# Bird training



## zigzag (Oct 4, 2011)

Just thought I would ask. Please feel free to elaborate on the outcome of your dogs abilitys. Would you do it diffrently next time.


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

Sorry zigzag, I must be dense. Don't have a clue what you're asking. Care to elaborate?


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

zigzag,
Just got off the phone with a friend who owns Vizslas who is going back to becoming a "professional" bird dog trainer. We got talking about how I trained Bailey and how we got to where we are now.

There are two things that stand out. When Bailey was young we did two things. One was that the Northern California Vizsla Club held a "fun field days" where they ran a "mock" field trial. That turned me on to field trialing and I ran dozens of field trials in the puppy and derby trails all over California and Oregon.

The second thing was running Bailey at about 8 months old at the Northern American Versatile Hunting Dog Association "Natural Abilities" test. This was a weekend event down in a Hunting area around Fresno. The three judges tested each dog in different hunting aspects. Bailey scored a perfect 112 and showed he was a natural hunter. Strong genes and abilities for hunting. Other dogs scored 60's, 70's and 80's. 

We used a gentle trainer for Bailey when he was young, and a drill sargent type trainer once he turned two and was done with puppy and derby stakes. 
Steady to wing and shot took intense training. Bailey "lived" for the bird for three months. He was kenneled except for twice a day when he worked on his bird work. He slept, drank, and lived for birds for that three months. 

Now he is a quality hunter at a little over three. I asked both the trainers I used to not only train my dog but train me. They both helped me understand what it took. The field trials gave me the experience of being around other quality dogs and dog trainers. I have made many friends in this world. Special people that love dogs to a higher degree than 99% of the dog owning world.

Does that help?
RBD


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

zigzag

I got my first Vizsla in 1988 and trained him myself, he was a Rock Star. He literally excelled at every aspect of hunting, he was a machine.
I bought every book and magazine I could find on all things Bird Dog and Vizlsa just to teach myself, as the nearest trainer was probably 3 hours away. There really were no trainers familiar with the Vizsla near me, or I would have used them. Vizlsas were very uncommon in the field at that time.
I ran him through NAVDHA trials and AKC Trials, took him to VC Club days,etc. He didn't need it, I did, just to learn.
I've also succesfully trained my other four Vizlsas myself. Tika is my only "failure" so to speak. She has all of the tools to hunt, but she lacks the confidence to range out on her own, and leave her owners side. She just won't get far enough out.
I guess the point being that a person is capable of training their own dog, but there is going to be a lot of homework to do.


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