This month we will start our series on field training
pointing dogs. You now have completed the yard training 5 Lesson series. If you
missed some or all of this program, you can go back the last 5 months (March
through July) to learn or review this series. Your dog must be WHOA broke in
order to proceed with the field training series.
We start our pointing dogs in field training with a simple
FLY AWAY drill. Here we are teaching the dog that he cannot catch birds on the
wing. The best birds for training in this program are pigeons. Either feral, or
better yet, homing pigeons as they return to the loft and can be used multiple
times. In either case this is an inexpensive way to teach your dog not to
chase. Do not use pen raised quail or chukars for this drill as they tend to
fly only a short distance or not at all which is counter productive to this
part of the training.
Get yourself a bird bag with shoulder strap. Place several
pigeons in the bag and send your dog out for a quartering drill in the field.
As the dog is running along toss out a bird so the dog can see it. He/she will
chase the bird and that is what we want. DO NOT COMMAND WHOA at this point.
Re-call the dog (HERE or COME) in after the dog has chased for a while. Repeat
the process until the dog only takes a couple steps or does not chase at all.
Now he/she has learned they cannot catch a flushed bird! Repeat this drill
several training sessions until the dog consistently stops and does not chase
at all. This drill is important as he/she will learn to remain staunch on point
sooner and will not have a tendency to “creep in” after establishing point.
You and your dog have a whole month to work on this. Then
he/she will be ready for the next step, Staunchness on point. See you again next month.
C J, Shawnee,& Duchess