"Remus" - CH Shakin My Booty Rezzamatazz SH CGC and his buddy/owner/trainer/handler Aaron celebrate a qualify!

What are AKC hunting tests and titles for pointing breeds (Junior Hunter, Senior Hunter, and Master Hunter)?
First, AKC hunting tests are games (just like field trials) you can play with your bird dogs.   They can be seen as a great way to extend the bird hunting seasons and an excellent venue in which to test your bird dog’s level of natural ability, trainability, independence, drive, intensity, and all of the other things we look for in great hunting dogs.  Hunting tests also help gauge your abilities as a trainer and handler.  :-)  (Read the previous line again and let it settle in.)  Flushing, retrieving, and pointing breeds have hunting tests but are different from each other as they’re designed to test for traits specific to each sporting group’s purpose.  Since our experience is with pointing breeds, this post will specifically address the requirements of Junior, Senior, and Master hunting tests and titles for pointing breeds.  A quick note about our experience–Aaron and I are AKC hunting test judges.  We’ve been playing these games (hunting tests and walking field trials) since 2003 and have put a lot of miles on the car training for and actually attending tests and trials throughout the country.  We’ve trained, trained with, and watched a lot of different dogs over these years.

Hunting tests are noncompetitive events in which dogs entered are judged against a standard and not against each other.  This means every single dog entered in a test can (theoretically) be given qualifying scores which means s/he would “pick up a leg” or a pass toward her/his hunting test title.  A dog can’t “win” a hunting test—but he can “qualify” or “pass”.  This is different than AKC field trials.  Field trials are competitive events in which dogs defeat each other for wins/placements.  To learn more about AKC field trials, read our “What Exactly Is This “Field Trial” Business All About Anyway? The Basics Of AKC Field Trials” post.

Live game birds such as quail and chukar are used in tests.  How a testing dog handles each bird she comes into contact with, determines whether she will pass.  The rules of how a dog must handle her birds are different for each level: Junior, Senior, and Master.  All levels also test how dogs (referred to as “bracemates” in hunting test jargon), interact with each other.  The rules for these interactions vary by test level.

Once a dog has earned a hunting test title the abbreviation for the title will be added to the end of the dog’s AKC registered name.  An example of what a dog’s registered name will look like after earning a Master Hunter title is, Random’s Best MH.

"Suede" - BIR CH Boulder's Power of Persuasion CD RE MH VC ROM and her daughter "Trip", CH Boulder's N Fusion's Power Trip MH CGC with breeders/owners Judy Hetkowski and Aaron Davis. Celebrating qualifies in AKC hunting tests!

What are the different levels of AKC hunting tests?
The tests are offered at three levels: Junior Hunter (JH), Senior Hunter (SH), and Master Hunter (MH).  Recently, the AKC has approved 3 new titles: Junior Hunter Advanced (JHA), Senior Hunter Advanced (SHA), and Master Hunter Advanced (MHA).  Here’s the link to read the AKC’s memo on these new titles, http://www.akc.org/pdfs/events/hunting_tests/pointing_breeds/PBHT_Advanced_Titles_Intro.pdf.

What exactly happens in a test? What should I expect?
First, we’ll give a very broad overview then later get into more detail about the specifics of each level.

All dogs are run in “braces”—two dogs entered at the same level run together.  This is to make sure your dog has a greater desire to hunt than to

"Amante" - CH Boulder's Bolder Amante MH stands on point as owner/handler Mel works to find the bird. Mel is looking back toward Amante to try and get a better "read" on where the bird might be based on the direction of Amante's nose and eyes.

play with, fight with, or just follow her bracemate around.  Ideally, the dogs in a brace should ignore each other after the initial “dog hello” and each go their separate ways to hunt for game.  Each brace for Junior Hunters should be a minimum of 15 minutes and a minimum of 30 minutes for Senior and Master Hunters.

Two judges will usually observe each brace off of horseback but can also judge from foot (walking) or ATV.  The same set of judges will be used for an entire test level unless of an emergency.  Handlers will work their dogs from foot.

Though a line marshal will help keep track of the braces that are out testing, it is the responsibility of each handler to be at the line and ready with their dog when their brace is up.  Handlers are allowed a 5 minute grace period from the time the judges are ready for the brace after which the judges are allowed to disqualify the dog.  Dogs should be kept on leash and under control at all times unless running in a brace.  All dogs should be “brought to the line” on leash.

Once the judges signal the handlers to release their dogs, the judges mark the start time.  The judges will first let the handlers know the direction of the course and answer questions.  The judges will separate as the handler/dog teams separate but will observe both of the testing dogs.  The

"Trip" - CH Boulder's N Fusion's Power Trip MH CGC and co-breeder/co-owner Aaron wait on the line for the judge's signal to start.

judges will pretty much just ride along quietly observing the handler/dog team and only provide information for things like the layout of the course, where water barrels will be, etc.  Judges will warn if they feel dogs are interfering with each other or if handlers are not following the rules of the test as written in the “Regulations for AKC Hunting Tests for Pointing Breeds.”  Handlers should always feel comfortable asking the judges questions throughout the test –especially those new to the sport.

Most host clubs will design courses with bird fields but this isn’t always the case.  Some will have continuous courses (meaning no bird field but rather a loop or out-and-back style course).  This style of course has more of an impact on Senior and Master level dogs as gunners walk along with each dog/handler team and will attempt to shoot each pointed bird.  The judges should let the handlers know when giving the handlers the layout.  This does not mean if a bird field is used that birds won’t be found on the back course as birds are also released into the back course and move about throughout the day.  All bird contact—whether in the back course or bird field—will be judged as long as the judges sees the contact and how the dog handles his birds.  If there is a bird field, birds in the back course are “blanked” by the handler.  In Senior and Master level tests gunners will attempt to shoot pointed birds in order to demonstrate a dog’s understanding of steadiness to the shotgun, honoring, and retrieving.  Birds are never shot in Junior level test–only “blanked” by the handler.

Depending on the weather, there will usually be water/dunking barrels along the course.  Handlers should always carry extra water for their dogs though.  It’s fine to water your dog as often you feel he needs but be careful about over-doing it.  If a judge ever recommends that you should water your dog—take the advice!  ;-)

Once the judges have called “time” the brace is up and the working dogs should be called in and leashed up.  The judges usually won’t tell the handlers right then whether their dogs passed or not.  Instead, they will want to confer and agree upon scores.  A handler can find out from the club’s event secretary if their dog passed as the secretary will try to collect the judge’s score sheets after each brace.  Be respectful though.  The judges, secretary, and other club members are very busy working to make sure the event runs as smoothly as possible.

If the judges decided to pass your dog the event secretary will have a ribbon for you (and your dog’s scores if you ask to see them).  I’ll address the scoring system (passing scores) a bit later in this post.

"Amante" - CH Boulder's Bolder Amante MH hunts the back course in an AKC hunting test. Love this girl's hunting range and desire!

How do I get an AKC Junior Hunter title on my dog (What are the requirements to pass a Junior Hunter level test)?
The Junior Hunter title is given after a dog has passed 4 separate Junior level tests.  Junior dogs are tested in 4 different categories: 1) Hunting, 2) Bird Finding Ability, 3) Pointing, and 4) Trainability.  Dogs are given a score from 1-10 in each category and may not get a score less than 5 in any category with an overall average score of 7 or better in order to pass.  See the rules of the test as written in the “Regulations for AKC Hunting Tests for Pointing Breeds.”

The short of passing the Junior level test is that a dog must actually hunt (seek likely objectives where game might be) and show some level of independence (no need to be a “big runner” but shouldn’t hang by his owners side—remember, these are pointing dogs not flushing so your dog’s hunting range should reflect this).  A dog must find and hold point on at least one bird in order to be considered for a passing score.  A Junior dog “must establish point on at least fifty (50) percent of the pointable birds it encounters.”  Though not required to be steady to wing (muchelss shot), the dog must hold point “until the handler gets within normal gunshot range.”  This of course depends on the distance the dog is from his handler when he establishes point.  A blank cartridge will be fired by the handler after each pointed bird in order to demonstrate their dog isn’t gun-shy.

