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KS Penny Lane’s Rocco Di MorghengoSpinone Italiano

A Publication of The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association • Volume XLV • No. 10 • October 2014

www.navhda.org

10/14

NAVHDA PO Box 520 Arlington Heights, IL 60006-0520 United States of America

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HUNTING DOG V E R S A T I L E

My Hunting Machine

30 Versatile Hunting Dog • www.navhda.org October 2014

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1October 2014 Versatile Hunting Dog • www.navhda.org

NAVHDA International Officers & Directors

David A. Trahan President Joseph M. Raia Vice President Steve J. Greger Secretary Joseph K. Dolejsi Treasurer Chip Bonde Director of Judge Development Jason Wade Director of Promotions Tim Clark Director of Testing Tracey Nelson Registrar James Applegate Director of Information Resources Marilyn Vetter Past President

Versatile Hunting Dog Publication Staff

Mary K. Burpee Editor/Publisher Erin Kossan Copy Editor Sandra Downey Copy Editor Rachael McAden Copy Editor Patti Carter Contributing Editor Brad Bischof Contributing Editor NancyAnisfield ContributingEditor/Photographer Craig Koshyk Contributing Editor/Photographer Philippe Roca Photographer Maria Bondi Advertising Coordinator

David Nordquist Webmaster

Advertising Information Copy deadline: 45 days prior to the month of publication. Commercial rates available upon request. All inquiries or requests for advertising should be addressed to:

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Please submit all articles for and questions pertaining to the VHD to [email protected], with ATTN VHD Editor in the subject line or by mail via the postal service to NAVHDA, PO Box 520, Arlington Heights, IL 60006.

© 2014 The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association, Inc.• All Rights Reserved.

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The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association does not discrim-inate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, sexual orientation or age in its programs, activities, or in its hiring and employment practices. TheVersatileHuntingDogispublishedmonthlyandistheofficialpublica-tion of The North Amercian Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA), anonprofit, educational organization dedicated to fostering, improving,promoting and protecting the versatile hunting dog in North America and to the conservation of all game. The basic annual membership dues are $60 (US Funds.) Membership benefitsincludeamonthlysubscriptiontotheVersatileHuntingDogmag-azine,decal,participationinallNAVHDAevents(atmembershipdiscountrates) and full voting privileges. All con-tributions are tax-deductible. AcopyofNAVHDA’smost recent financial report canbeobtainedbycontacting: NAVHDA, 120 W. Eastman St, Arlington Heights, IL 60006-5950. The Versatile Hunting Dog reserves the right to reasonably edit or refuse all material (including advertising) submitted for publication. Articles or opinions herein expressed are not necessarily those of the publication staff or of The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association, Inc., itsofficersorDirectors. The material contained in this publication is intended to provide accu-rate and authoritative information on the subject covered. By their nature, the articles and columns contained herein cannot provide the complete and detailed guidance required by every individual in every situation. The material is thereby offered with the proviso that it is not the intent of the publisher, the editors, or the authors to render professional counsel on the matter covered and said person(s) can not be held liable for any usethereof. Ifspecificassistanceisrequired,theservicesofanexpertauthority should be sought.

The Versatile Hunting Dog magazine (USPS number 016-491, ISSN:1099-0577) is published monthly for $60.00 per year by the North Amer-ican Versatile Hunting Dog Association, 120 W. Eastman #302, Arlington Hts, IL 60004-5950. Periodical postage paid at Arlington Hts, IL and addi-tionalentryoffices.POSTMASTER:SendaddresschangestoNAVHDA,PO Box 520, Arlington Hts, IL 60006-0520.

Visit the Versatile Hunting Dog magazine online at www.navhda.org

The Versatile Dog denotes that this feature or story is an original article by a NAVHDA member.

HUNTING DOG V E R S A T I L E

Volume XLV • No. 10 • October 2014

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTSPresident’s Message • 2A Closer Look • 9Test Results • 13Tips From Purina • 24The Forum • 26 Kennel Registrations • 26Calendar Of Events • 28Classifieds • 28

4 My Hunting Machine • by Karen Thompson

10 The Czech Connection • by Bob Farris

14 Train Your Dog For Shed Hunting • by Ryan Eder

18 Item #32 On The Bucket List Was “Train Pointing Dog” • by Chris Pope

22 A Dangerous Combination: Tree Fungus And Bacteria • by Isabelle Edling

25 Power In Family • by Megan Marzolf

TM

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25


President’s Message by Dave Trahan Deerfield, New Hampshire

Gone HuntingThank you to all the volunteers who helped at the 2014

NAVHDA Invitational. Wally and his crew did a great job. I would also like to thank my fellow judges for

giving their time in the field and at the water. Year after year I am impressed by the dedication of everyone who works so hard at this event. Congratulations to those of you who passed and received your Versatile Champion title!

Now it is that time of year when I am off to grouse camp in the great northern woods of New Hampshire, where I will spend the next month or so guiding hunters in pursuit of ruffed grouse and woodcock. I work out of Lopstick Lodge in Pittsburg, picking up clients every day. I’m ready, and my dogs are ready. This – working together for successful hunts – is what we trained for at each NAVHDA clinic and in between.

During the spring and summer training seasons, it’s easy to focus on the drills and skills that we’re working on, some-

times forgetting the true objective of the Natural Ability and Utility Tests. As important as the scores are, it is what we train for that we now need to acknowledge and appreciate. Our versatile dogs are bred to do all parts of the hunt. We train them to develop their abilities. We also train them to work with us as a team. That’s where the cooperation and obedience come in. Now, as hunting season opens, or has opened across the country, we can focus on our goal, which is enjoying safe, productive days in the fields, woods, and water with our great dogs.

So, let’s all pack our bags and gear and go hunting. After all, that’s what we trained for all summer long.

Gone Hunting, Dave


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About the Cover by Karen ThompsonColumbus, Indiana

After a two year stint in Missouri working for his compa-ny, my husband Veron and I were happy to be moving back to our hometown in Indiana where we both had

lived most of our lives. As planned, we bought a home with acre-age. We wanted a hunting dog and decided it would be a Spinone Italiano. I saw my first Spinone two years prior in Missouri, and I was smitten. This is the dog my heart was set on. I loved every-thing about them: large dog, wiry coat, great personality, one that is a close hunter, and so much more.

