# The very first Field Trial and Field Tests for my boy and I!



## Ksana (Mar 30, 2013)

My boy and I just came back from our first ever Field Trial and Field Tests. I was so proud of my boy successfully completing every event he was entered in, placing forth in the Open Puppy Field Trial (there were many good dogs competing at the highest levels, so it was an honor for my boy to be placed in this event) and completing two legs towards his Field Dog Junior title. There will be talks about my boy out there, my fearless aristocratic clown. 
In the Open Puppy Field Trial, he first run and searched for birds like it was no tomorrow, then swam a half of the lake, but swimming did not slow him down a bit and he continued his run and search and then immediately was ready to run another course. It was his first time ever being close to horses and working in a brace, but he could not care less about them. 
In the next day he was entered in the Field Dog Junior Test and once again my boy worked very hard, he found and pointed every planted bird. Although while chasing a bird, he run through the barbwire, getting several cuts, flipped over his head, this did not slow him down even a single bit. The next day he was ready to run again. My boy has got his first field scars! I will try the suggested on the forum recipes to see if I could possibly reduce their appearance (one cut is on his front leg and is long and wide). Luckily, the cuts were not deep enough to damage the underlying tissues or bones.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Ks - the RED BADGE of COURAGE - this a hunting V !!!!!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Congratulations to you, and your boy on starting a new adventure.
On the barbed wire fences, I never owned a hunting dog that has not hit them a time or two. Over time they learn, and I practice handling them in the field. I either slow them down, or have them change direction when they get close to them. A younger dog and a bird flushing over the fence, and they will hit it every time. As they get older they learn to navigate the fences, and do not hit the barbs most of the time. I like the places that put the smooth wire on the 2 bottom strands.
I keep Vetericyn in my field bag, and spray it on any cuts before we leave the field. As the wounds heal and become itchy and dry, Neosporin ointment will cut down on them bothering the wound so they heal faster. 
EMT gel is also good for minor cuts, or torn pads.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Great job both of you. The hook is set. Your dog and your relationship now is stronger than ever. You are his hunting partner. If you do your part, he'll do his. 

Great show on the relationship between dog and hunter is 
"Happy People: A Year in the Targa." The bond is strong.

Scars are great things on a working dog. I have my share also. ???

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2013/03/honorable-scars.html

Have a great ride!

RBD


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## Ksana (Mar 30, 2013)

TexasRed said:


> Congratulations to you, and your boy on starting a new adventure.
> On the barbed wire fences, I never owned a hunting dog that has not hit them a time or two. Over time they learn, and I practice handling them in the field. I either slow them down, or have them change direction when they get close to them. A younger dog and a bird flushing over the fence, and they will hit it every time. As they get older they learn to navigate the fences, and do not hit the barbs most of the time. I like the places that put the smooth wire on the 2 bottom strands.
> I keep Vetericyn in my field bag, and spray it on any cuts before we leave the field. As the wounds heal and become itchy and dry, Neosporin ointment will cut down on them bothering the wound so they heal faster.
> EMT gel is also good for minor cuts, or torn pads.


Thanks ! I will ensure to add these to my first aid kit. I actually did not see this fence myself and thought my boy just tripped on something. The judge who was in this field before instantly knew what happened and told me to check out my boy for any possible cuts. He also helped me out to do this check.


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## Ksana (Mar 30, 2013)

redbirddog said:


> Great job both of you. The hook is set. Your dog and your relationship now is stronger than ever. You are his hunting partner. If you do your part, he'll do his.
> 
> RBD


This is so true, RBD! I previously posted somewhere on this forum that my husband was my V's favorite person. This has now changed. I am his favorite person now. He can't understand only, how could his mom miss all those birds he perfectly pointed for me this weekend (scoring 20 out of 20 at every test)??? I did fire a starter pistol every time, but these were all blanks, of course. 

Every time we lost some points in the "control" category, as he would not wanting to stop hunting at the every end (good control during the entire test though). This was the only evaluating category preventing my boy to score the perfect score. Any suggestions how to fix this?