Where most Junior dogs get into trouble in their tests:

• Playing too much with their bracemates
• Not hunting but rather just ambling along with their handler
• Not pointing the majority of the pointable birds they encounter—they often flash point then bust in and try to take the birds out
• Zero training (primarily a recall).  Though handling should be minimal in these tests, there will be a need to call your dog in (if only to call them in so you can leash them up but also to get a bird your pup ran down and is carrying around–or to call them off a bracemate if too much playing)
• Gun-shyness—any sign of gun-shyness should not be tolerated (and the testing dog not passed).  Sadly, many owners do not properly introduce the gunshot to their dogs, thus making the dog gun-shy.  This is a trainer/owner induced fear and can be prevented by properly and safely introducing the sound of the shotgun to your pointing dog!

How do I get an AKC Senior Hunter title on my dog?
Senior dogs are tested in the same 4 categories as the Junior dogs but the requirements for these categories at the Senior level are judged more stringently than

"Amante" - CH Boulder's Bolder Amante MH is steady to "wing and shot" as owner/trainer/handler Aaron Davis flushes her pointed bird. Aaron fires a blank shot as the find was in the back course of the AKC licensed hunting test.

at the Junior level.  In addition to the four categories previously mentioned, Senior dogs are also tested in: 5) Retrieving and 6) Honoring.  Same as with the Junior level tests, dogs are given a score from 1-10 in each category and may not get a score less than 5 in any category with an overall average score of 7 or better in order to pass.  See the rules of the test as written in the “Regulations for AKC Hunting Tests for Pointing Breeds.”

A Senior Hunter (SH) title is awarded to a dog with 4 (if the dog has been awarded a Junior Hunter title) passes at the Senior level.  If a dog does not have a Junior Hunter title, an additional pass (for a total of 5) will be required for an SH title.

In short:

• A Senior level test will run for 30 minutes.
• A Senior dog will be “steady to wing” on all birds he points (meaning the dog can break at the shot and not be disqualified but cannot break or move at the flush—for all birds he points).  All birds, except those to be shot by a gunner, will be blanked by the handler.  All pointable birds must be pointed by a dog testing at the Senior level.
• A Senior dog must demonstrate a retrieve.  Senior dogs must retrieve every shot bird that is deemed retrievable during the test.  If there isn’t an opportunity to shoot a bird for the testing dog during the 30 minute brace, and the testing dog has not been disqualified, a “call back” for the retrieve will done.  Retrieved birds must be not be rendered “unfit for consumption” (meaning a dog cannot “hard mouth” or squish the heck out of or otherwise chew up a bird he is retrieving).  Retrieves need not be to hand but should be to within a step or two of the handler.
• A Senior dog should handle more “kindly” for his handler than a Junior dog.  This is scored under the Trainability category.  An example of this would be a “stop to flush” (wild flush) situation.  Ideally, you want your dog to be trained to stop himself at a wild flush.  But, it is acceptable in a Senior level test to command a dog to stop or “whoa” at a wild flush.  A blank shot may be fired after the dog has proven steadiness and the dog may be “collared away” from the direction of the flushed bird if the handler chooses.
• A Senior dog must demonstrate an honor in order to pass a Senior level test.  At the Senior level, a dog may be given a command to honor by her handler but she must first see and acknowledge the pointing dog before being given a command to stop.  This is because a Senior dog may not steal point.  If a dog steals point in a Senior test she cannot be passed by the judges.  The handler may leash the dog during the honor if the pointing dog is to be sent for a retrieve (so as not to interfere).  Honors established on the back course will be credited.
• German Wirehaired Pointers and a Spinone Italianos need to pass an AKC Water Test at a licensed or member field trial or hunting test.

So what are the most common “gotchas” in the Senior level hunting tests?

• Failing to honor
• Stealing point
• Failing to stop on a wild flush (chasing)
• Failing to demonstrate an adequate retrieve

Hmmmm…kinda sounds like too many Junior level dogs are testing in Senior, eh?  ;-)  Because I’ve seen these mistakes at the Senior level so often, I was inspired to write about it—“Playing American Kennel Club (AKC) hunting test games at the Senior and Master levels”.  You’ll hear Senior Hunter dogs referred to as “green broke”, meaning they’ve just been “broke” or steadied.  Green broke dogs are often livin’ life on the edge as they work hard to implement their newly learn skills (over their fun days of running as a Junior Hunter!).

How do I get an AKC Master Hunter title on my dog?
Dogs testing at the Master Hunter level are judged under the same six categories as the Senior level: 1) Hunting, 2) Bird Finding Ability, 3) Pointing, 4) Trainability, 5) Retrieving and 6) Honoring.  But, dogs testing at the Master level are tested under a different set of rules than the

"Kosmo" - CH Derby's Read Em And Weep MH and owner/trainer/handler Mel celebrating his NEW MASTER HUNTER TITLE!

Senior level (read: MUCH MORE STRINGENT).  Dogs are given a score from 1-10 in each category and may not get a score less than 5 in any category with an overall average score of 7 or better in order to pass.  See the rules of the test as written in the “Regulations for AKC Hunting Tests for Pointing Breeds.”

A Master Hunter (MH) title is awarded to a dog with 5 (if the dog has been awarded a Senior Hunter title) passes at the Master level.  If a dog does not have a Senior Hunter title, an additional pass (for a total of 6) will be required for an SH title.

In short:

• A Master Hunter level test will run for 30 minutes.
• “A Master hunting dog must positively demonstrate its steadiness to wing and shot” (meaning the dog must remain steady through the flush of the bird, gunshot(s), and until released by her handler).  All birds, except those to be shot by a gunner, will be blanked by the handler.  All pointable birds must be pointed by a dog testing at the Master level.
• Should a “wild flush” situation occur, the dog testing in Master Hunter must demonstrate a  “stop to flush” on his own, without a command.  The handler may NOT collar a Master dog but must heel the dog away.  Delayed chases are not acceptable in Master level tests.
• A dog testing in Master Hunter must demonstrate a retrieve.  Master dogs must retrieve every shot bird that is deemed retrievable during the test.  If there isn’t an opportunity to shoot a bird for the testing dog during the 30 minute brace, and the testing dog has not been disqualified, a “call back” for the retrieve will done.  Retrieved birds must be not be rendered “unfit for consumption” (meaning a dog cannot “hard mouth” or squish the heck out of or otherwise chew up a bird he is retrieving).  In a Master test all retrievable birds “must be retrieved promptly, tenderly and absolutely to hand.”  AND “The handler shall not command or signal the dog to retrieve until positive steadiness has been demonstrated.”
• A Master dog should handle “kindly” with an absolute minimum of “hacking” needed by her handler.  This is perhaps the most obvious difference between a Master Hunter and a dog competing in a field trial Gun Dog stake–handling kindly.  There is a whole lotta handling (aka “singing”) in field trials.  Master braces are much more quiet than Gun Dog stakes.  A Master Hunter is required to retrieve every shot bird that is deemed retrievable–perfectly, to hand during her brace.  And, a Master Hunter must demonstrate an honor–through flush, shot, and retrieve.  Multiple honors and retrieves may occur throughout the courses of a Master Hunter brace.  A lovely thing to watch for those who truly appreciate finished gun dog work!
• A Master dog “must point staunchly, and must be steady to wing and shot on all birds.”  If a dog testing at the Master level breaks at the flush or shot she cannot receive a qualifying score.
• A Master dog must demonstrate an honor in order to pass a Master level test.  At the Master level, a dog may NOT be given a command to honor but rather, must establish an honor on his own.  After the dog has established an honor on his own, the handler can then quietly caution the dog to remain in position.  The handler may NOT leash the dog during the honor nor may the handler “block” the dog from watching the pointing dog as the bird is flushed, shot, and retrieved.  Master dogs must never steal point.  If a dog steals point in a Master test he cannot be passed by the judges.  Dogs will not be given credit for honors on the back course because a “a Master dog must honor throughout the entire flush, shot and retrieve”—for every honor during the test.
  

  "Suede" - BIR CH Boulder's Power of Persuasion CD RE MH VC stands in a very difficult honor. We were very nervous the other handler would end up flushing the bird right up into Suede's face! This is a perfect example of a "true" honor though. Look at the dog--no way Suede could be scenting (pointing) the bird. She saw the dog establish point then stopped and honored. Classy!

