Blaze pointing a pigeon.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
Luke pointing a pigeon.
It was raining when I got up this morning but it stayed cool all day so I worked dogs in the afternoon. This may be the first time I have ever worked dogs in the afternoon, in July. It’s usually way too hot.
I try to fool the dogs, most times, when I hide the pigeons. Today, I rode the 4-wheeler to the very back of my side of the training grounds then over to the neighbor’s side where I hid the pigeon. I thought the dogs would hunt all of my side before we went over to my neighbor’s side. The only dog that I fooled was Tur Bo. And he may have hunted my side because he thought that was what I wanted. The older dogs all hunted about half way back then went through to the neighbor’s side. I don’t know how they knew but they did.
I heeled Blaze to the retrieving bench and she jumped onto it. She walked back and forth with me petting her every few feet. I put 3 bumpers on the other end of the bench and sent her to retrieve. She retrieved each one holding them until I said give. I set her on the ground and said whoa.
I threw a bumper and said fetch. She raced out, scooped it up and returned to me. Just before she got to me I said hold. She held the bumper while I petted her then dropped it in my hand when I said give. I threw the bumper a total of 5 times and she retrieved it correctly each time. I have decided that the dogs will retrieve 5 times in a row without a mistake before we go to the next exercise. I released her to hunt.
She checked the cover on my side of the training grounds to about the middle then went across on the neighbor’s side. I had hidden the pigeon at the very back of the training grounds. She pointed the pigeon. I took pictures then walked in front of her. I threw my hat as I went in front of her. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I went to her, stroked her sides and led her away. I let her run before going back to the kennel.
I heeled Tur Bo down to the retrieving bench next. He jumped on and we went back and forth with me petting him every few feet. Tur Bo has the hold and give down pretty well and today we started the force breaking. I use the string on the toes. As I put the string on his toes he kept trying to get his foot away from me. I pulled on the string and he tried to do anything except take the bumper. I had hooked him to the wire that runs down the retrieving bench. He didn’t try to get off the bench or move down it. He just moved his head every where except where the bumper was. I kept the pressure on until he took the bumper in his mouth. As soon as he took the bumper I let the pressure off his toes. After 3 or 4 times it took a lot less pressure for him to take the bumper. I made him take the bumper about 10 times. Each time he took the bumper I said hold then after he held for a few seconds I would say give and he would drop it in my hand. I hate the early part of the force fetch but to get a good retriever it must be done. I set him on the ground and said whoa.
I released him to hunt. At this point in his retrieving I will not work him on the ground. If he refuses a retrieve now there is no way to make him do it. He ran all the way to the back of my side then when I crossed over to the neighbor’s side he crossed too. He pointed the pigeon and I took pictures. I threw my hat in front of him and he didn’t move. I had 3 pigeons in a bag and I tossed one behind me and shot the blank pistol. He moved up a step. I carried him back. I continued to kick the cover and threw another pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He moved up a step. I held the button on the e-collar down on level 3 and carried him back. I went back to kicking the cover, tossed another pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He went after the pigeon and I held the button on the e-collar down on level 3. As I carried him back I held the button down until I set him where he had been on point. As soon as his feet touched the ground I let off the button. I went back, kicked the cover then went to him and stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is. I led him away and released him to run before going back to the kennel.
I heeled Luke down to the retrieving bench. He jumped onto it and we went back and forth with me petting him every few feet. I put the 3 bumpers on the other end of the bench and sent him to retrieve. He retrieved the first one and held it until I said give. The second one he dropped before he got all the way back. He retrieved the third holding it until I said give. I put the 3 bumpers on the other end and the second time through he retrieved them correctly. I set him on the ground saying whoa.
I tossed the bumper and said fetch. He raced out, scooped it up and ran back with it. Just before he got to me I said hold. When I said give he dropped it in my hand. The first 4 times he retrieved it correctly. The fifth time he went out but just turned it over and came back. I held the button down on level 3 and walked out to the bumper. Luke followed me out, picked up the bumper and followed me back. He dropped it in my hand when I said give. I tossed it again. He retrieved it 4 straight times then on the fifth he raced out, turned the bumper over and came
back without it. Still not 5 in a row. I held the button down on level 3 and walked to the bumper. He followed me out, picked up the bumper and brought it back to where I had thrown it from. I threw the bumper again and this time he retrieved it 5 times in a row without making a mistake. I released him to hunt.
He went about half way back on my side then crossed over to the neighbor’s side. He pointed the pigeon hidden at the very back. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the grass. I threw my hat and he didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move even when his pigeon hit a limb right above the release trap and fluttered then flew away. I stroked his sides then released him to run before returning to the kennel.
I heeled Dolly to the retrieving bench. She jumped on and we went back and forth with me petting her ever few feet. I put the 3 bumpers on the other end of the bench and sent her to retrieve. She retrieved all 3 correctly and I set her on the ground saying whoa.
I threw a bumper and said fetch. She raced out, grabbed the bumper and came back. She usually sits in front of me holding the bumper until I said give. She retrieved 5 times in a row, correctly. I released her to hunt.
She hunted my sides to about the middle then crossed over to the neighbor’s side. She hunted to the back and pointed the pigeon. I took pictures then walked in front of her. I threw my hat and she didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover then flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I stroked her sides then released her to run before going back to the kennel.
I heeled Lucky to the retrieving bench and he jumped onto it. I walked him back and forth petting him every few feet. I put the 3 bumpers on the other end of the bench and sent him to retrieve. He retrieved all 3 correctly. I set him on the ground saying whoa.
I threw a bumper and said fetch. He trotted out, grabbed the bumper and trotted back. He didn’t get in a big hurry but he retrieved the bumper 5 times in a row, correctly. I released him to hunt.
He hunted back about half way on my side and crossed to the neighbor’s side. He pointed the pigeon and I walked in front of him after taking pictures. I threw my hat and he didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He took a step then stopped. I went to him and stroked his sides then led him away. I should have set him back but at his age I’m just glad he’s still hunting. I released him to run for a while before going back to the kennel.
I don’t know how the dogs figure out where I hide the birds but more often than not they hunt the side I hide the pigeons on. All of the older dogs did this afternoon. Tur Bo was the only one to hunt all the way to the back on my side and he may have just been going with me. These dogs are a lot smarter than we give them credit for.
Dolly pointing a pigeon.
Lucky pointing a pigeon.
Dolly holding a bumper.