It was real muggy when I took the dogs to the park this morning but they were happy to be there. I hid 2 pigeons in the tall grass and when I came back the dogs were waiting patiently for their turn to hunt.
Blaze
Whitey
Tur Bo
I heeled Blaze out to the field, whoaed her then tapped her on the head to release her. She made a bee line towards the first bird and when she got within about 20 yards of the pigeon I released it. She stopped without me saying anything. I walked in front of her after I took some pictures. I went back to her, stroked her sides then went back out in front kicking the cover. Then I tapped her on the head to release her.
The wind was out of the south at about 5 to 10 miles per hour and she was on the south side of the second bird. I let her hunt for a little while before walking her around to the area where she could get the scent of the second pigeon. She was moving pretty fast when she hit the scent cone and just locked up. She has been getting too close to her birds when she points so I have been flushing the pigeons and whoaing her. But today, she whirled at the edge of the scent cone and pointed. I walked in front of her kicking the tall grass then went back, stroked her sides and told her what a good dog she was. I walked back in front kicking the cover and flushed the pigeon. She never moved. I tapped her on the head to release her.
I heeled Whitey out to the field, whoaed her then tapped her on the head to release her. She went back and forth across the field in front of me and when she got within about 20 yards of the release trap holding a pigeon I released the bird. Whitey stopped. I took some pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I came back and stroked her sides then tapped her on the head to release her.
I worked her south of the second bird to give her a little more time on the ground then brought her around on the north side of the pigeon. She pointed as soon as she got the scent of the pigeon. Both of these dogs have been trying to get too close to their birds before they point. Flushing some birds when they didn’t stop on the edge of the scent cone has made them more cautious. They aren’t broke of this habit but as long as I watch them and flush birds that they try to move up on, I can control it. I walked in front of her kicking the tall grass then flushed the bird. She turned her head to watch the pigeon fly away but she never moved her feet. I tapped her on the head to release her after I told her what a good dog she was.
Tur Bo
I heeled Tur Bo to the field, whoaed him then tapped him on the head to release him. Tur Bo doesn’t just go back and forth down the field he charges,with power, back and forth. When he got close to the pigeon in the release trap I flushed it. It stayed low when it flushed with Tur Bo right behind it. It stayed low and made a couple of circles, with Tur Bo under it, before heading back to the coop. I let him run for a little while then we headed back near the other bird hid in the tall grass.
He pointed about 25 yards from the pigeon. I took some pictures then walked in front of him. He started moving and I yelled whoa. He stopped. I picked him up and returned him to his original spot. I stroked his sides and he went back on point. I stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he was then I hooked my hand in his collar and released the bird. He flinched but he didn’t try to chase. I stroked his sides and he went back on point. I let him stand for a little while then tapped him on the head to release him.
Your timing can be off and you can make a lot of mistakes but with enough birds you can over come almost anything as long as you don’t put a lot of stress on your pup.