Pointers on running a dog in NAVHDA or AKC trials?

[richardt]

Drake, my Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is my first bird dog, I've never hunted with anyone who had an upland dog, though I've hunted with a couple of labs for waterfowl. I essentially have no experience handling an upland dog in the field.

Drake is at Cooke Canyon getting his first month of training with Doug, and when he's done I'd like to start taking him to some trials, both for NAVHDA and AKC. I know Doug is going to take me through the basics a bit for handling Drake when I go there to visit in a couple of weeks, and again when I'm pick him up (he might end up staying another month or two, not sure yet). But I was wondering, how hard would it be to handle him myself for the trials?

Doug offered to run him, but I'd rather run him myself, both for the experience, and the monetary savings. But since I don't have any real experience, would I just be setting myself up for failure, and increased cost due to having to run again in the future? Or is it fairly simple and straightforward to do on my own?

Thanks



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[REHJWA]

I have only run labs in AKC hunt test and I do not run at the senior or master levels.
My dogs are family dogs that are my hunting partners and not field trial dogs so I like to working my own dogs.

If you want a dog to preform at a competitive level you need someone who can take your dog there.

[richardt]

I have only run labs in AKC hunt test and I do not run at the senior or master levels.
My dogs are family dogs that are my hunting partners and not field trial dogs so I like to working my own dogs.

If you want a dog to preform at a competitive level you need someone who can take your dog there.

I'm not hoping to compete, but I am hoping to breed him down the road, so I'm hoping to reach a Senior Hunter level through AKC. What was your experience though for Junior Hunter (which is what I'm assuming you went through)?

Thanks


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[Shannon]

I have ran two dogs in NA and one UT in NAVHDA. I've gotten max scores in all of them and I was a first time handler. I'd say do it yourself if you have the time. It's a major time commitment for UT but well worth it. I have another test scheduled for my male in September. I'm finding it hard to make the time to train as much as I did the first time because I coach baseball five nights a week. I'll be glad when baseball is over so I can focus on dog training 5 nights a week.

[gregr072]

Nice looking Griff!
I can only speak to AKC Pointing Breed Hunt Tests and Field Trials.  My experience with them is all in the midwest, so there may be some slight differences as well.  It seemed like a lot of people (especially with Griffs and GWPs) played the AKC Hunt Test and Navhda games.  You should have no problem handling your own dog in AKC hunt tests.  To earn the JH title, the dog needs to hunt, point a bird, and allow you to flush it (if I remember correctly).  SH has some additional requirements including a retrieve.

I trained and handled my first Britt through JH and two legs of SH completely on my own.  I did this while living in the city of Chicago, so it certainly can be done by an amateur.  At that time I got more interested in AKC trials which I participated in with my second Britt, so never finished the SH.  Personally, I preferred the field trial game, but it is much costlier, and dogs are typically handled from horseback.  Perhaps someday when the kids are grown I will get back into it.

Feel free to shoot me a message, if you have more questions. Good Luck and have fun!

Greg

[REHJWA]

 

I enjoyed working the dogs at the Junior level. I know the training we put in together paid off for seasons to come.

Time!, time required for the upper levels was to much and I accomplished what I wanted, an awesome hunting partner that found and brought back birds, at the junior AKC level.

[bracer40]

You asked for pointers. Here's mine. Do the hunt test handling yourself. Let the judges know you're new and welcome any feedback on your handling. Most of the judges are very experienced and the ones I've spent time with were nearly all willing to give feedback. If you  keep an open mind and seek to learn, you'll have fun and you'll both learn a lot.

BTW: Good looking Gryph.

[richardt]

I'd say do it yourself if you have the time. It's a major time commitment for UT but well worth it. I have another test scheduled for my male in September. I'm finding it hard to make the time to train as much as I did the first time because I coach baseball five nights a week.

Thanks, that's my biggest problem right now is lack of time, so I'm worried about not knowing how to handle him properly during the test (and when hunting later of course)

Nice looking Griff!
I can only speak to AKC Pointing Breed Hunt Tests and Field Trials.  My experience with them is all in the midwest, so there may be some slight differences as well.  It seemed like a lot of people (especially with Griffs and GWPs) played the AKC Hunt Test and Navhda games.  You should have no problem handling your own dog in AKC hunt tests.  To earn the JH title, the dog needs to hunt, point a bird, and allow you to flush it (if I remember correctly).  SH has some additional requirements including a retrieve.

I trained and handled my first Britt through JH and two legs of SH completely on my own.  I did this while living in the city of Chicago, so it certainly can be done by an amateur.  At that time I got more interested in AKC trials which I participated in with my second Britt, so never finished the SH.  Personally, I preferred the field trial game, but it is much costlier, and dogs are typically handled from horseback.  Perhaps someday when the kids are grown I will get back into it.

Feel free to shoot me a message, if you have more questions. Good Luck and have fun!

Greg

Thanks Greg! I'm glad you think it should be doable for an amatuer. I think I'll definitely try once I get him back, or if he ends up stayin a few months in between somewhere.

I enjoyed working the dogs at the Junior level. I know the training we put in together paid off for seasons to come.

Time!, time required for the upper levels was to much and I accomplished what I wanted, an awesome hunting partner that found and brought back birds, at the junior AKC level.

To be honest, the thought of getting Drake trained well enough to hit the other levels sounds awesome, but I don't see myself having the time like you say to take him that far, I think I'll be happy if I can get him to the senior hunter level, again, so I can hopefully stud him out someday.

You asked for pointers. Here's mine. Do the hunt test handling yourself. Let the judges know you're new and welcome any feedback on your handling. Most of the judges are very experienced and the ones I've spent time with were nearly all willing to give feedback. If you  keep an open mind and seek to learn, you'll have fun and you'll both learn a lot.

BTW: Good looking Gryph.

That is some awesome advice! I really appreciate that, especially about talking to the judges for feedback, and letting them know I'm a newbie. After reading all these comments, I feel better about taking him myself, and I think that's what I will do. And thanks, I think he's pretty good looking myself 

Thanks everyone for the positive comments and feedback, you guys are great.

[AspenBud]

This will sound snobby. But if I were you I would focus on NAVHDA hunt tests rather than AKC. A lot of guys don't put much stake in AKC tests, especially if all you get is a JH by the dog's name.

If you can get the dog through all of the various tests in NAVHDA people will look at those as they demonstrate the dog's ability to be a "versatile hunting dog" and not just a pointer.

Nothing against AKC, but for your breed, that's the way I'd go and where I'd invest the money if you intend to try and breed the dog and want to sell pups.     

[richardt]

This will sound snobby. But if I were you I would focus on NAVHDA hunt tests rather than AKC. A lot of guys don't put much stake in AKC tests, especially if all you get is a JH by the dog's name.

If you can get the dog through all of the various tests in NAVHDA people will look at those as they demonstrate the dog's ability to be a "versatile hunting dog" and not just a pointer.

Nothing against AKC, but for your breed, that's the way I'd go and where I'd invest the money if you intend to try and breed the dog and want to sell pups.     

That doesn't sound snobby at all! I plan to test him in NAVHDA for sure, I don't know if I'll take him all the way up to the Utility level, but definitely the Natural Ability test and the Utility Prep test. As for AKC, I don't plan on going all the way to MH, just JH and SH. Of course there are a lot of things that could change those plans, but if all goes well, I think by achieving those AKC titles and scoring well on the two NAVHDA tests will be sufficient for what I want.

 I have a family and work full time, so there's only so much I'll be able to do . Of course, if Drake is doing very well with his training, and I have the opportunity to take him to a UT, I will, but it's not going to be my main goal.


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