# My trip to Onpoint



## tovizchick (Nov 15, 2010)

Had a great day yesterday...lots of driving mind you...but it was great to go to Onpoint and meet Kim and John and see a litter of pups and meet some of their dogs. What an amazingly professional operation. They were very gracious with their time and answered all my questions and provided so much information. 

Their current litter (which is 5 weeks old) will be ready for their new homes in a few weeks...the pups looked so healthy and active. I met Solid...their female which is expecting in early December. They have another litter planned with Daisy Mae sometime in January. I did leave a deposit and depending on the make up of these upcoming litters, I hope to get a pup (female) from one of them.

I have lots of mental and actual physical preparations to make of before she comes home but I am really looking forward to it.

I'm sure I'll have some questions for all of you...appreciation in advance for sharing your knowledge of V's. After seeing Onpoint and meeting Kim and John I feel so happy to have found them and I'm totally confident in the soundness of their dogs.


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## Chestersmum (Jun 21, 2010)

Great to hear you had a good day there. Really pleased to hear you'll be getting a V after much consideration. 

Keep us posted!


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## Crazy Kian (Aug 10, 2009)

Excellent news, congrats.


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## tovizchick (Nov 15, 2010)

Thanks guys...I am really excited...a bit apprehensive I'll admit but I think we good advice and lots of exercise I can handle it.

I'm interested in any obedience training that you folks did (in mid-town/east Toronto if possible)....Kim mentioned a preference for trainers that teach with hand signals and not treats...do you know any.

Now it's just preparing and waiting and trying to be patient.


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## DarDog (Aug 15, 2010)

Exciting! And, congratulations!

I see Onpoint Vizslas all the time in my area. They all seem very sweet .


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## tovizchick (Nov 15, 2010)

Thanks DarDog...yup...I'm pretty happy with the prospect...they are really lovely dogs...


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## Mercutio (Jan 18, 2010)

Just out of curiosity, do you know why Kim said to train with hand signals and not treats? 

Because we used hand signals and treats..... ie the hand signal tells the dog what you want him to do and after he does it, he gets a treat. 

Not that I can help you find a trainer seeing as I'm in Australia


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## tovizchick (Nov 15, 2010)

I believe she thinks it's a more reliable training method than the treat training...may just be because that is what they use for their hunt training since the dogs respond to it in the field...not 100% sure...

Anyway...I'm going to try and find someone in the Toronto area (sorry I can't fly to Oz to train with you!) that does this type of training...


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## Mercutio (Jan 18, 2010)

Thanks, I was just curious as I think there are sometimes misconceptions about how treat training works ( it doesn't mean that you have to carry treats around all the time for example).

Post some pictures of your pup when you finally get her!


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## tovizchick (Nov 15, 2010)

Will post pix for sure...


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## jcbuch (Oct 15, 2009)

Mercutio said:


> Just out of curiosity, do you know why Kim said to train with hand signals and not treats?
> 
> Because we used hand signals and treats..... ie the hand signal tells the dog what you want him to do and after he does it, he gets a treat.
> 
> Not that I can help you find a trainer seeing as I'm in Australia


Now I cannot speak for John and Kim directly. But typically you use hand signals and more likely "whistle blasts or toots" to tell a dog that is a distance away what you want it to do in the field. It would be very hard to give them a treat from that type of distance. Treat training is for puppies. As they progress you remove/eliminate the treat and the reward becomes the "good boy/girl" and lots of praise. As the dog matures further even the praise will become difficult and unnecessary at range. Especially while Field Trialing or doing Hunt Tests.

I have competed in FT against John and his dogs. He is a top notch person and trainer And Actually I am braced at my last FT of the year with one of their dogs at the Conneticut Valley Vizsla Club Trial this weekend. When they interviewed you are you getting a pet quality dog or a FT dog?


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## tovizchick (Nov 15, 2010)

Hi,

I'm for sure getting a pet...Kim and John, as you know, have a huge focus on FT dogs and hunting but they also place quite a number of pups as pets...

I was just so impressed with them both and their operation...wish I lived closer and could visit more easily...

Glad you know of them and have such positive impressions...and thanks for the info re: the "non treat" training...may be more pertinent to FT/hunting but Kim specifically mentioned it to me...

Cheers...


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## ceecee (Sep 29, 2010)

Are Onpoint and Pointblank the same places?


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## DarDog (Aug 15, 2010)

Nope, they're different . They're a couple hours drive apart. But they both focus a lot on hunting.


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