Sunday, December 19, 2010

Training at Carrizo Springs

We have been down here 5 days now. Every dog here has been on wild birds some handled it like a pro some like a puppy.

Tucker - Multiple covey finds and some singles work

Dot - Multiple covey finds and some memorable singles work

Red - Having a ball as a puppy bumping and chasing wild birds

Beast - Doing well some points some knock and chase

Jessie - Several really nice broke finds

Lily - Great work on singles and coveys many broke pieces of work

Trio - Pointing and finding some birds - making progress

Rocky - Old champ - never or hardly ever makes a mistake

Knikki - Fast turning into a pro wild bird dog

Cullen - Multiple finds

All and all it has been a great 5 days of training - I will probably head back to Waco on Tuesday or Weds.

Keith - Posting from the Texas Brush Country

Monday, October 4, 2010

Great Trial day

Well, our first trial of the season was a great success. I ran 9 dogs and placed 5 of them - We got two 1sts, two 2nds and a 3rd place in the Waco Birdhunters Trial (walking shooting dog)

The following people/dogs have trophies to pick up when you get a chance.

Dutch Shultz (Rocky)- 1s Place Open Shooting Dog
Bourke Harvey (Lily) - 1st Place Open Derby
Terry Tuley (Annie) - 2nd Place Open Puppy
Georgia Brown (Cullen) - 3rd Place Open Shooting Dog
Leon Davis (Cisco) 2nd - Open Derby

I am pretty tired but I feel great overall.

Keith - Posting from Under the Live Oaks

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Home at last

Made it home after a pretty uneventful trip back to TX. Took a long time travelling alone is always a bit of a hard row.

Anyway, got everyone back in one piece and will be busy cleaning up the house and kennel today and getting moved back in but tomorrow should be back at it after I pick up quail to start training need to get someone to mow and groom the farm - the summer rains left it pretty much a jungle.

So, there it is - great summer behind me. Need to get some more things done yet but overall it was very good.

Keith - Posting from Under the Live Oaks

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Almost done for the summer

Got a bit more training to get done - been a rough week for weather but the dogs are doing well. I am hoping to be back in TX on Thursday. So, that is the plan - arriving back in Texas on the 30th of Sept. If I get that done - then I will turn around and head up to Arnett, OK to attend the Colorado Shooting Dog Championship and will be back around the 10th of October. I will have someone taking care of the dogs while I am gone but I can't guarantee that someone will be at the kennel during that time to meet owners - so if you can't pick up the dogs on the 30th then the next window will be 10th of October.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

PS. I would like to campaign the following dogs in AKC Field Trials and/or some American Field trials

Dot
Tucker
Maggie
Jill
Jessie and/or Lily
Beast (Need to find an owner for this nice son of my dog Cullen)
Lucy (Not sure if Irish Red and Whites are eligible yet, but this is one bird finding tough little dog)
Tech (breed restricted - viszla, weims etc)
Knikki
Jackie
Trudy (we need to find an owner for her - she is gonna be a winner right out of the gate)

Friday, September 17, 2010

Good day training

Today, was pretty overcast, windy and cool. But, I went out and worked a bunch of dogs. We had a great day training overall.

Tech - Good run, smooth and great pattern - no finds.

Cullen - Nice easy handling shooting dog race, broke find on a big bunch of sharptails and a nice stop to flush on another group. Super pleased with the work of this young irish setter - he found himself in the middle of a group of sharptails that upon my approach got up all around him - handled like a pro with manners.

Lola - Nice run with a pheasant find - broke at the flush. Worked a bunch better today.

Xena - Braced with Lola - had a pheasant find - broke at flush, really nice job for both the young dogs.

Otto - Multiple contacts with pheasants and pointed his last bird. Coming along finally.

Beast - Multiple finds and contacts with pheasants, handling well and starting to hunt much better.

Tripp - 3 finds - broke at flush all on pheasants and multiple contacts with other flushing birds - Big improvement

Lucy - Multiple contacts with pheasants - 3 points on pheasants - broke at flush or knocked them - nice job overall.

Good Day overall. Starting to pack up things

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Weather being a pain

Worked some dogs last night and it worked out pretty well for some - not so good for others.

Tucker - Had a nice broke find and 2 stop to flushes - as well as some not so nice work so corrections were made.

Jakey - Had sensory overload - in field with hundreds of pheasants - corrections were made often. We did have a broke find and a couple broke stop to flushes afterwards

Mac - Ran a nice race - honored another dog - ran over a few birds - had no finds.

Lola - Ran a nice hunting dog party, with two finds that she broke at flush - but I was pleased with the work of this young female.