With much research of the different lineages, I was drawn to the Di Morghengo line. I liked everything about this line; they had it all, looks, conformation and great hunting ability. By chance we located a litter in Illinois whose lineage was about 75% of the Di Morghengo blood. Our intention was to bring home a male, but something changed when I saw Tia among the litter of ten. She instantly took my heart, and we immediately latched on to one another. It was no contest.

I still longed for a male, so I continued on with my search. Finally, I was able to locate the Italian breeder of the Di Morgh-engo line living in Canada, Guido Malandruccolo. Guido started bringing the Spinone over from Italy some 30-40 years ago, many who were from the Di Val Potenza lineage, a very strong hunting line. I called the number, and Guido himself answered.

At first it was difficult to understand him with his strong Italian accent and broken English. I introduced myself and explained to him I was looking for a Spinone puppy and that I loved the look of his dogs, the line, and very impressive hunting ability. As we talked back and forth, he told me that he had a litter on the ground and had one puppy still available, a nine-week-old male. Guido’s grandson emailed us a few pictures, and I was more than thrilled when I saw the pictures of the gorgeous Spinone puppy. We made arrangements to drive to Canada to pick up our boy just a few days later. That Saturday, we made our way across the border to Windsor, Canada to the Di Morghengo Kennel. We were greeted at the door by Guido, Margaret and three Spinoni, one being Dino, the sire of the litter. Guido knew we were anxious to see our puppy, so he immediately took us to see the litter. All the puppies were still there with him, nine total. Guido let the nine puppies out of the pen and let them all run about. He pointed to us which puppy would be ours. My eyes were focused on that puppy, I already could see he was special. Guido pitched dog kibble out on the floor in a line, and the puppies scurried to see who could get to it first. He did this to show us how the puppies ran and carried themselves as they followed the trail of food. He would point out our puppy and remark of his confi-dence and beautiful gate. After a while, he opened up the pen

© 2014 AMY MUSIA

MY HUNTING MACHINE


gate to let the puppies back in, and all the puppies scurried inside except for ours. He sat at the opening and waited. Guido chuck-led, “See your boy and see how he is?” I was in love! I honestly do not remember any of the other puppies. All I knew was that this was the pup we got to take home. Then Guido took us to see the mother of the litter, Fidelia or “Lia” as he called her. She was a sweet and lovely girl with lots of beautiful brown. Fidelia was one that Guido had bred, and she was owned by Kathleen Schaeffer. Lia had stayed with Guido to have these puppies. We spent hours at his house talking about Spinoni as he showed us pedigree after pedigree of all the many Spinoni he had brought back from Italy over the years, literally stacks of them. It was a great day and a special time that we were able to spend with Guido and Margaret. I had found a new friend and mentor and, most of all, I had the puppy of my dreams.

When we were getting ready to leave, I had our new puppy in my arms. I told Guido we would name him Rocco. He wasn’t too thrilled about the name for some reason. I do not recall but there must have been another Rocco at one time. We were sure about his name and fixed on it, so Guido was fine with that. He said we would have to add something to his name for AKC registration purposes so not to duplicate names. As we said our goodbyes, Guido said, “Your boy there...he will be a hunting

machine.” Veron and I both smiled while Margaret took a picture of us with Rocco. As we were leaving I said to Guido, “Rocco will someday make you very proud. I promise you, just wait and see.” Rocco sat on my lap all the way home.

We added our chosen kennel name, Penny Lane, to Rocco’s name for his registration. So now we keep hearing, “Are you a Beatles fan? Why the name Penny Lane?” Well, the Beatles really did not have anything to do with how we chose the name. However, the song does have a catchy tune that makes me want to sing along to the words, especially when I hear, “Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes!” Actually, we thought the name would be fitting to describe the long gravel lane leading up to our house, so Penny Lane it was. The KS in front of Rocco’s name we owe to his mother, Fidelia’s owner, Kathleen Schaeffer. We are forever grateful to her for having Guido breed this lovely girl.

So what was next? Now we had two Spinoni. We joined NAVHDA and our Central Indiana NAVHDA club, excited to attend the first meeting that spring with our two puppies. One of the members locked a pigeon’s wing and laid it out in the open for the pups. Nothing real exciting, but both were very interest-ed and played around with it, so it was a beginning. When the weather warmed we took them to the water for the first time, and they saw a duck. Tia, who was six months old, chased the

MY HUNTING MACHINE© 2014 AMY MUSIA


duck into the water and took off swim-ming after it while Rocco, who was four months, stood at the shore watching. On our second birdy session with the pups, we met up with another NAVHDA mem-ber. She introduced us to the conservation hunt club and training grounds that she belonged to. We took some quail with us, and we watched as she worked her Visz-las with launchers. We planted a couple of quail for our two, and it was so beautiful to see Tia pointing for the first time, such a natural. Rocco’s bird got up and flew to-wards the pond so we didn’t know where it went. We made our way over to the pond and all the dogs went in swimming, except for Rocco. We were standing at the edge of the water, and, as I looked down, Rocco was pointing my foot. I was laughing, and I said, “Look you guys; Rocco is pointing this dandelion by my foot.” He was staunch and he didn’t move. What was he doing, silly puppy. Finally, I moved my foot, and out flew the quail we thought we had lost. Thus, the story begins for adventures with our little hunting machine. Rocco’s intensity with birds and his hunting drive escalated from that day forward. We continued with our NAVHDA club’s training clinics each month and bought birds to take home. We entered both pups in the fall NA tests. We worked the pups in the field, ran tracks, and found water for the pups to swim in. Rocco decided to swim one day, so all was good there. Guido would call just about every week to see how Rocco was doing. We would talk on the phone for hours, talking about our Spinoni, hunting and good Italian wine. I would tell him all about Rocco, and he would answer all my questions. Guido would continually tell me to be easy on Rocco and take my time with him, do not hurry anything. He told me Spinone take a long time to mature and that they are sensitive. I must be very careful and not push him or put pressure on him to break his spirit. I listened to him. He was my mentor, and he knew this breed better than anyone.