• The handler must also carry an empty or an imitation model shotgun (we bought ours from Cabela’s—the Monte Carlo Toy Shotgun—much lighter/easier to carry!) during a Master Hunter test.  When a bird is flushed, the handler must shoulder the shotgun and swing on the bird, following it’s flight as if to take a shot.  The reason for this is a dog is more likely to make a mistake (move or even break) when her handler turns away and shoulders a shotgun.  This requirement helps prove the absolute steadiness of a dog testing at the Master Hunter level.
  

  "Kosmo" - CH Derby's Read Em And Weep MH stands steady to a wild flush

Bottom line for Master Hunters is they are considered a “finished” or “polished” gun dog.  If you love watching the finest of pointing dogs in their element, a true Master Hunter (not one of these obedience-style robots you often see in AKC hunting tests) running in a test can put goosebumps on your arms.  These are the dogs you would dream of taking home with you.  You can appreciate these beauties even more once you’ve grown a puppy up all on your own—reaching all of those milestones with your dog—from first bird contact to teaching an honor without a command and a perfect retrieve to hand.

So what are the most common “gotchas” in the Master Hunter level tests?

• Failing to honor on her own (without a command)—“blinking” honors seems to be quite common in Master Hunter tests.
• Failing to stop on a wild flush (chasing)
• Failing to demonstrate a Master Hunter level retrieve, “promptly, tenderly and absolutely to hand.”
  

  "Amante" - CH Boulder's Bolder Amante MH and owner/trainer/handler Mel leave the "call back". Amante qualified after a very, very difficult call back situation in which the dog sent to honor Amante's point stole her point then flushed and chased the bird. YIKES! No wonder Mel has such a huge smile--of relief!

How do I find hunting test events to enter?
For Colorado and some of our nearby states you can find field events online at www.fieldtrialnews.com.  All AKC events should be listed on the AKC’s website under the “Events” tab.  Find an event you want to enter and download the corresponding “premium” (a brochure with event details and entry form) or email/call the person listed as the secretary and request a copy of the premium.  The premium will have instructions on where to send your entry form and payment as well as contact info for the host club.  The event secretary will then notify you of the running order (they usually send the “brace sheets” to all participants) and any additional information about the event.

Other useful tidbits:

• Call “point” before moving in to work a bird.  Don’t be shy!  Take a moment to look around and find your judge then raise your hand or hat and call “point”.  Be careful to not call point when your dogs is still “working” a bird or if your dog looks uncertain/soft (may be a “hotspot”–old scent where a bird was hunkered down, or a pile of feathers) though.  Too many “false” points can paint an unattractive picture.
• Bring your own stopwatch and keep track of your own time.  Doing so will help your strategy to qualify your dog.
• Females in heat/season are not allowed to run or even be on the grounds of the event.
• Dog attacks: Are never fun for anyone!  Make sure your dog knows how to play nice and not harass other dogs as he will run with a bracemate.  If your dog does attack his bracemate, the judges can decide if the attack warrants a DQ.  After 2 DQs, your dog will no longer be allowed to enter hunting tests.
• Blaze orange attire is required for Senior and Master level tests (live ammunition will be fired–”hunter” orange is required for safety issues).  No need to spend big bucks on fancy hunting vest (though the “game bag” part of these vests do excellent double-duty for carrying water bottles and place to stash your leash)–you can pick up an inexpensive $5 safety vest from Walmart (check the hunting/ammo aisles).
• Food-Usually, the host club will have lunches for purchase available onsite.  It’s a good idea to pack a cooler with energizing snacks and drinks.  Make sure to pack a lawn chair as well as there is much downtime at these field events.  Part of the fun of these events is the socializing.  Take your time, make a day of it and get to know your fellow bird dog guardians. This can be a great way to network with others with your same passion—you may end meeting a number of training/hunting partners!
• Clothing/gear-Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.  You’ll be walking in uneven terrain with a variety of ground cover.  Make sure you wear the right footwear, pants, and layers as the day often starts cool then warms up—or gets colder.  Check the weather before heading out and pack appropriate gear.  Field events are only cancelled if the weather becomes dangerous or prohibitive to testing/trialing.  If testing in warmer months, don’t forget the sunscreen!
• Dogs must be registered with the AKC in order to enter hunting tests and must be at least 6 months old on the day of the event (for all levels).
• Try to get some space between you and the other handler.  This will give your dog a better chance to get into his own birds instead of being distracted by his bracemate or the other handler.
• WALK BRACES!!!  It’s most helpful to walk braces at the level your dog will be testing but if this isn’t possible (your dog is running in the first or second brace) walk at whatever level time allows.  Walking braces at all levels also helps you learn more about AKC hunting test games—especially if you’re a newbie to the sport.  You’ll also learn a lot about different dogs and handlers—good and bad.  J  Walking braces also helps you understand where the birds are being planted and where the flushed birds are landing.  Testing dogs should be able to hunt and find birds on their own but there are times when the scenting conditions are so terrible guiding your dog into an area where birds might be could increase your chances of qualifying.
• For goodness sakes READ the “Regulations for AKC Hunting Tests for Pointing Breeds”!!!!
• HAVE FUN!  If you can’t have fun when testing your dogs in AKC hunting tests—qualifies or not–then perhaps you should consider a different sport.
• PRACTICE SPORTSMANSHIP!!  Check out our philosophy on this topic as well as the AKC’s Code of Sportsmanship.  Seriously, take a few moments to read these and let the words settle in.  Then, read them regularly.  If all exhibitors took the time to do so—and the practiced this code, these events would be even more fun than they already are.
  

  "Suede" - BIR CH Boulder's Power of Persuasion CD RE MH VC stands in an honor during a call back in an AKC Master Hunter test. Breeder/owner Judy Hetkowski of Boulder Vizslas stands by Suede. Check out the distance of Suede's honor! And--the thick cover she was in--tough to see a dog standing point. She qualified!

Written by Mel Reveles and Aaron Davis of www.FusionVizslas.com.  All content is original with the exception of key words/phrases as quoted from the AKC’s Field Trial Rules and Standard Procedure for Pointing Breeds.

Note from the authors: We understand the use of “who” in reference to a dog is grammatically incorrect but we’re just not able to refer to dogs, our beloved companions” as “things”.  :-)

We are proud to be founding members of the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club–”The Specialty Vizsla Club of Colorado”, and members of the Vizsla Club of America. We are also members of the American Kennel Club’s Breeder of Merit Program.

The shotguns and Vizslas were prepared with great care
In the hopes an abundance of pheasant would really be there

Frosty cold temps could not keep the hunters in bed
They had sweet visions of cackling roosters in their heads

They donned blaze orange caps
And laid forth a plan for the upland birds they would soon trap

They moved through the switchgrass
Prepared for the clatter
But step after step they began to wonder what was the matter

Then out of the cover burst a bird with a crash
Shotguns were shouldered, beads set on in a flash

The sun sparkled on the new-fallen snow
Setting the plentiful kochia aglow
When what before their hopeful eyes did appear?
Certainly not the horns of a rooster so dear.

“Whoa Kosmo! Whoa Crush!”
“Whoa Amante and Tej!”
“Whoa Kaylee! Whoa Trip!”
The hunters quickly called
“Don’t dash away! Don’t dash away!” they all squalled.

The Vizslas broke pursuit and came back around
With hopes another bird would be found

Field after field the dogs moved out ahead
But eventually the hunter’s hearts filled with that familiar dread

They spoke not a word as their Vizslas worked
Surely a rooster nearby lurked?

Foiled and tired, not a ditch-chicken even out-of-sight
The hunters packed it up, went back into town
and (with the help of margaritas) called it a good night!

~ creative license taken by Mel Reveles of Fusion Vizslas

The photo below was taken at a Mexican restaurant after we had put a few unproductive miles on our boots.  Margaritas enjoyed with good friends Erica and Spencer Sparrow blunted the sting of going “roosterless” after an all day hunt in Colorado.  :-)

Pictured left to right - Aaron, Mel, Erica, Spencer - enjoying a local restaurant after hunting pheasant in NE Colorado. Love the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club swag we're sportin'!

