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Road to Utility Test: duck search, deconstructed
I summarized to my wife the biggest challenge of a NAVHDA Utility test this way: you must train to the test, and you must use “tricks” to chain together the skills needed for each portion of the test,...
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Road to Utility Test: a new tool
Of all the things my new friend and NAVHDA judge Bob Farris pointed out on a recent visit, the most gratifying was how steady Manny was on flying birds. Not rock-steady, of course, but better than many...
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Road to Utility Test: his point of view and why it’s important
Some things just make sense, whether you hunt with dogs or not. This is one of them. If your goal is to have a steady dog that holds his point even while a bird rattles into the sky, this might help....
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Road to Utility Test: Sorta
Okay, I guess technically it’s not related to the NAVHDA Utility Test, but a dog that will jump into and out of a truck bed or similar objective can be a godsend. Now that he’s over two years old and...
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Shop right here for great gear
Who needs Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Why fight the crowds when you can get great gear right here for you, your dog and your friends. Special holiday offer: I will double my contribution to the...
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No beat missed
It was like we’d left off our hard work yesterday, not five months ago when we hit the road to make this season’s Wingshooting USA. Now that I’m home writing TV shows instead of in the field making...
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Making progress here … you?
One step at a time, the saying goes, and the steps are encouraging. Despite two TV seasons of breaking at the shot, Manny is making progress on his steadiness to wing, shot, and fall. We had a few...
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Watch. Do. Teach.
In medical school, the curriculum is often watch-do-teach. All three create a finely-honed, multi-dimensional learning experience for any skill from surgery to bird dog training. The strategy was...
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Manny becomes a man
Whirrrrrrr! A long, dry slog down canyon went from relaxed camaraderie to high alert as four valley quail flushed wild on both sides of us. Manny’s attention was seized, he arrived at the scene of the...
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Steady to wing & shot: Is less more?
You’ve heard the phrase “less is more.” Does it have relevance to dog training? Manny and I are deep into preparation for an upcoming NAVHDA Utility test (www.navhda.org) and our latest challenge is...
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