# first NAVHDA training day



## Kafka (Jul 24, 2013)

This Sunday will be Kafka's first training day with NAVHDA! I'm really excited! She's had half an hour with a trainer before where they would have a pigeon that couldn't fly to see if she was interested. Of course she was 
I've never seen her happier than with a bird in her mouth so I'm going to train her for hunting (even though I've never hunted before..I went to a shooting range once and was a better shot than my friend who owned the gun..and I liked shooting ;D)
I got some info about the training day, but I was wondering if anybody has some advice on what they wish they had know for a first training day? Maybe some useful things to bring or anything I can do to prepare?

PS some pics of her looking for a bird in the bushes


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## SuperV (Oct 18, 2011)

The biggest thing you'll find is most everyone will tell what and how you should train and they won't necessarily be wrong, but the thing to note is there are dozens of ways to teach the same thing. What worked for one dog won't for another all the time.... You'll just need to sift through them to find out what works best for you and your dog and learn how to read your dog... 

That was the biggest obstacle I found starting out. You would talk to one respectable person and they will tell you they wouldn't recommend launchers for instance, and the next respected person would say that's nonsense and love launchers. NAVHDA is a great organization, everyone there is usually more than happy to help one another out as they all have a common interest.... NAVHDA is what gave me my start. Went to one of the training days, met some nice folks that are now great friends that helped me a ton.

Nate


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## Carolina Blue (Sep 20, 2012)

Pardon my ignorance, but are you doing the natural ability test? I'm trying to get Kiya involved in NAVHDA, but all I find near me is an ability test in Dec. I think she will do ok everywhere except water. We only have one shot since she will be 15 months at that time.


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## SuperV (Oct 18, 2011)

Carolina Blue

Forgive me if you are aware of this already, but with respect to the Natural Ability, the "Natural" part is a bit of a misnomer in that there is a certain degree of training or should I say practice suggested for the pup. Putting a pup with no bird exposure into the test isn't fair to the puppy. They will also need to perform a track too as well as be condition to gunshots. 

I am not suggesting you weren't aware of this so please forgive me if you were...., but I know many people think you can just introduce a pup into the test without doing any homework. We have a NAVHDA test this upcoming weekend, and we see plenty of people showing up that haven't done any birdwork with their dog and wonder why their pup is behind all the others out there....

FYI - my dog faltered in the water work as well when we did the NA test. My mistake was i knew she would swim, but never focused on getting her to swim after a bumper. She could care less about bumpers. She also doesn't have a strong love for the water, so that didn't help matters - she really needs to WANT to go into the water, otherwise she won't...and she decided on test day it wasn't a great day to go for a swim.... :

Nate


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Exposure to birds, a distant shotgun sound, and water retrieve as Nate mentioned would be about it. The judges do not want you to "handle" the dog as it is a Natural Abilities test and not a trained abilities test. Your dog wants to know what game birds smell like. Love to chase them. Is not afraid of a shotgun from 30 plus yards away and will jump in the water and grab a bumper and bring it toward shore. Tracking is interesting as they drag a game bird through the test area and the dog is released and has to show that it can come across a scent and then follow it to the bird. The test weekend was fun and we met a lot of great people You just don't want your dog to be "clueless" of what is expected. Hope that helps.

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2009/11/april-to-october-change-in-six-months.html

RBD


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## solefald (May 16, 2013)

We are 1 week short of having a Rabies shot on the day of the NAVHDA training this month, so we are going to the next one. I can't wait!


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## Kafka (Jul 24, 2013)

Carolina Blue: It's just a training day, not a test. I contacted the local chapter to ask about training days a few months ago before they were posted online. You probably already did, but if not, I would suggest to email them if they are planning to schedule training days.

My chapter doesn't have a natural ability test scheduled but it sounds like fun and I'm sure they'll tell me about it.
It seems like I've been preparing her for it by accident  I take her to places almost every day where she will point, stalk and chase birds. She also loves to swim and will fetch anything from the water (when she sees ducks swimming she'll try to swim after them). I'll ask them Sunday if they have a test this year.

I'll let you all know how it went!


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## Kafka (Jul 24, 2013)

We had a great time! Everybody was really friendly and helpful. We got a pigeon and Kafka had a blast!
I'm not sure if I will do field trials, but I think I'll definitely go to the next training day! I think I'd like to hunt with Kafka and I'm sure it will be more fun (and safer) if she's well trained.
I didn't take pictures during training, but here are some of her just having fun running around


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## Kafka (Jul 24, 2013)

Hmpf having problems uploading more pictures.. but if you're interested, here's the flickr with many pictures of today 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/

(just a few training day related but the rest...mainly pictures of Kafka frolicking :)


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

looks like you have some privacy settings blocking me from seeing the flickr pics. I'd love to see them if you can figure out what's going on.  Glad you both enjoyed your time at the training day. I can't wait to take Scout out to one sometime!


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## Kafka (Jul 24, 2013)

OOPS! Sorry about that. Should work now.. please let me know if it doesn't!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

Yup that did it! Awesome shots! She looks like one happy pup.


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