September was here and getting close to test time. About a week before the test, Guido called and asked me to come up to Canada for a NAVHDA NA test. I could run Rocco and his pup Macho for him. I explained to him that I had already entered Rocco in our local chapter’s tests, and they were just a couple of weeks away. I didn’t know this at the time, but Guido was dying with cancer. He didn’t

mention it. I called several weeks later to tell him how Rocco did in his test, but he was too sick to talk on the phone. He passed away that November. I had lost my new found friend, Rocco’s breeder and my mentor.

Test day came, and Tia was in full blown heat. It was a three hour drive to the tests with both pups in the vehicle, and Rocco was a mess. Between Tia being in season and my little hunting ma-chine with his crazy bird drive, I thought it might be an interesting day. Field and water went great for him, but as for the track, he took off hunting. He ended up with a Prize II, 106 points. Tia, on the other hand, was the last dog to run due to being in season. She was great! The judge commented that she had the track of the day award. Tia got 4’s in everything but search and desire for a Prize III, 98 points. We had opposites here with these two pups and two different hunting styles. In the end, they are both great dogs that love to hunt.

The NA tests were over, so now what was next? I wanted to do more with them. The next thing I knew, I was getting plans and buying materials to build a pigeon loft. The dog kennel got converted into a bird pen for game birds. Veron had a great love for hunting and was a great shot, so I had my gunner and helper. Meanwhile, I was reading every book and watching ev-ery video out there on training. I ordered launchers, e-collars, and anything else to help with training.

That same fall, I took both pups through AKC Junior hunt. That was pretty easy, and both Rocco and Tia breezed through it. We had a lot of bird chasing going on out there. Although it seemed fun at the time with all the bird chasing and catching, it is now time to put a stop to it, nip it in the bud and get serious. I attended a three day training seminar and learned how to use the e-collar—first with recall, then on to whoa and steadiness. Force fetch with Rocco was challenging. A lot of Spinoni are natural retrievers, Rocco wasn’t. He is not the one who meets you at the door with something in his mouth. I started a clicker training method using backward behav-ior training with him to get him started. Once we had success with that method, I switched over to the method most of us use today and transitioned over to e-collar.

When Rocco was two-and-a-half years old, I ran him in his first Utility test. Our Central Indiana chapter test was filled, so

I entered him in an Illinois Chapter test. A week before our local chapter tests, I got a call that they had an opening, so we took the available spot. Overall, it was a good day, but we had not done enough duck search exposure with him, and we took home a Prize III. We went on to Illinois a couple of weeks later with no additional training. Again not a good duck search, and he wouldn’t swim out in the water loaded with lily pads to retrieve the duck launched from the blind. No prize this time. We entered more AKC hunting events that year, and, with patience and persistence, Rocco earned his Senior Hunt Title, then went on to Masters.

Meanwhile, we loved where we lived, but we could not safely shoot birds on our property with neighbors being too close. We put our house up for sale and searched for something with more acre-age—one where we could train dogs and shoot birds. Just six miles down the road we found an old farmhouse with acreage that was ideal for what we wanted to do. Ironically, this old house also had a long lane leading up to it. Voilà, our new Pen-ny Lane! The entire year of 2012-2013 was spent renovating the old farmhouse and adding on to it. We lived in a three-room tent, dogs and all, for six weeks until the old farmhouse was ready to live in. We did no training with the dogs that year, as every minute of our time was spent working on our house. Spring 2013 rolled around, and it was finally time to start training again. We obtained a DNR permit to keep game birds, and also one for a dog training grounds so we could legally keep and shoot birds for the purpose of training dogs on our property all year long.

We were all rusty coming off of a year with no training or hunting. Slowly, we got back into it, and it all started coming together again. Rocco and I entered a few AKC Master Hunt tests that spring with not a pass. We had some work to do to get through this. August 2013, I entered Rocco in UT in our Central Indi-ana Chapter; it was now three years later than our first two UT attempts. All went okay until the duck launch at steady by the blind. He decided to swim around the pond with the duck in his mouth and not bring it back to me. That day ended with a Prize III. Later that fall, we ran in AKC tests, and Rocco finished his Master Hunt Title. I could see changes

About the Cover continued...


in my boy, who was now a more mature and calmer dog than just a year or two prior. Perhaps the changes I saw in him were also a reflection of me.

We got through the long nasty winter that everyone is still talking about today. Spring came late this year, and I had to have Rocco ready for our Kentuckiana Chapter tests in May. By then, it was already April, and the ice and snow was just beginning to thaw. We had not trained since last fall. I had thoughts of pulling him because I felt rushed for time to prepare. We weren’t the only ones in this situation, and I didn’t want that to be my excuse, so we decided to get cracking. Lots of two-hour trips each way to duck search waters. I must have bought 20 ducks. Luckily, all of our quail survived the winter, so we had plenty of birds. We had one month to practice and fine tune. Some days I thought we would make it, other days I wanted to give up. Everything seemed to come together for us at the end, and I felt like we were as ready as we ever could be. I still couldn’t help but think that one more week to train would be nice.

The morning of the test I was up at 3:00am with two hours of sleep. As I was getting myself ready, Rocco was some-where in the house sleeping. I paid no attention to him until it was time to go. I offered him some food, but he refused to eat. He knew he was going with me and was calm. The other dogs were up, tails wagging and excited, thinking we were all going somewhere. I told Rocco it was time to go. Out the door we went and he stepped up into the crate in the back seat. We pulled out the driveway, and I laughed, thinking to myself about what I have heard other handlers say before a test, “I sure hope I brought the right dog with me today!” I stopped the car at the end of the driveway, got out, opened the door, looked at Rocco and said, “Rocco, is that you? I sure hope so.” He looked at me with those dark brown eyes and blinked as if to say, “Is that you, Karen? I sure hope the right person is taking me to test today.” (True story—just ask Rocco, and there’s a lot to be said there.)

