I have only gone to a Quail Unlimited Fun Trial and we went on dog at a time. When two dogs go at the same time, do any of the dogs mess the other dogs up? For example, if you had a experienced dog running against a new dog, and the new dog did not back the experienced dog and flushed the bird.
My question is, does the trial usually pair experienced dogs with experienced dogs?
and
What is the best way to enter the trialling scene..
Grant
Trail Question
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icefire
Grant,
Braces are chosen at random by drawing so yes, it is very possible for a young dog to be braced with an older dog. 1st and formost, it is the job of the dog and handler not to screw up. remember the post about whoa? sometimes the bracemate will screw up the other dog, steal points, refuse to back, rush in and flush the birds. usually though it will only happen once and the offending dog is usually picked up. if you dog stand through it all, it actually makes you look just that much better. The biggest problem that i have seen/experienced, is running a dog to "see" if it is ready rather then waiting till you know a dog is ready. in a trial, you cannot properly correct a dog for any indescretions (sp?). so, if you do only yard work with the dog, it does perfect every time for months, you drop it in a trial with a strange dog, a strange place, horses, people ect....and the dog breaks without a correction the dog just learned that under those circumstances it is ok! if you get excited to run your dog, put it into a derby before it is really trained and it breaks/catches one of those pen raised quail then hey! this is fun! and i didn't get in trouble!
To get started I would just go to a few, ride the stakes all day, make your own notes about what you see in each dog then wait and find out who wins! most judges are pretty patient with new guys (they certianly have been with me) and AFTER the stake ask them why they placed the dogs that they did. see how it compares to your notes! and above all else, be patient and don't drop your dog until you know, not hope but know, that it will run a clean brace. this patients was the hardest thing for me to learn and it certianly made it harder on the dogs.
Have fun and if you want to give me a call PM me.
Justin
Braces are chosen at random by drawing so yes, it is very possible for a young dog to be braced with an older dog. 1st and formost, it is the job of the dog and handler not to screw up. remember the post about whoa? sometimes the bracemate will screw up the other dog, steal points, refuse to back, rush in and flush the birds. usually though it will only happen once and the offending dog is usually picked up. if you dog stand through it all, it actually makes you look just that much better. The biggest problem that i have seen/experienced, is running a dog to "see" if it is ready rather then waiting till you know a dog is ready. in a trial, you cannot properly correct a dog for any indescretions (sp?). so, if you do only yard work with the dog, it does perfect every time for months, you drop it in a trial with a strange dog, a strange place, horses, people ect....and the dog breaks without a correction the dog just learned that under those circumstances it is ok! if you get excited to run your dog, put it into a derby before it is really trained and it breaks/catches one of those pen raised quail then hey! this is fun! and i didn't get in trouble!
To get started I would just go to a few, ride the stakes all day, make your own notes about what you see in each dog then wait and find out who wins! most judges are pretty patient with new guys (they certianly have been with me) and AFTER the stake ask them why they placed the dogs that they did. see how it compares to your notes! and above all else, be patient and don't drop your dog until you know, not hope but know, that it will run a clean brace. this patients was the hardest thing for me to learn and it certianly made it harder on the dogs.
Have fun and if you want to give me a call PM me.
Justin
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icefire