We didn’t start training again until the third week of June. The damn black flies in the northeast are so numerous in early summer they are a pain in the you know what. Their bite is worst than mosquito bites.
When we did start where we left off last season I learned she seemed to remember all that she learned. Now it is just repetition and more repetition.
During the summer we took her to places where she could swim in order to cool off in the middle of a hike. We learned Tova could naturally swim like most dogs but she wasn’t into it like a lab or a golden. She’d go in and cool off and then come back out.
By August, we started going back to the farm to hunt pheasants. I wanted her keep her skills sharp for the on coming season which will be her second season hunting in New Hampshire’s woods.
One of the things I enjoy about living here is you can be in the woods in a half and hour or less no matter where you live in the state. It’s the kind of state if you aren’t an outdoors person you are missing a great deal of what it has to offer and won’t get to appreciate its natural beauty.
Having a hunting dog and one who is a super companion with other activities makes all of it even more enjoyable.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Chapter Seven Tova's New Experience
My wife and I have been cross country skiing a number of years. We felt that since Tova was a year and a half and used to hiking with us, she would do well if we took her out in the woods while we cross country skied.
Two days before we are to go skiing my wife comes home with this fleece jacket which has a beautiful checkered assortment of colors. “This is Tova’s winter jacket. I don’t want her getting cold out there, she doesn’t have much hair,” says my wife.
Tova looks at me and of course we have to try the jacket on.
What another one. What is it with you people? I’m a dog I don’t need a coat.
Actually, it looks beautiful on her. My wife is so pleased and after a few minutes even Tova is starting to act as if she feels important in it.
Oh this is neat, I feel warm and fuzzy. Are we going out now?
Saturday arrives and the three of us load up and head out to Depot Road in Auburn NH.
There are plenty of trails there to cross country ski or snow mobile if you have one. In the spring they make good hiking and bike trails.
My wife purchased new bindings for our skis this year and they were a marked improvement over the original bindings that came with the packages.
We load Tova in the Suburban and place the skis and poles in the back.
What are they for? Are they for me? I don’t know about this now…
We are fortunate to find a parking spot and we take out the skiing equipment and remove Tova and place a leash on her to safely cross the road.
Tova watches us putting on the skis and you can see the questions in her eyes, What are you doing? What are they for?
Of course she didn’t have any skis to adjust to. Her good personality of staying close and having a lot of fun running in the snow and trying to chew on scrub pine branches when she could, made us laugh, the three of us had a ball. She’s still in that puppy stage so we had to learn not to holler at her and confuse her. If she was insistent on not paying attention I used a whistle or the electronic collar to get her attention.
She looks at Linda and me gliding on the snow along with the help of our poles. It almost looks as if she is trying to figure out what we are doing.
I have a weird family. They are trying to walk around this stuff on sticks.
Two days before we are to go skiing my wife comes home with this fleece jacket which has a beautiful checkered assortment of colors. “This is Tova’s winter jacket. I don’t want her getting cold out there, she doesn’t have much hair,” says my wife.
Tova looks at me and of course we have to try the jacket on.
What another one. What is it with you people? I’m a dog I don’t need a coat.
Actually, it looks beautiful on her. My wife is so pleased and after a few minutes even Tova is starting to act as if she feels important in it.
Oh this is neat, I feel warm and fuzzy. Are we going out now?
Saturday arrives and the three of us load up and head out to Depot Road in Auburn NH.
There are plenty of trails there to cross country ski or snow mobile if you have one. In the spring they make good hiking and bike trails.
My wife purchased new bindings for our skis this year and they were a marked improvement over the original bindings that came with the packages.
We load Tova in the Suburban and place the skis and poles in the back.
What are they for? Are they for me? I don’t know about this now…
We are fortunate to find a parking spot and we take out the skiing equipment and remove Tova and place a leash on her to safely cross the road.
Tova watches us putting on the skis and you can see the questions in her eyes, What are you doing? What are they for?