For another take on hunting pheasant with Vizslas in Colorado check out “A Vizsla to Hunt With“.

Written by Mel Reveles and Aaron Davis of www.FusionVizslas.com.  All content is original with the exception of key words/phrases as quoted from the AKC’s Field Trial Rules and Standard Procedure for Pointing Breeds. 

 Note from the authors: We understand the use of “who” in reference to a dog is grammatically incorrect but we’re  just not able to refer to dogs, our beloved companions as “things”.  :-)

We are proud to be founding members of the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club–”The Specialty Vizsla Club of Colorado”, and members of the Vizsla Club of America. We are also members of the American Kennel Club’s Breeder of Merit Program.

Our Crush puppy (a Vizsla) will turn a year old in January.  Hard to believe.  She still acts like a 6 month old (this is a topic for another blog post I’ll save for another day–allowing your pups to mature based on their own temperaments/personalities and not according to other pups or their littermates).  Because she was born at the end of the pheasant season getting her on wild birds before now was pretty much impossible.  She’s been exposed to plenty of pen-raised birds since she was an 8 week old pup.  This  is better than nothing, but we all know pen-raised birds can invite a whole slew of other problems with bird dogs–especially the inexperienced ones.

We’ve had Crush out a few times so far this season.  I forget how much fun it is to watch the babies learn how to use their noses.  Half the time she isn’t really sure what she’s tracking.  All she knows is it smells good!  Most other times, she’s way behind the eight ball.  The adults have already established a point on a holding bird (sometimes she naturally honors their points…other times she runs around oblivious…other times she runs around them with her nose to the ground as she works hard to locate the bird they’re pointing) or they’ve moved on past scent/hotspots.  She’ll come trailing along hitting most of the same spots they’ve oh-so-subtly indicated then moved on.  Sometimes we put her down alone…sometimes with one of the experienced gun dogs.  Sometimes she sees the bird flush…sometimes she sees the shot bird drop…sometimes she runs clear across the field in hopes of finding where the unharmed bird landed.

We’ve watched her push birds too hard causing them to flush…likewise we’ve seen her sometimes apply those lessons and move with caution as she determines the scent is stronger.

We’ve watched her hit some pretty hostile cover while on scent–and make the choice to move through the discomfort.  Pretty cool.

Can you tell we’re having a lot of fun with our puppy?  We’ve trained/helped train enough bird dogs now to be in this place–enjoying the puppies.  We know not to rush her but we also know how critical exposing her to birds–especially wild birds–without too much pressure is to her learning and overall confidence.  This is the critical part of “educating” a bird dog.  This is the time of year we receive many email/phone inquiries.  People wanting “A Vizsla to Hunt With” (see the linked article posted to our website, www.fusionvizslas.com).  What most of them don’t realize is how much work it is–in Colorado anyway–to bring up a bird dog the right way.  Sure, a well-bred hunting dog from a proven pedigree should have strong natural abilities.  But this is like saying your kid’s a natural athlete yet never giving her an opportunity to develop that natural ability into something more polished.  The other thing most people don’t realize is how expensive it is to train a bird dog and keep a hunting dog in good health.  But, I digress…

The point of this post is to impress upon you the importance of exposing your pup to wild birds as often as possible.  Oh, and notice I said exposing–NOT SHOOTING.  Big, big, big difference.  I’ll write another post about how important it is to PROPERLY expose pups to shotguns (hint: No, it isn’t a good idea to take your pup for a walk around the shooting range or to put your pup down in a field with numerous guns in order to acclimate them).

Trip (Ch Boulder's N Fusion's Power Trip MH) as a puppy holding point on a covey of wild quail.

Written by Mel Reveles and Aaron Davis of www.FusionVizslas.com.  All content is original with the exception of key words/phrases as quoted from the AKC’s Field Trial Rules and Standard Procedure for Pointing Breeds. 

 Note from the authors: We understand the use of “who” in reference to a dog is grammatically incorrect but we’re  just not able to refer to dogs, our beloved companions as “things”.  :-)

We are proud to be founding members of the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club–”The Specialty Vizsla Club of Colorado”, and members of the Vizsla Club of America. We are also members of the American Kennel Club’s Breeder of Merit Program.

Years ago a friend commented on how much she preferred hunting over “older” bird dogs.  I never thought to ask her why I just recall finding the comment interesting.  At the time I didn’t have an “older” bird dog to hunt over.  And, because I didn’t grow-up hunting my first exposure to hunting upland game with pointing dogs was in my 20s.  At the time of her comment my own bird dogs, Vizslas, were young–none over 5 years.  I’m not sure why her comment stuck with me all of this time.  But it has.  And occasionally it pops out for me to roll around in my thoughts and consider.

Back when the comment was originally made, I do recall feeling as though I disagreed with her.  After all, what could more exciting than watching the punchy movements of a young, agile bird dog?  Who couldn’t enjoy watching the ground-speed of a confident pointing dog with a good nose?  Their athletic grace, fire in the belly, and spark in the eye.  That desire to find those birds…never failed to bring goosebumps to my arms.

Hopefully, the phrase “with age comes maturity” proves true.  Now, as I approach my 40s I have much more knowledge and experience under my hat.  I still have much to learn but I’m so lucky to have hunted over some very talented pointing dogs—young and old.  I’m also lucky to have developed friendships with so many others in this “bird dog world”.  Like the bird dogs who have crossed my path, some of my friends are more mature than others.  Some have more knowledge and experience than others.  But I enjoy them all.

Back to the “old guys”…I understand and agree with that comment now—about preferring to hunting over an “older” dog.  Our first senior couldn’t really be considered a senior.  At 8 years old he was often mistaken to be only 3 or 4 years old.  The gray on his muzzle and legs was hardly noticeable when he was still and imperceptible when he was hunting.  As an “older” dog he could hold his own just fine when in the field with a young whipper-snapper.  He usually was into the birds first, with the youngins’ coming along many seconds after.  He had the advantage of age.  Because he had been hunted his entire life, that benefit brought so much knowledge about how to hunt different types of cover, how to use the winds, the differences in scent, how to track…and the most glorious of all—how to pin a moving bird.  Talk about subtle complexities!

(sidebar) An oh-so-beautiful recent hunting experience:  We were in prairie grasses, with spikes of Russian thistle.  Kosmo started tracking a pheasant.  We noticed the ticking of his tail quicken, his nose dropping more frequently…then raising as he worked to pinpoint the distance and location of a bird.  he was tracking.  Slowly, he would hit a point–staunch…then his head would shift…that wily bird was on the run.  Aaron would approach and with a gentle ‘alright’ release Kos…Kos would move, carefully…and hit another point.  He was a statue from the tip of his tail to the tip of his nose–but just for a few seconds…then his head and nose would tilt again…the bird was on the move again.  Kos was working this bird *perfectly*.  He wasn’t applying too much pressure but tracking and pointing it just right so as to not flush it.  Finally, Aaron was able to move in and flush the bird.  It flushed, almost completely behind where Kos was standing.  Unfortunately, Aaron wasn’t johnny-on-the-spot as he usually is and didn’t get a good shot.  Nor did I.  The bird sailed, unharmed, across the Colorado-sun-kissed field with our Crush puppy in hot pursuit.  Aaron and I will hold that memory forever of Kos, at 9 years “old”, working the bird so perfectly.  This is the “bird dog” stuff we *live* for!(/sidebar)

Devastatingly, we lost our first “senior” bird dog, a Vizsla, at just 9 years of age.  He was in his prime.  A lifetime of good care, optimal nutrition, and adoration helped him hold up just fine both physically and mentally while he was alive.  For his entire life he was kept in great condition which enabled him to hunt comfortably and with endurance.  He often outlasted younger dogs because they weren’t in as good of shape as he.  But because I never thought of him as an “older” dog, I never thought of that comment when I hunted over him.  Others who had hunted over him as a young dog and then later, as an older dog would compliment us on “how nicely” he’d come along and how they really enjoyed his training as a finished gun dog.  His death brought the hugest of holes to my heart.  A whole that will never be repaired.  He loved life and was cheated out of many more years.  We loved him and were robbed of many more years of hunting over him and of his companionship.

