Tur Bo
Blaze
Luke
We have been getting some rain that has kept me from working dogs. Today it stayed cool all day so I went out about 2:00 pm. I put 5 pigeons in a bird bag then hid 2 of them in release traps on the training grounds. I put the e-collars on Tur Bo and heeled him out near the 4-wheeler. I released him with an okay.
When he hit the scent cone on the first pigeon he slid to a point. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I took a pigeon from the bird bag and dropped it behind me and shot the blank pistol when it flew away. He didn’t move he just stood taller and watched it fly away. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He flinched but his feet didn’t move. I stroked his sides and led him away. I released him with a tap on his head.
When I walked to the next pigeon he was already on point. I took more pictures then kicked the cover in front of him. I dropped a pigeon, from the bird bag, behind me and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He flinched again but he didn’t move his feet. I stroked his sides then led him away. I tapped his head to release him.
I still had a pigeon in the bird bag so when he came close I threw the bird in front of him and whoaed him. He stopped. I let him stand then went to him and stroked his sides. I released him with an okay. He hunted back to the kennel.
I put the e-collars on Blaze and heeled her out near the 4-wheeler. I released her with and okay. When I got to the first pigeon she was on point. I took pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I took a pigeon from the bird bag, dropped it behind me and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed a pigeon from the release trap and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I stroked her sides then led her away and released her.
She pointed the second pigeon by the time I got to it. I took more pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I took a pigeon from the bird bag, dropped it behind my back and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I stroked her sides, led her away and released her to hunt.
I still had a pigeon in the bird bag and when she came close I threw it in front of her. She stopped. I let her stand for a few seconds then stroked her sides and released her. She hunted back to the kennel.
I had to wait about 45 minutes for the pigeons to come back to the coop before working Luke. After reloading the release traps with pigeons I heeled Luke out near the 4-wheeler. I released him with an okay.
Luke didn’t come close to the first pigeon, went on to the back and pointed the second one. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I took a pigeon from the bird bag, dropped it behind me and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover and flushed the pigeon from the release trap. He still didn’t move even when I shot the blank pistol. I stroked his sides then led him away and released him.
When I got near the front of the training grounds Luke was on point on the first bird. I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I dropped a pigeon from the bird bag behind my back and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed a pigeon from the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He still didn’t move. I stroked his sides then led him away. I released him to hunt.
I had a pigeon in the bird bag when I got back to the kennel. I forgot to throw it for Luke but he has been stopping on them. This is a really good exercise for the dogs. A friend of mine, Vince Dye, asked me several times if I was dropping birds in front of the dogs and I would tell him what I was doing. But it wasn’t dropping pigeons in front of the dogs. I have done this before but I hadn’t in a long time. I had forgotten what a good exercise it is.
Tur Bo was almost steady to wing and shot but he would move his front feet when I flushed the bird. With just a few times of me dropping a pigeon in front of him he’s starting to stand instead of move his front feet. Then with him running I throw a pigeon in front of him and whoa him. This will teach him to stop to flush.
Blaze is steady to wing and shot on these pigeons but today both of the birds she pointed, she was right on top of. The next time I work her on pigeons I will flush the birds just as soon as I see her hit the scent cone. A few times and she will back off the birds. Since she can’t chase the birds (she stops to flush) the only fun she gets is pointing. She will back off so I will let her point.
Some really smart dogs are easy to work with and some will try you every once and awhile. That’s what Blaze is doing now. I’m okay with that, it’s worth it to have smart dogs.
Tur Bo
Blaze
Luke