I was overall very happy with the dogs - birds are getting spooky and are getting into larger and larger groups which makes it difficult to get them pointed.

Raining this morning hoping it will break so that we can work dogs this evening.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Monday, September 13, 2010

Worked late today

I still had to get some stuff done in the trailer so I worked all the dogs this evening - we had a great workout.

Beast - Had a nice find on a pheasant - ran well. I am pleased with this young dogs progress.

Gunner - Had a nice pheasant find - he held through the flush and shot, but broke about 5 seconds before I got to him to release him - still a great piece of work for this dog - he has come a long ways. Still running a bit too big for my tastes will work on this.

Chance - Did a nice job - he had a honor - after being cautioned and corrected. He went on to have a broke find - with multiple pheasants flushing around him immediately after the honor. He had another find and broke at the flush, for which he was corrected and stopped. But, he is doing well

Rita - Ran her in a bird rich cut field - She had 3 finds she broke at either the flush or shot but was stopped by either cautioning her or correcting her. She had a broke stop to flush while 10-20 birds flushed around her. She has come a long ways - when she first got here she would run and bust every bird in the country - now although she sometimes reverts back she can be stopped on command.

Xena - Still not ranging far - she is having a hard time finding birds because of this - they flush wild on her because either the horses, KMule or I'm walking them up, just not ranging enough to pin these wild running and flushing pheasants.

Dolly - Had a derby broke find on pheasant (meaning she pointed and held until I flushed the bird ) and ranged well, covered the ground in a pleasing pattern

Tanner - Ran solo and would not range - put down with Jill and he ranged (weird) better and had 2 non productives - he still hasn't figured out how to pin these running birds.

Jill - 4 nice finds on pheasants - she broke at the flush. Ranged well, loves birds.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Friday, September 10, 2010

Weather raising concern


Well, the last two days I have only been able to work dogs in the morning but we got enough done.

Gunner - Ran a big hunting dog race, with a stop to flush.

Cullen - Broke find on sharptails and a stop to flush on a pheasant

Chance - Had a pretty nice ground pattern and one pheasant find

Jessie - Had a big running race with no birds, but handled very well

Dolly - Had a nice find (derby broke) on sharptail - after a couple good corrections she stood broke through flush and shot

Trevor - Short hunting dog run - nice find on sharptail.

Mac - Big run - no bird contact

Tanner - Couple of non-productives on running pheasant - handled well

Xena - Nice hunting dog ground pattern - one find on pheasant

Tucker - Had a nice 20 minute run - one broke find on pheasant, and a stop to flush

Maggie - Nice even race, and had a nice green broke find - took a couple steps at shot but stopped after I cautioned her.


So, far so good with all the younger dogs

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Great day today

Today, I loaded up a bunch of dogs and went to work. We had some great work from a few dogs.

Cullen - Had a beautiful shooting dog race with 2 broke finds. I am looking forward to running him at Nationals.

Gunner - Had a big hunting dog race, with a stop to flush and handled really well.

Chance - Had a great hunting dog run - a very nice find on pheasant that he pinned like a pro - broke at the flush but I am pleased with his progress.

Jessie - Ran an all age race, with no bird work. Handled well and got in there deep.

Otto - Ran independently and was in close proximity to a flushing bird.

Tanner - Ran a super nice hunting dog pattern - had a couple unproductives - I suspect running birds.

Hope - Ran well, and pointed a bird - super nice 5 month old puppy.

Tucker - First time out for this dog in a few weeks - he ran for about 20 minutes - ran a nice pattern and a big lick. Had a broke find on pheasants, and one broke stop to flush - and ran over another and failed to stop - correction was made - I was very happy with this.

Wind is up today - and I am hoping it will diminish in time for me to work another group of dogs tonight.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Cooler days and nights


We ran 6 dogs this morning, it worked out well but birds are getting experienced and jumpy - some of the younger dogs and even some of the more experienced dogs are having a hard time pinning birds.

Tripp - Pointed a bird and ran over another - but he worked and handled well.

Lily - Pointed 2 birds - broke at flush - handled like she was on a string

Mac - Two nice honors - held through the flush.

Maggie - Had a few unproductives but also held while two birds flushed and 3 dogs ran around her in circles - I was pleased with this.

Dolly - Pointed a bird - is making progress towards being broke but still needs corrections on a regular basis.

Otto - Was actually hunting well today - still close to the horses but showed the most initiative he has in some time.

We had business in Mobridge so we were unable to run this evening.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Quality breeding really pays

Every year I bring puppies up to SD to run on wild birds and develop their natural instincts on wild birds with a minimum of direction for me. These puppies range in age from 3 or 4 months old to 1 yr old. This year we brought up various breeds of dogs at various ages - ranging from english/llewellin setters, pointers, irish red and white setters and irish setters - from 3 yrs to 1 yr old. Those under the age of 6 months all started with relatively the same blank slate.

