# Bird work vacation



## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

Just back from Missouri where we spent 5 days on bird work. Bende to start working on senior hunt skills, Miksa on junior, and mom to understand it all. Probably the best vacation i have had in many years. Every day different weather, different scenting conditions and our trainer made it so much fun for the boys, they just worked as if it was a game for them. Miksa as expected shows good nose, long points, no fear of the gun. He needs to build more muscles / stamina (11 months still growing boy, using every calories he gets), but he has time for that till hunt test season starts here. We put the ecollar on Bende for some whoa training on day 1 but he very quickly demonstrated that he actually does not need it at this phase, as he gets it without extra pressure too. Yeah, so as of day 2 no more ecollar for him either. Had Bende being shot over live bird the first time ever, and he liked it, even retrieved it. Had both boys retrieving shot bird, fun fun fun, they did not want to stop. Mom has still a lot to learn and practice, but i feel that i got great advices and plenty of different ways to approach it if i get stuck. Worked some other dogs as well, to see different situations, plus these 2 cannot work the whole day, it is a lot for them mentally. While i wish we had a similar trainer down in Texas, worth the long trip for sure.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

That's awesome. 
Nothing like seeing a birddog, being a birddog.


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## Erniesmom (Oct 11, 2017)

Fantastic! What a great opportunity for you and your boys. They are lucky dogs indeed! Great pictures!


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

Decided to answer to original post, as we have just spent another 5 fabulous days in fall to winter Missouri to continue training. Everyone had a great time again and showed lots of improvement. 
Bende`s points are getting longer and further and further from the bird, not wanting to grab or catch anymore. More and more standing still when the bird is released. 
Miksa at 16 month old goofy stage, works very well with bracemate, especially on bigger fields, slows down when alone on a small field. He managed to spring up and grab a flying pigeon day 1 and was holding it, happily walking around with it for a while. Once he gave me the bird, we figured that it was alive and no bone broke. Yeah, soft mouth, as expected. He also turned out to be a natural backer. Not needed at junior level, but will come handy later on.
They are staying up there for 2 more weeks of training vacation. Missing them and hoping they don`t do the same. The 2 being there together makes me feel better, especially for Miksa to settle quickly.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

It's always tough to leave them, even when you know they are in good hands. 
I bet they are having a blast working birds.


I've been dove hunting Shine.
I know some of its been counterproductive to her pointer training. Going to have to put in a lot more work on whoa. But she's been having fun in the field, so we have been doing it.


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## OliviaU (Dec 6, 2020)

Gabica said:


> Just back from Missouri where we spent 5 days on bird work. Bende to start working on senior hunt skills, Miksa on junior, and mom to understand it all. Probably the best vacation i have had in many years. Every day different weather, different scenting conditions and our trainer made it so much fun for the boys, they just worked as if it was a game for them. Miksa as expected shows good nose, long points, no fear of the gun. He needs to build more muscles / stamina (11 months still growing boy, using every calories he gets), but he has time for that till hunt test season starts here. We put the ecollar on Bende for some whoa training on day 1 but he very quickly demonstrated that he actually does not need it at this phase, as he gets it without extra pressure too. Yeah, so as of day 2 no more ecollar for him either. Had Bende being shot over live bird the first time ever, and he liked it, even retrieved it. Had both boys retrieving shot bird, fun fun fun, they did not want to stop. Mom has still a lot to learn and practice, but i feel that i got great advices and plenty of different ways to approach it if i get stuck. Worked some other dogs as well, to see different situations, plus these 2 cannot work the whole day, it is a lot for them mentally. While i wish we had a similar trainer down in Texas, worth the long trip for sure.


Where do you train? We live in OR, long way from Missouri- but I want to find somewhere that will train owner and V together, not send dog away.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

I know I'm late to this thread, but wow!!! It looks like everyone had fun!!!!

Tried and true recipe for success with bird dogs. Birds, birds, more birds, and then some more birds.


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

OliviaU said:


> Where do you train? We live in OR, long way from Missouri- but I want to find somewhere that will train owner and V together, not send dog away.


This one is Everedi Vizslas, Lin Kozlowski and Jean Thomas. They are a small business, and have been into vizslas for decades. It is a 16 hour drive for me, so 32 back and forth. We have not been able to go there this year due to Covid, so just continued working on things they have shown me last year and it feels like we have made great progress. I also don`t like leaving my dogs anywhere to be honest, especially not for a long time. Although they have actually a very nice kennel house, heated and air conditioned and don`t take more than 5-6 dogs at a time, also they live there, so there is constant supervision for the dogs. I know they are working on adding a dock diving pool too, so i am hoping we can go up again next summer and have birds when it is cool in the mornings and cool down in the pool later during the day.


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

gunnr said:


> I know I'm late to this thread, but wow!!! It looks like everyone had fun!!!!
> 
> Tried and true recipe for success with bird dogs. Birds, birds, more birds, and then some more birds.


yes, i wish they would live closer, if it was a 4ish hour drive, we would be at their place every weekend honestly.


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