I gave the pointing dogs the weekend off. Yesterday, I only worked Sally on retrieving but this morning I worked her on retrieving then worked her and Tur Bo on pigeons. I enjoy the work on pigeons and so do the dogs, I think.
Tur Bo with a pigeon in front of him, asleep.
Sally with a pigeon in front of her, asleep.
Tur Bo watching the pigeon that is asleep.
Yesterday, when I worked Sally on retrieving I decided to change her from the string on her foot to the e-collar. I thought this would take a couple of days. I held a bumper on the edge of the table, wrapped the string around the transmitter of the e-collar, pulled the string, pushed the button on the transmitter and said, “fetch”. She took the bumper but she acted like it was too much stimulation. The e-collar was only on low 2 but I went down to medium 1. She was okay with that. She wasn’t vocal she just laid down to take the bumper. She dropped the bumper when I said, “give”.
After about the third time she was taking the bumper with just the e-collar stimulation. I worked her on 8 different bumpers, twice each, then set her on the ground. I let her run before taking her back to the kennel.
This morning I heeled her all the way to the retrieving bench so she wouldn’t be panting. We started about 7:00 am to beat some of the heat. I thought I might have to put the string back on her but it wasn’t necessary. I only used a couple of the wooden bumpers that had ends to hold the middle off the table. I put her on whoa and took the two bumpers to the other end of the retrieving bench. I started off calling her to me and when she got there saying, “fetch” as I held the end of the bumper. When she took the bumper I clapped my hands and we went to the other end of the table. I said, “give” and she dropped the bumper in my hand.
I, then walked down the bench, clapping my hands and when she got close to the bumper I touched it with my hand and said, “fetch”. One time, this morning, she tried to go back to the other end without the bumper. I held the transmitter button down, on medium 1, and she turned, came back and grabbed the bumper. I still have to have my hand on the bumper but that won’t last long, I hope. After she retrieved the bumpers several times each I set her on the ground. I let her run before taking her back to the kennel.
I put 3 pigeons, in release traps, and hid them in the brush on the training grounds. I had 2 pigeons, in the bird bag, when I brought Tur Bo out with an e-collar around his neck and pulling a check cord with a half hitch around his flanks. As we passed some trees I whoaed him. I tied the check cord, with just a little slack, to a tree and walked back in front of him. I put a pigeon to sleep by putting it’s head under it’s wing and straightening it’s legs out. I placed the pigeon 3 or 4 feet in front of him.
I walked around the pigeon kicking the grass. The last time I worked him on a pigeon like this he hit the end of the check cord 4 times. This morning he hit the end one time and stopped. I picked him up and set him back. I continued to walk around the pigeon but he didn’t break again. I rolled the pigeon over with my foot and it awoke. As it flew away I shot the blank pistol. Tur Bo did a dance with his front feet but didn’t move. I petted him then walked in front.
Sally pointing a pigeon.
I took another pigeon from the bird bag and put it to sleep in front of him. I walked around the pigeon but he didn’t move again. I rolled the pigeon over and shot the blank pistol as it flew away. He did his dance but didn’t try to chase. I untied his check cord and heeled him away. I released him to run.
It was warm with no wind. He ran by the pigeon I had hidden on my side of the training grounds without hitting the scent cone. When I got close he came in front of me and whirled around on point. He had almost been exactly the same spot before without smelling the bird. That’s how easy it is to miss birds when we are hunting. I tied his check cord to a tree and went in front of him kicking the bushes. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I untied the check cord and heeled him away. I released him to run.
There must have been some thermals moving up the hill from the next pigeon because he had no problem pointing it. I tied his check cord, petted him then walked in front kicking the bushes. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He did his dance with his front feet but didn’t chase. I heeled him away then released him to hunt.
He was up hill from the next pigeon as well. I tied his check cord to a tree. This pigeon was in a thicket. When I flushed it, it hit a limb and fluttered. I shot the blank pistol. He just turned to watch the bird fly away. I untied his check cord and led him away. I released him to run on the way back to the kennel.
I reloaded the release traps and put a couple of pigeons in the bird bag. I heeled Sally out, with an e-collar around her neck, dragging a check cord with a half hitch around her flanks, with the piggin string. I whoaed her after we went by some trees and tied her check cord to a tree.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
I walked in front of her and put a pigeon to sleep. I placed it on the ground about 3 or 4 feet in front of her. I walked around the pigeon but she didn’t move. I rolled the pigeon over with my foot. It woke up and stood up. She thought she could catch it and made a lunge. The check cord stopped her and I shot the blank pistol as the pigeon flew away. I set her back.
I went back in front of her, put another pigeon to sleep and set it in front of her. I walked around the pigeon kicking the grass. She didn’t move so I woke the pigeon. I shot the blank pistol as the bird flew away. Sally didn’t move. I untied the check cord, petted her and heeled her away. I released her to hunt.
Between the time I worked Tur Bo and Sally the breeze had come up a little. Sally was 125 yards ahead of me when she went on point. I watched her as I walked to her and she didn’t move. When I got to her I tied the check cord to a tree. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I untied the check cord, petted her and heeled her away. I released her to hunt.
We crossed onto the neighbor’s side and went to the back. I came around a clump of brush and saw her on point about 40 yards away. Sally hasn’t been moving so I tied her check cord to a large grape vine that was hanging from a tree. I went in front of her kicking the bushes. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I untied her check cord, petted her and heeled her away. I released her to hunt.
Sally
I was close to the next bird and was watching Sally cross the ground. She was moving really fast and when she hit the scent cone it looked like she slammed both front feet to the ground at the same time, to stop herself. It was neat to watch. I tied her check cord to a tree and walked in front of her. I kicked the bushes, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon hit a limb and almost came back down to the ground then flew away. Sally hit the end of the check cord but not very hard. I set her back. I untied the check cord and heeled her away. I released her to hunt on the way back to the kennel.
We may have turned the corner on the weather. I thought the winter was never going to end but now if I don’t get out pretty early it’s going to be too hot to work dogs but working pointing dogs is a lot more fun than force fetch.
Sally pointing a pigeon.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
Sally pointing a pigeon.