Blaze
Blaze
It was really cool this morning for July, about 60 degrees and it’s supposed to be even cooler in the morning. I hid 3 pigeons on the training grounds. I decided, this morning, to make Blaze, Luke and Tur Bo stay on point after I flush the pigeon, shoot the blank pistol, get back on the 4-wheeler,start the 4-wheeler and write on my note pad. Then I will say okay for their release. If they move on the flush of the pigeon I won’t shoot the blank pistol. This will teach them to stand for a longer period after the flush and shot.
I brought Blaze out with the e-collars on, one on her neck and one on her flanks. I heeled her out near the 4-wheeler and said whoa. I got on the 4-wheeler and started it and she stayed until I said okay. She went all the way to the back and pointed the farthest pigeon I had hidden. I walked in front of her kicking the cover then flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler and started it then got my note book out and wrote some notes on her first bird then said okay. She waited for me to say okay.
She pointed her second bird and I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She was steady to the flush but took a step at the shot. I picked her up and set her back. I walked in front of her then got on the 4-wheeler and started it. She moved a step when I started it so I turned the key off, picked her up and set her back. I got back on the 4-wheeler,started it, wrote in my note pad and said okay to release her. She stood until I said okay.
She pointed her third bird and I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and she took a step so I didn’t shoot the blank pistol. I picked her up and set her back then kicked in front of her. I got back on the 4-wheeler, started it then started writing on my note pad and she turned her body to watch me while my eyes were down. I shut the 4-wheeler off, picked her up and set her back. I got on the 4-wheeler,started it and wrote on the note pad. Finally, I said okay to release her. She hunted back to the kennel.
Tur Bo
Tur Bo
I heeled Tur Bo out with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. I whoaed him near the 4-wheeler. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it then said okay. He waited on me to say okay before he moved. The first bird he pointed, he was pretty close to but the wind was at his rear. I don’t know how they can smell a bird like this but it happens. I have been holding his collar when I flush the birds but this morning I decided that sooner or later I was going to have to be in front of him. I kicked the cover in front of him, said whoa and flushed the pigeon. He didn’t move and I said whoa and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move so I went to him, stroked his sides and told him what a good boy he is. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, wrote on my note pad then said okay to release him. He waited for me to say okay before he moved.
He pointed his second bird and I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I said whoa, flushed the pigeon, said whoa and shot the blank pistol. He was steady at the flush but he took a couple of steps at the shot. I picked him up and set him back. When he went back on point I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, wrote on my note pad and said okay. He waited for my okay before he moved.
This morning he was going from one bird to the next like he had hid the pigeons. He pointed the third bird and I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and it hung up on a weed or limb for just a second but when it fluttered a little he started moving. I didn’t shoot the blank pistol. He only moved about 10 or 15 feet before he stopped. I picked him up and carried him back. When he went back on point I walked in front of him kicking the cover then got on the 4-wheeler. I started it, wrote on my note pad, then said okay. He waited on my okay before he moved. He hadn’t got to run much so I ran him to the back on both sides before going back to the kennel.
Luke
Luke
I heeled Luke out, with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. I whoaed him near the 4-wheeler, got on, started it and said okay. He waited for my okay before moving. He pointed his first pigeon and I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, wrote on my note pad and said okay. He waited for the okay.
He pointed his second bird and I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and he was steady but when I shot the blank pistol he took a step. I saw his front feet move. I’m not sure that his back feet moved. I set him back then went in front of him kicking the cover. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, wrote on my note pad then said okay. He went to hunting at my okay.
He went on the wrong side of the third bird a couple of times before he finally pointed. I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, wrote on my note pad then released him with an okay. I let him run for a while before returning to the kennel.
When I’m working Blaze and Luke I seldom whoa them. They are older and know what they are supposed to do. I whoa Tur Bo so he will start to anticipate a whoa when a bird flushes or at a gun shot. Just last week, Blaze and Tur Bo, wouldn’t stand for me to get on the 4-wheeler and start it. Now they are standing for the break away and most times standing in the field for me to get on and start it. This morning I added to the time that they must stand by making them stay while I write on the note pad. That’s the way dogs learn. Delmar Smith in his book “Best Way To Train A Birddog” says it’s like adding lengths in a chain. You teach one thing then add to it.
Luke went on the wrong side of one of his birds several times. Hiding these pigeons, for the dogs, shows me how easy it is to miss birds in the field. If the dog goes on the wrong side of the bird, most times, he can’t smell it. A lot of years ago, Dennis Garrison and I watched one of his dogs, Nick an English setter, run by a quail that was sitting in a corn field, out in the open, several times. Nick was a good dog but when he was on the wrong side he couldn’t smell the quail.