Today is opening day of quail season in Missouri and I didn’t hunt for the first time in over 40 years. The temperature was 64 degrees at daylight and the high was at least 80. I elected to work some young dogs instead of hunting.
Betsy pointing a pigeon.
Sally pointing a pigeon.
Sally possibly pointing quail.
A friend, B.J. Wilson, was coming over about 9:00 am to work his dogs on my pigeons so I got out about daylight to work Sally and Betsy. I put 2 pigeons, in release traps, in the brush on my training grounds. I got Sally on her house and put an e-collar around her neck. This is the first time I’ve put an e-collar on her. As I was trying to put it on her she kept trying to eat it. I finally got it on and as I followed her to the training grounds on the 4-wheeler she kept snapping at the end of the collar that was sticking out.
We went to the back on my side then crossed over to the neighbor’s side. Sally forgot about the e-collar. She started hitting all of the places I have hidden birds for her in the past. She must have got some scent and went into some brush close to where I had hidden the pigeon. She was deep in the cover when she went on point. I took some pictures and waited. After about a minute and a half I started in front of her. She let me get almost to the pigeon before she moved. When she moved I flushed the pigeon. She leaped trying to catch the pigeon. She didn’t even come close. She sniffed the release trap then went back to hunting.
I got back on the 4-wheeler and followed her. She worked her way to the end of the training grounds then started back through. When she got close to the other pigeon she went on point. Before I could get off the 4-wheeler she took a step and I flushed the pigeon. She only chased a few steps and went back to hunting. I took her back to the kennel.
I reloaded the release traps and put an e-collar around Betsy’s flanks and neck. I also, snapped a check cord to her collar and lead her out with the piggin’ string. A couple of weeks ago I turned her loose at 9 am and didn’t get her back until 2:40 pm. Since then I have been working her on “here”. I’ve also worked her whoa, kennel and heel but the “here” command is the important one right now. I want her to really know all of the commands before she ever feels any electricity.
The first hundred yards we worked on heel and whoa then I turned her loose pulling the check cord. She’s not used to having a check cord on and doesn’t get very far from me. She was within a few yards of me when she hit the scent cone and pointed. I took pictures and waited. After about a minute I started in front of her. On the first kick she started moving and I flushed the pigeon. She chased a little way then went back to hunting. I said, “here” and she came in a hurry.
As we went toward the next pigeon we worked on the “here” command several times. I’ve also hit the tone button on the e-collar and said “here”. She really comes in a hurry on the tone button but if she’s a hundred yards away with something interesting in front of her will she come. I don’t know but we will continue to work on it.
She stayed fairly close to me until we got to the next pigeon. She pointed it. I took pictures then stood waiting for a minute or so. I walked in front and as soon as she took a step I flushed the pigeon. She chased a short distance. She hunted back to the kennel.
Betsy hasn’t had a lot of work on commands but I intend to give her a crash course over the next week or two. She is doing real well on heel, whoa and here. George Hickox always uses the e-collar on the kennel command first so the first time the dog feels electricity they are going away from you. A few more days of kennel and she will be ready.
I really enjoy working with young dogs and watching them learn. I now have two young dogs to work with that are about a year a part in age. Sally will wear an e-collar when she goes hunting and for most of her training but it will not be turned on. A heavy hand with an e-collar will sometimes take something out of a young dog that can’t be put back. I will take it slow.
Sally in the brush.
Betsy pointing the quail pen.
Sally in the edge of a corn field.