It was cool, in the low sixties. I checked the wind this morning before leaving the house and it was about 10 miles per hour from the north east. I have two places at the county park, where I run my dogs. When the wind is out of the north, I go to the one where I can park on the south and work the dogs into the wind.
This is the area I have to run dogs in.
Blaze
Blaze
I hid 2 pigeons, in release traps, in the tall grass. The grass in this field is taller than the other one. By the time I got the pigeons hid the wind was out of the south. I hid the pigeons about 125 yards apart so the dogs would have to work harder to find them. Blaze has been barking, while she is tied up and I’ve been working her last to get her to stop. The last time I worked dogs she didn’t bark while I worked Tur Bo. This morning she didn’t bark while I put the birds out so I decided to work her first.
I heeled Blaze toward the bird field, whoaed her, walked in front then circled around behind her. I went back in front then came back and tapped her on the head. She flew down the field going back and forth until she hit the scent cone on the first bird and locked up. I took some pictures, walked in front kicking the cover. I’m making them stay on point for longer periods of time than before. When I flushed the bird she never moved. I continued to kick the cover making a large circle around her then went to her and tapped her on the head.
She went back to hunting but she expected to find the second bird close to the first. She tried to go on point without having any scent. I encouraged her to continue hunting by saying “okay” and clapping my hands. I could tell when she hit the scent of the second bird and went on point. I took more pictures, kicked the cover, then made a big circle around her. I came back to her and stroked her sides then went back in front kicking the tall grass. When I finally flushed the bird she never moved. I continued to kick the cover then came back and tapped her on the head.
Whitey
Whitey
The wind was getting stronger out of the south so I heeled Whitey about 100 yards north of where I had hid the farther bird. I whoaed her, then walked a big circle around her. I’m making them stand for longer and longer periods of time on whoa. Finally I tapped her on the head to release her. In this field, it is harder to see the dogs because of the tall grass. I have to watch the grass move as they run through it. When the grass quits moving they are on point. Here, I know where the birds are so I can find the dogs when they go on point but in a hunting situation this is another place for the GPS. I’m surprised how many times I find my dogs on point, 15 to 20 yards, from me and I can’t see them. Before the GPS, we would walk away. Later our dogs would rejoin us and we would have no idea they had birds.
I found Whitey on her first bird and walked a circle around her. I walked back and stroked her sides, telling her what a good dog she is. I walked back out kicking the cover then flushed the pigeon. The only thing that moved was her head as she watched it fly away. I continued to kick the tall grass then came back and tapped her on the head.
I was standing in a different spot and Whitey hit the scent cone a little different than Blaze had because I saw her go on point. I walked in front of her kicking the cover, walked back and stroked her. Then I walked back in front and made a big circle around her. Finally, I walked in front and flushed the bird. She watched it fly away. (As I worked her Blaze was whining but she wasn’t barking.) I continued to kick the cover then tapped her on the head to release her.
Tur Bo
Tur Bo
I heeled Tur Bo about 100 yards north of the farther pigeon I had hidden in the tall grass. I whoaed him then walked a circle around him. He really doesn’t like for me to pass him and go to the rear but he’s getting used to it. Because he’s learning I make him stand on whoa longer than Blaze and Whitey. Finally I tapped him on the head. I had put an e-collar around his neck and he was dragging a check cord that was half hitched around his flanks. When the grass quit moving I went looking for him. He was about 7 or 8 yards from the pigeon when I found him. I whoaed him one time then walked in front of him and took some pictures. As I checked something on the camera he moved up a step. If I had been watching him I might have been able to whoa him before he moved. I whoaed him then picked him up and set him back. When he went back on point I picked up the check cord. I let him stand on point for a little while then flushed the bird. He hit the end of the check cord and stopped. I didn’t jerk on the check cord, I just held it. I picked him up and set him back. When he went back on point I released him by tapping him on the head.
When he pointed his second bird I took some pictures, then went to him and stroked his sides. I picked up the check cord and waited for a minute or more before flushing the pigeon. He hit the end of the check cord then backed up and hit it again. He did this 4 times before he gave up. I picked him up and set him back. After he went back on point I stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is. I let him stand for a couple of minutes then released him.
Dogs learn on repetition. If you’ve never trained a dog you will be surprised at the number of repetitions it takes to get a dog where you want them. You have to be patient and like what you are doing.