As we go through the summer - a pattern emerges - those with great hunting breeding from quality parents usually develop quickly and more often than not are way ahead of those dogs that are not as well bred. There are always exceptions to every rule, but for the most part the higher quality hunting dog breeding you can get the better off you are.

IE - I have some young setter dogs from our champion Tanner - they are outperforming everything we run with them - including dogs twice their age and maturity. But, it also works out that a nicely bred red and white irish setter that is outperforming some of my own well bred irish setters - it is all individual but the better breeding usually the better off you are.

As a trainer, I see and work lots of dogs - and I work my puppies the same - when you see a dog with the same experience/exposure - just outperform other dogs with the same experience/exposure it is amazing.

Good breeding pays.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Friday, September 3, 2010

Getting Cooler

Puppies are doing well.

Lucy running hard and pointing birds - getting tons of experience

Jill - Running well, and getting into enough birds to jack her up and hopefully she will quit chasing butterflies.

Otto - Coming along slowly - sometimes he runs out and finds birds sometimes he is content to tag along behind me.

Beast and Bran - Getting into more birds and getting more mature in hunting.

Hope and Girl - Running hunting and pointing birds - these are great llewellin puppies.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Cooler days


Well, the last couple days the scenting/running conditions have been difficult - the cold front came in and cooled things off - hopefully we will get lots of things done.

Maggie - Ran well, but had too many non-productive

Chewy - Had a great run - and two stop to flush on wild flushing pheasants

Jessie - Ran well - one find on a running pheasant

Gunner - Nice race, good application - two honors

Friday

We ran some young dogs on sharptails

Chance - Nice race, no finds but was looking very good

Cord - Nice even shooting dog race - multiple broke finds and honors

Lily - Nice even race - one find - she broke at the flush

Mac - Big hard handling race - scenting conditions were getting tough - we had numerous contacts that did not result in good work.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Very warm today


We went out and worked a bunch of dogs and we got into a ton of birds. We ran several braces.

Cullen - Had a nice race and a nice stop to flush as well as a nice broke find on a big bunch of pheasants

Buck - Two nice honors, a good race and one broke find and a stop to flush. Ran a bit short in the heavy cover.

Maggie - Multiple pieces of bird work - 2 or 3 of the finds were derby broke - she broke at the shot - corrections were made - doing well overall

Tech - Ran a great race - no bird work.

This evening we ran a bunch of young dogs.

Annie - Nice good run, with multiple contacts with birds

Lily - Several finds broke at flush - nice easy handling race

Dolly - Multiple finds on pheasants - broke at the flush corrections made that last find was broke until the shot - nice style and good range

Cisco - Best job of the night - multiple contacts and a nice derby broke find.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Great day today


Yesterday was long - I had to make a trip to Bismarck to ship a dog out to Cleveland. Yuma (puppy I shipped) is in a new home and he was a nice puppy - pointing backing and doing lots of good stuff for his age.

After I got back I loaded up a bunch of dogs and worked them out.

Chance - Had several corrections (3 finds) before he finally did it right and had a broke find. Good application

Trevor - Ran hard had one mishandled pheasant find.

Jakey - Had 2 nice finds on pheasants ( he broke at the shot) and was corrected - he had another find on sharptails which he stood broke on.

Gunner - Had 7 finds total ( mishandled 5 of them)but after corrections handled the last two with broke manners.

Xena - One find (handled it with derby manners) but the birds were jumpy in the wind and I did not get to flush them. So, she broke when the whole covey flushed.

Otto - Had a good run - got into a few birds.

Beast - Had one nice find - gun fire seems not to bother either him or Otto

Bran - Had 5 finds - (puppy finds where all the dogs point for a second then root out the bird)

Today - Jerry Lewis and I trailered over south about 30 miles.

Chewy - One broke find, one stop to flush (with correction) and a nice race.

Cord - One broke find, one stop to flush, 2 Honors. Nice open country gun dog race.

Knikki- One find, 3 honors and a stop to flush with a nice big prairie race.

We cut it a bit short because it was getting hot.

We had plenty of birds both days - probably close 80 sharptails today.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Warm days but still getting it done


Well, the last couple days have been on the warm side but we are still getting contacts with birds and good work on them. Yesterday, it went down like this.

Chance - Ran well - plenty of contacts - two corrections for failing to honor. He had a couple birds pinned and on one he broke at the flush the other at the shot - getting better overall.

