Blaze
Blaze
Another morning in the upper 40’s to low 50’s. The young dogs and I love it. Hard to tell about the pigeons, they just fly back to their coop. I have been dropping a pigeon from my hand after flushing the bird in the release trap but today I’m going to flush the bird in the trap then drop the bird. I think, this will keep the dogs from letting down after the bird is flushed.
I brought Blaze out with the e-collars on her neck and flanks. I started the 4-wheeler and released her with an okay. When she pointed the first bird, she was looking in the wrong direction. I took pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the tall grass, dropped the pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol then shot again. She didn’t move. I went to her and stroked her sides telling her what a good dog she is. I started the 4-wheeler and released her to hunt.
When I got close to the next bird she was on point. I took pictures then went around a large tree to get in front of her. When I got around the tree I was about 25 yards in front of her. I started kicking the tall weeds as soon as I could see her. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover then dropped the pigeon from my hand. I shot the blank pistol then shot it again. She didn’t move. I went to her and stroked her sides then tapped her on the head. I let her run before going back to the kennel.
Luke
Luke
I put the e-collars on Luke and heeled him out near the 4-wheeler. I started the 4-wheeler and released him. He is really fast and was on point when I got close to the first bird. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon from the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover then dropped the pigeon from my hand. I shot the blank pistol two times and he didn’t move. I went to him and stroked his sides and told him what a good dog he is. I started the 4-wheeler and released him with an okay.
He pointed the second bird and I circled around the tree like I had done with Blaze. I kicked the tall weeds then flushed the bird in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover then dropped the pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol then shot again. He still didn’t move. I went to him and stroked his sides and tapped his head to release him. I let him run before going back to the kennel.
Tur Bo
Tur Bo
I brought Tur Bo out with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. I started the 4-wheeler and released him. He pointed the first bird but he was, like Blaze, looking in the wrong direction. I took pictures and started to walk in front of him. He figured out where the bird was and turned his head. I kicked the cover, flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He took a couple of steps and stopped. With a pigeon in my hand there is no way I can pick him up and set him back. I continued to kick the cover then dropped the pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol, twice. He moved a couple of steps again. I held the button on the transmitter down on the e-collar around his flanks, picked him up and set him back. I stroked his sides, started the 4-wheeler and released him to hunt. I noticed that the level on the transmitter was on level 1. I turned it to level 2.
When he pointed the second bird I circled the tree as I had on the other 2 dogs. I took pictures then kicked the tall weeds, flushed the bird from the release trap and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon came out low and flew right over the top of his head. He followed for 3 or 4 steps then turned back toward me and went back on point. If I had not had the pigeon in my hand I would have set him back but since he was back on point I went back to kicking the cover. I dropped the bird from my hand and shot the blank pistol then shot again. He took a step and I held the button down on the transmitter, on level 2, to the flank e-collar and set him back. I reloaded the blank pistol and continued kicking the tall weeds. I shot the blank pistol and he took a step. I held the button down on the e-collar and set him back. I went back to kicking the cover then shot the blank pistol. He took a step and I held the button down on the flank e-collar. I set him back and continued kicking the cover. I shot the blank pistol and he took a step. I held the button down and set him back. I continued to kick the cover and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I shot it one more time without him moving. I went to him and stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is. I tapped his head to release him. I let him run before taking him to the kennel.
I could have lost my temper with Tur Bo moving and made a bad situation worse. Sometimes the dogs don’t understand what you want or they flat don’t want to do it your way. Either one you have to keep making them do it your way until it becomes a habit. Tur Bo will come around. This morning he had 4 birds and twelve shots. He moved on all but the last 3 shots. We will build on that.
When my dogs go on point I don’t say anything to them. They are concentrating 100 per cent on that scent cone. If I go in saying whoa, whoa, whoa the only thing I do is break his concentration. He whoaed when he went on point. If he’s not moving he’s already doing what you want. If your dog goes on point 200 yards away from you who’s going to say whoa until you get there. The only time I say anything to the dog is after the birds are gone.