Luke
Luke
I went out to work the young dogs about 7:30 this morning with a light jacket on. The temperature was about 50 degrees with almost no wind. I thought the wind, what little there was, was out of the north west and put the pigeons, in their release traps, where the dogs could smell them. I worked Luke first to see if I was right on where I placed the birds. Sure enough I was wrong. The way the land lies causes the wind to swirl around.
I put the e-collars on Luke and heeled him out near the 4-wheeler. If the wind isn’t blowing very hard I, sometimes, run Luke first. If I’m wrong it won’t mess him up. I started the 4-wheeler and released him with an okay. He hunted through the first part of the bird field and on to the back where he pointed the pigeon on the back fence. I took pictures, walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover and dropped a pigeon from my hand. I shot the blank pistol then shot it again. He still didn’t move. I stroked his sides, started the 4-wheeler and released him.
He hunted back toward the front and pointed. He was looking in the wrong direction but he was opening and closing his mouth on the scent so I knew he was smelling the bird. I took more pictures then went in front of him kicking the cover. When I flushed the pigeon he turned his head to watch the bird but didn’t move his feet even when I shot the blank pistol. I went to the area where the release trap was and started kicking the cover. I dropped the pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol then shot again. He didn’t move. I stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is then 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. The last time I worked him he moved when I flushed the pigeon in the release trap and I couldn’t set him back because I had a pigeon in my hand. This morning while he was waiting for me to release him I put 2 pigeons in a bird bag so I would have my hands free. I started the 4-wheeler and released him with an okay. I had moved the pigeons where he could smell them better, I thought. He pointed the first bird but he was looking where I had moved the release trap from. Before I got off the 4-wheeler he turned his head to look where the pigeon was now. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He took a couple of steps so I held the button on the transmitter down, on level 3, to the e-collar on his flanks. I picked him up and set him back. I released the button when his feet touched the ground. I continued to kick the cover and took a pigeon from the bird bag and dropped it. I shot the blank pistol and he started chasing. I held the button on the e-collar on his flanks down. He stopped but I held the button down until I set him back. I went back to kicking the cover, dropped another pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He took a step then stopped. I held the button on the e-collar on his flanks down on level 3 until I set him back. I kicked the cover then stroked his sides, started the 4-wheeler and released him.
He pointed the next pigeon and I took more pictures. I put 2 more pigeons in the bird bag then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon from the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He took a step and stopped. I held the button on the e-collar on his flanks down, on level 3, and set him back. I went back in front of him kicking the cover, dropped a bird from the bag and shot the blank pistol. He started chasing and I stopped him by holding the button on the e-collar on his flanks down, on level 3. I held the button down until I set him back. I went back in front of him kicking the cover and dropped another pigeon from the bag. I shot the blank pistol and he didn’t move. When I shot the blank another pigeon flew from a tree near where we were. He turned his head to watch it fly away but didn’t move his feet. I stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is then tapped his head to release him. I let him run before returning to the kennel.
Blaze
Blaze
Before I put the e-collars on Blaze and heeled her out near the 4-wheeler I had to get 2 more pigeons from the pigeon coop because I had dropped 4 birds for Tur Bo in addition to the 2 that were in the release traps for him. I released her with an okay. She was 20 yards off the first bird when she pointed. I went in front of her kicking the cover after taking pictures. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, dropped a pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I shot the blank pistol again then went to her and stroked her sides. I started the 4-wheeler and released her to hunt.
When she pointed the next bird I took pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon from the release trap and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover then dropped a pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol. She started chasing. Blaze hasn’t moved for a long time and I wasn’t ready for it. I finally, grabbed the transmitter for the e-collar around her flanks and held the button down on level 3. She stopped and I carried her back holding the button on the e-collar down until her feet touched the ground. I walked in front of her kicking the cover and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move and I went to her and stroked her sides. I tapped her head to release her. I let her run for a while before returning to the kennel.
Just about the time you think you have these young dogs figured out they throw you a curve just like Blaze did to day. But this may be the time that convinces her that she must be steady. May not be either.