Weimaraner Wednesday

 Fall is definitely here and we had a perfect day for field training - cool, crisp and sunny!  I forgot my camera but snapped off a few shots of the dogs running in the field before we began training.  No, I didn't get a German Shorthair Pointer.  This energetic girl belongs to my friend and training partner Jeff and I took her for some obedience and socialization training with Jam, Savi and Trixie.

 Becky, the GSP, is a friendly 9 month old pup but needs to learn some manners with other dogs.  Jam took on the role of teacher and gave Becky a number of appropriate corrections until Becky learned how to behave.  All dogs need to learn dog language and if they don't it can be dangerous.  Becky runs in hunt tests and needs to know when another dog doesn't want to play or not to get in their face.

 Once Becky was comfortable with my grey girls, she had a blast running and playing with them in this huge field.  It also helped get burn some of her endless supply of energy off.

 Training was very satisfying.  Jam ran with Becky's housemate, Beau, who received his 1st Senior Hunter leg last weekend.  The two ran well together and we were able to steady them and shoot for retrieves.  Jam broke before the shot and I was able to correct her before she grabbed the bird.  I then made her stand and then released her for the retrieve, which she did well with.  Unless a dog makes a mistake in training, it is difficult to fix problems encountered during the actual test.

 Even though Becky is a green dog and working on her Junior Hunter, she is extremely birdy and the perfect running mate for Savi.  Savi had a gorgeous point, sorry no photo, and we shot over her for the first time.  I did attach a check cord before we flushed and released the Chukkar in case she broke.  Well, so proud of my girl who stood through the shot and waited until I released her for the retrieve.  She had to search for the bird as she didn't mark the fall but when she found it, had an impressive retrieve to hand.  We are also training her to honor and she's starting to understand that not every bird is hers.  I'm very excited at the progress she is making and hope to have her ready to run in Senior Hunter in the Spring.

Weimaraner Wednesday

Jam, enthusiastic in the fields!

 Weimaraner Wednesday fun spent field training with our friends and their dogs.  The weather was a bit hot and muggy with little breeze, so challenging scenting conditions for the dogs.

Jam on point

 The girls found the birds and had decent retrieves, especially our little retrieving machine, Savi, who does it with such gusto and retrieved to hand, it brings a smile to everyone who watches her.

Savi, air scenting as scenting as she hunts for birds

The leaves are already beginning to change color, reminding us that fall is upon us.  I just long for some nice cool weather.

 And only in New Jersey would we have such wild distractions in the bird field!  The preserve where we train is said to have one of the best Halloween Hayrides in the state!

 The dogs are so used to these freaky figures that they pay no attention to them.

Fall Field Training!

Savi & Jam

 Even though the official start to fall is still a week away, with cool temps and rain, it sure felt like fall and we had our first day training in the field since Spring.  The dogs got to run in the field for fun to stretch their legs and get some of the excess energy out before getting down to business.

Savi getting ready for take-off!

Jam

 Jam was up first and we ran her with a German Shorthair Pointer, that is working on her Senior Hunter title.  Jam ran fine with this new dog, always good to switch things up as you never know what kind of dog you'll be braced with at a hunt test.  It began pouring during our run, which was not the most pleasant thing for the handler's and does effect the scenting conditions and birds, but hunt tests are run rain or shine and it was a good opportunity to challenge the dogs in not the most ideal conditions.  Jam then had a chance for a second run with our friend's Vizsla, who is very close to finishing his Master Hunter title. We ran the dogs in a mock hunt test and I was pleased with how well Jam hunted, backed the other dog immediately and was steady to wing and shot.  Her retrieve was passable, still something I'd like to improve to get her to have a better hold on the bird, but the whole run, if in a real test would have been a pass!  Amazing how the dog's remember what they are supposed to do and pick up where we left off.

 Savi, beginning her training for Senior Hunter, ran with the Vizsla, and we wanted to evaluate where she was at.  She hunted in her usual bold, independent style and held point until we got to her to flush the bird.  We need to work on steadying her more on the bird without holding her and while the bird is being shot.  She has an incredible retrieve and brought the bird to hand!  We wanted to introduce her to honoring or backing the other dog on point, and she did acknowledge the other dog.  I then collared her and she was not happy watching the other dog retrieve the bird.  In fact, she was hysterical, barking, jumping and whining....sorry Savi, life is not fair and every bird does not belong to you!  We know what our biggest challenge is going to be with Savi in training her for Senior.

A fun day for sure, even if we were soaked by the time we packed up.  We peeled off our rain gear, felt chilled and went out to lunch for some hot pasta fagiouli soup and Italian food....can't get much better than that!

Weimaraner Wednesday - Spring Tease

 We were excited to get back to field training, for the first time in almost three months.  It has been a brutal winter with all the ice and snow and this weeks warm temps allowed us to finally get in some training.  Jam impressed us with solid, intense points and held until released.  She's right on track to get back into the Senior Hunt tests.  Next week, we'll work on backing and retrieving.