Of course she didn’t have any skis to adjust to. Her good personality of staying close and having a lot of fun running in the snow and trying to chew on scrub pine branches when she could, made us laugh, the three of us had a ball. She’s still in that puppy stage so we had to learn not to holler at her and confuse her. If she was insistent on not paying attention I used a whistle or the electronic collar to get her attention.
She looks at Linda and me gliding on the snow along with the help of our poles. It almost looks as if she is trying to figure out what we are doing.
I have a weird family. They are trying to walk around this stuff on sticks.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
A Cowboy's Vengeance
I'm excited about my third book a western thriller, It can be viewed on www.joesmiga3.com or go the the interesting links on this site and click on there. It will keep you interested to the very end.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Chapter Six Learning About Cornfields
Tova has never experienced running in cornfields before so I am curious how this is going to work out.
When we arrive, Ben tells me he wants to do the open field first and then we can try the corn fields.
It’s fine with me. I’m just happy to have my dog running with one who is experienced. This is something she hasn’t had before. When you run an inexperienced dog with one with experience, the inexperience dog normally picks up things from the experienced dog. Not overnight of course; it is a process that you want to continue.
The open field was pretty muddy that morning as we had numerous days of rain before the season opened. Both dogs did their best slouching through the puddles trying to pick up a scent.
After a half an hour of scouring the fields Sam kicks up a rooster who flies in Ben’s direction. Ben leads it for around forty or more yards then fires. Good shot the bird went down with one round. He calls to Sam to fetch the bird. For some reason Sam doesn’t respond to his command. Tova looks at me and Sam looks at me, I don’t want to send Tova as it is Ben’s bird and his dog should do the retrieving.
After three or four more commands, Sam is still adamant about going where the bird is for some reason. Ben trudges over to where the bird dropped, picks it up, and with a disgusted voice says, “Let’s go over to the cornfields.”
At the cornfields Sam rushes right in amongst the stalks and Tova looks up at the tall eight to ten foot heights and looks at me.
What are these things? They’re too big. I’m afraid!
I can sense her fear and intimidation of the height of the stalks and talk gently to her.
“It’s okay, girl. Go ahead in.”
She continues to look at me and I can see she’s not ready to try it.
Meanwhile Sam is running inside of the corn patch, chasing some birds.
I call Tova over to me and give her a few pats of encouragement. I don’t want this remembered as a bad experience for you.
“Stay with me, Tova. It’s okay. You’ll learn.”
Ben turns around and says, “Force her, she needs to learn.”
“No, she’ll learn on her own; that there’s nothing to be afraid of. I’m not going to force her.”
Tova and I separated from Ben and walked around the perimeter of the cornfield. Ben tried to follow Sam’s paths around the field as well.
When we arrive, Ben tells me he wants to do the open field first and then we can try the corn fields.
It’s fine with me. I’m just happy to have my dog running with one who is experienced. This is something she hasn’t had before. When you run an inexperienced dog with one with experience, the inexperience dog normally picks up things from the experienced dog. Not overnight of course; it is a process that you want to continue.
The open field was pretty muddy that morning as we had numerous days of rain before the season opened. Both dogs did their best slouching through the puddles trying to pick up a scent.
After a half an hour of scouring the fields Sam kicks up a rooster who flies in Ben’s direction. Ben leads it for around forty or more yards then fires. Good shot the bird went down with one round. He calls to Sam to fetch the bird. For some reason Sam doesn’t respond to his command. Tova looks at me and Sam looks at me, I don’t want to send Tova as it is Ben’s bird and his dog should do the retrieving.
After three or four more commands, Sam is still adamant about going where the bird is for some reason. Ben trudges over to where the bird dropped, picks it up, and with a disgusted voice says, “Let’s go over to the cornfields.”
At the cornfields Sam rushes right in amongst the stalks and Tova looks up at the tall eight to ten foot heights and looks at me.
What are these things? They’re too big. I’m afraid!
I can sense her fear and intimidation of the height of the stalks and talk gently to her.
“It’s okay, girl. Go ahead in.”
She continues to look at me and I can see she’s not ready to try it.
Meanwhile Sam is running inside of the corn patch, chasing some birds.