Xena - Ran great - she had a couple finds - still breaking at flush

Cord - Had a great run - two broke finds and two honors

Gunner - One broke find, correction made on fail to honor

Tripp - Ran well, still not pointing birds

Today we ran field trial dogs.

Jackie - Decent run (pretty out of shape) one broke find. We are getting her into shape for the big time dog games.

Knikki - 2 finds and 1 honor and 1 non productive - Plenty of gas. He is becoming a pretty nice all age dog.

Chewy - Nice all age run - 2 broke finds and 2 stop to flush. Best performance of the day

Dot - Big running all age race -- one non productive

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Warm days coming







Well, we had another good training day - a bit long.

Lucy - Still finding birds and pointing alot. Improvement is evident

Otto - Still working on getting him into more birds, improving slowly

Cisco - Running huge race - pointing and knocking lots of birds - fine young dog

Dolly - Ran for 3/4 of an hour - pointed some pheasants and corrections were made - still have to work on her steadiness

Kane - Running well, finding birds well, he didn't have a find on last outing but it was warm and he did not have the best field to work in.

Chewy - Ran a great all age race, with a very nice broke find on pheasants

Buck - Ran a shooting dog race (very heavy cover) had 6 broke finds, 1 hawk kill find, and 2 non-productives (birds may have ran out)

Dot - Ran a even well paced all age race - with an honor on a stop to flush and flight of birds.

Maggie - Nice even and well applied shooting dog race - 3 finds on sharptail - corrections made - still wanting to chase.

Cord - Nice run - 2 pretty well mannered finds.

Jakey - Nice even race - 4 finds on pheasants - broke at the flush - working him on steadiness yet

Yesterday - we trailered to another location a ways away. We ran 4 dogs.

Knikki - All age race, slowing at the end (He had roaded for over an hour in the morning) ran for 3/4 of an hour - with a broke find on a pair of sharptails.

Jessie - Ran a very nice race - 3 contacts with sharptails - not steady

Jill - Still immature working at it - distracted easily by meadowlarks, butterflies and the like - although, she has started looking and hunting harder - more contacts will work her through it I think.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Worked a bit today





Well, with the cold front came wind and rain yesterday - so we did not work dogs. However, we loaded up today (normal day off) and went out and worked some dogs.

Chewy - Huge all age race - 2 finds, and correction was made.

Dot - Huge all age run - 6 contacts with birds - two broke finds and a few corrections.

Tech - Ran a nice big gun dog race - honored twice with broke manners.

Maggie - Nice even applied shooting dog race - one derby find (broke at the flush) and one broke find on sharptails.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Friday, August 13, 2010

Great Training Day


Last night we had a storm roll through and a cold front brought great opportunity. We moved lots of sharptail today.

Knikki - Big prairie shooting dog race and one find on sharptail

Gunner - Had 6 pieces of birdwork, a couple backs - and generally the improvement is great. His last piece of birdwork was broke.

Tucker - Ran but not up his usual race - worked a couple birds.

Trevor - Nice find on sharptail, 3 honors. Decent run

The evening group

Chance - Nice run 4 pieces of birdwork including two mannerly finds.

Xena - Nice run - very nice application - 1 find on pheasant

Jakey - 6 finds - nice application and run.

Yuma - (3:15 to Yuma) Went with us along with the big dogs - pointed a bird and honored briefly twice. Paid no attention to the guns

Hope (Whiterocks Last Hope) - Went with us along with the big dogs - pointed several birds, honored and was conditioned to gun fire

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Warm Days

Well, we got a few dogs worked yesterday - very hot and humid.

Knikki - Ran a very nice shooting dog race - several contacts and all was in order

Tucker - Ran short but consistent, 2 honors, and 1 broke find

Dot - One broke find, handled well and stayed in contact

Chewy - Ran hard had a few contacts - but did have one nice piece of work.

Lily - Several finds including a broke find.

Today

Xena - Had one find and ran in the heat of the day

Lola - Ran short - no birds

Tanner - Pointed twice - broke at the flush - still working on his steadiness

Jessie - One nice broke find, but she also ran over a bunch

Scenting conditions were tough - no wind and very hot.

Keith - Posting From Under the Rusty Windmill

Monday, August 9, 2010

Warm Days


Well, they took off the wheat by the house this weekend. It is loaded with birds now. We moved birds every brace - several dogs moved as many as 20. Scenting conditions were atrocious.

Chance - Pointed a pheasant, knocked many more - he got tired of chasing I think and ended on a good note with a find.

Bran - Knocked several birds and I was able to fire a bunch of shots

Tripp - Several contacts, did not point any birds

Kane - Was running short - pointed a pheasant.

Buck - Ran well, two finds. Best performance of the dogs today.