We drove two hours to get there by 6:30am. I wanted to get him out of the truck and give him a chance to stretch his legs; I wanted him to know where he was. It was time for the start-up meeting with the judges, and, at that point, I found out that Rocco and I were first up. The grass

was still very wet, so the judges decided we would travel to the water first and do the duck search. Oh boy, could this get any better? I was a wreck! I took Rocco down to the water and he was calm as could be. I set him up, shot my gun, and gave him a tap on the head to fetch. He swam directly out across the water into the light fog and disappeared into the grass and water for his duck search. All was quiet, and it seemed like forever. He was out there, somewhere, nowhere to be seen. Finally, the judge said “Thank you. We are done.” Who knows how much longer he would have stayed out there. I called his name and whistled him in. Out popped his head from the reeds and weeds, and he crossed the water to return to me. I kissed him on the head when he came up to me. I thought I could cry.

Hours later, we made it to the field. That dog was still as calm as could be, but he immediately got right down to business. It seemed to me like we were out there forever between finding birds, pointing, shooting, retrieving, walking

in the woods, swimming in the pond and again more birds. He was like a machine, and I was just going through the motions with him. We made it through another UT stage. It all felt good.

The duck drag was great. I let him go at the feathers to send him for the fetch, and he took a direct right turn from me. I was standing there quiet, but in my mind thinking, “What is he doing?” The judge standing by me said quietly, “It’s okay, he’ll be back.” He was. He turned right around, nose down, back around to me, and then straight ahead to go on and find the duck and retrieve back to me. After it was over, I was told that a judge had started by dragging the duck going off to the right and came to a fence, so they changed course and came back around to drag the duck in another direction. That was good to hear!

On we went to Steady by the Blind. Again, I was still trying to keep my composure; my boy was still confident and calm. One more time we went through the motions; heel through the

© 2014 AMY MUSIA


About the Cover continued...

stakes, steady at the blind, distraction gunner, then the finale—retrieve of the launched duck. It all happened so quickly, and the next thing I knew I was standing there reaching down for the duck Rocco brought to me. Then we went through his physical attributes, and it was finally over. As we were walking away, I was thinking to myself, did we possibly get a Prize I? No way.

At the end of the day, the judges called everyone to gather around for the scores. I think I must have been praying when our scores were announced first. Four, four, four…Prize I, 204 points—my boy did it! The entire day felt good. Rocco made it all happen, and he got me through it. Thinking back, as the day went on I was not thinking Prize I at all, not once. The only thing I was thinking was let’s just get through this one step at a time.

Rocco is the first dog I have ever trained to this level. Believe me, we have been through a lot together. Fortunately for me, he is the kind of dog who has the drive and the brains to go with it and is forgiving of me and the mistakes I have made. It’s all about a good dog, and, most

of all, handling a good dog. Rocco and I have learned to understand each other, we connect.

Today we have five Spinoni. All of them love to hunt and swim and have tested in Natural Ability and prized. We are currently training two for Utility with more NAVHDA in years to come. My husband Veron has always been the most important part of our training. He is al-ways there to support me and this passion I have with our dogs. We could never have gone this far without him. He is always ready to help when I need him and the best gunner a gal could ever ask for.

When this year started, I had decided that this would be the last year I would run Rocco in Utility. Our goal was a Prize I, and we could stop there and be happy. By the time the Invitational rolls around next year, Rocco will be going on eight years old. At first, I really did not plan to take him to the Invitational; however, I’ve had so many people ask me if we are going. At this point, I think it would be a big disappointment for both Rocco and me if we didn’t go. It is such an honor and a gift to be invited, that we can’t pass up

this opportunity. The plan is we are going. I don’t want to let my boy down because he deserves the chance.

When not working, Rocco is a goofy and clownish loving dog with such a hap-py-go-lucky personality. Friendliest dog ever and he can easily charm his way into your life. He loves everyone he meets. On the flip side, when it comes down to birds and hunting, the serious side comes out in him; he is focused and all about it. He lives to hunt and loves it. Just like his breeder Guido told us, Rocco is the true hunting machine. He is 80 pounds lean with thick bone and never ending stami-na, a tireless soul in the field and water. At the end of the day, I look at him, at his face, and I see contentment and satisfac-tion. As I look deep into those big brown, soulful eyes of his, I am thinking, what do I see? Who does he remind me of? Is it The Old Man and the Sea? He’s like a bottle of fine Italian wine, one that gets better and better with age.

COVER PHOTO © 2014 AMY MUSIA

© 2014 AMY MUSIA


The 2014 Judges Workshop was held this past July at the Buffalo Millennium Hotel in Buffalo, New York. All existing judges must attend a workshop at least once every three years in order to maintain their judging credentials. Additionally, any apprentice judge is required to attend either a Judges Workshop or a Han-dler’s Clinic within three years prior to applying for approval as a NAVHDA Judge. This year’s event hosted by Chip Bonde (Director of Judging), Tim Clark (Director of Testing), and David Trahan (NAVHDA’s President) was attended by 64 judges/apprentice judges from across North America. Judges from the west coast, the east cost and all points in between were in attendance.

The Judges Workshop is a way for the Judging and Testing Committee to communicate directly to the judging cadre about important topics pertinent to running a test, judging a dog, and presenting a professional impression to the members of NAVHDA during our tests and training days. The workshop conversations ensure that judges are getting the information they need in a consistent and direct fashion. It’s also important to note that the same topics are discussed in each of the three regional workshops (West Coast, Central, and East Coast).

Another key benefit of the workshop is that the Judging and Testing Committee is able to receive feedback directly from the judges. The workshop is the primary vehicle that NAVHDA uses to ensure consistency in judging in every test, regardless of location and regardless of the members of the judging team.

While most of the topics discussed are not published to the general membership, please know that the judges are asked to submit topics prior to the workshop to build the foundation of the agenda for the weekend. Additionally, important changes or ideas from the Executive Counsel (EC) are presented and dis-cussed. During the workshop, each topic is presented, discussed, and, if needed, voted on by those in attendance. The Judging and Testing Committee then takes this information and either acts on it or presents it to the EC for further consideration. Again, each item is also considered for presentation to each of the following two workshops.

On the lighter side of the weekend, many of our judges took some of their free time to visit Niagara Falls or partake of the orig-inal Buffalo Wing at the Anchor Bar. Saturday night was set aside for a buffet dinner and cocktail reception provided by one of our sponsors, Ugly Dog Hunting, owned by Terry Wilson and Nancy Anisfield. The EC would like to thank Terry and Nancy for their very generous donation.

