Thoughts on running green broke dogs

[hpvizslas]

Is it better to run green broke dogs in Amatuer stakes or Open Stakes?

Do you tell the judge the dog is green broke?

Do you try to avoid certian situations?

Any other thoughts?

[Sharon]

Question 1 - Doesn't matter imo. Pick some smaller , less important events until you and the dog are less green.

Question 2 - The judge doesn't care. He'll look at you as if you have 3 eyes if you tell him. March up to that line, as if you have a Champion.

Question 3 - Yes. Avoid backing situations if the dog doesn't back. If he takes out another dog's bird along with the dog, the other handler will remember your name.

[Yawallac]

Question 2 - The judge doesn't care. He'll look at you as if you have 3 eyes if you tell him.

BTW, so will your dog!




.

[Casper]

If the dog isn't ready then why would you want to run it? IMO its better to make sure you have prepared the dog and yourself for the trial. If you don't then your just wasting your money.

[DGFavor]

I'm all for getting your feet wet early and often personally. Best way to learn how to do field trials is by doing field trials - mistakes and goofs included and guaranteed. I wouldn't worry about messin' up the bracemate either, if your dog messes their's up, their's wasn't broke either.

[phermes1]

I run my dogs in broke stakes when I feel that I have a pretty decent chance of getting them around - I don't wait until I think they're dead-broke, perfect dogs who will never screw up or take their bracemate out. If you wait for that, you're going to be waiting a lot longer.

[ElhewPointer]

I'm all for getting your feet wet early and often personally. Best way to learn how to do field trials is by doing field trials - mistakes and goofs included and guaranteed. I wouldn't worry about messin' up the bracemate either, if your dog messes their's up, their's wasn't broke either.

I agree most of the time on this. I've seen a dog that got a little "friendly" with his bracemate on point. I don't care how broke that dog is, he wasn't taking that! And I don't blame him.

[Greg Jennings]

If the dog is likely to catch a pen-raised bird in the trial, I'd stay home and work on him till he's more ready.

[nitrex]

IMO -Why give a dog that may break point one more opportunity to be reinforced for breaking with a good chase. Variable reinforcements can kill you on further training. Also, you will have to put more pressure on the dog when you get home and try to take the chase back out of him, which in turn diminishes style.

Nitrex

[Sharon]

I run my dogs in broke stakes when I feel that I have a pretty decent chance of getting them around - I don't wait until I think they're dead-broke, perfect dogs who will never screw up or take their bracemate out. If you wait for that, you're going to be waiting a lot longer.

[Sharon]

I run my dogs in broke stakes when I feel that I have a pretty decent chance of getting them around - I don't wait until I think they're dead-broke, perfect dogs who will never screw up or take their bracemate out. If you wait for that, you're going to be waiting a lot longer.

X2.....

[hpvizslas]

IMO -Why give a dog that may break point one more opportunity to be reinforced for breaking with a good chase. Variable reinforcements can kill you on further training. Also, you will have to put more pressure on the dog when you get home and try to take the chase back out of him, which in turn diminishes style.

Nitrex

It is not so much that they are going to break point and chase in my way of defining a green broke dog. A green broke dog may move a little after the flush but they are not going to take out the bird on their own, if they do then they aren't ready to be broke and feeling too much pressure. They just need the experience in a competitive venue and they may make a few mistakes.

Does anyone else define a green broke dog another way?

Thanks for everyone's input

Jeff

[Ricky Ticky Shorthairs]

Sounds to me like you should go ahead and run 'em. You'd be surprised at how many dogs out there running in trials that are "green" broke.

Doug