Tur Bo walking on the bench with a frozen quail
Blaze on the bench
Luke with a quail on the bench
The last time I worked dogs they did real well so I was expecting them to do well again. I should have known better. Sometimes training dogs is 2 steps forward and 1 step back. The 3 young dogs all took a step back.
I heeled Tur Bo to the retrieving bench and he jumped onto it. I walked him up and down the bench petting him every few feet. I opened his mouth and shoved a frozen quail in it. I said hold. I walked to the other end of the bench and he came with me still holding the frozen quail. I walked back to the start then to the other end. I petted him at the opposite end of the bench then said give. He dropped the quail in my hand. I walked him back and forth, with him carrying the quail, several times and he did it correctly each time.
I set him on the ground and put the piggin’ string around his neck. I opened his mouth and put the frozen quail inside. He laid down and started chewing on it. I popped him with the piggin’ string and got him back on his feet. We started walking and when I slowed he would lie down chewing on the quail. I held my hand under his chin and said give. He dropped it in my hand but then tried to take it back. I opened his mouth and replaced the quail. He laid down and started chewing. I got him on his feet and said give with my hand under his chin. He dropped the quail in my hand then tried to take it back.
I decided to throw the quail to see if he would retrieve it. He’s been a natural retriever. If he sees the bird go down he would retrieve it but I couldn’t send him in a certain direction or get him to hunt dead very well. Usually force breaking will cure this. I tossed the frozen quail about 10 feet in front of him. He ran out, picked it up, came right back then laid down and started chewing on the bird. When I said give he gave it right up but then tried to get it back. I threw the quail 4 or 5 times. He ran to it , picked it up and returned each time but then he wanted to chew on it. This is something new. I may have to go back to bumpers until he quits wanting to chew the frozen birds. I heeled him back to the kennel.
Blaze jumped onto the bench and I walked her back and forth petting her. I put 3 frozen birds and a live quail in a sock on the other end of the retrieving bench. I petted her and sent her to retrieve with a fetch. The last time I worked her she retrieved them all. She retrieved the 3 frozen quail perfectly. When she got to the quail in a sock she turned and came back without picking it up. I held the button on the e-collar down on level 3. She came to me. I walked down the bench and she came with me. Still holding the button down I touched the quail in a sock and she picked it up. We went back to the start and she dropped it in my hand. I put the 3 frozen birds and the quail in a sock on the other end of the bench. She, again, retrieved the 3 frozen birds perfectly. When I sent her for the live quail she touched it with her nose and came back. I held the button on the e-collar down on level 3 and walked to the other end of the bench with her. She picked it up and we returned to the end of the bench. I said give after petting her for a while and she dropped it in my hand.
I wanted her to be successful. I held the live quail in my hand and said fetch. She took it. I said give and she dropped it in my hand. I moved it lower having her hold then give until it was lying on the bench. She picked it up from the bench and dropped it in my hand. I placed the 3 frozen birds and the live quail in a sock on the other end of the bench. She retrieved the 3 frozen quail perfectly. I sent her after the quail in a sock. She touched it with her nose and came back. I held the button on the e-collar down on level 3 and walked with her to the other end of the bench. She picked the quail up and we returned to the other end. She dropped it in my hand when I said give. I held the quail and said fetch and she took it. I placed it about 3 feet away on the bench and said fetch. She picked it up and gave it to me when I said give. I placed it about 5 feet away and said fetch. She retrieved it to me and dropped it in my hand when I said give. I placed the 3 frozen birds and the quail in a sock on the other end of the bench. She retrieved the frozen birds perfectly. I sent her for the quail in a sock and she picked it up and returned to me. I petted her for a while before saying give. What a relief.
I set her on the ground and said whoa. I held her collar and threw a frozen quail. I said fetch and released her. She, happily, retrieved the bird and held it well. I said give and she dropped it in my hand. I threw the quail about 7 or 8 times and she retrieved it each time. She holds it well and drops it each time in my hand. She will learn that she has to retrieve what ever I send her after. After she starts retrieving the quail in a sock I’m going to let her point a bird, flush it, shoot the blank pistol and throw a frozen quail for her to retrieve. That will put the whole thing together for her. I let her run for a while before returning to the kennel.
Luke jumped onto the bench and we went up and down it with me petting him every few feet. I placed the 3 frozen birds and the quail in a sock on the other end of the retrieving bench. Luke ran down the bench, grabbed a frozen quail and returned to me. I had to say hold before he got back or he would throw the bird at me. He retrieved all of the frozen birds. I sent him for the quail in a sock. He ran down the bench then turned and came back without the quail. I held the button on the e-collar down on level 3. He picked up the quail, came back and dropped it in my hand. I replaced all 4 quail on the other end. He retrieved the 3 frozen birds real well. When I sent him after the quail in a sock he went down the bench real fast and came back without it. I held the button on the e-collar down on level 3. He went down the bench, picked the quail in the sock up and dropped it in my hand. I put all 4 quail on the other end of the bench. He retrieved them all even the quail in a sock.
I set him on the ground and said whoa. I held his collar and threw a frozen quail. I released him and said fetch. He grabbed the quail and I said hold before he got back to me. He stopped in front of me holding the bird. He dropped it in my hand when I said give. I threw the quail 7 or 8 times and he retrieved it each time. I let him run for a while before going back to the kennel.
Lucky jumped onto the bench and we walked up and down with me petting him. I placed the 4 birds on the other end of the retrieving bench. He has been force broke and he retrieved all of them, even the quail in a sock.
I set him on the ground and threw a frozen quail. He retrieved the bird and stood in front of me holding it. I said give and he dropped it in my hand. I threw the frozen bird 7 or 8 times and he retrieved it each time. I let him run for a while before going back to the kennel.
Dolly jumped onto the retrieving bench and immediately ran to the stack of birds. I got her away and walked her up and down the bench petting her. I placed all 4 birds on the other end and told her fetch. She retrieved all 4 birds even the quail in a sock. She’s also been completely through the force fetch and does a good job.
I set her on the ground and told her whoa. I held her collar and threw a frozen quail. I said fetch and released her. She ran out, picked up the bird and ran back to me. She sat in front of me, wiggling, holding the quail. She dropped it in my hand when I said give. I threw the bird 7 or 8 times for her and she retrieved it each time. I let her run for a while before returning to the kennel.
I don’t know why Tur Bo, Blaze and Luke did worse this time than last but I’m going to keep working them on retrieving until they do it right. I will continue to put them on the bench and have them retrieve the bumpers and quail. Frozen and the quail in a sock. (We have used the quail in a sock two times with 4 dogs each time without harming the quail.) With enough repetitions they will learn this.
Dolly
Lucky with the quail in a sock
This is how a lot of the pictures of Luke turn out.