Training Group

[mitch]

I remember reading about a training group on here last spring. I really wanted to go, but other things came up and I couldn't make it to any. Does anyone know if that is happening again this spring?

[kentuck_ike]

That was me. It isn't going on now, but I would be willing to start it up again in a month or so if there is enough interest.

[Da Biggin]

What type of training? I have a GSP that am I always looking to improve. So if the training will consist of hunting in range and teacking down game I am more than interested!

[Tinkhamtown]

Have nice training and shooting grounds, birds pigeons @ $5.00 per, and water. Look for a couple of dog trainers in the White Bear Lake, Hugo, Forest Lake area. PM me with your type of dog and a little bid of your history plus what you want to train on. Thanks

Tink

[Tinkhamtown]

Kala a six month old soft and a little timid yellow Lab female came out with her owner yesterday 5/24/11. Initial owner request want was to purchase 3 pigeons and shoot over dog.

Kala is house broken would heel, sit, and kennel a little but didn’t have any real bird experience. Went over basic obedience how to put on choke collar, heeling, sit, stay, come call 2 out of six sits, walk backs 4 out of six sits, heeling start with left foot, stay start with right foot, how to use collar correctly, the whistle commands for sit-come-turn.

Showed how to rubber band a pigeon wing, tape a pigeon wing, and clip a pigeon wing so they will not fly away. Not wanting to put the cart in front of the horse, we did not put on the new electric collar the owner had brought explaining the collar would be used to enforce commands that Kala new well. We also did not take the 410 pistol in to the field; we would be introducing Kala to birds and retrieving.

Walked into field far enough so we could train into the wind. Owner held pigeon so the wings would not flap and teased Kala into chasing the pigeon getting her excited and encouraging her to mouth the bird body and tail feathers. When Kala mouthed bird lots of praise and encougement were given. Next Kala was teased back and forth and when she was following the bird it was thrown 25 yards with Kala in hot pursuit. When she got to the bird she circled the flapping bird and tried numerous times to pickup it up. This went on for a long 3 to 5 minutes, the owner was told to keep quite several times and not distract the dog from her job and learning. The owner was ready with whistle to call Kala in as soon as she had the bird in her mouth. I walked out to the bird and locked its wings together so it could not flap and threw it a short distance. Kala chased and after a short time had the pigeon in her mouth her owner used the whistle and called come and Kala returned with her 1st retrieve. Lots and lots of lavish praise from both the owner and me let her know this was absolutely the very best thing she had ever done! This pigeon was wet and had a few feathers missing so we switched to the other two birds we had with and threw retrieves 25 to 30 yards with Kala getting better and faster pickups on each retrieve.

Next we quarter Kala into the wind with Kala and her owner in between helper Bob 20 yards to right and me 20 yards to the left. Kala was sent toward me and I call Hay Hay Hay and teased her with the pigeon when she got to me I hide the bird, Kala’s owner two tooted the whistle and helper Bob on the right repeated the calling and teasing process. The third time Kala went to Bob he threw the pigeon 45 degrees to the outside and front. Kala chased the pigeon and made the retrieve. We repeated this quartering when Kala came to me a third time I threw the pigeon 45 degrees outside and to the front. She made the retrieve and we stopped training put Kala on leash went back to the house for beer-pop and a nice talk on front porch.

Tink

[Kyhl]

There is a Southern MN Pointer Club that meets Wed's nights through the summer in Prior Lake that has quail and homers for training. You can google the name for more information.

Members are from all levels, from judges to people like me that only do it for a hobby.

<== Picture came from practicing on a homer a couple years ago.

[mitch]

I would be interested in doing the training group. I want to get my GSP pointing this summer.

[Ron Burgundy]

I'd like to try it again. Chili could use some work on releasing the bird after I actually hit one. She tore after them but wouldn't bring them back, then I had to work a little to get the bird from her. Maybe work on quartering some.