first time hunt testing

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birddogsunlimited
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first time hunt testing

Post by birddogsunlimited » Sat Feb 09, 2019 10:04 am

Ive raised and trained my own gsp's and labs for a few years, that being said I always trained my dogs to hunt the way I want them to hunt but now im looking to start running a pup that I have this year and im looking for advice for someone who has never been to or ran in a AKC hunt test. also looking at NAVHDA too so any advice for those test as well.
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Timewise65
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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by Timewise65 » Sat Feb 09, 2019 10:36 am

Are you talking about Retriever Hunt tests or Upland Game Hunt Testing?

I have lot's of experience with AKC and UKC retriever hunt tests....I will share more if you are thinking about Retriever Hunt tests.............

I will say that running Hunt Tests is probably one of the most fun things I have ever done with my dogs! I enjoyed the people and all the dogs. I learned more about training and hunting dogs from these experiences that from anything else I have done....


Try it, you will learn to love it...you dogs will absolutely LOVE IT! :mrgreen:

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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by shags » Sat Feb 09, 2019 11:09 am

My advice would be to read up on the requirements of whichever tests or levels you want to run, then go to a test and observe. It's difficult to just read and figure out what you need to do. It's hard to explain from a keyboard also :D


There are some youtube videos that show some tests. Here is one from a pointing breed test . I assume by the retrieve it's senior hunter level. The kid handling the dog is way too loud and verbal IMO, but it shows some adequate dog work.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ydD5oOarWRQ

Good luck and have fun.

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birddogsunlimited
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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by birddogsunlimited » Sat Feb 09, 2019 11:31 am

sorry pointing dog
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Timewise65
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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by Timewise65 » Sat Feb 09, 2019 11:43 am

shags wrote:My advice would be to read up on the requirements of whichever tests or levels you want to run, then go to a test and observe. It's difficult to just read and figure out what you need to do. It's hard to explain from a keyboard also :D


There are some youtube videos that show some tests. Here is one from a pointing breed test . I assume by the retrieve it's senior hunter level. The kid handling the dog is way too loud and verbal IMO, but it shows some adequate dog work.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ydD5oOarWRQ

Good luck and have fun.
I really enjoyed watching this! I have run my Golden's in AKC and HRC hunt tests for years, but I have never watched a Pointing Field Trial or Hunt test....looks like fun!

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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by Timewise65 » Sat Feb 09, 2019 11:45 am

birddogsunlimited wrote:sorry pointing dog
As far as I know, Labs can run in pointing dog hunt tests....even if they are said to be 'Pointing' Labs...

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birddogsunlimited
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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by birddogsunlimited » Sat Feb 09, 2019 12:11 pm

shags wrote:My advice would be to read up on the requirements of whichever tests or levels you want to run, then go to a test and observe. It's difficult to just read and figure out what you need to do. It's hard to explain from a keyboard also :D


There are some youtube videos that show some tests. Here is one from a pointing breed test . I assume by the retrieve it's senior hunter level. The kid handling the dog is way too loud and verbal IMO, but it shows some adequate dog work.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ydD5oOarWRQ

Good luck and have fun.
watching that it sure looks like a blast. really looking forward to getting out there
rossi ann. gsp
mavrick gsp
willow gsp
Charlie yellow lab
kimber yellow lab
barrett yellow lab
mikey choc. lab r.i.p buddy

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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by averageguy » Sat Feb 09, 2019 12:47 pm

Reading this document will give you some good understandings of the NAVHDA Test System and Standards. Attending and watching Tests after reading this will be very educational. Attending a Handlers Clinic Better still. Join a Chapter if you have not already and get involved as a volunteer in their Spring and Fall tests is another excellent way to learn. Many of the better Chapters putting on tests will hold Mock Tests in advance of the actual test; working in and or running your dog in one of those mock tests is yet another excellent way to gain some knowledge and experience. Training days are another opportunity to learn as there will be members in attendance who have deep experience and knowledge of the tests including some Judges in many cases. Glad to discuss anytime as well, send me a PM if I can help.

https://www.navhda.org/files/assets/testrule-2-2014.pdf

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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by cjhills » Sat Feb 09, 2019 1:17 pm