I call Tova over to me and give her a few pats of encouragement. I don’t want this remembered as a bad experience for you.
“Stay with me, Tova. It’s okay. You’ll learn.”
Ben turns around and says, “Force her, she needs to learn.”
“No, she’ll learn on her own; that there’s nothing to be afraid of. I’m not going to force her.”
Tova and I separated from Ben and walked around the perimeter of the cornfield. Ben tried to follow Sam’s paths around the field as well.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Chapter Five Two Weeks Later
My wife has been going shopping an unusual number of times for her personality. Both of us really hate to shop. So I know something is up.
About ten days after our first hunt Linda comes up the stairs into the living room and says, “This is for Tova.”
What she hands me is an expensive blaze orange colored hunting vest designed for dogs which also had a sturdy belly protector to guard them against cuts and bruises on their delicate sections.
My wife, who rarely spends money on herself, spent more money on this vest than she would for a dress.
“Let’s try it on her,” she says.
What is this thing? Tova is squirming around while we get her legs through the vest, around her shoulders and over her back and belly.
I don’t need a coat. Do I have to wear this?
“What do you think? How does she look?” Linda asks.
“First of all it will do what you want it to. Second she’s going to be the best dressed dog in the woods.”
Linda gives me that look. You know the look, just leave it alone.
About ten days after our first hunt Linda comes up the stairs into the living room and says, “This is for Tova.”
What she hands me is an expensive blaze orange colored hunting vest designed for dogs which also had a sturdy belly protector to guard them against cuts and bruises on their delicate sections.
My wife, who rarely spends money on herself, spent more money on this vest than she would for a dress.
“Let’s try it on her,” she says.
What is this thing? Tova is squirming around while we get her legs through the vest, around her shoulders and over her back and belly.
I don’t need a coat. Do I have to wear this?
“What do you think? How does she look?” Linda asks.
“First of all it will do what you want it to. Second she’s going to be the best dressed dog in the woods.”
Linda gives me that look. You know the look, just leave it alone.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Chapter Four The Real Thing
I kneel down and remove the clip off of Tova’s collar. Immediately she starts to track.
The grass in the field is not very high and I don’t know where these chukars are sitting. I am trying to guess where they may be so I can walk towards them and give her a little heads up.
She is running and circling as she detects bird scent. Some could be old tracks and others could be being carried with the breeze. About fifty-feet into the field she stops and points.
I don’t see any bird there and the grass is not very tall so I am skeptical that she has a bird.
I tell her there’s no bird there but she wouldn’t break point.
I heard you say to move, there’s no bird there. You can’t see it. Don’t make me move. You need to get it out, I’m doing my part.
Slowly and cautiously I approach the area right in front of her. I have to look straight down into the patch of grass. By God, there is a chukar looking straight up at me. It is nestled down so far I couldn’t get a glimpse of it until I looked straight down at it. She located her first bird.
She must have read my mind.
See, I showed you there is one there.
I stepped backwards a foot and kicked the pile of grass. Upwards flew the chukar and Tova got to see her first bird in flight. I let it get out a ways before I fired then she headed right for it.
The next thing surprised me, something I had not thought of. When the bird dropped she went over to it sniffed it and went off to look for another one. I called her back holding the bird in my hand. She returned and sniffed the bird and looked at me.
Yeah, I saw it, what do you want, I found it for you and you shot it, let’s go get another one. Should be more out here.
I placed the chukar in my hunting vest.
The second chukar wasn’t far from where I downed the first bird and it took off just as we were moving around the field. I fired at it but missed. By this time we are half way down the field heading towards the opening in the stone wall to go into the woods. Since the chukar went into the woods I was more interested in going after the roosters that Pam placed.
“Come on Tova, this way, girl. We’ve got some bigger surprises for you than chukars.”
Hey, there’s more space out here we need to check to see if we can find some more before we leave.
She keeps tracking until she sees me heading for the break in the stone wall then she comes running to be alongside of me.
