I put the 3 frozen birds and the quail in a sock on the other end of the bench. When I sent him to retrieve he grabbed each one and brought them back. He retrieved the quail in a sock just like he did the frozen quail.
I set him on the ground and threw a frozen quail. He ran out, grabbed it and brought it back. He held the quail while I petted him then dropped it in my hand. I threw the quail again and he ran out, started to pick it up then returned without it. I held the button on the transmitter down on level 3 and walked out with him. He grabbed the bird and we returned. He held it until I said give. He dropped it in my hand. I threw the quail another 5 or 6 times and he retrieved it every time. I let him run for a while before returning to the kennel.
When I took the e-collar off of Lucky I tried to turn it off and saw that I had never turned it on. I thought I was using it on Tur Bo, Blaze, Luke and Lucky. Dolly was the only one of the dogs I hadn’t tried to use it on. Well, maybe the next time I will remember to turn the e-collar on.
Luke with the quail in a sock
Lucky with a frozen quail
Blaze with a frozen quail.