Pro Trainer for Field Trial Prospect

[Brittowner]

At what age do those of you who use a pro trainer send your dog? I am particularly interested in dogs that will be training for field trials. I have a 4month old pup from a great competition breeding. I have hopes of her becoming my FT dog.

[midwestfisherman]

I've had mine go to a trainer as young as 6 months.

[mudhunter]

I would strongly check out Pete DeAngelis, He's not far from you, ask around about him hes well known in the field trial community in the area. Plus I would contact him now and he can talk to to you and see the dog and advise, He is usually filled so by the time your pup is ready he should have a spot open.

[Brittowner]

Pete is exactly who I had in mind. He trains at Water & Wings which is where I picked my pup up. Got her form Jim Wilkinson who is the caretaker there. I will give Pete a call to see what he thinks is a good time. Just wanted to get an idea of what age is appropriate.

[Neil]

Pete is a good choice. Not sure if he goes North (or West in his case) to get in wild birds. But I have found the first summer after they are at least 1 year old is invaluable to get them in wild birds in open country. You will find which will run.

Neil

[BigShooter]

Depends upon the dog, your goals, whether you plan to do any training yourself and how deep your pockets are.

The 2X NGSPA NC went to a trainer at between 3 & 4 months of age and remained with a pro most of his first two years. After that he was home twice a year for a couple of months at a time after the spring and fall field trial seasons ended. The owner whelped the litter and owned the dam so when the dog came home there was very little adjustment even though it was with a pro most of each year. The owner basically turned the training over to a pro.

[RayGubernat]

Brittowner -

I agree with talking to Pete. One this is for dead certain. He will tell you exactly what he thinks and he will advise you as honestly as he can. What you do with that information is totally up to you.

From what I have seen, Jimmy Wilkinson likes a "bird" dog with wheels and so does Pete. You could do a whole lot worse, and not very much better, I think.

RayG

[Neil]

To amend my post.

Unless you have the time, money, and ability to run the dog yourself, you might want to consider one of the pros that go North and campaigns Britts on the major circuit.

Neil

[Brushbustin Sporting Dogs]

I'm with on this one what is your goal with her. Do you wish to just run her yourself at a few weekend trials or are you looking to put the dog with a pro to run her and get her lots of exposure? The really good ones spend a lot of time on a pros truck. .

[Brittowner]

I am mainly looking to run her myself at the weekend trials. I know Pete does not campaign dogs any longer, but a few of the folks I know that have had dogs trained by him were able to put an AFC or FC title on their dogs in this method.

I need to figure out my priorities. I am still first and foremost a hunter, but I do enjoy trialing. Not to change the subject of the post, but very few of the trialers I have met are actually hunters. Not to say they never were hunters, it just seems to me that most of them get into trialing and go into it with both feet. Most of the folks I know and are competetive, have a kennel full of dogs, horses and hit the trials almost every weekend. I am mainly talking about the brittany circuit, but I have attended a few AF trials as well.

I think I want a pro to help me put a pattern on a dog and help in the breaking process.

[Neil]

Living where you do, where there are few wild birds except for grouse and woodcock, would explain why few of the trialers you meet still hunt. As you go West it changes some.

Not to be gibe, but you are going to need more training than the dog.

Neil

[Brittowner]

I know what you are saying. I am fortunate to have a mentor who helps me train and bum around with at the trials. He was very succesful in the 90's and early 2000 but ran into some health issues. He is back at it again and beginning to have some success.

I still make some rookie mistakes, but feel like I am constantly learning and improving.

Just to clarify my point about the hunting thing. I was not casting an aspersion on trialers that don't hunt. Just pointing out that because I am a hunter, I run into conflicts with my variuos pursuits. Seems that I always have to make a choice between my many sporting pursuits.

[RayGubernat]

Brittowner -

The only two main things, from the dog's perspective, that you will really have to work on while hunting, is to maintain steadiness to wing and shot and to maintain the dog's independent search, ie. not impede the dog's natural range. You need to hunt like you trial, to a degree.

It can be done, but it is more work(and might be less fun for you in the field) to do it that way than to just hunt.

I most definitely fall in the category of not hunting much anymore, and both you and Neil are spot on in my case...not much opportunity locally and working with and competing with the dogs is great fun, very enjopyable and has become a goal in itself.

However, I do encourage you to try to do both. The dog will be a better dog because of the varied experience. Not to mention a dog that is steady to wing, shot AND fall, wll stand there looking good when the bird flies away.


RayG

[mudhunter]

I am a Hunter through and through, but I have really been enjoying trialing and gotten into that a lot. What works for me is I do have a hunting dog that I don't trial so I don't care if he picks up bad habits (I do hunt my trial dogs in the RIGHT situation). Most Amateur stakes are on Sunday (AF anyway) so I hunt Saturday and trial Sunday.

[BigShooter]

Did you get sufficient responses to your original question about at what age people send their pup to a pro?

Your goals for the dog are a consideration. If you don't have sufficient access to birds that's a reason to send the pup to a pro at a young age to get "intro to birds" for a week or two.

[Brittowner]

I do have access to birds for training. I have homers and a recall pen for quail. I do a lot of training on my own and about once a week with my mentor. I belong to a pheasant preserve and hunt grouse at my camp in PA. I know you guys don't think much of preserves, but I am also able to run the dogs on Sundays on birds that have been out for awhile. Closest thing to wild phez in PA.

I have already exposed the pup to birds, exposed her to gunfire (just blank gun) and am working on come and getting her out in front on walks. I had her at a trial over the weekend on a chain gang. I can and do a lot of the early work myself. I just think a good pro will supplement my efforts.

When folks send their dog to a pro at a young age say 6mo is it to mainly do the introductory stuff? I think I need a pro to really put the polish on a dog.

I just have not been able to get my male to be totally finished. He is close and I am not giving up, but I seem to always make a mistake in the process and back slide a bit. I kind of see my new pup as a clean slate. I also think she has great potential based on the breeding and what I see so far. She is really smart, great temperment and looks like she will have wheels. She seems to be built like her mom and that dog just sems to dance thru the cover.

[BigShooter]

A pretty common recommendation is to send the dog to a pro for breaking (or polishing up) at about 1 1/2 years old and after it has had at least one full hunting season but before it has been allowed to develop any ingrained poor habits.

[Neil]

A pretty common recommendation is to send the dog to a pro for breaking (or polishing up) at about 1 1/2 years old and after it has had at least one full hunting season but before it has been allowed to develop any ingrained poor habits.

Mark,

I think that is only true for field trial dogs if you are able to put a pattern on them yourself, few amateurs can. I think it vital to send young dogs North.

Neil

[Brittowner]

A pretty common recommendation is to send the dog to a pro for breaking (or polishing up) at about 1 1/2 years old and after it has had at least one full hunting season but before it has been allowed to develop any ingrained poor habits.

Mark,

I think that is only true for field trial dogs if you are able to put a pattern on them yourself, few amateurs can. I think it vital to send young dogs North.

Neil

Neil

Pardon my ignorance, but what do you mean by send young dogs North?

Steve