So, what got me thinking about this comment about hunting over  “older” bird dogs this time around?  We just came out of the field having spent the day hunting over our “senior”/9 years old, our almost 5 year old, and our puppy who is almost a year old.  Though I love watching the puppy learn how to use her nose, how to manage her youthful energy, how to handle hostile cover, my eyes would always drift back to my senior dog.  Not only because I knew he was more likely to find the birds but because I was spellbound by the beauty of the scene he was painting before me.  He moved with purpose, using only the energy he needed to reach out to hunt likely objectives.  Mind you, he covers a lot of ground—just perfect for a gun dog.  To watch him use the wind to locate and track bird-scent…never fails to satisfy.  He would be moving with speed then—snap!  He would turn directions on a dime and his posture would change.  Tail ticking back and forth quickly, nose dropping as he tracked…my heart would race and I would adjust my shotgun getting ready.

I was also so proud to watch him cast out, big and wide, covering ground in front of all guns in the field—paying us each due respect.  “I’ll hunt the cover before you”, he said with his eyes as he passed by.  This knowledge and respect for the teamwork part of hunting comes with maturity and experience.  As a younger dog, he wasn’t comfortable enough to hunt  for everyone in the field with him.  He preferred to really only hunt for his “Pops” Aaron.

I hope—with the rest of my heart—my “old” guy is with us for many more years.  I hope he continues to hold up physically and mentally so we can enjoy countless more hunts together.  Because we never know what life has planned for us, we know every hunt with him is to be cherished.  He’s developed into an awesome little bird dog.  Each time we put him on the ground I’m excited for where he’ll take us.  And, we’re also working on bringing up our next senior.  At almost 5 years old she’s shaping up to be a very fine bird dog too.  I just can’t wait to see what she’ll be like in a few more years!  :-)

Our 9 year old Vizsla Kosmo After The Hunt - December 2011

Written by Mel Reveles and Aaron Davis of www.FusionVizslas.com.  All content is original with the exception of key words/phrases as quoted from the AKC’s Field Trial Rules and Standard Procedure for Pointing Breeds. 

 Note from the authors: We understand the use of “who” in reference to a dog is grammatically incorrect but we’re  just not able to refer to dogs, our beloved companions” as “things”.  :-)

We are proud to be founding members of the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club–”The Specialty Vizsla Club of Colorado”, and members of the Vizsla Club of America. We are also members of the American Kennel Club’s Breeder of Merit Program.

This is a brief entry.  Primarily, because the photos below tell the story pretty well on their own.  These photos are perfect examples of why we teach our Vizslas to retrieve to hand.  And, why we put the extra work into proofing their retrieves.  The photos illustrate exactly what can and does happen when testing/trialing at the advanced levels (AKC Master Hunter and Gun Dog Stakes).  We’ve seen this very situation happen during tests/trials and because the dog under judgment hasn’t been taught to hold the bird until the release command has been given, the dog can’t receive a qualifying score.  Another common situation is when the handler does give the dog the release command but then fumbles the bird (as pictured below) and the bird lands on the ground…at the handler’s feet.  The requirements of a retrieve in a Gun Dog stake are the same as those in an AKC Master level hunting test: “After the shot, the handler shall not command or signal the dog to retrieve until the dog’s steadiness to wing and shot has been positively demonstrated. The dog must retrieve promptly, tenderly and absolutely to hand in all retrieving stakes.”  (For the AKC’s “official” description of field trials and hunting tests go to their website and download the Field Trial Rules and Standard Procedure for Pointing Breeds Booklet and the Regulations for AKC Hunting Tests for Pointing Breeds.)

The first photo shows Amante (CH Boulder’s Bolder Amante SH – who is now testing for her Master Hunter title and competing in Gun Dog Stakes) releasing the dummy on Aaron’s command.  It’s possible Aaron gave the release command too soon and so the dummy fell to the ground instead of into Aaron’s outstretched hand.  Not pictured is what happened next.  Aaron stood back up and asked Amante to fetch the dummy lying at his feet.  Sure, he could have easily bent down and picked it up.  After all, it  was his mistake–not Amante’s, right?  Perhaps.  We would need an audio recording to go along with the photo.  It’s also possible Amante was anticipating the release command and tried to be one step ahead, releasing the dummy just before Aaron actually gave the command.  She can be such an overachiever!  ;-)  It would have been a big no-no in retrieve training, had Aaron picked up the dummy.  By doing so, he would have taught Amante that he (or any other person she retrieves to) would pick up an object that didn’t make it “absolutely to hand”.  Instead, by asking Amante to retrieve the dummy, he could reinforce the “fetch “command (meaning fetch can be “pick it up right there at my feet” or “go out 100 yards and pick it up”) as well as the “hold” command (meaning do not release the object until the release command is given).

Amante happily picked up the dummy lying at Aaron’s feet (because her retrieve training has been proofed for this and many other scenarios) and held it until Aaron gave her the release command.  This time, he was careful to collect the dummy she was so nicely holding and she was careful to hold the dummy until she was sure Aaron had a good handle on it.  :-)

The second picture shows both Aaron and Kosmo (CH Derby’s Read Em And Weep MH) getting it right.  See how Aaron has a good hold on the dummy and Kosmo’s mouth is still firmly on the dummy?  Kosmo isn’t “hard-mouthing” the object nor does he have a death grip on it.  He’s just holding it firmly and nicely so as to make sure it’s placed exactly where it belongs–“absolutely to hand.”  :-)

Vizsla Amante tries to retrieve a dummy to hand...but misses the mark. :-/

Vizsla Kosmo retrieves the dummy "absolutely to hand" (as a finished gun dog should).

Written by Mel Reveles and Aaron Davis of www.FusionVizslas.com.  All content is original with the exception of key words/phrases as quoted from the AKC’s Field Trial Rules and Standard Procedure for Pointing Breeds. 

 Note from the authors: We understand the use of “who” in reference to a dog is grammatically incorrect but we’re  just not able to refer to dogs, our beloved companions” as “things”.  :-)

We are proud to be founding members of the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club–”The Specialty Vizsla Club of Colorado”, and members of the Vizsla Club of America. We are also members of the American Kennel Club’s Breeder of Merit Program.

I bring Crush to work most weekdays (I park in a safe garage) and Aaron and I walk her through the often hectic, loud and rushed downtown life.  This has proved to be great socialization for her in regards to her seeing all sorts of interesting people of various shapes/sizes/ethnicities.  It’s also been great for introducing her many different sounds (think construction, ambulances, horns honking, people shouting, the lightrail, buses, etc) and textures (we look for a variety of surfaces on our walks and do lots of treating while we walk over/through).  In addition to the excellent socialization these daily downtown walks provide, we also practice “heeling” nicely, “leave it” (it’s incredible how quickly Crush can inhale a variety of natural, unnatural, and plain disgusting objects), “here”, “stand”, and “down” (consider how challenging this one is with so many distractions!).

There is a grade school a block away from my office and I’ve made it a point to walk her past the schoolyard during recess since we brought her home and began our city excursions (we don’t have human kids so I needed to make sure to really proof her against children).  Though she’s always found the sights/sounds of the playing children curious, we’d worked to make her comfortable rather than cautious.  She had gotten to the point she would hear the kids and wag her tail/body. As she gained confidence/comfort, we would go over to visit through the fence.  She had lots of gentle kisses for the small fingers poking through.  On Tuesday though, we were approximately a half of a block away from the schoolyard when she heard the kids.  She stopped and stood for several minutes.  Her tail dropped and her hackles rose very slightly…her demeanor was screaming “uncertain”.

My puppy is entering another fear/shy period.  I know this is a natural phase in her development and I know she’ll come through it fine because thus far, she’s had tons of constant safe exposure/socialization (from the time she was with her breeder, Judy Hetkowski of Boulder Vizslas worked hard to socialize the litter from the time they were born and continued to do so until the pups  went to their homes).  This is a great time to hit the books again–reread all of those chapters on a puppy’s development (among the books we find to be most valuable are “My Smart Puppy” by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson, “Puppy Primer” by By Brenda K Scidmore and Patricia McConnell, and “Ultimate Puppy Toolkit” which is out of print but SO WORTH searching for a used copy).  I know it’s important to keep the socialization up and not get frustrated.  In addition to this new phase, she’s growing like a weed and experiencing the discomfort of teething.  I also know it’s especially important to not coddle her during this time or when she’s feeling shy/afraid/nervous.  It’s also just as important to not overwhelming her during this time either (doing so could create lifelong phobias/fears).  It is very important she continue to experience a wide, but safe variety of people, sights, sounds, textures, etc.