One of Tova’s great attributes is she likes to stay close. She is never more than forty yards off from me. I have a bell on her collar just in case she decides to take off. You never know what a new dog will do when it can become totally distracted with the hunt. She also has a Tri-Tronics electronic collar on her in case she doesn’t respond. I don’t want her getting lost or possibly running across a road and getting hit by a car. The collar and transmitter has a range of a mile.
As we walk through the opening in the stone wall, I am wondering where Pam has placed the roosters.
We walk slowly for awhile without any indication from Tova that she has picked up a scent. As we come out of the tree line to a small meadow she makes a dash for a brush pile and freezes directly in front of it in a solid point.
After what I learned from the chukar she found I was never going to question her nose again.
Slowly, I move closer to her and suddenly the rooster comes up through the brush pile as if he was shot out of cannon. I nailed him about fifty yards away and he tumbled to the ground. She ran after him when he fell and sniffed around him as if she were checking to see if he was still alive. I tried to get her more interested in the dead bird but no dice.
I just praise her to make sure she realizes I am happy. “Good girl! Nice work! Let’s go find the others.”
This is a big bird. He’s a lot bigger than the other one.
I put him in my hunting vest along with the chukar.
The grass in the field is not very high and I don’t know where these chukars are sitting. I am trying to guess where they may be so I can walk towards them and give her a little heads up.
She is running and circling as she detects bird scent. Some could be old tracks and others could be being carried with the breeze. About fifty-feet into the field she stops and points.
I don’t see any bird there and the grass is not very tall so I am skeptical that she has a bird.
I tell her there’s no bird there but she wouldn’t break point.
I heard you say to move, there’s no bird there. You can’t see it. Don’t make me move. You need to get it out, I’m doing my part.
Slowly and cautiously I approach the area right in front of her. I have to look straight down into the patch of grass. By God, there is a chukar looking straight up at me. It is nestled down so far I couldn’t get a glimpse of it until I looked straight down at it. She located her first bird.
She must have read my mind.
See, I showed you there is one there.
I stepped backwards a foot and kicked the pile of grass. Upwards flew the chukar and Tova got to see her first bird in flight. I let it get out a ways before I fired then she headed right for it.
The next thing surprised me, something I had not thought of. When the bird dropped she went over to it sniffed it and went off to look for another one. I called her back holding the bird in my hand. She returned and sniffed the bird and looked at me.
Yeah, I saw it, what do you want, I found it for you and you shot it, let’s go get another one. Should be more out here.
I placed the chukar in my hunting vest.
The second chukar wasn’t far from where I downed the first bird and it took off just as we were moving around the field. I fired at it but missed. By this time we are half way down the field heading towards the opening in the stone wall to go into the woods. Since the chukar went into the woods I was more interested in going after the roosters that Pam placed.
“Come on Tova, this way, girl. We’ve got some bigger surprises for you than chukars.”
Hey, there’s more space out here we need to check to see if we can find some more before we leave.
She keeps tracking until she sees me heading for the break in the stone wall then she comes running to be alongside of me.
One of Tova’s great attributes is she likes to stay close. She is never more than forty yards off from me. I have a bell on her collar just in case she decides to take off. You never know what a new dog will do when it can become totally distracted with the hunt. She also has a Tri-Tronics electronic collar on her in case she doesn’t respond. I don’t want her getting lost or possibly running across a road and getting hit by a car. The collar and transmitter has a range of a mile.
As we walk through the opening in the stone wall, I am wondering where Pam has placed the roosters.
We walk slowly for awhile without any indication from Tova that she has picked up a scent. As we come out of the tree line to a small meadow she makes a dash for a brush pile and freezes directly in front of it in a solid point.
After what I learned from the chukar she found I was never going to question her nose again.
Slowly, I move closer to her and suddenly the rooster comes up through the brush pile as if he was shot out of cannon. I nailed him about fifty yards away and he tumbled to the ground. She ran after him when he fell and sniffed around him as if she were checking to see if he was still alive. I tried to get her more interested in the dead bird but no dice.
I just praise her to make sure she realizes I am happy. “Good girl! Nice work! Let’s go find the others.”
