After 3 weeks of training at Cooke Canyon with my WHPG

[richardt]

Hey everyone, I was finally able to get out to Cooke Canyon to visit Drake and see what Doug and Chad had been able to accomplish in 3 weeks. Overall I'm pleased (though this being my first bird dog, to be honest, I'm not sure what I should be expecting after 3 weeks).

I went out with Chad as DOug was out of town, he planted a pigeon and a Chukar. The wind wasn't very good yesterday, and it was pretty warm out, so Drake was panting a bit and breathing through his mouth, rather than his nose. But he was able to find the pigeon, and held point until Chad "flushed" it by releasing the bird while kicking the bush, Drake tried to chase the bird, but came up empty handed of course, which was the whole point. We then went to find the Chukar, Drake found and held point, and for a little while after the Chukar broke cover and was standing in the open, Drake finally broke and the bird took off, found cover again, and we went to look for it (I didn't shoot as he was a little low and Drake was too close). Both Chad and I walked towards where we saw him land, and walked right past him, looked back and there was Drake on point wondering what the heck we were going.

He held point until the bird flushed, I knocked it down, and he retrieved it promptly. Chad then took the bird and tossed it in the pond a couple of times to get Drake to do some water retrieves, which he did like a champ, though we'll have to work on getting him to do a full retrieve, as he kept dropping the bird as he shook himself off, and didn't complete the retrieve.

I entered Drake this coming weekend for the first two of his four JH legs for AKC, and if he performs for me then, the way he did yesterday, I think he'll do well.

Here is a link to a video I took yesterday, though you won't see the Chukar escapades except for the water retrieves as I was busy trying to shoot my 12 ga instead of the camera  .
I had brought my waterproof enclosure for my GoPro accidentally, and didn't record any good sound, so I put in some music instead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAqA-oF7d50

Generally after 3 weeks or a month of training, what do you guys expect to see in your dogs?  Just so I have an idea if Drake is doing well, thanks.

[RC3]

Not quite how I do it but hard to tell not being there for sure but the dog seems to be doing well 3 weeks isn't a lot of time.

[ghosthunter]

Nice.

I think in JH he will have to deliver to hand. Judges will have a line that he has to carry the bird across before you can take it. If he drops it and you pick up off the ground you will get a zero for the retrieve. 

Deliver to hand = cross the line with bird in his mouth and you take it from his mouth.

[wildweeds]

JH requirements for pointing breeds do not require a retrieve.The birds are blanked,dog needs to handle,search and point for not that long,I can't remember  exactly but it seems the length of point is in seconds.


 

Nice.

I think in JH he will have to deliver to hand. Judges will have a line that he has to carry the bird across before you can take it. If he drops it and you pick up off the ground you will get a zero for the retrieve. 

Deliver to hand = cross the line with bird in his mouth and you take it from his mouth.

[AspenBud]

JH requirements for pointing breeds do not require a retrieve.The birds are blanked,dog needs to handle,search and point for not that long,I can't remember  exactly but it seems the length of point is in seconds.

 

All JH really indicates is the dog has some pointing instinct and an interest in birds.

As others have said, three weeks isn't a lot of time so if you're expecting a world class gun dog after that you'll be disappointed.

The dog does however seem to be progressing fine. Don't get too bent if the dog needs to be led into birds at the moment, experience (as in bumped birds) will teach the dog over time and to be honest, bone dry conditions like that are not ideal for scenting.

[richardt]

Thanks guys, yeah, after 3 weeks, I definitely wasn't expecting him to be steady to point, flush, wing, shot and fall, but as some of you have said, he seems to me to be on the right track for how long he's been training, I just wasn't sure and was curious as to your own experiences.

I'll let you all know how he does this coming weekend at the trials, hopefully he'll have two passing grades under his belt!


Sent from my iPhone

[wildweeds]

 Being broke to Wing and shot,has always and will always include the fall, The Nasty NSTRA boys are the ones who introduced this "And Fall" buisness.

