I worked the young dogs on two pigeons each. I put an e-collar on Whitey’s neck and flank. The pigeons were already in the release traps when I turned her loose. She and Blaze both are less intense on point with the collar on their flanks than without it. But this, through repetition, will take the chase out of them. Some days I will release the pigeons before they can point and they have to stop to flush.
Whitey
When Whitey pointed she stood while I walked in front of her and kicked around. I got in no hurry to flush the pigeon. When I finally flushed the birds she didn’t move. She’s learning.
Blaze was next. She is more reluctant to run with the flank collar but she’s starting to get used to it. The first time she had a flank collar on I was teaching heel and whoa. After she was heeling and whoaing without the e-collar and would heel and whoa most of the time I started using the e-collar on the lightest setting that the dogs could feel. I would stimulate her then say whoa. As soon as she would stop before I could say whoa I would say whoa and only use stimulation if she didn’t stop.
Blaze
Blaze pointed her first pigeon and stood for me to walk in front and kick around. Again I was in no hurry to flush her bird. When I did release the pigeon it came out low and flew right over her head. She turned and watched it fly away. That’s what she is supposed to do. She pointed the second bird and it also flew right back over her. Again she turned and watched it fly away. She is learning.
I put an e-collar on Tur Bo’s neck but he has never felt any electricity. At 8 months old whatever he does is okay. To build desire I let him run and chase birds. At this point I don’t try to walk in front of him or talk to him when he points. When he goes on point I do too. When he points I stop and watch him. At his first movement I release the bird. He must figure out that his moving made the bird fly.
Tur Bo
Tur Bo
On Tur Bo’s first bird he was running pretty fast and slammed into a point. He was on point for 20 or 30 seconds then took a step and I flushed the pigeon. He started chasing and the pigeon landed in a tree. He went back to hunting. His second bird was in a fence row and the wind had changed. When he pointed it he was too close so I flushed the bird. He had a good long chase then came back and went to hunting. Later on I will start walking in front and get him to stand there but right now we both are just having a good time.