She’s also hitting the juvenile age where her “puppy license” is expiring.  Adult dogs will interact with her differently now…become more serious in their corrections and less tolerant of her behaviors they deem “rude”.  Knowing this, I can be prepared and keep her safe when she’s around adult dogs.  I would never scold an adult dog for giving her safe and  appropriate corrections (which can sound/look scary).

During this phase she’s also gaining more independence from her humans.  It’s especially becoming apparent in our training.  My cute pup is starting to think twice about the commands we’re giving.  So, now more than ever, it’s important to reinforce those commands.  I keep those treats handy and put my pup back on a lead/tether to practice, practice, practice!

As far as Crush’s uncertainty with the schoolyard full of young kids…we took the approach at her pace.  I fed her a lot of treats in very small tidbits and we moved forward as she was comfortable.  We eventually made it to the fence and 6 excited young girls came over to coo at my puppy.  This was too much for Crush so we stepped back to a spot on the sidewalk where she felt safe.  I fed her treats and she observed the 6 headed-twelve-armed-high-pitched-noisemaker on the other side of the fence.  Eventually, she felt safe enough to approach the fence and lick a few wriggling fingers.  That was enough and we decided to continue our walk past the schoolyard.  You can bet we’ll be visiting the schoolyard often–it’s unfortunate school will soon be out for summer.  But, I do know of a couple of daycare centers with outdoor playgrounds!  :-)

Written by Mel Reveles and Aaron Davis of www.FusionVizslas.com. We are proud to be founding members of the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club–”The Specialty Vizsla Club of Colorado”, and members of the Vizsla Club of America. We are also members of the American Kennel Club’s Breeder of Merit Program.

Love my clever little puppy!

Today we took a big, long walk (armed with lots of treats) through the downtown area where I knew we would see lots of umbrellas and flapping raincoats.  We did!  Crush’s initial reaction was mild uncertainty but it didn’t last long at all.  Soon, we were marching past umbrellas and flapping raincoats without a care in the world–except for the yummy treats my hand was liberally doling out.

A curiosity I *hadn’t* accounted for on our walk was Crush’s reaction to the massive puddles everywhere.  As we hurried across a busy street, I hopped over a puddle but Crush hit her brakes HARD.  She kept her eyes fixed to the puddle just in case it had intentions of swallowing her whole.  I quickly scooped her up to get out of traffic then found the nearest REALLY BIG PUDDLE (away from traffic this time) and we practiced walking through the puddle as well as hopping over
it.  I should have worn my galoshes today–alas, my socks and shoes will dry and my puppy now loves puddles.  ;-)

Written by Mel Reveles and Aaron Davis of www.FusionVizslas.com. We are proud to be founding members of the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club–”The Specialty Vizsla Club of Colorado”, and members of the Vizsla Club of America. We are also members of the American Kennel Club’s Breeder of Merit Program.

Tonight (here in Denver) we have quite a bit loud thunder and bright, cracking lightening. We’re using it as a training opportunity to proof our puppy, Crush against it:

1. Like with everything else–NO coddling of any uncertainty
2. We’re not pushing her either. We took super-yummy treats outside and practiced a number of behaviors while flooding her with treats–especially right when we knew the thunder was coming
3. Thankfully, our adult dogs are unaffected by the sound/sensation of thunder and their confidence helped with puppy-proofing.  We all went outside to PLAY and work on our best tricks. We were careful to not let too much time transpire between commands/treats/rewards with the goal of distraction+LOTS of super-yummy treats while thunder/lightening  happened (we hoped as something insignificant in the background).

I was thinking about how many people don’t use Mother Nature’s spontaneity as an opportunity to train.   I do know if Crush had been very afraid or overly nervous about going outside, I would NOT have forced her to go out.  Instead, I would have turned the TV or radio on to mute the sounds of thunder and then trained/played/stayed HAPPY inside.  I would have observed her discomfort levels and made note to keep working on proofing her against thunder.

Another quick thought–from what I’ve read, it seems there are dogs who’s “sound sensitivity” has more to do with their genetics than appropriate socialization.  This is yet another reason you should be so very thoughtful and PATIENT when researching a responsible breeder.  I’ve written and researched a bunch on this topic because it is something I feel so very passionately about.  Check out:

1. Puppy Buyer Etiquette, http://blacksheepcardigans.com/ruff/family/puppies/puppy-buyer-ettiquette/
2. Is the Vizsla the Right Breed for You?, http://www.rmvc.org/rightbreed.html
3. How Does the Vizsla Compare to a Lab or a Golden?, http://www.rmvc.org/vizslalabgolden.html
4. “The Versatile Vizsla” By Jenny Peacocke, http://www.trader.co.nz/versatiledogs/breeds/vizsla.htm
5. You Don’t Want a Vizsla If, http://www.barbenvizslas.com/dont.html
6. “Finding a Reputable Breeder”, http://www.rmvc.org/reputable.html
7. “Traits of a Responsible Breeder vs. a Backyard ‘Breeder’”, http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/comparison.html
8. “Why Health Tests Are Important”, http://www.fusionvizslas.com/healthtests.html
9.  ”Understanding Pedigrees”, http://www.fusionvizslas.com/pedigrees1.html

And, I’m not a professional trainer and so read the training stuff with a grain!  :-)

Written by Mel Reveles and Aaron Davis of www.FusionVizslas.com. We are proud to be founding members of the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club–”The Specialty Vizsla Club of Colorado”, and members of the Vizsla Club of America. We are also members of the American Kennel Club’s Breeder of Merit Program.

AKC licensed field trials are events in which dogs compete against each other for points toward Field and/or Amateur Field Championship titles. There are field trials for pointing, retrieving, and flushing breeds.  The abbreviation for a “Field Champion” is FC and AFC for an “Amateur Field Champion”.   Because these are championship titles, they precede the dog’s registered name.  An example is: FC AFC Random’s Best.   As you can see from the example, a dog can be awarded both an FC and an AFC title.

Field Trial Rosettes, Places 1st - 4th and the "Cowboy's Dream" traveling trophy donated by club member Mick Cheshire, Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club's Inaugural Walking Field Trial

What is the difference between an FC and an AFC?

A dog who earns all of her points from the “open” stakes in a field trial is awarded a “Field Champion” or “FC” title–with the exception of 4 points which are allowed to carry over from winning points in “amateur” stakes. A dog who earns all of his points from the “amateur” stakes is awarded an “Amateur Field Champion” or “AFC” title.

What is a “stake”?

A “stake” is a category in which dogs, based on their eligibility, compete in. Eligibility is determined by things like a dog’s age, breed, level of training, and who the dog’s handler is.  There are “Puppy”, “Derby”, and “Gun Dog” stakes, with variations of each. All dogs entered in AKC field trials must be registered with the AKC.  A “stake” is similar to a “level” in AKC hunting tests.

• Puppy stakes – Are open to dogs 6 months of age and under 15 months of age on the first advertised day of the trial.  Though it is permitted, birds generally are not released in puppy stakes.  This decision is to be made by the host club. Dogs in Puppy stakes who locate and point game birds are not to be given additional credit by the judges as this is not considered a requirement for this category.  Though it is permitted by the rules, generally blank/starter pistols are NOT fired in Puppy stakes.  The event premium will state if blank/starter pistols in Puppy stakes are to be used.  There is no hunting test level equivalent to field trial Puppy stakes.
• Derby stakes– Are open to dogs 6 months of age and under 2 years of age on the first advertised day of the trial.  Dogs competing in Derby stakes must locate and point a game bird in order to fulfill the requirements of this category.  Blank/starter pistols ARE fired in Derby stakes.  Derby stakes are similar to the Junior Hunter level in AKC hunting tests (in that a competing or testing dog must point at least one game bird in order to be considered for a win or qualifying score).  Field trial Derby stakes differ from the Junior Hunter level in that hunting test rules require a dog to point at least 50 percent of the game birds she  encounters.  Another difference is dogs can “age out” of Derby stakes—dogs older than 2 years are not eligible to compete in Derby stakes.  AKC registered dogs of any age can test at the Junior Hunter level.
  

