Pigeons and Water

labman626 · Post by **labman626** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 7:41 am

I have a dog that I am working with to build retrieve desire she hates bumpers but loves birds. I have her delivering live pigeons to hand how can I use the live pigeons in water without them drowning?

DonF · Post by **DonF** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 10:40 am

Shoot them first! Are you saying your dog won't pick up a dead bird, only a live one?

mask · Post by **mask** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 11:13 am

Pigeons can float, sort of swim, and can sometimes take off out of water. They won't drown unless they get held under.

Bluesky2012 · Post by **Bluesky2012** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 7:18 pm

Pull those flight feathers, get a buddy to throw em and have fun. You can kill a bumper before a pigeon. Just kidding but seriously do that. The pigeon will survive in the water.

gundogguy · Post by **gundogguy** » Sat May 03, 2014 3:55 am

Bluesky2012 wrote:Pull those flight feathers, get a buddy to throw em and have fun. You can kill a bumper before a pigeon. Just kidding but seriously do that. The pigeon will survive in the water.

Clarification "pull the flight feathers from only one wing" A clipped wing pigeon as we call'em will do just fine for some water retrieves. Though FF might solve that bumper issue
then you would have a dog that complied instead of avoided. Avoidance is a slippery slope to independence and non compliance in other areas.

CoolHandLukeGSP · Post by **CoolHandLukeGSP** » Sat May 03, 2014 1:49 pm

DonF wrote:Shoot them first!

Now that's funny!

Rockett · Post by **Rockett** » Sat May 03, 2014 3:19 pm

We use pigeons at trials here in Australia. Just remember their feathers aren't water repellant like a duck so after a few retrieves they will be really wet, one is good though.

scsims · Post by **scsims** » Sun May 04, 2014 7:11 pm

I have a field I train my pup in near a pond. A couple times a carded pigeon has land on the pond, and they float till the wind pushes them over to the side.

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