Training day - how do yours go?

[Scott Linden]

I'm thinking of helping out with our club's training program and have plenty of ideas. But so do YOU. What works, what doesn't? How do you keep club members coming back after the first training day? Thanks.

[Stoneface]

I will be tracking this thread for sure. I just moved onto a shooting club on the east side of Dallas and am trying to get a training group going.

[Cajun Casey]

Pie.

[Scott Linden]

Pie.

Before, or after beer?

[Cajun Casey]

Pie.

Before, or after beer?

No beer allowed.

[Ricky Ticky Shorthairs]

I'm thinking of helping out with our club's training program and have plenty of ideas. But so do YOU. What works, what doesn't? How do you keep club members coming back after the first training day? Thanks.

How bout some free stuff from all of those sponsors you have.

Doug

[campgsp]

This is just how I've done it at my clubs.

Dogs and handlers are devided up by dogs experience, and or needs. Example, puppies, obedience here, little more advanced bird work here, shooting, birds work there. It makes it a more pleasant experience when people get first hand on what they need to work on with their dog then wait around for their dogs experience level to come around during the day. Jmo.

We place 4 birds out per dog for the dogs that want it. Three get planted one stays in the bag for if a bird gets away or back planted for for that dog. Need planters Ofcourse. Good job for kids, teens*. Two gunners, a Trainer or two, and handler for each brace, single dog or two depending on if the handlers want honoring work done. After all the dogs have gone handlers can re run their dogs if they want. It usually works out that time is available for second runs, thirds. You are more there to learn from guys that know more then you, more advanced handlers actually learn a new thing here or there from someone, I've learned a few things attending these through the years, and you give your advice to people. It's all a fun meeting about dog training is the best way to put it.

Not having enough birds can spoil it for someone. So for each persons dog attending that wants birds double it. More then enough is fine. Someone will take the extra if any. Think that's the only thing that can spoil someones time to where they wouldn't come back.

Lunch, and pie is great, and we have a raffle. Club tees , training gear, etc.

In my eyes I'd rather hang out with a bunch of friendly bird dog people any day. The kind of folks that would take their shirt off their back to help someone. That's the impression I get at the clubs training days that I attend and help at atleast. .

[Brazosvalleyvizslas]

Make sure that any "mentors" are not ignorant like the one that was assigned to one of my puppy owners during their first outing with a NAVHDA group in Cali.

Stoneface, what shooting club did you move into in Dallas?

[Stoneface]

Brazos, it's a little put 'n take on the eastern edge of the DFW metroplex. Poetry Shooting Club. Walter retired and started the club not too long ago and needed someone to come on and help with the dog work. It's not a Southern quail plantation, but it's a great place for someone wanting to get a dog trained.

[Winchey]

Scott, you definately need beer, and scotch. All the bird dog weirdos I know love scotch for some reason.

[mm]

Our dog club puts out a list of training days ahead of time and the members order the amount of birds they want and pay on the training day. One of the guys gets the birds. The day is pretty loose and people arrange what they want to do. I like to run my dog with another and usually someone is there to do that with. I think you have let the people do what they want and let them train their own way unless they are asking for help from someone. There is always a ton of advice and instruction from members at these days and a lot of it is not worth much. Before I take advice I like to watch the givers dog work and I dont offer advice.
mm

[Brazosvalleyvizslas]

Brazos, it's a little put 'n take on the eastern edge of the DFW metroplex. Poetry Shooting Club. Walter retired and started the club not too long ago and needed someone to come on and help with the dog work. It's not a Southern quail plantation, but it's a great place for someone wanting to get a dog trained.

Sounds good. I am only a couple of hours south of you so maybe we will come visit.

[Stoneface]

mm, I couldn't agree with you more on not giving advice to people who don't ask for it. When I was getting into birddogs it always got to me how some folks thought I was looking for help and they'd practically come over and take the check cord out of my hand! I had my first dog steady to wing and shot and totally tight on his game. One guy said a real dog shouldn't be steady to wing and shot, so he took Harley in the field and got him to busting covies because "this dog needs to be totally untrained then retrained the right way."

Brazos, drop me a line anytime. I'd love some company and to see some good dog work.

[mm]

I too have had some interesting offers of help. I had a couple of guys tell me to give them the control to my e collar and they would show me how to use it properly. I never did that but I did watch a guy shock a new persons puppy for no reason other then to show them how it works. I have noticed several new people show up and get bombarded with advice and help and then have never seen them again. I am sure the advice givers are just trying to be helpful but it can be a bit much. All that aside the training days are great as we get to use grounds not available any other time and there are birds and other dogs and lots of good people.
mm

[Cajun Casey]

Thtee kinds of pie. No complaints.

Memebers only and we don't waste quail. Pigeons do for most dogs.

[campgsp]

I think some might be looking at training days in the wrong way. They are not there for you to train your dog. These days are more for people with little or less experience then most, or for when someone might have a problem they just can't figure out how to fix or what not. I see folks showing up sometimes that think they are going to get their dog trained in that day. Not going to happen.
Now it's great fun to get together and have a fun match for the broke dogs before or after and newbies really find this awesome. They get to see what they can do with their dogs with a lot of work.

You are going to get the know it all's and the ruff. But going and not caring what people have to say, Or not advising people really isn't the way to go about it. That's what these days are for. Your actually being no different then the know it alls. You see someone given bad advice might be beneficial to the receiver what you opinion is. Some of these folks don't have a clue and should be treated with the help they are looking for. That's why most are showing up.

I love working with dogs and meeting new people. That's what makes these events fun for me. And Ofcourse the fun matches. Little bets here and there always spice things up

[Scott Linden]

Great stuff everyone. Thank you - keep the suggestions coming.

[Hattrick]

Here you go start with a short introduction of the day a head and start with

1st
30-45 minutes of socialization with the handlers an there dogs. This is vary envolved process mostly walking at heel and opebeince stuff among the group as a group. People luv this stuff be creative count of in 1s an 2s walk an do drills circles weaving in an out, what ever

2nd
do a instrutive steady drill, backing drill and or retrieve drill

LUNCH

3nd
take folks to the feild and give them one on one reps with live birds or what ever level they are at

4
clean up and have a drink discuss the days events and give homework

Most importantly always give newbes with puppies seperate attention they need the most help and this is the new blood

[philrosenbaum]

I am with Hatrick, both members of Potomac and the structure of our training days are what really excited us as new NAVHDA members. We always start with basic obedience, on leash and I am always jealous of the guys who can run the whole session off leash ( one of my goals ). As with any group there will be smaller groups that tend to train together but being structured early lends itself to meeting new people, gaining knowledge from all those people present and allows for dogs of all breeds and people of all kinds to be paired together or work together towards our common goal of owning high level gun dogs. It is great to see the guys with VC's helping the new members with steadiness or other specific training drills.


Oh and the best part is lunch!

[AZ Brittany Guy]

Good agenda Hattrick.