This year’s workshop was very productive. A good time was had by all, but, more importantly, the 64 attendees of the clinic were able to reaffirm their understanding of the NAVHDA Test Rules and how a dog’s performance should be judged. The judges were able to spend some time with each other and celebrate the success of our testing program.

© 2014 AMY MUSIA

THE IMPORTANCE OF A JUDGES WORKSHOP

A Closer Lookby Steve GregerJacksonville, Florida


bred to my Cedarwood females. Also, his size didn’t make him an ideal dog for my hunting environment, which favors the chukar hunter with long trips from the truck while facing very rigorous climbing. However, the need for hereditary traits from another line of Pudelpointer pushed the decision forward, and, if I was going to continue breeding Pudelpointers, I needed to roll the dice on this dog and purchase Hery.

After Hery arrived in America, he found his new home to have a swimming pool in the backyard and a heated and air-conditioned kennel as his new residence. During Hery’s first hunting season, I took him to Saskatchewan snow goose hunting, North Dakota pheasant hunting, and Idaho and Oregon to hunt waterfowl, pheasants, chukar, and quail.

THE CZECH CONNECTION One of my favorite movies of all-

time is The French Connection, starring Gene Hackman. So, when

I was searching for a title for an article highlighting an import from the Czech Republic, the title of my favorite movie came to mind, hence, this piece, “The Czech Connection”.

As all articles about dogs should have a happy and memorable beginning and also finish with a happy ending, this one is no different. The substance of this piece has a very special place in my heart. It all began in 2004, when Mike Pallotta phoned me from Ontario, Can-ada letting me know of a four-year-old Pudelpointer male that was for sale in the Czech Republic. The dog had earned six different Prize I classifications (includ-ing blood tracking). Mike’s friend, Jiri Hrbek, was wanting to sell the dog to someone in North America in an effort to help create more genetic diversity for the breed. I was in need of new genetics for my Cedarwood Kennel, and Mike was kind enough to give me the first phone call of Jiri’s decision to sell the dog. This was a 70-pound male named Hery Ze Strazistskych Lesu, and his phenotype matched his name (Hery) appropriately as he wore a long, soft coat, unless clipped. The dog was from a Czech female and a German sire, so the genetics were very diverse and exactly what I needed to expand my gene pool. Hery didn’t have the coat I was looking for in a hunting dog, but I was con-fident the coat would transfer into his pups as a desired medium, harsh coat when

This was quite an upgrade from the Czech Republic, where he had been a master at hunting wild boar with his previous owner. What I discovered in

this dog was the highest IQ that I’d ever seen before. He was also the most affec-tionate clown that every-one fell in love with when they were just hanging out with him. All women that visited our home or kennel instantly fell in love with the “big fellow”. He was a very unique dog that maintained his near perfect obedience training from the Czech Republic throughout his life.

It was during Hery’s second hunting season that I decided to let a friend, Hal Bleyhl, house Hery for me as he was borrowing Hery

Sharing Storiesby Bob FarrisBoise, Idaho

BOB FARRIS AND HERY HUNTING PHEASANT IN 2005

HAL AND HIS GRANDCHILDREN ON HIS 91ST BIRTHDAY


regularly for his pheasant hunts. I could use Hery for any breeding I wished for my kennel, and Hery could experience indoor living, so Hery went to live with his hunting buddy Hal. The heart of our story can begin when Hal was 83 years old, and he took in Hery. Hal had never owned a dog before, even though he had been a Purina salesman years prior. My first visit to check up on the two found a padded dog bed in every room of Hal’s home. I had given Hal a plastic dog crate to put in his pickup, but that was promptly returned to me on my first visit. Hery’s place during transportation was in the front seat of Hal’s Lincoln Continental or in the front seat of Hal’s Dodge pickup. Coming to America, to a home with a swimming pool in the backyard, was no longer such a luxury; Hery had now moved up into a more extravagant world and lifestyle.

After several years, Hal’s wife, Flo, had a stroke and had to go to a nursing home to rehabilitate. Hal went to visit every day, and Hery went along too. Flo once told me that she and Hery had breakfast together every morning, but Hery didn’t like grape jelly on his toast as she did. He had obviously won over her heart as he had Hal’s. It wasn’t long before Hery became the therapy dog for all of the 150 patients in Flo’s nursing home. Hery cruised from room to room, and everyone there knew his name. When it was time to leave, Hal would give a strong whistle and Hery would appear from one of the distant rooms at the facility.

As time passed, so did Flo, and much to the surprise of Hal’s family, and also myself, Hal remarried not long after her passing. As plans were made for the new couple’s living quarters, Hal’s new wife, Pat, wanted to remain in her home, but didn’t want a dog inside, as she had white furniture and white carpet. This is where the story gets in-teresting, as Hal solved the problem for Hery by buying the adjacent three-bed-

room home for Hery to live in. This is the first dog I personally have ever heard of having their own three-bed-room home. Hal put a gate between the two backyards for easy access to be with Hery and a dog door in the back of the home so Hery could exit to the backyard at will. Hal could now join Hery for breakfast and drop in to watch football games and the news with him at “Hery’s place”. He even got him to accept grape jelly on his breakfast toast.

Again, as time passed, so did Hery. Hery died at 14 years old and created three of my current stud dogs during his breeding years, along with many excel-lent hunting companions for Cedarwood clients. With Hery passing at 14 years old, and Hal now 90, I didn’t think an-other dog would be in Hal’s dreams, but I was wrong. Hal didn’t want another Pudelpointer, he wanted another Pu-delpointer from the Czech Republic. It needed to be an adult, as a puppy would just be too much for a man who had reached this 90-year-old milestone. You can’t “fence time” and Hal was look-ing past 90 with a goal to make 100, but needed a dog as a friend to help make this happen. This man had taken a six point bull elk during the past fall, traveled to Europe with his wife Pat, and salmon fished with old Navy friends in the Pacific; aging hadn’t altered his activities as it seems to do to so many. A WWII veteran that has more patrio-tism than any human that I’ve met, Hal makes each of the yearly reunions with his old Navy buddies, regardless of which state they are held in.

