With the heat it’s hard to pick a good time to train puppies. Last Saturday, it was a little cooler, early. June and I decided to shoot some video of the puppies. I like to put a pigeon in a release trap, let the puppy smell the pigeon then flush it when the puppy moves toward the bird. Usually, when I continue to put a pigeon in the same place the puppy will anticipate a bird being there and point.
Babe pointing a pigeon.
Mann pointing a pigeon.
He caught the scent cone when he moved in front of her.
I started these puppies with lock wing pigeons. When they got too aggressive we went to letting the birds fly after the puppies had seen and smelled the bird. I have also hidden pigeons in traps that I stand on to release the bird. The puppies have been able to move in on these birds when they smell them.
To get the puppies ready for the release traps I placed the traps outside their kennel and flushed birds from them. The first day I did 4 traps that were from 10 to 25 yards from their kennel. The second time I moved the traps closer; 4 traps with the farthest being 12 yards and the closest 2 yards. The puppies showed no fear even on the close traps.
I hooked both puppies to the chain gang that is close to my retrieving bench. I hid a pigeon in a release trap in a strip of grass, got June with the camera set up on the training grounds and brought Mann in to work him on the pigeon.
I led him part of the way then released him to hunt. He knows where the pigeons have been hidden in the past and he wastes no time in getting there. As I came around a clump of brush I saw him smell the pigeon, throw his head up and start toward the bird. I flushed the pigeon. He chased a short distance then went in to smell the trap.
I snapped a leash to his collar and led him away. I tied him to a tree and replaced the pigeon. When I turned him loose he went right back to the pigeon. He flash pointed then jumped in. I flushed the pigeon and he chased then went on toward the back.
I replaced the pigeon and called him back. I had left the leash on him to make it easier for me to catch him. He came back, smelled the pigeon and pointed. He pointed, for maybe 10 seconds, then he moved in. I flushed the pigeon.
I worked him on 5 or 6 pigeons. On the last one he held his point for a little longer than the others but it still was only about 15 seconds. Not too bad for a puppy that is eleven weeks old. I put him back on the chain gang and turned Babe loose.
Babe runs ahead of me but when she gets out a ways she will wait for me. When we got close to the pigeon hidden in the grass she started toward it. I flushed the pigeon. She chased for a few feet then went to June and laid down.
I snapped the leash on her and led her to a tree and tied her. I replaced the pigeon and turned her loose. She was dragging the leash. She acted like she was being punished. She wouldn’t go near the pigeon. She laid down. I tried to call her to me but she wouldn’t come.
I went to her and grabbed the leash. I led her to the pigeon. She smelled it and started toward the bird. I flushed the pigeon. I tied her to a tree and replaced the pigeon.
When I untied her this time I took the leash off. She was happier. She smelled the pigeon, pointed then went toward the bird. I flushed the pigeon.
She chased the pigeon for a short distance then went toward an old pond. That is one of her favorite places to play. I didn’t even try to call her back. I took Mann off the chain gang and let him join his sister at the pond.
That shows the difference in different dogs. Mann has always been more aggressive toward the birds. Babe likes the birds but just isn’t as aggressive. Before I hide birds all over the training grounds for them I will do this exercise a few more times. When they chase they don’t chase very far. Hopefully, they will get more pleasure out of pointing than chasing.
Babe pointing a pigeon.
Mann pointing.
Using their nose to find dog food in the grass.