Tur Bo pointing a pigeon
A close up of Tur Bo when he’s pointing.
Tur Bo holding a bumper on the retrieving table.
It rained me out yesterday but it was nice and cool this morning so I worked dogs. I worked Tur Bo on the retrieving bench and on being steady on his birds. I hid 4 pigeons, in release traps, on my neighbor’s side of the training grounds then heeled Tur Bo to the retrieving bench. He jumped onto the bench and we walked back and forth with me petting him every few feet.
I put the string on his leg with a slip knot above the first joint, a clove hitch between the first joint and his foot then circled the middle two toes. Tur Bo stands quietly while I put the cord on his toes although he really doesn’t like having it on. I took the string in my left hand and held a bumper in front of his face. When I said fetch he grabbed the bumper. I let him hold it for a few seconds while I petted his head and ears. I said give and he dropped it in my hand.
The second or third time I had him fetch he dropped the bumper without me saying give. I pulled on the string and picked the bumper up from the ground. When I got close enough for him to reach the bumper he snatched it from my hand. He doesn’t like to give after he drops the bumper on the ground and I pull the string until he takes it. I only say give one time. I hold the end of the bumper until he drops it. If he doesn’t give I rotate the bumper in his mouth and he will release it.
I varied the height of the bumpers. I used all 5 bumpers with some down near his feet and some above his head. After we had done about 25 fetches I started putting the bumper on the retrieving bench. Tur Bo has been used to taking the bumper from my hand. Now I’m asking him to pick the bumper up from the floor of the bench. I keep my hand on the bumper until he grabs it. We moved all the way down the bench with him picking it up from the floor of the bench. We went back to the other end and changed bumpers.
We went back down the bench with Tur Bo picking the bumper up from the floor of the bench. A couple of times he was either slow or was getting ready to refuse and I tugged on the string. When I just barely tugged he would start trying to take something, anything. That’s a good start for no longer than he has been on the bench. I took the string off and set him on the ground telling him to whoa.
I got on the 4-wheeler and released him. He ran to the back of the training grounds on my side then back up and crossed over onto the neighbor’s side. I rode to the back on the neighbor’s side but Tur Bo didn’t come in front of me. I rode back toward the front and saw him pointing. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I had 2 pigeons in a bird bag slung over my shoulder. I dropped a pigeon in front of him and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I had 4 pigeons, in release traps, hidden in the tall weeds about 20 yards apart. I flushed a pigeon that was farthest from him and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move.
I continued to kick the tall grass and dropped the last pigeon from the bird bag and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover then flushed a pigeon from another release trap and shot the blank pistol. He knew it wasn’t his bird but he decided he could move closer to his bird. He took a step and stopped. I held the transmitter button down on, level 3, on his flank collar, picked him up and carried him back. I let off the button when his feet touched the ground.
I went back to kicking the cover and flushed a closer pigeon and shot the blank pistol. This time he didn’t move. The only pigeon left was the one he was pointing. He was only about 3 or 4 yards from it. I kicked the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He lunged at the pigeon, almost doing a flip when it flew away. I had been holding the transmitter and pressed the button on level 3. After his lunge he stopped. I held the button down on the flank collar, picked him up and set him back. I let him stay on point while I kicked the cover in front of him. I went to him and led him away after petting him. I released him to run. We went to the back of my side then back to the kennel.
When the weather cools down I will probably get back to working all of the dogs. Right now I’ve started Tur Bo on the retrieving bench and I want to get him through it.
Tur Bo
Tur Bo after the pigeons have flown away.
Tur Bo