This morning during the puppy runs we had plenty of birds/finds.

Annie - Had 3 good points, and plenty of other birds.

Cisco - Pointed 5 birds - and knocked plenty more.

Lucy - Pointed 2 birds - she was in on the whole time - pointing and knocking birds

Millie - Two finds

Otto - Pointed one bird. Was in on the gang knocks too.

The evening group did well too.

Mac - Ran pretty well, no bird contact

Lily - Had plenty of contact - last time around she stood broke on her birds

Jill - Got into a bunch of birds - no points but the butterfly chasing is not so bad

Xena - Knocked 20 or so birds - no points



Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Things are coming along


It was a hot weekend. So hot we only got three braces in yesterday before it got hazardous to keep running the dogs.

Knikki - Had a piece of bird work. Nice shooting dog race.

Dot - Ran all over the country - no birds and hard handle

Jakey - Ran hard had a nice find of pheasants - broke at the flush.

OTHER STUFF

People have been emailing and calling wondering about the BLOG. Here is the scoop.

Okay, Daniel was forced to return to AZ to take care of personal business. There is no problem working the dogs - as I was always the primary trainer. However, because of his absence - I am having to do everything at the kennel. This takes most of the time I would be spending working on the BLOG or returning emails - although I will try to get back to everyone quickly.

So, if you are wondering what is happening with your dogs, and want to talk to me. Please call between 1pm and 4pm MDT or between 8 and 9 pm MDT. These are the times I am available to talk, I am running dogs and working at other times.

Thanks

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Friday, August 6, 2010

Out on the Prairie today


Today, since they are harvesting crops in some of the more local fields we run on, we loaded up and went to some wonderful prairie country that is loaded with sharptails on most years. We moved 10 bunches of sharptails.

Chance - Backed another dog and ran well, he had one find on a pair of sharptails. He did not see them flush but I fired and he was steady until I collared him and lead him off.

Mac - Nice race, backed well.

Trevor - Ran well but failed to back, and still doing puppy stuff.

Rocky - Ran great, backed a point, but no other bird work.

Yesterday evening we ran a bunch of young dogs

Rita - Was into a bunch of pheasants - flash pointed a few times before flushing the birds.

Jake - Was in contact with a bunch of pheasants (perhaps 30) pointed for a long time and broke and flushed the bird - chase was on. Because, birds just kept flushing

Tripp - Not much to report - was in the near vicinity and even ran over several birds - no chase acted very indifferent.

Maggie - Had two nice finds - broke at either the flush or shot. Ran a nice race. Still showing youth and immaturity.

Yesterday morning, we ran our field trial dogs.

Cullen - 3 broke finds and a very nice shooting dog race

Tech - Ran a nice race - had one find - and two backs. Coming along slowly.

Tucker - Ran a nice race, honored, but no finds of his own.

Chewy - Huge all age race. No finds, but went to birdy places - he just missed them.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

1st day of horseback work






Well, today we ran off horseback. We took a bunch of young dogs.

Xena - Ran well, she had a few contacts but no points.

Mac - Ran well, had a find, that he stood broke until the shot, but after a couple young birds flushed it was too much and he chased briefly. He did back twice the last time he stood through the flush and shot.

Tanner - Ran well, multiple finds on sharptails, broke at the flush or shot. Backed twice - Both Mac and Tanner I am very confident will be broke by the end of the summer

Lola - 2 finds - ran well, big at times. Broke at the flush on all birds. But, she is doing well.

Rita - Ran great, had a non productive - I saw some pheasants running up ahead of the dogs, but neither dog got them pinned.

Yesterday, we ran the trial dogs

Knikki - Beautiful race, broke finds on pheasants

Dolly - Beautiful race, application was a bit immature. 3 finds on pheasants, broke at flush.

Cullen - 2 beautiful finds, a well applied shooting dog race.

Dot - One beautiful find, stood broke, great race - almost too big. She bobbled another find and was corrected.

Chewy - 2 broke finds - big race.

Tucker - Beautiful race - one stop to flush.

Tech - Huge race - one find - broke at the flush - Getting better

Buck - Beautiful well applied AA race with two broke finds.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Jim has arrived


Sorry, for the lack of posts - Daniel left last Monday to take care of personal business in AZ. Jim Michaletz arrived last night so - horseback stuff will begin in earnest.

We have been training hard all along

Tanner (Bailey) (doesn't like running solo) was braced with Cord for a 1/2 brace - Cord had a nice find, Tanner backed (sort of) and Cord held steady to wing and shot while Tanner broke. They then had a split find - I rode up on both of them standing. Cord stood broke while Tanner chased a few steps. I put Cord up and ran Tanner with Jackie. They both had a find. Tanner holding a long time - but breaking at either the flush or shot. Jackie was broke.

