Tur Bo stopped to flush on some turkys.
Blaze pointing a pigeon.
Luke pointing a pigeon.
It was 75 degrees when I went out to work dogs this morning. I decided to change their training and after working the dogs on the bench have them point a pigeon, shoot the blank pistol then toss a frozen quail for them to retrieve. I think, if they have to retrieve each time they point a pigeon it will carry over to bird season. I’m hoping they will be better at hunting for dead birds as well as retrieving.
I heeled Tur Bo to the retrieving bench with an e-collar around his neck. He jumped onto the bench and we walked back and forth with me petting him every few feet. I held a frozen quail in front of him and he grabbed it. I petted him then walked him to the other end of the bench then back. He didn’t want to drop the bird when I said give. I pushed the quail back into his mouth until he opened up. He grabbed the bird when I held it out the next time and I said whoa then walked to the other end. I called him to me. He held the quail and ran to me. I petted him then said give. He opened his mouth but he didn’t move his head away. I took the quail away and petted him for a while. I held the quail in front of him and said fetch. He grabbed the bird and I said whoa then walked to the other end. I called him to me and he held the quail until I said give. He likes to hold the bird. He really doesn’t want to give the bird up but he will.
I put him on the ground and threw the frozen quail. He ran to it and scooped it up then ran back with it. I said give and he reluctantly gave it to me. I threw it 3 or 4 times and he retrieved it every time. I released him to run.
I had hidden a pigeon in a release trap just a little way from the retrieving bench. I wanted to have them retrieve a frozen quail after they had pointed a pigeon but I wanted the first few times to be close to the retrieving bench. Tur Bo wasn’t expecting a bird and when he pointed he whirled around with his belly close to the ground. I waited until he stood up then started kicking the cover in front of him. When I flushed the pigeon it fluttered right in front of him and he tried to catch it. The pigeon flew off and he stopped. I shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I went to him and threw the frozen quail in front of him. I tapped his head and said fetch. He ran by the quail looking for another pigeon to point. I called him back and pointed at the quail. He picked it up and dropped it at my feet. I threw it in front of him and he scooped it up returning to me. He dropped it at my feet. With live birds to point he’s not so ready to hang on to a frozen bird. I threw the quail another time then let him run for a while before returning to the kennel.
I heeled Blaze to the retrieving bench with an e-collar around her neck. After she jumped onto the bench we went back and forth with me petting her every few feet. I placed 4 frozen quail on the other end of the bench and told her to fetch. She brought each one back and dropped them in my hand when I said give.
I placed her on the ground and told her to whoa. I tossed a frozen quail while she waited for me to say fetch. When I told her to fetch she ran out, picked up the quail, brought it back and held it until I told her to give. She dropped it in my hand. I threw it 3 or 4 times then let her run.
Blaze came around the brush pile and went on point on the pigeon I had hidden in a release trap. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the bird and shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I tossed the frozen quail in front of her and said fetch. She wanted to go past the bird but as she got near it I said fetch. She slowed then picked the quail up and brought it to me. She held it until I said give. I threw the bird 2 or 3 times and she retrieved it each time. I ran her off the 4-wheeler before going back to the kennel.
Luke was the next one to be heeled to the retrieving bench. I put the 4 frozen quail on the other end of the bench and sent him to retrieve. Luke really doesn’t like to have the birds in his mouth. If my hands get anywhere close to his mouth he drops the bird. We are working on this. Each time he got close to me on his retrieves I would say hold. He’s getting better but he would really rather go point a bird. After he retrieved all 4 of the quail I set him on the ground.
I whoaed him then threw the frozen quail. I said fetch and he wanted to throw the quail at me. I told him to fetch the bird and he picked it up. I said hold and he did. I petted him then said give. He’s always ready to give. I threw the bird 3 or 4 times and I had to tell him each time to hold the bird but he would hold it until I said give. I released him to hunt.
He was really moving when he hit the scent cone. He slid to a stop. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I threw the frozen quail and told him to fetch. He thought he was being released to hunt. I called him back and said fetch again. He slowed but didn’t reach for the quail. I held the button down on the e-collar, on level 3, and he picked up the quail. I said hold and he stood in front of me with the bird in his mouth. I petted him, then said give. He dropped it in my hand. I threw the bird several times and he retrieved it just fine. I let him run for a while before going back to the kennel.
Dolly jumped onto the bench and we walked up and down with me petting her every few feet. I put the 4 frozen quail on the other end of the bench and sent her to retrieve. She usually is in a hurry to grab anything I send her after and come back with it but she doesn’t want to give it until I pet her. She sits in front of me and I pet her then say give and she drops it in my hand. She retrieved all 4 frozen quail.
I put her on the ground, told her whoa and threw the frozen quail. She waited until I said fetch then scooped it up and returned. I petted her then said give and she dropped it in my hand. I threw the quail 3 or 4 times then released her to run.
She pointed the pigeon I had hidden in the tall grass. I took pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. The pigeon only flew to a tree above the release trap and she didn’t take her eyes off it. I threw the frozen quail in front of her and said fetch. She continued to watch the pigeon in the tree. I tapped her head and told her to fetch. She moved about a half of a body length and continued to watch the pigeon. I picked the quail up and tossed it in front of her again saying fetch. She picked it up and dropped it in front of me then went back to watching the pigeon. I led her away and released her to run before going back to the kennel.
Lucky jumped onto the retrieving bench and we walked up and down with me petting him every few feet. I put the 4 quail on the other end of the bench and sent him to retrieve. Lucky doesn’t get in a big hurry but he doesn’t hesitate to retrieve the birds. When I say give he drops them in my hand. He retrieved all 4 and I put him on the ground.
I threw the frozen quail and he retrieved it just fine. I threw it 3 or 4 times then released him to hunt. He circled the brush pile and went on point. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I tossed the quail in front of him and said fetch. He went by the quail just dropping his head when he went over it. I called him back and when he got close I said fetch. He stopped, dropped his head but didn’t pick the bird up. I held the button on the e-collar down, on level 3, and he picked the bird up. He brought it to me and dropped it in my hand when I said give. I threw the quail 3 or 4 times and he retrieved it each time. I let him run before returning to the kennel.
Tur Bo has been having problems with a pulled muscle in his left rear leg but he’s finally well. I let him run for quite awhile today with no problem. Dolly was watching the pigeon in the tree more than the quail on the ground so I led her away. Pointing dogs are more interested in pointing birds than in retrieving and I don’t want to do anything to dampen this. I usually tell about petting the dogs on the bench because I think this is really important. My dogs love to be on the bench.
Between the rain and hot weather it’s hard to find time to work the dogs but I haven’t been running them very long. Just enough to get them out of the kennel for a little while. They are happy for any attention they get.
Dolly pointing a pigeon.
Lucky pointing a pigeon.
Lucky on a pigeon.