I guess timing certainly is ev-erything in our lives, as it wasn’t

that long after Hery’s passing that I received a phone call from the man housing one of my stud dogs, Cedar-woods Sharp Shooter (aka Eli) for me, expressing the need to find Eli a new home as his recent retirement and traveling plans didn’t lend well to tending to my dog. Eli was the dog I had run at all Boise State football games, retrieving the kicking tee following their kickoffs. He was also sired by Hery. There wasn’t a Boise State football fan that didn’t know this dog, and thousands had posed with him before games and at halftime for a personal photo. I would always joke that I could write-in Eli on the ballot for mayor of Boise, and he would for sure win. I instantly phoned Hal and asked him if he would like to keep one of Hery’s sons for me. As soon as he learned it was the one that retrieved the kicking tee at Boise State games, he was in that Lincoln Continental and on his way to my home.

Now, at 91, Hal takes Eli, as he once did Hery, around the block several times for their daily exercise. Hal rides his bike with the dog on a leash. Such a wonderful man this friend of mine, Hal Bleyhl, has been to these two dogs. He is a man that is always sincere, never boisterous, and always acts as though he has been “in the end zone” before.

Sharing Storiescontinued...

ELI RETRIEVING THE KICKING TEE AT A BOISE STATE FOOTBALL GAME.


NAVHDA Test Results

WISCONSIN 06/20/2014 2014-0110 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerGERTI VOM WINDINGEN PUNKT GW 9.67 108 I DAVID L DISSELHORSTGRAYPOINTE’S A BLUE COLLAR JACK WM 15.90 112 I PAUL T BLOOM

TESTES: NEUTERED HAY DEVIL’S CZAR’S JAGER PP 12.83 112 I VERN DEN HERDERKRYSTAL CREEK’S EMMA GS 15.33 112 I DON BOXXKRYSTAL CREEK’S LAZY DAYZ GS 9.50 112 I TRACY A HARMEYERKRYSTAL CREEK’S VISIT FROM AUNT FLO GS 10.47 86 None CURT J ARNESON

USED BIRD AT WATER JUDGES: STEVEN E KOSMICKI, JONATHAN PARANJOTHY, ANGELA L COENEN

WISCONSIN 06/21/2014 2014-0111 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerCHIPPEWA PINES GUS GR 12.67 108 II WILLIAM T MCDONALDNORTHERN LIGHTS CARSON SM 13.10 107 I LYNN A KIRSTEATTERUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerGOODMAN’S EAGLE PT FRASER SM 7.14 184 II GREGG B POLZINKRYSTAL CREEK’S HAMILTON GS 5.10 201 I ALAN T HARMEYERKRYSTAL CREEK’S MOJO GS 4.71 199 I STEVEN A HARMEYER

JUDGES: RON BOEHME, JEFFREY S RHODES, ANGELA L COENEN

WISCONSIN 06/22/2014 2014-0112 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBNJ SHE’S A LIMITED EDITION GS 10.07 112 I DARREN T SOEHNHIGH LIFE’S P BRANSON PP 15.67 112 I MARK S ROKOS

TEETH: EXTRA 105&205 TIMBERDOODLE ONE MORE JETTA WM 12.80 107 I GINA JONESUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerANI VOM RIVERWOODS GS 3.40 192 II JAY JONESKLARICE VOM RIVERWOODS GS 1.54 204 I CHARLES E PETERSEN

TEETH: EXTRA 104 PAYTON VIII WM 3.71 163 None MATTHEW J MINICH

JUDGES: RON BOEHME, JEFFREY S RHODES, ANGELA L COENEN

KETTLE MORAINE 07/12/2014 2014-0113 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerCLADDAGH LUMPY’S BASIL HAYDEN GW 9.16 112 I JEFF D LEMMENESDOUBLE H TIMBERDOODLE SIG WM 15.23 108 I JOSHUA J LAWTHERGAME POINT’S MISTY ROSE DU BABY GS 14.45 92 III ALLEN D KNURRKIBLAN’S FILSON TIN COAT GR 11.35 101 II ANN M ALLENPRAIRIEGRASS DANCER VOM HESSER GS 12.68 101 II WAYNE R WILLIAMS

TEETH: EXTRA 104 RUSTLING MEADOWS SWEET CHOCOLATE GS 14.03 110 I DAVID A ANDERSON

TEETH: BUTT BITE SILVERSHOT’S STERLING SPIRIT WM 15.45 110 I DANIEL R GALETTISWIFTCREEKS DROPFORGED OSBORNE PUNCH GR 14.71 33 None ERIK HOSKING

TEMP: ShyTREIBER’S FIRING LUMPY’S ELM SM 15.97 71 None JEFF D LEMMENES

TEETH: BUTT BITE JUDGES: LAWRENCE J KRAVAT, CRAIG H JONES, DONALD L OLSZEWSKI

KETTLE MORAINE 07/13/2014 2014-0114 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerSPRING VALLEY’S EMMA GS 13.74 110 I JEFFERY J HOOKSTEAD DVMUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDE JAC’S CALYPSO GR 2.21 182 III CHRIS TRINA

TEETH: EXTRA 105 INWOOD PINES DORINDA GL 3.91 194 II DANIEL J HOCHLEUTNERMASON CREEK CAESAR AUGUSTUS GW 4.65 179 II GREGGORY F DOUGAN

TEETH: BUTT BITE & TESTES: NEUTERED THUNDERHEAD’S FULLY LOADED LEXUS GS 2.02 202 I ERIC HOCKERS

TEETH: BUTT BITE JUDGES: LAWRENCE J KRAVAT, CRAIG H JONES, DONALD L OLSZEWSKI

FRONTIER 07/25/2014 2014-0115 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBREEZY POINT’S ROCCO LM 14.61 101 II JOHN WILLOUGHBY

JUDGES: MICHAEL B BOWMAN, ROBERT T SWEZEY, SCOTT A WILKEY

FRONTIER 07/26/2014 2014-0116 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerPRAIRIE WIND MYA’S CONTENDER GS 12.61 112 I KEITH RICHARDSON

