I put a pigeon in a release cage then 4 more birds in release traps about 20 yards away from the caged bird. After putting the e-collars on Tur Bo I heeled him out of the kennel with the piggin’ string. When we got close to the training grounds I took the piggin’ string off and snapped a check cord on his collar. I let him go to the end of the check cord then moved him to the area where he could smell the caged bird. As soon as he hit the scent cone he pointed.
Tur Bo
I walked up beside him and stroked his sides saying whoa. He was only about 5 yards from the caged bird and was really concentrating on it when I flushed one of the pigeons about 25 yards away. He didn’t move as the bird flew away from us. I stroked him some more telling him what a good boy he was and flushed another pigeon. This bird flew back over us and he wanted to move but he only took one step. I set him back to the original spot and stroked his sides. Just before I flushed another bird I said whoa. This bird also came close to us and he moved his front feet but not his back. I set him back again. I stroked his sides, telling him what a good boy he was then flushed the last pigeon. Just before I flushed the bird I said whoa. This pigeon didn’t fly close to us and he didn’t move. To flush the bird in the cage I would have to be in front of him and if he moved he could possibly catch it. I picked him up and carried him away. After I put him up I released the bird in the cage.
He kept wanting to go back but I got him on the retrieving bench and he forgot about the bird in the cage. I took one of the retrieving bucks and placed it in his mouth saying hold over and over. The first couple of times I held my hand under his chin to keep him from spitting it out. Then I would grab the end of it and take my hand from under the chin and say give. I don’t pull it out of his mouth he has to move his head off. He was holding real well so I put the buck in his mouth then walked to the other end of the bench and he followed carrying the retrieving buck. When he got to the other end I took hold of the end, said give and he moved his head off of it.
I had him carry the buck down the bench a couple more times then put him on the ground. I threw the buck 5 or 6 times and he retrieved it all but one time. That time he brought it most of the way back then dropped it. I walked out, picked it up, threw it and he retrieved it. Last season he retrieved a quail almost to me (he dropped it just before he got to me with it) so I think he will retrieve. If he learns hold and give I think he will be alright. I will try him on some pen reared birds before bird season. I put him back in the kennel.
I had to wait on my pigeons to come back before I could work another dog. I only have 7 pigeons that will return to the pigeon coop and 2 of them are setting so that leaves me with 5 to work dogs with. I have 7 more homers that I just got but they won’t return to my houses until they have been in this coop for a while.
Blaze
I brought Blaze out with the e-collars on and worked her in where she could point the caged bird. She pointed in almost the same place that Tur Bo had. I stroked her sides then flushed one of the birds about 25 yards away. She just turned her head then turned it back to the caged bird. I stroked her sides telling her what a good girl she was then flushed another pigeon. Again she just moved her head. I flushed all 4 birds and she never tried to move her feet.
Then I decided as steady as she was I could release the caged bird. The cage has a handle that you step on and it raises the cage off the bird and it flies away. I walked in front of her and I was watching her. She was still rigidly on point. I stepped on the handle and when the cage raised the pigeon walked out then started to fly. It kind of fluttered getting off the ground and that was more than she could stand. She started to move and I yelled whoa. She stopped. She had only moved 3 or 4 steps, so I put her back. I made her stand for awhile then let her run back to the kennel.
Whitey
I put the e-collars on Whitey then heeled to the training grounds with the piggin’ string. I put the check cord on her in place of the piggin’ string and worked her toward the caged bird. This was probably 3 hours after working Blaze, I had to wait on pigeons to come back, and the wind had changed. Tur Bo and Blaze had been on the south side of the caged bird and Whitey was on the north. I stroked her sides, said whoa and flushed a pigeon. She turned her head but never moved. I stroked her sides then released another bird. She never moved. I flushed all 4 birds and she never moved.
Whitey has been real steady on her birds so I decided to flush the caged bird for her as I had for Blaze. I walked in front of her and stepped on the cages handle. This pigeon walked out and stood there. Whitey didn’t move. Then the bird flew away and she never moved. I stroked her sides telling her what a good girl she was then tapped her on the head to release her. She ran back to the kennel.
I could tell a lot of difference in Tur Bo on the bench and on his birds. It will take a lot of repetitions but they will all get where I want them before quail season starts.