Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
Luke pointing a pigeon.
Blaze pointing a pigeon.
It rained 2 1/2 inches last night and was cooler to work dogs this morning. It was still warm but better than it has been. I hid a pigeon, in a release trap, inside a strip of tall grass that I had left on my side of the training grounds.
I heeled Blaze down to the retrieving bench with an e-collar around her neck. She jumped onto the bench and we walked up and down with me petting her every few feet. I put 4 frozen quail on the other end of the bench and sent her to retrieve. She retrieved each one holding until I said give. I set her on the ground telling her to whoa.
I threw a frozen quail and told her to fetch. The first 4 times she retrieved with her tail up and acted like she really liked retrieving. She held the bird until I said give then dropped it in my hand. I threw it the fifth time and she acted like she couldn’t find it. She went all around it. She even stepped over the top of it. I walked out to the bird holding the e-collar button down, on level 3, and called her to me. She picked the quail up and we returned to the area I had thrown the bird from. She held it until I said give. I threw the quail 6 more times and she retrieved it correctly each time. I released her to hunt.
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. I went to her and stroked her sides telling her what a good dog she is. I led her away then released her to run before going back to the kennel.
I heeled Tur Bo to the retrieving bench with an e-collar around his neck. He jumped onto the 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 him to retrieve. He retrieved the first 4 and held them until I said give. I replaced the quail on the other end of the bench and sent him to retrieve, again. He brought the first 2 back correctly then when I sent him to retrieve the third one he jumped off the bench then back on. I have a chain on a wire from one end of the bench to the other and I snapped his collar to this. I sent him to retrieve again and he retrieved the other 2 quail. I replaced the quail on the other end and he retrieved each time.
I’m not throwing a bird for him to retrieve on the ground. He started off retrieving on the ground but the last time he retrieved a few times then he refused. I don’t want to use the e-collar on him until I force break him to retrieve so I released him to hunt. He pointed the pigeon I had hidden in the tall grass. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the tall grass. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He took a couple of steps and stopped. I held the button on the e-collar down, on level 3, picked him up and carried him back. I stroked his sides then walked in front of him. I went back to him, petted him then led him away. I let him run before returning to the kennel.
Luke was next. He 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 him to retrieve. It doesn’t take very long to work Luke on the bench. Every thing he does is at a dead run. He retrieved all 4 holding them until I said give. I set him on the ground telling him whoa.
I threw a quail and said fetch. Each time when he got close to me I said hold. If I don’t give him the hold command he will throw the quail at me and get ready to go hunting. I threw the quail 5 or 6 times and he retrieved it each time. I released him to hunt.
He pointed the pigeon in the release trap and I took pictures. I went in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon flushed right back over his head and he turned to watch it fly away. I stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is. I led him away then released him to run before returning to the kennel.
I brought Lucky down to the retrieving bench next. He jumped onto the 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 him to retrieve. He retrieved each and held them until I said give. I set him on the ground.
I threw a frozen quail and said fetch. He ran out, picked it up and came back dropping it at my feet. I said fetch and he picked the quail up. I had him hold it for a few seconds then said give. He dropped it in my hand. I threw the quail 5 or 6 more times and he held it each time until I said give. I released him to hunt.
He pointed the pigeon I had hidden in the tall grass. 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 stroked his sides telling him what a good by he is then led him away. I released him to run before going back to the kennel.
Dolly was waiting her turn. Not necessarily patiently. She spends most of her time in her house except when I’m working dogs. She stays outside and jumps onto her house each time I come back for another dog. I heeled her to the retrieving bench and jumped onto it. I petted her before placing the 4 frozen quail on the other end of the bench. She retrieved each one holding them until I said give. She likes to sit and hold them. After she retrieved all 4 I set her on the ground saying whoa.
I threw a frozen quail and said fetch. Dolly isn’t as fast as Luke but she races out to retrieve, scoops the bird up and races back. She sits in front of me, holding the bird just wanting to be petted. I threw the bird 5 or 6 times and she retrieved it each time. I released her to hunt.
She pointed the pigeon I had hidden in the tall grass and 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 stroked her sides telling her what a good girl she is. I let her run for a while before returning to the kennel.
Most of these posts are alike but that is the way dogs learn. You can teach almost anything through repetition. It wasn’t long ago that Tur Bo wouldn’t let me walk in front of him on point. Now I can walk in front, kick and make as much noise as I want without him moving until I flush the bird. With a lot of retrieving repetition I hope to make better retrievers out of my dogs.
Dolly pointing a pigeon.
A side view of Dolly pointing a pigeon.
Luke intensely pointing a pigeon.