TEETH: BUTT BITE 101,201,301 & 401 Utility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDEUTSCH DUALLY’S DEVIL WEARS PRADA GW 4.49 204 I MARK A KRUEGERNORTON GR 1.51 185 II RICK HUBERPRAIRIE WIND’S RAZOR’S EDGE GS 3.04 182 III KEITH RICHARDSONSNOWBIRDS STILE MOE RORAN NAKAI BURRITO THORIN GR 4.59 198 I RICK HUBER

TEETH: EXTRA 105 & TESTES: NEUTERED JUDGES: MICHAEL B BOWMAN, CHERYL L ASMUS-AGUIAR, SCOTT A WILKEY

FRONTIER 07/27/2014 2014-0117 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerGLACIER’S KING AIR GR 7.55 108 II MARY ANGELINEHIGH COUNTRY BARON VON GR 15.58 91 III MICHAEL HORSTMANPM’S SHOOT EM UP COWBOY WM 14.90 96 III DAWNA E MILLER

USED BIRD AT WATER POINT OF HONOR MAXIMUS WV 14.42 98 III WILLIAM J GAREHIME SRPRETTY PENNY’S ROCK CHICK GS 13.26 90 III MATT J LEIKERUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerOUTLANDERS ALAS KAN BEAR GS 3.99 195 I ROBERT AGUIAR

JUDGES: MICHAEL B BOWMAN, ROBERT T SWEZEY, SCOTT A WILKEY

WISCONSIN RIVER 08/09/2014 2014-0118 Utility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerADA VOM RIVERWOODS GS 3.53 140 None LARK FREDERIKSENANI VOM RIVERWOODS GS 3.53 202 I JAY JONESARTUS VOM CORASCHATTEN GL 6.15 199 I JACOB R ZEUSKECOVEY IV GS 1.97 184 None JOHN A OFFERMANPAYTON VIII WM 3.84 148 None MATTHEW J MINICH

JUDGES: VICTOR J CONNORS, GERALD W GERTISER II, JAMES B MOE

WISCONSIN RIVER 08/10/2014 2014-0119 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBOLD BREEZE A DAZZLING DIVA SM 8.16 105 II ROBERT A MUCCICASTIRON’S GOING RUBY SM 13.94 107 II PAUL G REITHDE JAC’S ECHO GR 13.84 108 II MATTHEW TRONNES

TESTES: NEUTERED HURRICANE IZZY’S RUDY BLUE GS 11.16 112 I PETER J GRIMM

TESTES: NEUTERED KB MICKLINS SAWYER BOURBON GS 12.74 89 None JEFF E HANSONROBINGUN’S ABRACADABRA SM 14.58 112 I THOMAS N THORESEN

TEETH: EXTRA 105&405 SHOOTING STARR’S JASPER GS 13.87 106 II DANIEL F SCUDDERSOPHIA’S SON OF A GUN OREO GS 13.26 85 III CHARLES R KELLERSPRING VALLEY’S ECHO GS 14.65 110 I ROBERT E FLOERKESTONYRIDGE OCTAVIUS GR 5.48 112 I JUSTIN STAUFFER

PUPPY TEETH JUDGES: VICTOR J CONNORS, JEROME SCHENCK, GERALD W GERTISER II

HEARTLAND 08/09/2014 2014-0120 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerAUX LAKE M ROYAL BLUE BEAU GR 12.35 112 I RANDALL D CLARKCHIPPEWA MORGAN’S WINGMASTER GS 15.32 112 I LARRY L KRUCKENBERGHUNTING HILLS’ ULTRA AGGY SM 15.97 112 I KALEN MCCORMICKHUNTING HILLS’ XATI ABBY SM 6.55 112 I DAVE LIVINGSTONEROBINGUN’S ALL ABOUT LUCKY SM 14.55 112 I DR PATRICK CLAREROBINGUN’S ARMED AND DANGEROUS TANK SM 14.55 112 I CRAIG HANSENRUFNIT JACCIE BB 6.03 91 II SHARI LEE STUECKRUFNIT JESSIE BB 6.03 86 III SHARI LEE STUECKSWITCHGRASS FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN GR 13.23 103 II STEVEN W DEITEMEYERWOLFSBURG KENNELS FRANCESCA SM 13.00 93 III STEWART KENNEDY

USED BIRD AT WATER JUDGES: ANTHONY G LIBERTORE, ALAN T HARMEYER, CHARLES L CASANOVA

HEARTLAND 08/10/2014 2014-0121 Utility Preparatory Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerROBINGUN’S BRANKA VON DER HILLS SM 0.98 158 III PAMELA M ROBINSONUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBLACK STAR’S XPLOSIVE BIG BANG THEORY GW 2.02 176 III LEO O BOMANGOSCH’S ROOSTER KING SM 3.72 201 I KEITH WHITE

TEETH: EXTRA 405 LB’S GOOD GOLLY MISS DOTTY GW 5.40 129 None LEO O BOMAN

DOG BURIED DUCK ON DRAG ROY KEANE CRASS GW 2.96 166 None PATRICK J MURPHY

SENSITIVE TO PEOPLE- GROWLED AT JUDGES DURING TEETH EXAM OWNER HAD TO SHOW TEETH TEMP: SensitiveZANDOR VOM FUCHSECK SM 1.75 192 II PAMELA M ROBINSON

JUDGES: ANTHONY G LIBERTORE, ALAN T HARMEYER, TRACEY NELSON

QUEBEC CITY 08/09/2014 2014-0122 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerCANIPAT DJANGO BOUNTY HUNTER BS 14.32 110 I ERIC DUGUAY

TEETH: MISSING 305 DU RUISSEAU CARTOUCHE 2E GS 14.16 112 I PHILIPPE GINGRASDUCHASSEUR IGOR GR 14.74 110 I ALAIN DUBEDUCHASSEUR IGOR LARIONOV GR 12.32 112 I ERIC LAJOIEDUCHASSEUR PETIT BUSTER GR 14.74 112 I JEAN MICHEL GAUTHIERGRIFFE D’AUTOMNE NAVAJO GR 9.35 112 I MARTIN GAGNONKILLBUCK’S ZIG ZAG NEMO PP 12.90 107 II DANY DULACLILLY DE ALESSANDRO BF 7.06 112 I FRANK ALFONSILIMBERGER PP 6.39 112 I STEVE BRODEURSOCKS VON DER LINDE SM 15.87 98 III DAVID W DUGGINS

JUDGES: AARON M LANDRY, WILLIAM B BISHOP JR, ALAIN BINET

continued on page 17...