So far, so good...

Jam had an excellent day training, she did everything required to pass Senior Hunter and did it well.  She had two terrific backs from a great distance, held steady to shot and retrieved the bird.

 I forgot my regular camera but managed to take a few quick shots with my phone.  They don't capture her intensity and it didn't help that my timing was off.

Ahead of Jam about 15 feet, is the Chukkar, with it's head up looking at her and Jam had to wait for the other handler to bring her dog around for a back.  I hope the consistency and improvement in her performance bodes well for her at this weekend's Shooting dog WCA Ratings test and then at the AKC hunt test the following weekend.

Rockin Retrieve

 Jam hit it out of the park today, pointing and staying steady on walking birds, holding steady to shot and then performed two terrific retrieves including her first blind retrieve.  We were patient and let her figure it out and she did, going into the thick sorghum patch, finding the bird and then making her way out and delivering the bird to me.  She's definitely ready to start competing in Senior Hunter with these kind of performances.

 This is where she came out of the sorghum on the dirt road...50 yards away!

Here she comes at a nice brisk pace.

Senior training with a friend

Jam had a decent day in the field, although she's still not ready to enter in Senior but that's why we train, to correct the mistakes and reinforce and reward good behavior.  She's hunting beautifully, honoring the other dog but is not totally steady on her point, breaking before the shot.  Below, retrieving a chukkar.

Breeze and Jam, training for Senior hunter.  Always nice to see another talented Weim run in the field and it was fun working with Breeze's owner.

Jam having a ball running in the field after we let her and Breeze break away.

Perfect point!

Even on this super hot July day with sub-optimal scenting conditions, Jam found the quail and held this intense point and was steady through the blank shot and until I released her and heeled her away. She also had two nice backs (honored the other dog on point). Good girl!

Steady now...

If only Jam would have held her points like this one at the hunt tests, then she would have qualified for Senior Hunter legs. Jam hunted well in the tests, found birds, backed her bracemate but just couldn't contain that high drive enough to stay steady to the shot. It taught us that she needs more practice and that she is so close to qualifying. She is very young and I was proud of how she ran and she received many compliments from the judges and gallery.

Got birds?

Jam, at a field training session last week. She held this intense point for literally five minute while we waited for the other dog to arrive to set up a backing situation. We are pleased with Jam's intensity, drive and solid point plus she has developed a long nose and scents the bird from a fair distance away.

Marvelous March Day in the Field

The weather gods were with us for Sara's visit and she took these awesome shots of Jam during our field training session last week. Jam did a nice job retrieving the chukkar and for such a young bitch, was awesome in her holding until release. Above, she's intense on point. Jam is showing great ability and we look forward to going for her Senior Hunter title this Spring...she's ready!

Bam!

Always trust your dog! We ran Jam with the trainer's master hunter bitch and wanted Jam to run in front and point a bird that was planted in order to set up a backing (honoring) situation. Well, as Jam was running by she turned on scent and held this intense point....and in the sorghum was a wild pheasant. Good nose Jam!

Birds on the brain

Whoa! Jam's field training continues to improve but with it some new challenges as Jam has found her independence. She is ranging out like a field trial dog and breaking her whoa before I can get to her. On the positive side, the trainer is thrilled with her ranging, hunting style and her long nose plus we started backing her or honoring as it is called, a skill needed for Senior Hunter. She is still pointing with intensity so the breaking her whoa, is a training issue that we will continue work on and steady her to the flush before we move on to the next step. Jam absolutely loves hunting and her drive and nose is overpowering her brain.

Jam is holding her point for a good while as we walk up to her from across the field...unfortunately she broke her point just as we got to her. Back to the check cord to correct this behavior. And as always, tons of praise and rewards when she does the right thing.

The Birdbox

Jam just cannot contain her excitement knowing that the birds in the box are meant for her. She stood like this for a few minutes with the most intense expression until we told her to get down so the birds could be planted in the field. Jam's intensity and drive has really come out in recent months due to consistent training, exposure and maturity. I really love this girl, who has brought me back to field training, something that I always had enjoyed but really missed in recent years. I know that she has the potential to go far and I will be along for the ride...

Back to bird work!

On point and picking up that bird scent from a nice distance
Jam and puppy Trudy, getting ready to do some field work
***
Now that summer is officially here, we look forward to regular training sessions to get Jam ready for the fall hunts tests to run in Junior Hunter. As always, we "train up", meaning that everything we do helps train for the next level, which would be Senior Hunter and gives us a solid foundation and a head start on the skills necessary to complete that title.

Almost Spring!

What could be a more wonderful way to spend an almost spring-like afternoon than training Jam in the field? It is amazing to see her do something she just loves and with such style.

A hunting we will go...

The weather gods cooperated and we were blessed with another terrific day to go field training this week.
Jam is really using her nose and pointing the birds from 10 -15 feet away.
This is intensity!