Blaze pointing a pigeon.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
Tur Bo after the pigeon has flown.
I enjoy working these bird dogs. I have to work them on retrieving but I really enjoy seeing the dogs on point. I take several pictures of the dogs on the retrieving bench but the ones I put in the post is of them pointing. At the first of this post I show 2 pictures of Tur Bo. He looks as good after the pigeon flies as he does when pointing it.
This morning, I put the e-collar on Blaze and heeled her to the retrieving bench. She jumped on the bench and we went up and down with me petting her every few feet. I put 4 frozen quail on the other end and sent her to retrieve. She retrieved each one and held them until I said give. I set her on the ground telling her to whoa.
I threw a frozen quail and told her to fetch. She is happier on the ground when she retrieves than on the bench. Her tail is up and wagging. She brought the quail to me and held it until I said give. I threw the quail about 5 times and she retrieved it correctly each time. I released her to hunt.
I have mowed both sides of the training grounds leaving strips to hide the birds in. I had hidden the pigeon, in a release trap, in one of these strips. Blaze pointed at about 20 yards downwind of the bird. I took pictures then walked in kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I went to her, stroked her sides telling her what a good dog she is and threw a frozen quail. I told her to fetch and she didn’t pay much attention, she wanted to go back to hunting. I called her back and pointed at the frozen quail lying on the ground. She picked it up and dropped it in my hand. I threw it again and said fetch. She scooped it up and brought it back. When I said give she dropped it in my hand. I threw the bird another 3 or 4 times and she retrieved it each time.
I put her on whoa and started to the 4-wheeler that was about 50 yards away. When I guide at Bird Fever in Richmond, Missouri, I put the dogs I’m using on whoa, then give the safety talk, just before we start hunting. The dogs must stay on whoa until I finish talking and release them. If they won’t stay on whoa at the training grounds they won’t at the hunting fields. I got almost to the 4-wheeler and Blaze passed me. I hit the button on the e-collar, on level 3 and she stopped. I picked her up and carried her back to the exact spot she had been standing when I had whoaed her. I set her down saying whoa one time. I walked back to the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear then said okay. She waited for the release, this time. We will work on this. I let her run before going back to the kennel.
Tur Bo jumped onto the retrieving bench where we walked up and down with me petting him every few feet. I put the 4 frozen quail on the other end of the bench and sent him to retrieve. He races down the bench, scoops up a bird and races back. He likes to hold the quail but he drops it in my hand when I say give. He retrieved all 4 so I placed them on the bench and he did it again. Always in a big hurry so we did it again. That made 12 retrieves on the bench.
I set him on the ground and threw a frozen quail. He ran out, grabbed the quail and brought it back. I threw it again and he went out an laid down beside it. I went to him and threw the quail again. He ran to it and turned it over but didn’t pick it up. Next month I will start on the force part of retrieving with him but that was a good place to stop. I released him to hunt.
He pointed the pigeon hidden in the grass strip. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He turned to watch it fly away. I took another picture of him after the pigeon had flown. He looks as good or better after the bird has flown as he does when he is pointing it. I stroked his sides then tossed a frozen quail. When I said fetch he went back to hunting. I called him back and he touched the frozen quail with his nose but didn’t pick it up. I picked the quail up, told him to whoa and walked to the 4-wheeler. I started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and released him to hunt with an okay. I let him run for a while before returning to the kennel.
Luke was the next one to jump on the retrieving bench. I walked him up and down petting him. I put the 4 frozen quail on the other end and sent him to retrieve. I have to caution Luke to hold the bird each time because he doesn’t like to retrieve. He is always ready to get back to hunting. He retrieved all 4 and held each one until I said give. I set him on the ground and said whoa.
I threw a frozen quail then said fetch. He grabbed it and in a dead run turned loose of the quail when he was about 10 feet from me, effectively throwing the bird at me. I held the quail in front of him and said fetch. He took the bird and after a few seconds I said give. He dropped it in my hand. I threw the quail again and he brought it back but before he could throw it I said hold. He waited for me to say give before dropping it in my hand. I threw it 3 or 4 more times and he held it until I said give. I released him to hunt.
He pointed the pigeon hidden in the tall grass. 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 stroked his sides then tossed the frozen quail and said fetch. He went to hunting. I called him back and pointed at the quail, saying fetch. He picked it up and dropped it in my hand when I said give. I threw the quail several more times and he retrieved it each time. I petted him telling him what a good boy he is. I said whoa and walked to the 4-wheeler. I started it, put it in gear then released him with an okay. I let him run before returning to the kennel.
I brought Dolly down next. She loves to retrieve and will hold the bird for as long as I want her to. I put the 4 frozen quail on the other end of the bench and sent her to retrieve. She retrieved all 4 just like all of the dogs should. I set her on the ground saying whoa.
I threw a frozen quail then said fetch. She scooped it up, ran back and held it until I said give. I threw the frozen quail 5 or 6 times and she retrieved it each time holding it until I said give. I released her to hunt.
She pointed the hidden pigeon. 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. I went to her, petted her and threw the frozen quail. She ran out, grabbed it and brought it back holding until I said give. She dropped it in my hand. I threw the frozen quail 4 or 5 times and she retrieved each time. Dolly is one of my older dogs and I usually use her to guide with. She has all of this figured out. When I’m guiding and put her on whoa I almost never have to say anything to her until I’m ready to release the dogs to hunt. I said whoa and started to the 4-wheeler. Just before I got to it Dolly passed me. I hit the button on the e-collar, on level 3 and she stopped. I carried her back to where she should have stayed on whoa. I said whoa, walked to the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear then sat there for about 30 seconds before saying okay. I let her run before going back to the kennel.
Lucky jumped onto the retrieving bench and we went back and forth with me petting him every few feet. I put the 4 frozen quail on the other end of the bench and sent Lucky to retrieve. He picked a bird up, came back and dropped it in my hand when I said give. He retrieved all 4 quail. I set him on the ground and told him to whoa.
I threw a frozen quail in front of him and he ran out, picked it up and came back to me. He dropped it in my hand when I said give. I threw the frozen quail 4 or 5 more times and he retrieved it each time holding it until I said give. I released him to hunt.
He pointed the hidden pigeon. I walked in front of him kicking the cover after taking pictures. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I went to him and stroked his sides telling him what a good dog he is. I threw the frozen pigeon and said fetch. He went back to hunting. I called him back pointing at the quail and said fetch. He picked it up and dropped it in my hand when I said give. I threw the quail 4 or 5 times and he retrieved it each time. I said whoa and walked to the 4-wheeler. I started it, put it in gear and released him with an okay. I let him run for a while before going back to the kennel.
My girls, Blaze and Dolly, think they are special. They don’t have to stay on whoa until I release them. I worked all 5 dogs the same and the males all waited for me to release them. The girls released themselves. For them to do it in the field I have to reinforce it here at home on our training grounds. With enough repetitions they will get it.
Luke pointing a pigeon.
Dolly pointing a pigeon.
Lucky pointing a pigeon.