  An Amateur Gun Dog brace competes in the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club's Inaugural Walking Field Trial

• Gun Dog stakes – Are open to dogs 6 months of age and over on the first advertised day of the trial. This category is intended for “finished” gun dogs. A “finished” gun dog is steady to wing and shot (meaning the dog must wait to be released by her handler and CANNOT “break” or self-release at the flush of a bird or at the shot of a starter/blank/shotgun). In order to fulfill the requirements of a Gun Dog stake, a dog must locate and point a game bird and must demonstrate absolute steadiness.  Dogs competing in these stakes must also honor their bracemates if the situation presents itself during the course of the brace.  Unlike in AKC hunting tests (Senior and Master levels), “call backs” for honoring are not done.  Also unlike AKC hunting tests (Senior and Master levels), retrieving is not a requirement for a dog to “win” a Gun Dog stake unless the stake is specified to be a retrieving stake in the premium.  Of the AKC recognized pointing breeds, German Shorthaired Pointers (GSPs), German Wirehaired Pointers (GWPs), Vizslas, and Weimaraners are required to have won at least 4 points in retrieving stakes in order to be awarded an FC or AFC title.  The requirements of a retrieve in a Gun Dog stake are the same as those in an AKC Master level hunting test: “After the shot, the handler shall not command or signal the dog to retrieve until the dog’s steadiness to wing and shot has been positively demonstrated. The dog must retrieve promptly, tenderly and absolutely to hand in all retrieving stakes.”  Gun Dog stakes are similar to the Master Hunter level in hunting tests in that both are considered for “broke” or finished gun dogs (though there are quite a few differences such as honoring, retrieving, “hacking”/singing, “collaring” a dog away, stop-to-flushes, delayed chasing, nonproductives, style, independence, range).

What is the difference between “open” stakes and “amateur” stakes?

All handlers and trainers are allowed to compete in “open” stakes (including professional handlers/trainers) while only non-professional (amateur) handlers/trainers are allowed to handle in “amateur” stakes. A person considered to be a “professional” handler/trainer is one who accepts “remuneration (money, goods, or services)” in exchange for the training/handling of dogs.

Aaron and Amante (CH Boulder's Bolder Amante SH) celebrate their 1st place win in an Amateur Gun Dog stake worth a 3 point retrieving major. This was Amante's "debut" competing as a gun dog.

How many points are needed to obtain an FC or AFC?

The basic answer is “10” points. It gets more complicated but the total points must come from at least 3 different licensed trials and at least 3 of these points must come from a “major stake”—a stake worth 3 or more points.   And:

• No more than 2 points each from Puppy stakes and Derby stakes for a total of 4 juvenile points can come from the Puppy/Derby stakes.
• No more than 4 points won from the Amateur stakes can be also counted toward a Field Championship title

What is a “Limited” Gun Dog stake?

A “Limited” Gun Dog stake is for dogs who have won a 1st-4th placement in any Gun Dog stake, or have won 1st place in an Open Derby stake.  Dogs who have only won 1st place in an Amateur Derby stake are only eligible to enter Amateur  Limited Gun Dog stakes.  Only dogs who have won placements in Amateur Gun Dog stakes or have won 1st place in an Amateur Derby stake are allowed to compete in Amateur Limited Gun Dog stakes.

So what is a “Dual Champion” or a DC?

An AKC Dual Champion (DC), is a dog who has obtained both a Conformation (bench/show) and a Field Championship title. An example of this is: DC AFC Random’s Best.

How do AKC field trials differ from AKC hunting tests?

Base Camp - Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club's Inaugural Walking Field Trial

The simplest answer is that AKC field trials are COMPETITIVE events in which dogs defeat each other to win points toward a championship title. The number of points awarded are determined by the stake itself and the number of dogs entered.  Check out the AKC’s Field Trial Rules and Standard
Procedure for Pointing Breeds booklet for the points schedule.  In addition to fulfilling specific requirements in Derby and Gun Dog stakes (pointing game birds, proving steadiness, etc.), dogs are also competing against each other in order to be considered for a placement.  AKC hunting tests are NONCOMPETITIVE events in which dogs are judged against a standard in order to qualify for a title.  Titles obtained in AKC hunting tests are recorded after a dog’s registered name.  There are 3 different levels of AKC hunting tests: Junior, Senior, and Master Hunter.  The titles are recorded as: JH, SH, or MH. An example: Random’s Best JH.

Aaron handles Kosmo in their callback for consideration of a placement in the Amateur Gun Dog stake in the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club's Inaugural Walking Field Trial. The stake was an all-breed 4 point retrieving major. They did a great job and earned a 3rd placement in the very competitive stake!

A few more tidbits:

• Judges have the right to “withhold” placements if they feel the dogs they judged did not put up performances worthy of a placement.  This includes withholding the placements worth points toward a championship title. Just because a dog “makes it around clean” does not mean s/he will be awarded a placement.
• Unlike AKC hunting tests, there isn’t a “scoring” system for field trials.  If your dog meets the requirements of a stake (puppy, derby, gun dog) s/he is at the mercy of the judges for a win and/or placement.  The chances for a placement will be much better if your dog exceeds the requirements and puts on a much better show than the other dogs s/he is running against!  Judges have their own preferences as to what they like and so the wins/placements are somewhat subjective.
• There are “mounted/horseback” trials and “walking” trials.  If a trial has been identified as a walking trial in the premium all handlers must handle from foot.  Handlers are allowed to handle from foot in horseback trials.  “Gun Dog Championships” indicate an event in which competing dogs will be handled from foot only.
• “Scouts” are used in field trials.  Per the rules, scouts are only supposed to locate a dog (with permission of the judges).  In reality, scouts are essentially second handlers.  Oops–did I just say that?  ;-)
• “Galleries” are kind of a big deal in mounted trials.  The gallery rides along, following (but not interfering with) the dogs competing in a brace.  Hunting tests have galleries as well but all participants must walk or be carted around in the “gallery wagon” if the host club  provides one.
• Perhaps one of the of the primary differences between AKC hunting tests and AKC field trials is the amount of consideration field trial judges give to a dog’s independence, style, intensity, drive, range, and application.  Field trial judges look for many things when deciding which dogs they’ll “put up”—award placements to—but they’re particularly drawn to dogs who move with purpose, are bold, show a lot of style, and exhibit “a keen desire to hunt” and “stay out in front”.  Hunting test judges look for these same qualities but because they are judging each dog against a standard and NOT against each other, this gives them the ability to “qualify” many dogs that run under them—as long as the dogs meet the standards for the levels they are testing in. Field trial judges have a limited number of “placements” to hand out whereas hunting test judges can qualify all dogs who meet the standard.  Also, though hunting tests are essentially “pass/fail”, the judges must use a scoring system to rate a dog’s performance against the standard.  A dog can pass a test with the absolute lowest–or highest–averaged score and is given the exact same “qualify” ribbon as all other dogs who qualified in that same level.
• There is quite a bit of difference in the “noise” handlers make in field trials versus hunting tests.  Field trialers refer to this noise as “singing” whereas it would be considered “hacking” in a hunting test.  This level of noise from a handler is penalized in hunting tests and could prevent a judge from awarding an overall passing score.  In hunting tests, the acceptable level of noise decreases as the difficult of the test increases–example less tolerated in Senior than Junior and even less in Master than in Senior.
  

  Aaron and Kosmo (CH Derby's Read Em And Weep MH) celebrating their 3rd placement in the Amateur Gun Dog stake in the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club's Inaugural Walking Field Trial. The stake was a competitive, all-breed stake worth a 4 point retrieving major. Kosmo will be 9 years old in September 2011 has only competed in a handful of trials .

