During Mollie's last bird hunt, the group started discussing how well I had her trained. We all agreed that she was pointing and retrieving well, but the other hunters were asserting that she was just average... any decent bird dog can do that.
I said, "that may be true, but you haven't seen her best trick." Feeling somewhat cocky, I called Mollie in and sent her back out with a new command. Rather than the usual "hunt 'em up!" I now began to encourage her with "Count Off!" And as she ran back and forth, tracking into the wind she suddenly stopped with her nose stiff and tail vibrating. Not being a typical 3-footed pointer, my comrades were somewhat caught off guard when Mollie suddenly lifted a foot and quickly dropped it back to earth. Out of the corner of my eye I could see brows furrow as fingers tightened on shotguns. After the flush and retrieve I knew what was coming.
"So what was that all about?" they sang. I calmly replied, one lift, one bird."
"Yeah, right!! We don't believe that!"
Suddenly, Mollie's tail started vibrating again and after circling, she came to a rigid and pronounced point. This time to their amazement, Mollie slowly lifted and dropped her foot, not once, but 4 times with rhythm. We hunters, slowly placed ourselves and when the flush came, 4 quail burst from cover and flew in every direction.
By this point all were scratching their heads and trying to hide the funny looks on their faces. As we began to walk off Mollie came racing back at the group and stopped in front of me with a stick in her mouth.
"Now what's that mean?" Said the closest. I turned with a grin, "More birds than you can shake a stick at!"