Thanks guys, yeah, after 3 weeks, I definitely wasn't expecting him to be steady to point, flush, wing, shot and fall, but as some of you have said, he seems to me to be on the right track for how long he's been training, I just wasn't sure and was curious as to your own experiences.

I'll let you all know how he does this coming weekend at the trials, hopefully he'll have two passing grades under his belt!


Sent from my iPhone

[AspenBud]

Being broke to Wing and shot,has always and will always include the fall, The Nasty NSTRA boys are the ones who introduced this "And Fall" buisness.

Thanks guys, yeah, after 3 weeks, I definitely wasn't expecting him to be steady to point, flush, wing, shot and fall, but as some of you have said, he seems to me to be on the right track for how long he's been training, I just wasn't sure and was curious as to your own experiences.

I'll let you all know how he does this coming weekend at the trials, hopefully he'll have two passing grades under his belt!


Sent from my iPhone

I'm not sure NSTRA even requires being broke to the shot.

[wildweeds]

You missed it Bud, they can't train a dog to be steady to wing and shot,so they settle for "steady to wing" they seem to think that because the dog waits for the report of the gun to break that it is "Steady to wing and shot" if the dog doesn't move until phisically released with a tap behind the head or a voice command after the fall of the bird,that is "Steady to wing,shot AND fall" FWIW...........Most other trial dogs are flyaway blank gun broke and would come unglued with the fall of a bird.90% of dogs are trained with the flyaway method because birds are hard to find and expensive.

Being broke to Wing and shot,has always and will always include the fall, The Nasty NSTRA boys are the ones who introduced this "And Fall" buisness.

Thanks guys, yeah, after 3 weeks, I definitely wasn't expecting him to be steady to point, flush, wing, shot and fall, but as some of you have said, he seems to me to be on the right track for how long he's been training, I just wasn't sure and was curious as to your own experiences.

I'll let you all know how he does this coming weekend at the trials, hopefully he'll have two passing grades under his belt!


Sent from my iPhone

I'm not sure NSTRA even requires being broke to the shot.

[jetjockey]

Maybe in the PNW, but I assure you, in other parts of the country, the top trial dogs have lots of birds killed over them.

You missed it Bud, they can't train a dog to be steady to wing and shot,so they settle for "steady to wing" they seem to think that because the dog waits for the report of the gun to break that it is "Steady to wing and shot" if the dog doesn't move until phisically released with a tap behind the head or a voice command after the fall of the bird,that is "Steady to wing,shot AND fall" FWIW...........Most other trial dogs are flyaway blank gun broke and would come unglued with the fall of a bird.90% of dogs are trained with the flyaway method because birds are hard to find and expensive.

Being broke to Wing and shot,has always and will always include the fall, The Nasty NSTRA boys are the ones who introduced this "And Fall" buisness.

Thanks guys, yeah, after 3 weeks, I definitely wasn't expecting him to be steady to point, flush, wing, shot and fall, but as some of you have said, he seems to me to be on the right track for how long he's been training, I just wasn't sure and was curious as to your own experiences.

I'll let you all know how he does this coming weekend at the trials, hopefully he'll have two passing grades under his belt!


Sent from my iPhone

I'm not sure NSTRA even requires being broke to the shot.

[wildweeds]

Not a single dog on the praries of canada or the northern prarieof the  US get birds killed over them at summer camp Jet,if they are being killed it is done illegally,On the praries kill pigeons are not used as they are tough to find supply wise, they do yardwork/roading until the pursuit season and then get blanked over on wild birds..... My statement still stands at 90% the other 10% are the ones me and you agree on,they are the top 10 percent of trial dogs.

Maybe in the PNW, but I assure you, in other parts of the country, the top trial dogs have lots of birds killed over them.

You missed it Bud, they can't train a dog to be steady to wing and shot,so they settle for "steady to wing" they seem to think that because the dog waits for the report of the gun to break that it is "Steady to wing and shot" if the dog doesn't move until phisically released with a tap behind the head or a voice command after the fall of the bird,that is "Steady to wing,shot AND fall" FWIW...........Most other trial dogs are flyaway blank gun broke and would come unglued with the fall of a bird.90% of dogs are trained with the flyaway method because birds are hard to find and expensive.