Not sure what that event was. Maybe some sort of a fun day. Definitely not a hunt test. I don't know if you would pass a junior test with all the talking. A junior would not have a retrieve.
Your biggest issue in ND would be finding enough tests to title your dog. We do have quite a few tests in Minnesota and the GSP and Brittney clubs have their's on the same weekend. So you can run four times. Also a couple in SD.
The best way to get into tests is to find a trainer that trains for tests and have him help you get started. Junior dogs only need to hunt and point a bird to pass. They can learn bad habits that can be hard to cure in higher level test, so it is best to train close to senior level. No ecollars inn the tests by the way. The biggest reason to run junior is to learn a little about handling. Master requires a very solid dog which is steady to wing, shot and fall, Retrieves to hand, Honors his brace mate's points on sight through the retrieve, must stop to flush without a command and requires very little handling.
There are a lot of ways to fail a Master Test. So be prepared for That. It is expensive, it requires a lot of training birds. If you do all three it takes 4 junior 5 senior and 5 master passes for each title. If you skip junior it takes 6 passes each. I never had a dog go 6 straight in a master. Sometimes I failed sometimes the dog failed.. I really enjoy hunt tests and it is pretty much how I want my dogs to hunt. I have passed a lot of tests and titled lot of dogs. If you need any Help feel free to PM...…..Cj

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deseeker
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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by deseeker » Sat Feb 09, 2019 1:25 pm

I see you are in ND. You are going to have to travel if you are going to run in AKC pointing dog hunt tests. I got on the AKC event search site for last year and looked up pointing dog hunt tests for last year in ND---there were none listed. Nearest ones are in SD & MN. It's fun to run in them--give it a try. :D

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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by birddogsunlimited » Sat Feb 09, 2019 4:25 pm

deseeker wrote:I see you are in ND. You are going to have to travel if you are going to run in AKC pointing dog hunt tests. I got on the AKC event search site for last year and looked up pointing dog hunt tests for last year in ND---there were none listed. Nearest ones are in SD & MN. It's fun to run in them--give it a try. :D
I use to do some ukc events mainly conformation and dock jumping when I lived in Michigan since moving to north Dakota 10 years ago I had got out of dog events because of travel, being in a better position again I'm accepted ill have to traveling there is a club out of Bismarck/"bleep" area that does hold akc test but their spring one is actually in Montana fall they have listed here in ND but it doesn't show up on the akc site for some reason. im only 45 min from the Minnesota border so MN and SD wiil probably be my direction of travel. There is a Navhda chapter within an hour drive that holds training nights and events so I may end up spending more time with them.
rossi ann. gsp
mavrick gsp
willow gsp
Charlie yellow lab
kimber yellow lab
barrett yellow lab
mikey choc. lab r.i.p buddy

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birddogsunlimited
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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by birddogsunlimited » Sat Feb 09, 2019 4:44 pm

cjhills wrote:Not sure what that event was. Maybe some sort of a fun day. Definitely not a hunt test. I don't know if you would pass a junior test with all the talking. A junior would not have a retrieve.
Your biggest issue in ND would be finding enough tests to title your dog. We do have quite a few tests in Minnesota and the GSP and Brittney clubs have their's on the same weekend. So you can run four times. Also a couple in SD.
The best way to get into tests is to find a trainer that trains for tests and have him help you get started. Junior dogs only need to hunt and point a bird to pass. They can learn bad habits that can be hard to cure in higher level test, so it is best to train close to senior level. No ecollars inn the tests by the way. The biggest reason to run junior is to learn a little about handling. Master requires a very solid dog which is steady to wing, shot and fall, Retrieves to hand, Honors his brace mate's points on sight through the retrieve, must stop to flush without a command and requires very little handling.
There are a lot of ways to fail a Master Test. So be prepared for That. It is expensive, it requires a lot of training birds. If you do all three it takes 4 junior 5 senior and 5 master passes for each title. If you skip junior it takes 6 passes each. I never had a dog go 6 straight in a master. Sometimes I failed sometimes the dog failed.. I really enjoy hunt tests and it is pretty much how I want my dogs to hunt. I have passed a lot of tests and titled lot of dogs. If you need any Help feel free to PM...…..Cj
oh I'm sure myself and my older dogs have our fair share of bad habits take my 6 year old lab Charlie best duck hunting dog I've ever had steady to shot almost to a fault but he's picked up habit's like retrieving 2 or even seen 3 down birds all In one shot instead of back to back I gave up on correcting it a long time ago because out hunting its less time he's in the water I just figured he's hunting smarter not harder, and he's not competing against a standard or other dogs. These are things I want to get past with this new pup and future dogs. I want to be able to take them out have some fun and come hopefully home with a little validation that they are as good as I think they are. I don't see running any of my other dogs at this point they range in age from 4-13. 2 are retired all together. I have 1 gsp that still hunts and 2 labs that rotate during duck season and now a gsp pup to train.
rossi ann. gsp
mavrick gsp
willow gsp
Charlie yellow lab
kimber yellow lab
barrett yellow lab
mikey choc. lab r.i.p buddy

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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by mnaj_springer » Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:54 pm

At the top of the “Training” topic there is a thread called “Tips for hunt tests” which will have lots of compiled info for you.

That being said, you can get the AKC rules and regs for the pointing dog hunt test off their website. Read up on that so you know what’s required at each level and how tests are generally run.

