Tur Bo
Tur Bo
Last week we got 3 3/4 inches of rain followed a few nights later by a 1/2 inch of rain. Everything was muddy so I didn’t train until this morning. The temperature was in the low 60’s with almost no wind. I hid 3 pigeons for Tur Bo in a straight line, at the very back of the training grounds, so he would have to hunt all of the cover before finding the birds. The release traps were only about 5 or 6 feet apart in thick weeds.
I whoaed Tur Bo near the 4-wheeler after heeling him from the kennel with e-collars on his neck and flanks. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and put it in gear. I released him with an okay. He really wanted to go before I said okay but he hates to ride on the 4-wheeler. If he breaks before I say okay, I stop him with e-collar on his flanks and load him on the 4-wheeler for a slow ride back to the starting point. He doesn’t like that.
He hunted the first part and the middle before going on point at the back of the training grounds. I took some pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the farthest pigeon from him and he took a couple of steps. I shot the blank pistol and he took a couple more steps. I held the button on the transmitter down, on level 3, until I picked him up and set him back. As soon as his feet touched the ground I let off the button.
When he went back on point I took more pictures then walked in front of him. I kicked the cover and flushed the pigeon. He took a couple of steps and when I shot the blank pistol he took a couple more. I turned the e-collar to level 5 and held the button down until I set him back. As soon as his feet touched the ground I let off the button.
He went back on point and I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon that was just a few yards in front of him. He didn’t move until I shot the blank pistol. He only took one step but I held the button on the e-collar, on his flanks, down until I set him back. When his feet touched the ground I let off the button. He went back on point and I kicked in front of him then got on the 4-wheeler. I started it, put it in gear and released him with an okay. He hunted back to the kennel.
My grandson, Isaac.
Blaze
Blaze
When I was taking Tur Bo back to the kennel my grandson, Isaac, came over so he rode the 4-wheeler behind me while I put out pigeons and trained the other 2 dogs. We spread the pigeons out instead of leaving them as they were for Tur Bo. I heeled Blaze out near the 4-wheeler with e-collars on her neck and flanks. I put her on whoa, got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear and released her with an okay.
Blaze was buried in the thick cover when she pointed the middle pigeon. I took some pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and it landed right in front of Blaze. It didn’t even try to fly. That was more than she could stand. She grabbed the pigeon and I started saying fetch. The normal reaction when a dog catches a bird is for the owner to say no, loudly. Or to grab their dog and take the pigeon from them. A pigeon is worth 4 or 5 dollars and your dog is worth a lot so just use it as a retrieving exercise. She turned the bird loose at my feet and I put it back in the cage on the 4-wheeler to be returned to the pigeon coop.
She pointed the pigeon at the back of the training grounds next and I took more pictures. I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. At the shot she took a step. I held the button on the transmitter, on level 4, down on the e-collar on her flanks and set her back. When her feet hit the ground I let off the button. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear and released her with an okay.
Isaac and I were looking for Blaze near the other pigeon when we saw just the end of her tail sticking up. I took more pictures the walked in front of her kicking the weeds. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I stroked her sides then got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear then released her with an okay. She hunted back to the kennel.
Luke
Luke
We heeled Luke out with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. I whoaed him near the 4-wheeler, got on, started it, put it in gear and released him with an okay. I saw him go into the area where Blaze had caught the pigeon. There must have been a lot of scent in the area. Then he pointed the pigeon in the release trap. I took pictures then kicked in front of him. I flushed the bird and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear then said okay to release him.
I pointed the pigeon at the back of the training grounds. I took more pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I stroked his sides then walked in front of him, kicking the weeds. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and put it in gear. I waited for about 20 seconds before releasing him.
He hunted back to the other end of the training grounds and pointed again. I took pictures then walked in front of him, kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I stroked his sides then got on the 4-wheeler. I started it, put it in gear and said okay to release him. He hunted back to the kennel.
This was the first time that Isaac had been with me when I was training dogs. Maybe, along with training the young dogs I was also training a young man. I still remember some things my grandfather taught me. Maybe today will stay with him.