Buck - Two broke finds and a huge nearly AA race.

Cisco - Three nice finds, good application and race

Annie - 6 finds and nice application and race

Mac - Nicest running llewellin I have ever seen - finds birds still young - lots of potential there.

Kane - Several broke finds - I lost count 5 or 6 I think. Good race

Lola - Had a nice race - but pointed and knocked the birds she found (2 finds) will work on steadying her up

Jessie - Huge race - no finds yesterday but she was in there a long ways - She has found some birds and she just had a bad day for bird finding.

Jill - No finds - decent run - still chasing butterflys

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Friday, July 30, 2010

Work continues

Today, we worked a few dogs. Yesterday we got lots of rain.

Lily - 2 finds on pheasants broke at flush

Tanner - Worked some scent but was not able to come up with any finds - ran okay

Jill - Still playing with butterflys

Trevor - One find - still breaking at shot

Buck - 2 broke finds

Cisco - Running well - got into birds

Gunner - Find on sharptails - broke at flush

Chance - One pretty find on pheasant - broke at flush.



I am pleased with the progress we are making.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

More Rain


Today - we have rain - however, the last few days have been clear.

Maggie - Doing better in yard work - pointed some huns last night but broke at the flush.

Trevor - Pointed pheasants - held through the flush - broke at shot

Cisco - No birds

Lucy and Otto - Ran last - were in the vicinity of flushing birds but no points.

Chance - Is doing better with "whoa"

Mac - "Whoa" is coming along

Tanner - Pointing well - still breaking at the flush - "whoa" coming along

Lily - Jessie - Tripp - Getting better - lots of go - Tripp is starting to point better and although still not finding as many birds as I would like.

Jill - Still in Season

Millie and Mike - Pointing birds and getting into shape.

Rocky - Needs some more work.

Lola - Standing well broke in yard work - very happy with her

Tech - Still need my arms shortened after a workout with Tech

Tucker - 2 broke finds on birds.

We are starting to work more dogs off the KMule in some native pastures this is working great.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Last couple of days

Have been difficult - Friday we had severe rain and wind - and Saturday was spent repairing the damage to the bird pens and other equipment.

We have high hopes for the coming week.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Updates




Well, we are getting rained on today. Won't be going out all day.

We had a good couple days. The big dogs are getting in shape. We are running young derbies and doing lots of yard work.

Chance - Pointing birds and getting steadier

Trevor - Running hard and finding birds. He had once really nice find yesterday.

Cisco - Had a nice find this morning before the rain came.

Mags - She had multiple finds and a huge race

Otto - Getting into the swing of it - pointed an area that a bird had just flushed from

Millie - Multiple finds getting into shape

Tripp - Found some birds and ran well

Lucy - Finding birds and pointing regularly.

Gunner - Three contacts one point

Overall, since we are just finishing our 2nd week of training. I am pleased with the progress of the dogs.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

PS Daniel has another slide show/video that he put together that will be uploaded in the next day or so.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Puppy Fun



We are making progress with the puppies.

Annie - Pointed 3 times today and was around lots of birds

Lucy - Nice point and was around lots of birds

Otto - Was into a couple broods of birds.

Xena - Pointed several times and was around lots of birds

Gunner - Had some nice finds

Cisco - Runs well and is bird crazy

Jill - Had a couple nice points and is running well

Mags - Breaking is coming along

Chance - Lots of drive - may be a handful to get broke

Mac - Super nose - nice style - working towards being broke well

Tanner - More dog than I can hold back sometimes - Will be a nice dog once he puts it all together.


Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Friday, July 16, 2010

Progress




Progress of the young dogs is very good.

Rita and Jakey - Super nice young two year olds - they are running hard finding and pointing birds.

Trevor - Has multiple contacts daily

Cisco - Nice running young dog

Maggie - Easy training and finding some birds

Jill - Nice points on a few birds.

Lucy and Otto - Getting more bird contacts

Chance - Powerful dog - bird crazy

Jessie and Lily - Look like their mom running and on birds nice dogs

Gunner - Running good and nice finds

Annie - Running well, not much contact yet

Lola - Slimming down and doing well in yard work

Tech - Pulling into the harness like a madman

Dolly - Progressing well

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Another Good day


Well, today we had a great day. Very pleased with progress

Dolly - Very nice work today - retaining most of her past training well - still tough as nails

Mia - Tough as nails (littermate to Dolly) did a nice job today.

Chance - Doing great - we hope to get some good work done

Cisco - Running on the prairies will help this dog greatly.