My experience from gunning/working at the pointing dog hunt tests is that the Junior is a puppy test. The dog only has to establish and hold point long enough for the handler to get into gun range, or whatever the judge thinks that is. There is a lot of chasing that happens and no actual shots fired. Just blanks. The Senior level is a big jump from the junior level. Those dogs are fairly steady through the fall, can back with some encouragement, and are bird finders (or at least the passing dogs are). They also must retrieve.

I have a Pointer who is steady to WS&F but has never done any backing (honoring) work. If she backed we’d pass SH most days. But because she’s so far, JH would only risk her regressing. Long story short, either jump in at junior and have fun, or skip to senior and put the work in to pass.

I’ll PM you with info on a fun test in MN.
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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by polmaise » Sat Feb 09, 2019 8:11 pm

Reckon if you have a dog that achieves the level of any Hunt test you enter and you get a blue ribbon , then it has earned it the next day it wakes up .
...
Enter a Novice dog in a Test or trial , to the standard of Open . If You want to win .
....
Some attend to make up the numbers .

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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by Steve007 » Sun Feb 10, 2019 12:28 pm

Immediately buy this book... Took me to MH ; I reread it before every test. It is what you need.

https://www.amazon.com/QUALIFY-Successf ... =1-1-fkmr1

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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by DonF » Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:07 pm

shags wrote:My advice would be to read up on the requirements of whichever tests or levels you want to run, then go to a test and observe. It's difficult to just read and figure out what you need to do. It's hard to explain from a keyboard also :D


There are some youtube videos that show some tests. Here is one from a pointing breed test . I assume by the retrieve it's senior hunter level. The kid handling the dog is way too loud and verbal IMO, but it shows some adequate dog work.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ydD5oOarWRQ

Good luck and have fun.
Watching the video, that was not a hunting dog test. Appeared to be a walking gun dog stake. In a hunt test the dog's go around a course and into a bird field where every dog has an opportunity to point and retrieve birds. In a walking gun dog stake there may or may not be a bird field. In that one there wasn't. I say that because they were using call back's and giving placement's. No placement's or call back's in pointing dog test's. As I recall there are three stages in test's, been a long time since I judged any. There's a novice which pretty much looks for ability in the dog, novice may be called junior. There's then senior which is pretty much the dog most people hunt over and there's master. The master dog is completely finished to wing shot and fall. In the master class the handler carries an mty gun and is supposed to follow the flushed bird as though shooting. Shooting is done by designated gunner's. The dog must retrieve to hand. Pointing dog test's are fun but there is no placements, it's a pass/fail deal for every dog. They are fun too>
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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by Sharon » Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:23 pm

and if you do it too often the dog says, "I know where the bird field is;let's just go there right away." :)
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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by shags » Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:37 pm

DonF wrote:
shags wrote:My advice would be to read up on the requirements of whichever tests or levels you want to run, then go to a test and observe. It's difficult to just read and figure out what you need to do. It's hard to explain from a keyboard also :D


There are some youtube videos that show some tests. Here is one from a pointing breed test . I assume by the retrieve it's senior hunter level. The kid handling the dog is way too loud and verbal IMO, but it shows some adequate dog work.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ydD5oOarWRQ

Good luck and have fun.
Watching the video, that was not a hunting dog test. Appeared to be a walking gun dog stake. In a hunt test the dog's go around a course and into a bird field where every dog has an opportunity to point and retrieve birds. In a walking gun dog stake there may or may not be a bird field. In that one there wasn't. I say that because they were using call back's and giving placement's. No placement's or call back's in pointing dog test's. As I recall there are three stages in test's, been a long time since I judged any. There's a novice which pretty much looks for ability in the dog, novice may be called junior. There's then senior which is pretty much the dog most people hunt over and there's master. The master dog is completely finished to wing shot and fall. In the master class the handler carries an mty gun and is supposed to follow the flushed bird as though shooting. Shooting is done by designated gunner's. The dog must retrieve to hand. Pointing dog test's are fun but there is no placements, it's a pass/fail deal for every dog. They are fun too>
Yep, you're right, it is a FT. My bad. It says FT right on the title. Duh! :|

The kid has some hunt test videos though.

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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by Urban_Redneck » Thu Feb 14, 2019 9:03 am

NAVHDA aims https://www.navhda.org/files/assets/testrule-2-2014.pdf

Seek out a NAVHDA chapter, they should let you attend a training day without joining. Like the internet, be prepared to hear that you've doing all wrong :lol:

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Re: first time hunt testing

Post by weimdogman » Thu Feb 14, 2019 11:09 am

Midwest Tri States NAVHDA is around SiouxFalls,S.Dak. and plan on 2 AKC tests. Might contact them.

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