Looking for training partners at Prado or Rahaagues

[throwdown808]

I am new to the board and of course new to training. I was just wondering if anybody meets at any of these locations with young pups on the weekends? I have a young Brittany that I would like to introduce to birds and thought it would be heplful if others would like to do the same. I am located in the San Gabriel valley. Thanks in advance.......

[kninebirddog]

Carl Babbs I believe still has a training group that meets at Prado Not sure about Rahaagues...and also look into the California Brittany Club (CBC) I believe there is a group that gets together every once in a while at one or the other or both

[throwdown808]

Thanks for the info. Do you know where I can get some info on Carl Babbs?

[ultracarry]

Carl meets on Saturdays at san jaciento... (doesn't cost money to enter).

There are a few of us up in the temecula area that get together and run dogs a little bit. Longer drive but may be worth it.

[helpful_cub]

I am new to the board and of course new to training. I was just wondering if anybody meets at any of these locations with young pups on the weekends? I have a young Brittany that I would like to introduce to birds and thought it would be heplful if others would like to do the same. I am located in the San Gabriel valley. Thanks in advance.......

SoCal NAVHDA goes to Prado once I month I believe. http://socalnavhda.com/speedweb/site/in ... Status.php

That's where my GSP first meet a Pigeon and I got to see birdyness in action as he carried a live bird around everywhere all proud of himself. Its also where I broke him on flushing and got him to start pointing. There's a lot of wild birds there in the Spring and Fall that make for a great, free training aids. Just be sure to bring your rubber boots or wadders, the mud in the middle of the field where the birds hang out is about shin deep. When it gets warmer, I'll gladly meet you down there and run the dog some.

Oh and a word of warning. That particular NAVHDA chapter is kind of anal about fully papered dogs. They don't like working with "mutts" even if they have AKC paperwork but are missing the linage (aka the "it looks like the right breed" papers). So if you want to continue working with them, you must get your AKA registration papers from your breeder.

[ultracarry]

NAVHDA chapter also meets at san jaciento...... kinda know some people in the club and would be happy to talk to them about their attitudes. Do you remember who it was that made those comments to you? I know a got that has a UT-1 dog that's more of field lines and he's wanting to check out trials....

As in wild birds at prado do you mean the ones that made it through the other guys that plated them or after the QU events?

Other then stepping in dog cr@p all day at that place its not a bad training area. Likes of feathers, limited room to let your dog Chase and inflated fees and horrific bird prices. Save the money.

[helpful_cub]

NAVHDA chapter also meets at san jaciento...... kinda know some people in the club and would be happy to talk to them about their attitudes. Do you remember who it was that made those comments to you? I know a got that has a UT-1 dog that's more of field lines and he's wanting to check out trials....

As in wild birds at prado do you mean the ones that made it through the other guys that plated them or after the QU events?

Other then stepping in dog cr@p all day at that place its not a bad training area. Likes of feathers, limited room to let your dog Chase and inflated fees and horrific bird prices. Save the money.

It was 18 months ago when I worked with them. They were nice enough people but they made their stance very clear on the paperwork. Even the GSP Rescue I work with knows about their feelings on the subject. That was a shock to me. Thinking back, they also wanted some kind of waver paperwork signed.

Prado actually has wild birds in the farm fields. I want to say they were woodcocks because of their 3-4 inch long beaks. They made great (no gun) training fodder for the dog. They'd hold for point and fly maybe 50 yards before landing in the muddy waters of the field. If he flushed one, they were little rockets that were impossible for him to catch. A field of birds wore him down enough that he started to point for me.

I think I know the field your talking about with all of the dog waste. You don't have to use that field. If I recall there's 7 different training areas, I was in field 1; its the one closest to the entrance of the park just beyond the chain-link fence. I'm not sure what you mean by limited room. The park is almost 600 acres. I was actually nervous when I let my GSP run because if he passed the treeline of the field and took off, I'd have been SOL in finding him. E-collar is a must.

http://www.pradorecreation.com/index.ph ... 5&Itemid=6 Here's the link, hopefully we're talking about the same place.

I do agree the bird prices are high and they never seem to know if they'll be in stock. But you can bring your own if you're really worried about it. I think that's what the NAVHDA people do. Keep an eye out for rattlesnakes, they killed 4 of them the week before I was last out there in the Spring.

While the $15 price seems high, its actually not bad considering that's access for all day and for 2-dogs. Plus you get mostly the full run of the park from water ponds to farm fields to flat open areas and you can use a gun (private property). My biggest complaint with them is that they don't have their hours posted on the website. So if you want to plan a weekend you'll have to call them and hope they answer the phone to get hours information. Sometimes their busy out working in the farm fields and can't take your call.

[kninebirddog]

Did the bird look like this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Snipe

[helpful_cub]

Did the bird look like this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Snipe

Yes, that's the bird! I finally know what it was.

[ultracarry]

600 acres seems like a lot but when you add up the 40-50 guys there then its too close for comfort with that many people trying to kill every pigeon because they paid $5-$6 for. The ponds are either covered in green slime/ fertilizer run off or the lab guys.

Check out sportsmans ridge hunt club in anza..... I think its over 2000 acres of hills and cover for your dog to run. Can also get on wild quail once in a while but not shoot them. Too many benefits and they are equal distance away from me.

Did I mention my membership includes birds ....

BTW make sure you have a duck stamp to kill sniper.

[kninebirddog]

Here in AZ all we have to have is Az hunt lic and a Migratory stamp do not need a duck stamp

http://www.azgfd.gov/pdfs/h_f/regulatio ... ations.pdf

[ultracarry]

That's why Arizona is my favorite place to hunt. I get my lifetime license before I moved back to California. Would probably still live there if I wasn't married....... sum beach. California has the worst mountain lion problem and they are still protected. In Az you just run em down with dogs. Can't even train using them in Ca.