March 22, 2009, Steadiness Drills

This is the first point in training where birds are used. A few homing pigeons are essential for my system of training.   I grew up in an English working class mining neighborhood, where many of the characters that populated my Dad's pup kept racing pigeons. So access to a few birds was easy.

I now keep a number of active lofts just to have enough birds for training. I have individual birds that I’ve used to steady dogs for well over ten years.  They live, breed, and function normally and prove to be good working partners for training young dogs. I enjoy raising pigeons just about as much as molding young canine brains.

Step 1

Brea is commanded to “step up” on her crate. I never use the whistle at this point.  I am quietly telling her to “mark” and then I will release the pigeon.
 
It is important for you to allow the young dog to choose its own action.  It is very easy to “make” a dog do what we wish when we are in a position to control its action, but this is not my way.  I believe in putting a dog in a position to choose the right action (the one I desire) from a wrong one whenever possible.  I then reward the dog for making the right choice.  If you do not instill this logic, how will you control your dog when you are not in close proximity?  So, if Brea opts to chase the bird, I do not show any reaction.  I allow her to chase at will and I sit down on the box to await her return.  When she comes back, I tell her “place” and take out an additional pigeon and repeat above.

Step 2

Because, as you may recall, Brea has never been allowed to chase anything, even as a tiny pup, we should see her decide to wait before chasing the bird.  Or, Brea has tried to chase the pigeon and she’s discovered she cannot catch it.  So, at some point, we should see the penny drop and Brea doesn’t leave the box. What I like to see is Brea following the flight path of the bird.  Most dogs that I get in for training will have had a very different start in life than Brea. Generally given this same temptation these pups will undertake chases, sometimes really long chases! As I said before, if this happens I wait for the dog to come back without making a fuss and repeat the process with another pigeon.  I will change the box to varying terrain with really headstrong pups. I look for a location where the released pigeons are forced to fly over significant boundaries like thick hedgerows or creek beds. These obstacles will

Step 3

discourage the pup from following.  First and foremost I make sure the pup can come to no danger, while it’s choosing to chase or not. However it is better to be pro active than retroactive starting a pup in the above manner will alleviate these early problems.