• When trying to keep the differences between field trial “stakes” and hunting test “levels” straight in one’s mind it’s easiest to remember them this way:

• There is not an equivalent hunting test level to field trial Puppy stakes.
• Field trial Derby stakes are similar to the Junior Hunter level in hunting tests in that both categories require the dogs to find and point game and have a blank/starter pistol fired. Hunting test rules require a dog to point at least 50 percent of the game birds she  encounters.  And, dogs can “age out” of Derby stakes—dogs older than 2 years are not eligible to compete in Derby stakes.
• Field trial Gun Dog stakes are similar to the Master Hunter level in hunting tests.  The primary similarity is both of these categories require a “finished” performance by the dogs running.  Differences include non-retrieving Gun Dog stakes whereas dogs testing in the Master Hunter level are required to retrieve every bird downed in their brace/call back.  Master Hunters are also required to honor in order to qualify whereas Gun Dogs must honor their bracemate if the situation presents itself.  Gun Dogs, on the other hand, are shown virtually no tolerance when it comes to “stop to flush” situations, movement at flush/shot, delayed chase, nonproductive/false points.  Non-retrieving Gun Dog stakes can be a good place to run a “green broke” dog because all birds encountered on course are “blanked”.  Green broke dogs are often in a “transition” phase as they learn absolute steadiness to all shots fired from a shotgun (there is a big difference to the dog between shots from a blank pistol and a shotgun–especially when a bird in flight is hit).
• Field Championship titles are often viewed as more difficult to obtain than hunting test titles and Bench/Show/Conformation Championships.  One of reasons for this opinion is that a dog often competes against dogs of other breeds in order to win points toward her field championship title (though this does not have to be the case–dogs can compete in stakes “closed” to their specific breed and obtain all of their points by winning these “closed” stakes).  Conformation Championship titles are obtained by dogs defeating others of their same breed.  Hunting test titles are viewed as easier to get than Field Championship titles because the are noncompetitive events.  A dog must fulfill the requirements of the level he is testing at in order to be given a qualifying score.  Once the dog obtains the required number of passes, he’s earned his hunting test title.  Consider this: a dog who wins a placement in a Derby or Gun Dog stake has essentially “qualified” for a hunting test “leg”.  Most dogs competing in field trials will take far more placements that aren’t worth points but would have been a “pass” toward a hunting test title!

For the AKC’s “official” description of field trials go to their website and download the Field Trial Rules and Standard
Procedure for Pointing Breeds booklet.

Aaron gets the "callback" plan from judges Joan Heimbach (left) and Eric Cook (right) for the Open Limited Gun Dog stake in the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club's inaugural Walking Field Trial.

NOTE:

Written by Mel Reveles and Aaron Davis of www.FusionVizslas.com.  All content is original with the exception of key words/phrases as quoted from the AKC’s Field Trial Rules and Standard Procedure for Pointing Breeds. 

 Note from the authors: We understand the use of “who” in reference to a dog is grammatically incorrect but we’re  just not able to refer to dogs, our beloved companions” as “things”.  :-)

We are proud to be founding members of the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club–”The Specialty Vizsla Club of Colorado”, and members of the Vizsla Club of America. We are also members of the American Kennel Club’s Breeder of Merit Program.

This is what a correct honor looks like.  We see so many lousy honors, we were inspired to post what a correct, stylish one looks like.  If I were to nitpick, I would say it could be improved upon if Trip (the honoring Vizsla) never took her eyes from Amante (the Vizsla on point) and if I didn’t have to give even the quiet, reminder “whoa” when Trip sniffed the ground and looked around briefly.

Why is this a “correct”/finished honor?  I’ll break it down in parts:

1. The backing/honoring dog (Trip a Vizsla, CH Boulder’s N Fusion’s Power Trip SH) did what she’s been taught to do all on her own without a command or any stimulation from her ecollar (yes she is wearing an ecollar and yes, we train all of our hunting dogs with ecollars).  No gimmicks (okay–some might argue this and say the ecollar is a gimmick–whatever!), no screaming or hollering from us, just clear and concise training has given Trip the ability to understand what she needs to do when she comes across a “standing” or pointing dog.
2. She honored with all sorts of style.  The ideal honor/back should look like the dog is on point–there should be that much intensity and style in an honor.  Dogs who lose style when honoring usually have been “intimidated” (whether by physical force or mental pressure/mind games) into complying.
3. The honoring dog is staunch–she doesn’t look as if she might “break” her honor or come off to try and steal point.  We’ve worked up to this in training but you’ll also notice we weren’t rushing in to get to either dog.  We walked with purpose but weren’t in a hurry.  Though the video clip doesn’t show it, Amante (CH Boulder’s Bolder Amante SH) had been on point almost a full minute before I started the camcorder.  Trip had been hunting hard out beyond where Amante was standing on point.  As she turned, she saw Amante standing and stopped hard in an honor.  They were both way too far away and the wind was too strong for our voices to have carried.  Had we even tried to give any commands, they couldn’t have heard us.

So, how do we get such nice honors?  By following the methods Jon and Cindy Hann teach in The Perfect Start and The Perfect Finish videos.  Their method of teaching honoring is so incredibly easy!  You must have solid foundation work in place though, before being able to train an honor using their methods.

Pointing dog (Vizsla) is "Kosmo"/CH Derby's Read Em And Weep MH. Honoring dog (Vizsla) is "Amante"/CH Boulder's Bolder Amante MH. This is a good example of a true honor. Look carefully at the pointing dog's eyes--they're shifted indicating the bird is to his left. Though out of focus--look at the honoring (or backing) dog. Her eyes are on the pointing dog--as they should be. Moments before she honored (on her own, without a command as should be at the "Master Hunter" level) her head was down, nose to the ground as she hunted. She glanced up and saw Kosmo on point and stopped hard in her tracks to back. At the "Master Hunter" level (or "finished" level), the pointing dog will stand steady as the bird is flushed and shot. This is referred to being "steady to wing and shot". Only when he's given the signal to retrieve will he break. Then, he must retrieve "promptly, tenderly, and absolutely to hand." The honoring or backing dog will stand through the entire flush, shot, and retrieve to hand and will not move until released to hunt on. Pretty cool!

Why should you care about teaching your gun dog to honor?  Perhaps, the biggest reason would be when hunting over multiple dogs honoring/backing prevents rude behavior like stealing points.  Another reason for teaching a dog to honor is if you have an interest in playing AKC hunting test and field trial games.  Dogs aren’t required to honor at the Junior Hunter level but they are when they’re testing at the Senior and Master Hunter levels as well in Gun Dog stakes (field trials).

Words of caution:  Please don’t try to train your puppies or baby birds dogs to honor like this.  If you work the Hann’s program at your pup’s pace, you’ll know when s/he is ready to start learning how to honor.  The Vizslas in this video clip are 3 and 4 years old and have had extensive training.

And now a few comments about the mistake the pointing Vizsla, Amante, made…

You might also notice from the video and the annotations, the pointing Vizlsa, Amante, broke just after the shot.  Though the video captures this “mistake”, we decided to post it because it provided us with a good opportunity to explain why Amante made the mistake and to address the handling/training mistake we made.   If you watch carefully, you’ll see she took a hop to mark but then took liberties with that hop and broke to retrieve without being given a command to do so from us.  We do train our Vizslas to be steady to release.  Amante has been trained this way and she had been perfect all day.  Figures she’d blow it when the video camera was rolling!  :-)  The differences with this situation were:

1. Her “sister”, Trip, was honoring her point.  Housemates are generally more competitive with each other.  Amante already finds it very difficult to hold to a release.  She can handle other dogs honoring her better than when her “siblings”/housemates are honoring her.
2. I wasn’t ready–didn’t anticipate the scene as it was unfolding.  I should have seen the gunners blocked Amante’s ability to mark and known she would likely need to adjust in order to mark the bird.  Given this, combined with her “antsy-pants” problems with standing after the shot, I should have anticipated she would break and should have been ready to correct her mistake.  It would have been a most valuable lesson for Amante had I gotten a good, well-timed correction in.  Instead, the behavior we’re working to fix–of her breaking at/right after the shot– was reinforced (because she loves retrieving and got to do so on her terms instead of ours).

Written by Mel Reveles and Aaron Davis of www.FusionVizslas.com. We are proud to be founding members of the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club–”The Specialty Vizsla Club of Colorado”, and members of the Vizsla Club of America. We are also members of the American Kennel Club’s Breeder of Merit Program.