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

Ksana said:


> Every time we lost some points in the "control" category, as he would not wanting to stop hunting at the every end (good control during the entire test though). This was the only evaluating category preventing my boy to score the perfect score. Any suggestions how to fix this?


I might treat it like a recall issue. During training call him back in as if the hunting time is over, leash him up, gives lots of praise, walk him away at heel a few steps and then release him to hunt again. Any other ideas? I'm sure I'm going to run into this sooner than later.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I agree with einspänner.

I also wouldn't look at it as a bad thing. He has tons of drive, and wants to keep hunting. Also remember he is still young. When a dog has that, you have a bird dog. You just have to teach him, that coming into you does not always mean the hunt is over.
Work him on a bird or 2 with them spaced far apart, then have him come to you once he is thirsty and on the tired side. Praise and give a drink, then send him out to hunt again making sure there is another bird in the field. Once he starts getting it down have him come to you after each bird, before he moves on to hunt more.
If he does not come around after doing this for a few weeks, get a bird bag and some pigeons. Your going to teach him birds come from you. 
I call it pitching birds. It just pulling birds out of the bag. Letting the dog get his nose full of scent and its okay if he gets his mouth on them a little. Then pitch the bird in the air and let it fly away. He can chase it all he wants, but he won't be able to catch it. After the chase he will come back for more, and you just keep repeating the process with a few more birds. Do it in a large fenced area until he is reliable on recall.


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## Ksana (Mar 30, 2013)

Thanks TexasRed and Einspänner: these sound like great ideas and worth trying them out. Yes, I agree; this looks like a recall issue (excellent recall otherwise, but failed recall with birds being present). It also does not help him being a teenager now. I know neither food nor water would work as he can't care less for those while hunting. But I like the idea using birds as the reward.


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## Ksana (Mar 30, 2013)

R said:


> Ks - the RED BADGE of COURAGE - this a hunting V !!!!!


Thanks! It will be a mission impossible though, to bring him back to the show ring. O well, he is so skinny (he refuses to eat when hunting and is a hard runner burning all fat away), I have to postpone this anyway until after the field test/ hunting season is over.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

> It will be a mission impossible though, to bring him back to the show ring.


Good trade off for both of you. The ring dogs will still be there.

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2011/10/experiencing-show-ring-up-close.html

Have fun.
Rod


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Ks - in the show ring - AKC with sport dogs the judges are to honer scars from the field not deduct points - hope this is TRUE !!!!


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## v-john (Jan 27, 2013)

R said:


> Ks - in the show ring - AKC with sport dogs the judges are to honer scars from the field not deduct points - hope this is TRUE !!!!


It is. Kelli showed Grady for a while...

This is him after hunting. 

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He has a point or two, but nothing really special. Had a judge ask Kelli if he hunted a lot. His jowls are callused and have lost hair on them, he has scars on his face, and he's missing some chunks of ear. But the real issue was weight. Putting weight on him to get him in "show shape" was a pain in the butt with as active as he is, and how much we run them. That was the difficulty.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

PIKE after a 3 day hunt out west - bloody ear & tail tip - wiskers worn off - a raw nose & jowls - his few eye brow hairs are missing - this is when he looks his best - both of us r Very happy - the bonus !!!!!!! PIKE sleeps for 18 hrs on the ride home LOL


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## Ksana (Mar 30, 2013)

R said:


> PIKE after a 3 day hunt out west - bloody ear & tail tip - wiskers worn off - a raw nose & jowls - his few eye brow hairs are missing - this is when he looks his best - both of us r Very happy - the bonus !!!!!!! PIKE sleeps for 18 hrs on the ride home LOL


It is Thursday and my boy is still sleeping a lot since three days trials/ tests ended on Monday night. Upon return, he could barely walk and kids were pointing at him "look how skinny this dog is!" He is slowly putting weight on, but not even close enough to satisfy judges who had already told me "great conformation, but you have to start feeding your dog!"


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