Wednesday morning was a little cooler than normal so I trained dogs, Betsy and Sally. By the time I finished with these 2 it was already back into the 70’s. But that’s the way it usually is this time of year.
Sally after the pigeon has flown away.
Betsy pointing a pigeon.
Sally, really concentrating.
I put the e-collars on Sally’s neck and flanks, put a half hitch around her flanks and snapped the check cord to her collar and heeled her away with the piggin’ string. I had 3 pigeons hidden in release traps on the training grounds and a couple of pigeons in a bird bag over my shoulder. I whoaed her a couple of times as we walked around the yard. When we got about even with the pigeon coops but on the other side of the yard I whoaed her, pushed the stake into the ground and tied her check cord to it and walked about 15 yards in front of her. I took a pigeon from the bird bag and placed it on the ground. When the pigeon flushed I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She watched the pigeon but didn’t move her feet. I pulled the stake, untied the check cord, stroked her sides and heeled her away.
I had a pigeon in a release trap hidden before we got to the retrieving bench. There was almost no wind and Sally was within about 5 yards of the pigeon when she pointed. I walked around kicking the cover and dropped a pigeon in front of her. I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover and flushed the pigeon from the release trap. It came out low and flew right above her head. I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She whirled around and watched the bird fly away. I picked her up and turned her back where she was. When the bird comes over them I don’t blame them for turning. At least she didn’t chase. I untied the check cord, stroked her sides and tapped her head to release her to hunt.
I usually hide the birds near the back of the property but today I had hidden one about 30 yards from where I turned her loose to hunt. She was going all out when she hit the scent cone, slid and whirled into a point. I reached for the stake and I had not pulled it at the last bird but her check cord was long enough to tie to a tree. After tying the check cord to the tree I walked in front of her kicking the cover. To put a little more pressure on her I really kicked some small bushes in front of her. She would jump each time but not move her feet. I shot the blank pistol without flushing the pigeon and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I flushed the pigeon, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She still didn’t move. I untied her check cord, stroked her sides and released her.
We crossed over to the neighbor’s side of the training grounds and went all the way to the back turned and went toward the front. I came around a patch of brush and Sally was on point. I started to her and she moved up a couple of steps. I whoaed her, picked her up and set her back. I tied her check cord to a bush and walked in front of her kicking the cover. I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I flushed the pigeon, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She started to chase but the half hitch around her flanks cinched down and stopped her. I went to her and set her back. I walked around in front of her and shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. This time she didn’t move. I untied her check cord and took her back to the kennel.
Betsy on point.
I put the e-collars and check cord on Betsy and heeled her out of the kennel with the piggin’ string. I whoaed her a couple of times then whoaed her, pushed the stake into the ground and tied the check cord to it. I walked in front of her about 15 yards, and set a pigeon on the ground, from the bird bag. When the bird flew I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. Her back feet stayed in place but she does a little dance with her front feet. I shot the blank pistol, again and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I untied the check cord, stroked her sides and released her.
She ran by on the other side of the property from where the first pigeon was hidden. I called her to the other side and she was only about 25 yards ahead of me when she went on point. I pushed the stake in the ground and tied the check cord to it. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I dropped a pigeon from the bird bag, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon in the release trap, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I pulled the stake, untied the check cord and released her.
She rounded a corner and hit the scent cone. She slammed on the brakes and went on point. I pushed the stake into the ground and tied the check cord to it. I walked in front of her, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover. I flushed the pigeon in the release trap, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I pulled the stake, untied the check cord, stroked her sides and released her to hunt.
We crossed to the other side and she hunted all of the cover. she was well ahead of me and was on point when I came around a clump of brush. I pushed the stake into the ground, tied the check cord to the stake and walked in front of her. I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon in the release trap, shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She didn’t move. I pulled the stake, untied the check cord, stroked her sides and released her.
As we went back to the kennel I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. Instead of stopping she wanted to come to me. I held the button down on the flank e-collar on level 1 until she stopped. I picked her up and carried her back to where she was when I told her to whoa. I walked around her then tapped her head for the release. As we continued to the kennel I shot the blank pistol and said, “whoa”. She stopped. I walked around her then tapped her head. We went back to the kennel.
Betsy looked good this morning.
By this time it was in the 70’s so I didn’t work Tur Bo. It’s hard to remember when I shot the blank pistol as I write this post but I shot 12 times with Sally and 20 times with Betsy. I may have over did it with Betsy because she wouldn’t get more than 10 or 15 yards away from me on the way to the kennel.
When I taught whoa I held the button on their flank e-collar down on a real light setting then said, “whoa”. After just a few times they started stopping as soon as they felt the stimulation and would stop before I could say, “whoa”. Now I’m shooting the blank pistol and saying, “whoa”. Soon they should think of the blank pistol as a whoa command, I hope.
Most of these posts about training dogs will sound almost the same because they are the same. Training dogs is repeating the same thing until you get a conditioned response. The really hot time of the year is coming up but if I can catch a few cool mornings I will continue training dogs.
Sally after the pigeon has flown.
Betsy looks like a ghost.
Betsy watching a pigeon fly away.