This is a big bird. He’s a lot bigger than the other one.
I put him in my hunting vest along with the chukar.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Chapter Three Beginning Hunting Skills
As spring approached, we worked out in the yard four to five times a week re-enforcing her training and starting to teach her to fetch plastic training dummies, as well as a dead pheasant trainer. Training dogs to fetch and release takes a great deal of time and patience.
Hey you threw it to me; now it’s mine. In their mind if they have it; possession is nine tenths of the law, you have to work long and patient at getting them to realize they aren’t supposed to run away with it.
No matter what we did during the day; we always had family time with our dog. The rule for her being off the couch and bed didn’t last very long. When she wanted cuddling she would get up alongside of Linda and place her head on Linda’s lap. That was the message.
Keep it up mom that feels great. I can lie here a long time while you rub my back. See I can even turn so you do my belly.
When she wanted to rough house, she knew Linda wasn’t into it so she could coax me into playing on the floor with her. She was really funny, especially if I had a long day on the road and she wasn’t about to take excuses, she would put her teeth around two fingers of my hand and try to pull me off of the coach.
I haven’t seen you all day and now you’re going to lie on the couch. Not if I have anything to say. See it wasn’t that hard for you to get up.
Needless to say, I gave in to her. As one of our other dog friends said, “She had me well trained.”
Every weekend in May through July, Tova and I would go out into the fields two towns over. I would tie her to a tree and drag a dummy soaked with pheasant scent around and across the field. She didn’t like being left in that manner. When I released her she would follow the scent trails where I dragged the dummy through the grass. On the opposite end of the fields she would have her reward a dummy soaked smelling like a pheasant. She would walk around with it in her mouth so proud of her accomplishments I could see the hint of happiness in her eyes.
You thought you were going to get away with hiding this on me didn’t you. You can almost see in her eyes.
In July, I started using a .22 caliber blank gun to see how she reacted to gun shots. It never phased her one bit. I guess it goes back to the breeder telling me they would fire shotguns so the puppies could get used to the noise and not feel threatened by it. I’m not sure if that was the reason but she definitely wasn’t gun shy, thank God. It can really be a bitch for a hunter to have a dog who is gun shy.
Next, we try real pheasants at the preserve.
Hey you threw it to me; now it’s mine. In their mind if they have it; possession is nine tenths of the law, you have to work long and patient at getting them to realize they aren’t supposed to run away with it.
No matter what we did during the day; we always had family time with our dog. The rule for her being off the couch and bed didn’t last very long. When she wanted cuddling she would get up alongside of Linda and place her head on Linda’s lap. That was the message.
Keep it up mom that feels great. I can lie here a long time while you rub my back. See I can even turn so you do my belly.
When she wanted to rough house, she knew Linda wasn’t into it so she could coax me into playing on the floor with her. She was really funny, especially if I had a long day on the road and she wasn’t about to take excuses, she would put her teeth around two fingers of my hand and try to pull me off of the coach.
I haven’t seen you all day and now you’re going to lie on the couch. Not if I have anything to say. See it wasn’t that hard for you to get up.
Needless to say, I gave in to her. As one of our other dog friends said, “She had me well trained.”
Every weekend in May through July, Tova and I would go out into the fields two towns over. I would tie her to a tree and drag a dummy soaked with pheasant scent around and across the field. She didn’t like being left in that manner. When I released her she would follow the scent trails where I dragged the dummy through the grass. On the opposite end of the fields she would have her reward a dummy soaked smelling like a pheasant. She would walk around with it in her mouth so proud of her accomplishments I could see the hint of happiness in her eyes.
You thought you were going to get away with hiding this on me didn’t you. You can almost see in her eyes.
In July, I started using a .22 caliber blank gun to see how she reacted to gun shots. It never phased her one bit. I guess it goes back to the breeder telling me they would fire shotguns so the puppies could get used to the noise and not feel threatened by it. I’m not sure if that was the reason but she definitely wasn’t gun shy, thank God. It can really be a bitch for a hunter to have a dog who is gun shy.
Next, we try real pheasants at the preserve.
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