NA Test Tips

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Brittlver
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NA Test Tips

Post by Brittlver » Thu May 19, 2011 1:49 pm

I am thinking about running Molly my 8 month old Brit in a NAVHDA NA test in Aug/Sept. I was wondering if anyone has any helpful tips to get her ready for it, so she can do the best she can. She has a strong desire to search and point, tracks pretty well, Little afraid of water but will be working on that this summer, Not afraid of guns, Looks absolutely beautiful. I am hoping she will do really well.

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Re: NA Test Tips

Post by birddogger » Thu May 19, 2011 2:00 pm

Jesse, I don't train for the NA test. Just let the dog have exposure, as you are already doing. Everybody wants the dog to do well, but after all, the test is about evaluating the pup's natural ability. It is not about scoring a trained dog. JMO. :)

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Re: NA Test Tips

Post by phermes1 » Thu May 19, 2011 2:33 pm

I don't know if there's much training to do so much as giving the dog exposure. If she's leery of water, get her over that. If she hunts and can find and point birds, then you're in pretty good shape.
The downfall to most NA dogs is tracking - you can try to get her some experience doing that, but in my experience, it's still a bit of a crapshoot. I had 1 dog that was spot-on every time we took her out tracking, then come test day, she decided she'd rather run off and hunt instead. What can ya do. :)
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Re: NA Test Tips

Post by ezzy333 » Thu May 19, 2011 3:00 pm

birddogger wrote:Jesse, I don't train for the NA test. Just let the dog have exposure, as you are already doing. Everybody wants the dog to do well, but after all, the test is about evaluating the pup's natural ability. It is not about scoring a trained dog. JMO. :)

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Wholeheartedly agree. Natural ability is what it is about and not what you can train them to do. The next steps up the ladder are about training, but not this one.

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Re: NA Test Tips

Post by Coveyrise64 » Thu May 19, 2011 3:21 pm

gpblitz wrote:Take her swimming. Let her track a few live pheasants.
+1 Howie......

Natural Ability, probably the most misunderstood term in NAVHDA Book. I've seen people show up for the NA Test, the dog has never seen a bird and never been in the water. They walk away po'd because ther dog failed. It isn't training at that age, it's called exposure.

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Brittlver
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Re: NA Test Tips

Post by Brittlver » Thu May 19, 2011 3:31 pm

Thanks guys, This summer I plan on swimming with her to help her get over being in deep water. She will go in until she has to swim then turn around and come back. I agree with the other things, just didn't know if anything special you could do to up her chances on getting a prize 1. I am thinking about breeding in the next year or two. Got my fingers crossed though.

Jesse

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Re: NA Test Tips

Post by brad27 » Thu May 19, 2011 3:46 pm

whats the age limit for the NA test?

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Re: NA Test Tips

Post by ckirsch » Thu May 19, 2011 4:03 pm

I think they can run NA up to sixteen months.

Your dog will need to swim, so getting her comfortable in the water is a must. She'll also need get out in front of you to hunt, use her nose, and point, so you'll want to give her some bird contacts in the field. The track seems to be the wild card for most NA dogs, but you can familiarize her with a feather pile and a track / drag a few times before the test. I drag a dead bird downwind from a feather pile, so the pup learns that a feather pile will have a trail leading away from it, with a prize at the end. A couple of those in the weeks leading up to the test should suffice. Don't overdo it.

Good luck, and remind yourself to have fun. Don't get too hung up on your score, as it really doesn't mean a whole lot at this point.

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Re: NA Test Tips

Post by birddogger » Thu May 19, 2011 5:36 pm

Yes, they can run up to and including 16 mos.

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Re: NA Test Tips

Post by MTR » Thu May 19, 2011 7:31 pm

Coveyrise64 wrote:
It isn't training at that age, it's called exposure.

Coveyrise64
Jessie - That really nails what The NA is. Dog only has to point for 5-10 seconds and can break and chase. That shows the judges the dog has desire. They will ask you to call her back - that shows some cooperation. On the swim, she must have her feet leave the bottom and swim twice. There is a VERY loud popper round discharges while running the field to see if there is any gun shyness. The track is IMHO the most nerve racking of the tests. I only practiced this maybe 3 times total. I didn't want my pup to stop pointing and start flushing. They are looking for tracking - not searching. I tested right at 6 months and 112'ed.

I watched dogs last year that ran very big, but weren't hunting. It was like they were at the dog park, and the judges docked them points because of this since they weren't hunting.

The only thing I would add for tips are:
Try to work with some chucker prior to the test if you have been using pigeons. Save any pheasants for a tracks.
Stop and water the dog after each successful point. After you have your first find and point you really don't need a second one.
Don't command or say anything to your dog unless the judges ask you to. They will ask to call your dog back. Don't say whoa or anything else when he is on point.
Try to relax. Your nervousness will rub off onto the dog.
and finally, Come up to the NA tests at the Mazomanie grounds on Saturday and watch one to see really what it's about. They are running NA on Saturday and I know UT on Sunday with perhaps some NA's.

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Brittlver
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Re: NA Test Tips

Post by Brittlver » Thu May 19, 2011 8:38 pm

Thanks Rob for the advise, I will try my hardest to be there this weekend. One of the head guys for the chapter, Sorry forgot his name, told me something about bringing her out for some judges to practice on. I forgot what day that was but that sounded interesting. Maybe next month when you guys have a get you we can see what she does. Hope all goes well for the test. Rob can you send me some info on the get the togethers are this summer, kind of confused on the dates. PS I sent Cory an email letting him know I have your collar. Got two new ones, purple one for the wife and a really nice leather one from a friend of Jonesy's.

Jesse

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Re: NA Test Tips

Post by jlp8cornell » Fri May 20, 2011 6:53 am

Best advice I had gotten:
1. Keep your mouth shut as much as possible. Each time your dog blows off one of your commands, you lose cooperation points.
2. Remember the judges are there to help you and your dog do your best so ask questions.
3. Expose her to different ponds, etc. She may be fine in one but the next may have a drop off which is unfamiliar.
4. For the track...don't let go of her until her nose is committed to that track. If you have to, restart her and make sure she picks up the scent. Once you let go, nothing more you can do.
5. Bring water into the field for her.

Good luck!

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Re: NA Test Tips

Post by Ruffshooter » Fri May 20, 2011 8:16 am

Remember, It is one day in the dogs life. I had one dog fail its NA, two years later she is a VC.
Go have fun don't be disappointed in her breaking after establishing a point. They are looking for the point not the steadiness.
When tracking the pup does not have to track the birds actual foot steps, don't have any preconceived ideas where the pheasant is.

Most of all learn and have fun. It is a good day.
The best part of training is seeing the light come on in your little prot'eg'e.

Rick

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larry
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Re: NA Test Tips

Post by larry » Fri May 20, 2011 8:26 am

Not when 16 months to the day of 16 month birthday. After that for evaluation only.

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