Tur Bo
Tur Bo
Another cool morning. It was about 60 degrees when I came out to work the dogs this morning. Instead of the usual way of putting the birds out I decided to put them about 20 yards apart. Whichever the dog points I will flush the other, first.
I brought Tur Bo out first with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. I started the 4-wheeler and released him with an okay. When he pointed, the second bird was about 15 yards behind him. I took pictures, then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I shot the blank pistol and he flinched but he didn’t move. I flushed the pigeon that was behind him and shot the blank pistol. He turned his head to look but he never moved. I continued to kick the tall weeds and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. He knew the bird he was smelling was still in front of him. I continued to kick the cover then flushed the pigeon. Tur Bo took a step when the pigeon flushed. I picked him up and set him back. I kicked the cover and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I shot the blank pistol 6 times, total. I went to him and stroked his sides then tapped him on the head to release him. I let him run for a while before going back to the kennel.
Blaze watching a pigeon fly away.
Blaze
I replaced the pigeon and reloaded the blank pistol. I put the e-collars around Blaze’s neck and flanks. I heeled her out near the 4-wheeler and put her on whoa. I started the 4-wheeler and released her with an okay. When she pointed she was almost in the same tracks as Tur Bo. I took pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I shot the blank pistol and she didn’t move. I continued to kick the tall weeds and flushed the pigeon that was behind her. Even when I shot the blank pistol she didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover and shot the blank pistol. I then shot the blank pistol, flushed the pigeon that she was pointing and shot the blank pistol again. She still didn’t move. I shot the blank pistol again and when she didn’t move I went to her and stroked her sides. I tapped her on the head to release her. We went to the front then to the back before returning to the kennel.
Luke
Luke
I brought Luke out with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. Before quail season last fall Luke was moving on his birds. He would point and when I got close he would flush the birds. I kept whoaing him and setting him back and he finally quit moving. Now he is steady on the flush and shot most of the time. To keep him there I will have to reinforce it throughout the season.
Luke pointed the pigeon in the same release trap as the other two dogs did but he was farther from it. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I shot the blank pistol and he didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, flushed the pigeon that was behind him and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. He knew the bird he was pointing was still there. I continued to kick the tall weeds and shoot the blank pistol. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I fired the blank pistol a total of 6 times and flushed two pigeons and he never moved. I stroked his sides and tapped him on the head for the release. I let him run for a while before going back to the kennel.
Each day on the training I write about the same things because that’s what we do. Dogs learn through repetition so we repeat the same things until they get it right. Hopefully, the next week or two I will be able to take the dogs hunting and we will see if the training carries over to the field.