Most mornings, weather permitting I work dogs. I have 3 dogs I’m working with on retrieving and 3 puppies left over from my last litter.
The 3 dogs being trained on retrieving are at the fun part now. I hate the early part of force breaking. I help some people train their dogs but I will not help with force breaking other than loaning books and cds.
The puppies out of my last litter have been worked on pigeons in various ways since they were about 5 weeks old. At 5 weeks I let them chase baby pigeons that can run but can’t fly. When the puppies become too aggressive I use older birds that I put to sleep and cover with grass. ( To put a pigeon to sleep tuck its head under a wing, grab its feet and pull its legs straight. Watch its breathing, sometimes they speed up sometimes it will slow down but when it changes they are asleep. Put them down on the wing that the head is under.) The pups have to use their nose to find the bird. Usually the pups would just dive in and wake the pigeon and it would fly away. Soon they became too aggressive for the pigeons. Up to this time I ran all of the pups together.
After getting the pups used to release traps and seeing birds springing up in front of them I start working them one at a time.
While I work the 3 dogs on the retrieving bench the puppies stay in the kennel waiting their turn. When I’m through with the older dogs the pups are turned loose. They go to the chain gang to be tied.
I put 2 pigeons in release traps and hide them in the weeds on my training grounds. It is important that each time you put the birds in a different place. I also bring the pups into the field from different direction occasionally.
The chain gang is where you can start to calm your dog. When you take a dog off the chain they will be jumping up and trying to put their feet on you. Step on the main chain and let them jump. Just stand there far enough back that he can’t put his feet on you. Soon he will see this is not working and will try something else. When he sits reach for him. If he continues to sit unhook him. More likely he will jump again. Stand up and wait. The next time you can probably get your hands on him. Hold him in the sitting position , unhook him and pet him. Don’t release him immediately.
Let the pup run loose but work him in to the wind so he can smell the bird at a good distance. Watch the pup, you can tell when he smells the bird. If he points great, if not flush the bird. If he points, flush the bird at his first movement. At this age they can’t chase very far, so the only fun they have is pointing. They should point for longer and longer periods.
This is the hard part. Do not say anything. Do not brush his tail up. Do not put your hands on him. When he points and he looks so pretty it brings tears to your eyes, STOP and say nothing. To build confidence the pup must work this out on his own. At his first movement flush the bird.
Some mornings you will get no points. Flush the birds when he moves toward them. He’s learning that birds can be spooky.
If your pup is not pointing but is running in to catch the bird don’t worry. Sooner or later he will point.
If your pup catches a bird it’s not the end of the world. Don’t yell at him. Don’t say no. Use it as a retrieve drill. Squat down and call him to you. Pet him until he drops the bird. If he hangs on push the bird into his mouth then take it from him.
If your pup is not pointing and can’t find the birds you have hidden time after time, WORRY.
Watching dogs learn and grow into good bird dogs is what gets me out there every morning.