Being broke to Wing and shot,has always and will always include the fall, The Nasty NSTRA boys are the ones who introduced this "And Fall" buisness.

Thanks guys, yeah, after 3 weeks, I definitely wasn't expecting him to be steady to point, flush, wing, shot and fall, but as some of you have said, he seems to me to be on the right track for how long he's been training, I just wasn't sure and was curious as to your own experiences.

I'll let you all know how he does this coming weekend at the trials, hopefully he'll have two passing grades under his belt!


Sent from my iPhone

I'm not sure NSTRA even requires being broke to the shot.

[wildweeds]

30 actual training days, This dog is being broke for horseback field trials,this is the begining stage of the wing shot process.
http://youtu.be/jhDMGbFkoQc

[wildweeds]

This was my dog last summer at 45 days,about halfway in the training process for wing and shot. He was 18 months old at the time  http://youtu.be/QU3AhxZO5u0

[AspenBud]

You missed it Bud, they can't train a dog to be steady to wing and shot,so they settle for "steady to wing" they seem to think that because the dog waits for the report of the gun to break that it is "Steady to wing and shot" if the dog doesn't move until phisically released with a tap behind the head or a voice command after the fall of the bird,that is "Steady to wing,shot AND fall" FWIW...........Most other trial dogs are flyaway blank gun broke and would come unglued with the fall of a bird.90% of dogs are trained with the flyaway method because birds are hard to find and expensive.

Being broke to Wing and shot,has always and will always include the fall, The Nasty NSTRA boys are the ones who introduced this "And Fall" buisness.

Thanks guys, yeah, after 3 weeks, I definitely wasn't expecting him to be steady to point, flush, wing, shot and fall, but as some of you have said, he seems to me to be on the right track for how long he's been training, I just wasn't sure and was curious as to your own experiences.

I'll let you all know how he does this coming weekend at the trials, hopefully he'll have two passing grades under his belt!


Sent from my iPhone

I'm not sure NSTRA even requires being broke to the shot.

In fairness, I've seen some guys who compete in NSTRA justify breaking at the shot as a way for the dogs to better find downed birds. Not sure if I agree with that but then again I don't train to a high level either since I don't trial my dogs. Just know what I've been told by some who play that game.

[AspenBud]

Not a single dog on the praries of canada or the northern prarieof the  US get birds killed over them at summer camp Jet,if they are being killed it is done illegally,On the praries kill pigeons are not used as they are tough to find supply wise, they do yardwork/roading until the pursuit season and then get blanked over on wild birds..... My statement still stands at 90% the other 10% are the ones me and you agree on,they are the top 10 percent of trial dogs.

Maybe in the PNW, but I assure you, in other parts of the country, the top trial dogs have lots of birds killed over them.

You missed it Bud, they can't train a dog to be steady to wing and shot,so they settle for "steady to wing" they seem to think that because the dog waits for the report of the gun to break that it is "Steady to wing and shot" if the dog doesn't move until phisically released with a tap behind the head or a voice command after the fall of the bird,that is "Steady to wing,shot AND fall" FWIW...........Most other trial dogs are flyaway blank gun broke and would come unglued with the fall of a bird.90% of dogs are trained with the flyaway method because birds are hard to find and expensive.

Being broke to Wing and shot,has always and will always include the fall, The Nasty NSTRA boys are the ones who introduced this "And Fall" buisness.

Thanks guys, yeah, after 3 weeks, I definitely wasn't expecting him to be steady to point, flush, wing, shot and fall, but as some of you have said, he seems to me to be on the right track for how long he's been training, I just wasn't sure and was curious as to your own experiences.

I'll let you all know how he does this coming weekend at the trials, hopefully he'll have two passing grades under his belt!


Sent from my iPhone

I'm not sure NSTRA even requires being broke to the shot.

Dogs trained for coverdog events have plenty of training birds shot over them. When the time comes to train on the real thing however it's blank guns all of the way.