I heeled Tur Bo just a short distance, and whoaed him a couple of times, then released him to run. When he came close to me I whoaed him by, holding up my hand like a traffic cop, holding the button on the e-collar around his flanks down and saying whoa. Each time he stopped promptly.
When we got to the retrieving bench he jumped onto the bench. I walked him up and down petting him several times. He enjoys the attention he gets when he is on the bench. I used 2 different retrieving bucks in the hold and fetch game we play. I open his mouth and place the buck just behind the canine teeth, then put my left hand under his chin so he can’t spit it out. I use my right hand to pet him and sometimes I lead him down the bench, so he is walking with the buck. I have him move his mouth off the buck when I say give. After we hold and give 7 or 8 times I put him on the ground.
Today when I threw the retrieving dummy he ran out, picked it up and brought it to me. I threw it 7 times and he brought it back each time. I always pet him until he drops the dummy. I let him run on the way back to the kennel and whoaed him 3 or 4 times. He stopped each time.
Blaze
I took Blaze, Whitey, Tur Bo and 6 pigeons to the county park near my home. After hiding 2 pigeons in the tall grass of the field I heeled Blaze down the road for about 150 yards then turned her loose to hunt. She hunted back into a north wind and pointed the birds. I took a couple of pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I let her stand for a while before flushing the pigeon. When I flushed the pigeon and shot, she didn’t move. I continued to kick the tall grass then flushed the second bird and shot. She was steady at the flush but when I shot she took a step and stopped. I picked her up and set her back. I stroked her tail up and petted her then walked back out kicking the cover. I went back, petted then tapped her on the head to release her.
Whitey
Whitey was up next. I heeled her down the road and released her to hunt. The wind was 15 or 20 miles an hour out of the north and we have had quite a bit of rain so the dogs could smell the birds from a long distance. I could see her smell the birds and move into the scent cone then point the birds. I took some pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the bird and shot the blank pistol. She took 1 step and stopped. I picked her up and set her back. I stroked her tail up, petted her then went back to kicking the cover. I let her stand for a while before flushing the second bird. I flushed the pigeon and shot. She never moved. I kicked in front of her some more then tapped her on the head to release her.
Tur Bo
I had the pigeons within about 10 yards of each other for the dogs I was trying to steady to wing and shot but for Tur Bo I separated them to get 2 points from him. I heeled him down the road then released him to hunt. When he went on point I took some pictures then whoaed him 1 time and walked in front of him. This was the first time I had whoaed him when he was on point and the first time I had walked in front of him. He didn’t move until I flushed the bird and shot the blank pistol. Then he chased.
Tur Bo
He pointed his second bird and I took more pictures, then whoaed him and walked in front. He held his point until I flushed the bird and shot. Then he chased. Both birds that he pointed I flushed just a few seconds after I walked in front of him. I will let him stand for longer periods of time as he progresses.
I need to get more pigeons. I have 7 pigeons that are old enough to fly back from the park and I use them some times twice a day. They must not mind it too much, sometimes they are home when I get back and they are flying around instead of going into their house.
Writing this blog has made me work my dogs more often than I would have otherwise and the dogs have progressed real well. I enjoy working the dogs and writing the blog so it’s a win, win for me.