Mac - Nice dog - plenty of drive - will be interesting to see how he develops

Jakey - Doing great nice dog - super nice breeding - love the trainability of this - Contrasts with Dolly, Mia and Stubby - that are tough as nails and nearly as stubborn in some ways

Evening training was very good.

Tripp - Had contact with some birds - still needs lots of time and work

Jill - Pointed lots of birds

Trevor - had 3 finds

Otto and Lucy - Ran around but didn't find any birds

Xena - Had one find

Cisco - Had 2 contacts



Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Evening Training





Well, we have found out that the Kmule we brought up (at great expense) is working better than planned. We use it at night to get extra bird contacts driving the two tracks that crisscross the prairies - our trial experiments have worked great.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Training going well


Well, we started working dogs in earnest - yard work commenced today with good results.

Maggie - Stood well, probably will not take long to break her steady to wing and shot

Lola - Stood well, and I am really happy with what she retained

Lily - - Nice young dog - pointed well and we have plenty of work ahead

Tanner - Did a nice job - lots of good stuff to work with I think

Jessie - Pretty intense - decent nose - liked her ability to train

Tripp - Worried a bit here - he seems indifferent to training

Trevor - Still have lots of work to do with this youngster

Rita - Great pointing ability - really happy with where this youngster is.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Plenty of birds





We have been getting out more the last couple days - plenty of birds around here. Tomorrow we will start roading in earnest and we will start working puppies and young dogs on birds sometime in the middle of next week.

Pics and videos will be forthcoming as we start really working the dogs.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Great Looking summer

Daniel and I have been busy taking care of animals, cleaning up the camp, mending fences and other stuff that we always need to do upon arrival here in camp. I took the puppies on puppy walks and we have been roading about 10 dogs per day off horseback for a few days. We will increase this number to 16+ per day soon (we have to clean up and get the ATVs running).

We will get more going in the next day or so.

Camp is green - the prairies look great and on trip to town we counted 30 bunches of pheasants and sharptails this morning going in and coming back.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Monday, May 3, 2010

1st Day of pre summer training

Today, we worked 1 client dog and 10 of the dogs at the kennel on the "whoa" barrel. At first, the young dogs were quite a handful but after they figured out balance they were quite good. Progress is good and we are hoping to have them all "whoa" broke using the the barrel method (new to me) by the time summer camp rolls around.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

English Setter Association of America trial


2037.1

Streeks Lil Maggie - (Dashing Iron Streek X Texas Highway Hope) placed 2nd in the English Setter Association of America National Derby Classic held in Colorado. Congratulations to Keith and Donna Markey proud owners of this fine little llewellin setter. She was handled by my friend, Ben Garcia who agreed to step in and handle her in my place after my injury last month.

Maggie has been on a streak (pun intended) since last summer this is her 10th consecutive placement in field trials this year. She has placed in all but one field trial she has run in since last summer.

Mags has had an unbelieveable first field trial season. She has placed in prairie shooting dog derby stake on wild birds in Montana, NBHA derby stake in TX. AKC Open Puppy and Open Derby stakes in TX, and now in CO, where she acquitted herself very well in a National Derby Classic. Her placements fell like this: Two 1st place, six 2nd place, one 3rd place, and one 4th place.

Way to go Mags!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

"A Pearl of Great Price"


The old trainer stood by the gate of the pasture. The bluebonnets were in full bloom, the days were growing warmer and longer. As he stood by the gate watching the antics of the litter of mahogany colored puppies chasing quail, squirrels and each other, he reflected on what he had gained and what he had lost through the years, chasing bird dogs from the back of a smooth walking horse. As he stood there lost in the moment, he was roused from his reverie by the nudge of the familiar muzzle of the old yellow horse. He turned slowly, his body ached and was still weak but he turned to his old friend and gave him the apple that he had hidden in his pocket, and he was comforted, by the gentleness of his old friend.

His eyes focused on the dark colored horse. As he watched the black horse graze contentedly on the new green grass of the pasture, a flash of anger momentarily overtook him and just as quickly it subsided. He accepted this trial as he had all the others, with faith that somehow it would be alright.

His thoughts turned to that cold, rainy and wind blown day. He was riding with a good friend scouting for someone he hardly knew. When it happened, he still is not sure how or why the black horse reared. But, he remembers vividly the slow motion image of the horse coming over and crashing down on him. He had tried desperately to roll out of the way, to no avail. A white hot, pain shot through his body and he felt bones break and his head swam from the pain and he may have momentarily been overcome by it.

The next minutes felt like hours as he waited on the cold windswept ground for medical help to arrive. It felt strange in his abdomen, as if something was leaking inside him and he wondered if he was gonna die. He didn't want to die, he still had dogs to train and more championships to win.

