Barrel Training Part 2

Once you have your dog standing still on the barrel, I like to work multiple dogs as I believe this leads to natural backing. However, if you are only working one dog, always start off on the barrel, even after you have the dog standing still, then go to the ground.

Notice in the following pictures, I point my hand at both dogs as an unspoken 'whoa'. I am walking very slow, pushing the pigeon on the ground as it is walking in front of the dogs. Pen raised quail will never be a problem if you do this several times successfully. Notice that both dogs are focused entirely on the bird, paying no attention to me.

Take your time. Go slow. Make the bird walk all around, not fly. You have already flown the bird ing the dogs' faces. The young dog we are really working is the one on the stake-out. In a trial you won't have a barrel to stand them on, so put them on the ground.

In the next two pictures, I am again walking the pigeon, and pointing my hand at each of the dogs. This is an unsaid 'whoa'. This comes from what you did when you first started out on the barrel, and walked out front, pointed your hand, said 'whoa' just once, and touched him with the e-collar on its lowest setting.

In this picture, I sit and let the dogs stand focused on the pigeon as it walks around in front of them. I sometimes sit for 5 minutes or more. I'll drink a cup of coffee and mentor someone on the psychology of letting the dogs 'break' themselves, as they stand and watch this bird. I take this kind of a break to break this work into three sessions. So the dogs are watching the pigeon walking three different times.

Once I have 'walked' the pigeon for 3 sessions (can be all one trip to the work station), it is time to go to the field.

I have pigeon poles all over my hay meadow, you can use just one anywhere. Once the dog has pointed, walk out in front, point your finger, touch with the e-collar on low, do not say a word, and flush the bird. If they want to whirl and watch one fly off at this point, I pay no never mind, as long as they do not try to move forward.

Notice the hand on the e-collar control, no check cord in hand, the dog is on its own. But do not use the e-collar except on low to hit just once as you walk out in front to flush. Never use it to punish the dog around birds.

I pay no mind to this kind of 'watching' the bird fly off.  Notice the feet do not move. This was her first 'steady to flight'. Her first bird after 'barrel work' part two. From now on you can count on the dog being steady with birds walking or flying in front of the dog. Now you can polish with things like standing with intensity after flush, stop to flush, and backing. All of which you have taught with this kind of barrel work.

You can never put your hands on your dog too much. Always end with lots of hands on praise. I walk back to my dogs with both hands out front where the dog can see them. They take this as a stand still sign until you reach them, touch them, and release them.

Questions?