Both Widget and Pixel started their bird work yesterday on their 4 month old birthday. I had them out each three times in 24 hours for fifteen minutes each time. The first time they each had a pigeon in a launcher. It was too windy, crusty snow and a bit difficult… not the best conditions to say the least for 4 month old pups out to have a good time. Both girls were great in the woods and fields. I always work pups one on one until they are at a minimum able to do the job on their own very well, so they had their own one on one time with papa. Widget worked great cruising around the woods confident and working nicely. She caught scent of the bird on the rim of the field from a good 30 yards or more away due to the stiff west wind. As a result she got awful close to the bird by the time she started to go into a point and the bird was released from the launcher. It was an okay experience but I wasn’t happy with my set up given the weather. Pixel worked equally as well and her more cautious approach once in scent resulted in a better quality point at a nicer distance. Later on that afternoon I set up two pigeons in launchers for each one and worked them separately as planned. Both did much better!! Wind was near calm, no snow on ground where we worked this time and better cover for birds. When I brought them out in the field they new what was going on! Today I brought them out after work and gave them each two pigeons different locations in the 7 acre field and they were really pumped was we walked on lead out to the training area. They both worked beautifully and were checking yesterday’s hot spots (I love that when they are using their brains and remember like that, especially so young!) Due to walking in different locations in the field and planting birds in different locations it was quite easy to increase their range. They both had nice points today!! Pixel’s cautiousness is proving to be very desirable on birds thus far. My hyper-smart Widget needs to learn a few more times that those birds will burn her if she tries to sneak up on them!! So amazing and so fun to see what just three times out with fifteen minutes of nose time each time has produced. Stay tuned I’ll get some photos as the girls get further along. Being on top of their bird work is more important than photos so I only snap when the opportunity knocks right now. Everything is timing so the camera is not the priority at the moment. I don’t force anything with young dogs (older ones either for that matter) so right now it’s just me learning them and seeing what they will offer me as we move forward. I let them show me what they need instead of plugging them into a cookie cutter routine. With good dogs less is always more. Well that’s all for now!! Keep in touch!!