Two times he felt himself fading, almost giving up, only to be roused once again by his old friend nudging him and yelling at him. The ride to the hospital was agonizing, he was sure he knew where every bump and hole from the trial grounds to the hospital was. Each one brought new agony to his broken body. He was scared. More frightened than he had ever been in his life. He thought about that for a moment. Why did he feel that way? He had served his country in hostile fire zones and patrolled dangerous streets of one of the bigger cities in his home region, and never felt that helpless.

The old trainer wondered if he would ever be able to ride a horse, or train or handle dogs in field trials. A sudden realization came over him as tears rolled down his cheek, perhaps it was the physical pain? No, he had been in pain as great as this before and it never caused him to cry.

He was overcome with the realization that this could be it. This could be the end to his career. He might never get to see his beloved prairies again. To watch a big, running dog slash across the country from that back of a horse again. He thought of the sacrifices that he had made. His marriage was all but over, she just couldn't take the long absences and the lonliness that came with it. He didn't blame her. But, he was still angry she wasn't here.

What followed was a battery of tests, new agony at every movement as they tried to figure out the extent of the injuries. The old trainer, somewhat of a religious man, asked the nurse if he could talk to a chaplain. He was suprised when the chaplain turned out to be a woman. He poured out his emotions and the things that he was afraid of unabashedly, and then she asked a question of him. "Has it been worth it." He thought for a moment before he answered. "Yes, it has been." A peace washed over him

He had been given an answer to his many prayers in a most unusual way. He had wondered over the years, if he had made the right decision letting her go to continue to chase his dream. Days, weeks, months, and years of uncertainty and lonliness followed that decision made on a cold, winter morning to let her go. Now, as he lay there alone, in great pain, in that lonely hospital room he felt he had his answers.

Early in the day, the old trainer had received the news that he would not need surgery and to his relief that in all liklihood he would be healed in time to make the trip to summer camp again.

Weeks had passed since the accident. He still needed to mend, but he was off the pain medications. The old trainer was able to go to the kennel and pet and play with his newest litter of mahagony colored puppies. It was comforting to be able to do so, and it soothed his raw emotions and doubts somewhat.

The old trainer had hoped that his loyal friends and clients would trust him once again to take their dogs up to the buffalo prairies of Sitting Bull to train once again. He was confident that he would be healed up by then, and be able to give them a full measure of his talent and hard work once again. As he turned and slowly made his way up the hill back to the kennel. He thought. God had merely given him another obstacle to kick out of the way. The old trainer, thought about that newfound pearl of wisdom.

The old trainer realized he had been given "A Pearl of Great Price."

The words from a song on the radio, kept crossing his mind - "We ride and never worry bout the fall, I guess that's just the cowboy in us all."

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

I was able to go to the kennel with assistance

It was a nice day and I was going crazy from staying inside all the time. Had my son, take me to the kennel and I petted the irish setter pups for a time. It was refreshing. Will try to get more pics of the pups now.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Irish setter puppies





Here are some of the current litter.

We have 2 females and 3 males available. If interested please call 254-644-1099

Monday, March 8, 2010

Long - Good Weekend

We ran 6 dogs this weekend. The first time we had that many in a field trial in a while.

Tech - Ran hard but blew up on running birds

Tucker - This was my biggest thrill and my biggest disappointment . He had 4 great finds - including a bird in a tree! But, lost it on his 5th find - ran super - really pleased with him.

Knikki - The wild child was loosed on this one - No more explaination needed.

Mali - What a performance - 4 broke finds - nice consistent race, dug up finds and a really fine performance - She got 2nd in a really tough stake.

Heather - Didn't know what to think of the 20 horses standing around her (she only usually sees a few) and that was the end for her - summer camp and patience will straighten this out.

Maggie - Six beautiful finds - standing off her birds great. I didn't see the first place dog run but it must have been a special performance. Maggie got 2nd.

On to Nationals.

Keith - Posting from Under the Live Oak trees

Thursday, March 4, 2010

News from Under the Live Oaks

Well, our irish setter pups are about 2 months old now and have chased a few quail on adventures outside the whelping pen.

Also - time to start thinking about summer camp once again.

Keith

Monday, February 8, 2010

Rain making things difficult

We are trying to get as much done as possible with the training dogs but the rain keeps coming.

Our last trial we managed a 4th Place with Streeks Lil Maggie. Hopefully this weekend will be better

Monday, January 18, 2010

Good Weekend for Us

Well, we ran 4 stakes We ended up with three placements. Second and Fourth in Open Puppy and Second in Open Derby.

Maggie did great and Dolly did a nice job too.