# What are you doing with your V to get ready for the upcoming hunting season?



## huntvizsla (Jun 8, 2013)

Its getting close to that time of year when my thougths turn to creatures with feathers, cool nights and crisp autumn days, and dogs on point! I believe that the only thing that is instinctual in a solid performing pointing dog is the point - the rest of their work is all based on training, and therefore (for me) some effort needs to be made to keep the lessons in place for hunting season.

I have three seasoned campaigners, one apprentice, and one newby. Two of the seasoned dogs are worked over birds twice a month in braces with other dogs, along with the occasional blind retrieve across water. The third seasoned dog is prepping for NAVHDAs Utility test so he is getting tons of bird (upland and duck) exposure weekly. The apprentice (also training for the UT test) is not nearly as seasoned so she gets more frequent work, and many of the training topics are new to her (stop to shot, stop to flush, clean retrieve, duck search) - she is loving it! The newby is prepped for the NAVHDA NA test, and he is ready and rarin to go. Once he is past that hurdle we will work a bit on steadying up in anticipation of getting him into wild birds. 

Once the UT and NA tests are finished the seasoned campaigners will go to the NAVHDA Invitational test where they will work as Bye and test dogs (only VC passed dogs are permitted for many of these support roles), then its on to a great hunting season!

Keeping them fit, happy, and polished up on the finer points of bird manners makes for a great season.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

Nothing that exciting for me and Ruby, just reinforcing steady and stop, bread and butter stuff I suppose.


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## Saltwater Soul (Jan 17, 2013)

Perhaps starting over on training to gunfire after this 4th of July. I had our 7 month old Maddie really tolerant around gunshot -- it wouldn't bother her at all. I had worked her up from .22 subsonics to 12 ga.

Well this past 4th we were down at our coastal place and neighbors all around us decided on "semi-professional" fireworks. We had her inside but it was just too much stimulation. She got scared and peed in her crate. She was then scared to go outside the next night which has never been a problem. I am hoping that it didn't make her gun shy. I had brought down a just purchased dummy launcher to have some fun but didn't use it because of the fright she suffered.

I thought I would let a little time pass and then start working with her again, starting slowly.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Saltwater said:


> Perhaps starting over on training to gunfire after this 4th of July. I had our 7 month old Maddie really tolerant around gunshot -- it wouldn't bother her at all. I had worked her up from .22 subsonics to 12 ga.
> 
> Well this past 4th we were down at our coastal place and neighbors all around us decided on "semi-professional" fireworks. We had her inside but it was just too much stimulation. She got scared and peed in her crate. She was then scared to go outside the next night which has never been a problem. I am hoping that it didn't make her gun shy. I had brought down a just purchased dummy launcher to have some fun but didn't use it because of the fright she suffered.
> 
> I thought I would let a little time pass and then start working with her again, starting slowly.


I wouldn't let time pass, it just gives more time for her to think the way she is thinking.
Loud noises are bad, and you need to make then good again.
I would restart from the beginning, and work slowly with her.
Next time there are fireworks, turn on the radio in one room, and the TV on in another.
That way it helps drowned out the noise.

Some good gundogs don't like fireworks, and others don't like thunder.
Maybe its because neither produces birds.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Trying to get Cash back in shape after his extended rest. Shoulder injury, followed by a yeast infection of the toenail beds.
It's the first time in his life that he is out of shape. So running and some water/land retriever drills.
I broke one of my toes this morning, and cant get a shoe on that foot. We just worked on Place today. I should be able to get a shoe back on in a day or two.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

TEX - LEARN 2 HOP !!!!!- LOL


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Someone I talked to today suggested to reduce the protein/fat ratio of kibble to aroind 25/17 during the off season. 
While suring hunting season to increase protein/fat to just about 32/20.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

datacan said:


> Someone I talked to today suggested to reduce the protein/fat ratio of kibble to aroind 25/17 during the off season.
> While suring hunting season to increase protein/fat to just about 32/20.


This depends on the dog, and the amount of exercise they get in the off season.
A lot of dogs eat less during the hot summer months, so there is not a need to change foods.
I would only change if I saw my dog stacking on weight.


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## huntvizsla (Jun 8, 2013)

Hunting season is getting closer, I can tell, even tho its freaken 90+ degrees!

Big challenge is moving training forward while working a full time job in this heat. Any field work has to be done late in the day when there is little to no wind. Even water work has its challenges as I have seen dogs overheat when in duck search mode as the water is not cool enough to compensate for the body heat generated when in the midst of the cattails and reeds. The apprentice is getting daily exposure to ducks (live and dead), some basic line drive drills on land and water, and whoa, stop to shot and heeling drills in the yard. If the weather breaks we will apply this work to the field and water this coming weekend.

Ran the NAVHDA NA test with a 10 month old this past weekend - he made me proud in the field and water, but the track was a real challenge with very dry conditions and thick cover. Since I am a bit A/R and know what this pup has done for me in the past he will get one more shot to improve from his P2, 107points. 

Hubby ran one of the campaigners in a Utility test, well lets say it was a great preparation for the fall - his big problem was obedience in the field. On his first retrieve he ran over a loose chukar, it flushed and the chase was on. That would have not been a problem if he would not have taken this as an ok to break at every shot after that! Well the dog had fun anyway, and let us know what to work on for an August test.

Keep the dogs happy by giving them something to do - and if you love to hunt then prepping for a hunt test of any sort is just the ticket!


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## Rufus Tiberius (Dec 18, 2012)

RT is a field dog and I don't really intend to hunt him. After being home for three months lazing around the house I figured it was time to get him back to work. So he is off to summer camp in South Dakota with Willowynd Ranch for three months of training on wild pheasants and quail. 

We are doing this to get him ready for the fall field trial season and the Vizsla National Field Trials in October.

RT is one year old now, having earned a couple of placements and a Junior Hunter title earlier this year. I think he is ready to show his potential as a true Hungarian Pointer and what he was bred to do.

RT


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## huntvizsla (Jun 8, 2013)

To each their own! It sounds like your thrills are in the competative arena - mine are in the hunt. 

Even tho I train and test in NAVHDA to help my dogs gain manners on birds I won't accept judging assignments during the fall because chances are the woods or prairies will be calling, and its awful hard to give that up. While I enjoy the excitement of running dogs and achieving goals in our man-made games, for me it still doesn't beat the thrill of seeing the results of all that training in action and connecting with a grouse, sharpie or duck that my partner and I worked together on. Those moments are savored and remembered for a long, long time. 

My competition is against the wild and wiley birds my dogs love to hunt. Hunting these dogs on wild game has done more for increasing my respect for what they can, and will do, to gain mastery over the various types of birds we hunt than anything else we have done together.

Its also given me a real appreciation for the differences each dog brings to the hunt. We have 5 huntable dogs this year, and each one has their strong and weak points (pun not intended). Its gotten so we can pull up to a spot, and say "oh thats a Jasper spot" or "Baron and Karma will run a nice brace here" or "this is puppy territory". 

Good luck with RT and at the Nationals.


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