Gun Dog Forum

I entered my first field trial with my dog in a couple of weeks, she is a 3.5 yr old MH and some friends of mine urged me to try some field trials first instead of going to NSTRA. Any tips for a first timer????????

HAVE FUN! Which Trial you heading to?

I would say handle your dog and do not worry about distractions of other dog, judges, handlers, gallery...focus on your dog and let it roll. If you have questions do NOT be afraid to talk to the judge (in a polite quiet manner) humility goes a LONG way. If you do not think your dog performed to your standard...pick it up. Saves the judge's time and effort...although if you are not sure about what just happened, leave your dog down, and let the judge talk you through it. If mums the word...keep rolling!

HAVE FUN!

Yes, let your dog do the work without too much help from you. Most judges, at least those that I have talk to, do not like to see a dog over directed from handler. I call to my dogs if they need to know where I am or are going out of bounds. Other than that, I am quiet or speaking quietly with the judges.

The rule for any handler no matter who, is show your dog's abilities the best you can without yourself being noticed. Imagine in your own mine that you are trying to seel your dog to the judge for a very large sum of money. The better the dog does all by itself the more it is worth and hour only job is to make sure the dog does it's very best.

Go, relax, have fun, and the rest will come together. Just remember, all it takes to win is for the dog to do it's best. And they don't give ribbons to the best handler.

Ezzy

Go watch a couple braces befor eyou run so you get the feel of it.

Relax and have fun.

DANGER!!! Be careful of creating expensive and addictive habbit!!!!!

Just have a good time, enjoy, watch and listen.

Thanks for all the good tips we will let you know how it goes 3/19

Had a good time at the FT today but went birdless, We had a real nice stop to flush though in the open field. I don't know if this is our cup of tea so I may give it a shot one more time for the heck of it. I feel like my dog wants to qurter the open fields and check in too much, but I'm not sure I want to start changing her with a NAVHDA UT test coming in 7 weeks. Thanks for all the tips guys

Sean

Your dog is a MH so she knows who the boss is, now you just have to let her know that you have confidence in her training and intelligence to allow her to do her part of the job - hunt. As she becomes confident that you are fine with her hunting she will feel less compelled to have to look for you for affirmation and will actually become a better hunting dog. You actually don't need to do anything to change your dog, simply let her feel that you have confidence in her. And if a MH dog that has confidence in her ability to hunt and an owner that has trust in the dog and the training is detrimental to her working in a UT test then someone has a problem, and it wouldn't be you or your dog.

Well, how did it go?