Our Versatile Dogsby Ryan EderLindenhurst, Illinois

SHED HUNTING

It seems that each year, more and more interest develops in shed hunting with dogs. I can’t help but be excited about this; another sport is evolving within the sporting dog world

and, as a trainer, hunter, and hunting dog enthusiast, I am excit-ed about any opportunity to try something new with my dogs.

I am often questioned, “How do I train my dog to hunt for deer sheds?” My answer begins very simply, “The same way you taught them to hunt upland birds!” Certainly, I am not being completely literal. However, if we think about what shed hunt-ing is, there are several similarities that do overlap between shed and upland bird hunting. Let’s briefly discuss the overlapping factors, and then look at a training regimen to expose our dogs to shed hunting.

To me, upland bird hunting is the act of searching a given area, whether it is the woods (grouse), prairie, grasslands, or any other type of terrain and cover for certain types of birds. Surely I am simplifying things, but overall, dogs are doing just that -

using their noses, eyes, obedience, athleticism, and training to find an object that they were taught to find. Finding a deer shed is theoretically the same thing. We need to simplify things and allow the dog to learn what we are asking of them by 1) social-izing them with all necessary elements such as terrain, cover, scent, object (bird, deer shed, fur, etc.) and 2) trying to incorpo-rate as many of their senses as possible into the training (sight, smell, touch, and taste).

Chances are, if your dog is already a finished hunting dog, it has been very much introduced to all kinds of terrain and cover, and understands the type of range you’d like it to hunt in. When you shed hunt, it is best to maintain whatever range you like to bird hunt with so that the dog has a very consistent experience with you in the field each time. If you are starting a young dog, it is important to get it out into various types of cover such as grass, prairies, woods, swamps, etc. Allow the dog to acclimate itself to the types of environments that you

trainyour dog for


SHED HUNTING

will be hunting in. This will help him build comfort and confi-dence in these places, making the training process much simpler for not just the dog, but for you as well.

The next thing that will need to happen is to teach the dog what a shed is. Over time, we want the dog to be enthusias-tic towards a shed. We want him to be excited to retrieve it, chase it, and, ultimately, find it. This should not take long, because, after all, antlers are some of the most popular chew toys out there for dogs! Incorporate a shed into your play. Get the pup excited about the antler and do short tosses, letting the dog chase the antler, mouth it, bite it, and retrieve it. If the dog does retrieve it, give him a lot of verbal praise, pet him all over, and do not take the antler out of his mouth right away. We want to send the message, “When you have the deer shed, life is good!” It is crucial at this time to introduce a command or name for the antler. I use “Bone”, “Find the bone”, “Where’s the bone”, or “Get the bone.” Feel free to use

whatever you wish as an identifying word, but incorporate it as you introduce the antler so that the dog starts to correlate the word with the object.

Something to keep in mind is the age and size of your dog when you expose him to sheds. A small puppy should have a smaller antler or even a piece of an antler so that it is small, lightweight, and manageable for the dog to mouth and retrieve. An older dog can handle a bigger shed, but again, we want to encourage him to retrieve it. Antlers can be awkward at first and different to a dog, so work him into it gradually through play and positive, playful experiences.

The introductory stage to the antler is a great way for the dog to get the feel, visual, smell, and the taste (again, trying to incorporate the senses). Your praise, both verbal and physical, incorporates sound and feel as well. Do not be afraid to boost some of this for the sake of helping the dog. Wax based deer shed scent is on the market and can easily be applied to training

SETH WEBB © 2014


Our Versatile Dogscontinued...

you can start to get creative with your hiding spots (under a bush, near a table, etc.). Do not bury the antler, or put it anywhere that isn’t on the ground—it is not time for that challenging of a hide yet!

By now you are probably catching on to the pattern. When you can hide the antler all over the yard, and the dog comes out enthusiastically and deliberately searching for it with success, you can then start to try tougher conditions. I like to find a field that has some cover, but still lower than knee-height. I put a piece of orange survey tape where I hide the scent covered shed and repeat the same drill that I do in the yard. Try to run the dog into the wind (again, maximize his senses), and start with small searches. Bring him to the general area, and use your commands. Let the dog hunt and locate the antler. Like the previous drills, over time and after repetition, the dog will improve and gain confidence doing this in more cover. Gradually increase the level of cover, and then start try-ing other areas such as woods or wetlands. This is no different than planting birds for our dogs and teaching them to quarter and locate birds based on scent, using the wind in their favor and so on. By using a set command or verbal cue like “find the bone,” the dog will eventually identify the command and know the difference between that and “find the bird” (even though they sound similar at first).

Like any of the training we do with our sporting dogs, the dogs will improve the more they train and the more they hunt. This process does take time, but it is fairly simple in comparison to upland or waterfowl training and the need to use live birds. Sheds can be used over and over, and the wax based scents are very easy to apply. This is simply a search and retrieval game with your dog and with proper introduction of antlers, commands, and various conditions that the dog will hunt in, the training process is fun and relatively straight-forward. Happy training!

Ryan Eder is President, Upland Gundog Association and Avery Sporting Dog Pro Staff.

antlers, as well as real antlers. Apply the scent during this stage, and introduce the scent to the dog simultaneously.

The introductory stage can last weeks, depending on the dog. As the dog begins to truly enjoy retrieving the antler and playing with it, you can take the antler to the yard (or any safe area you can play with the dog) and begin placing it out in the grass. At this stage, use mown grass that allows the dog to see the antler, making it simpler on the dog and giving him more success at finding the antler. By now, the dog has heard the identifier word (“Bone” for example) and shows great interest in the antler. To start, make the dog sit in the yard facing you. Simply walk out and place the antler somewhere in his line of sight so that he can clearly tell where it is. Walk back to the dog, and give your command to release and find the antler. If the dog is apprehensive (he might be at first, because he has never been told this before from a remote sit position), simply repeat the command and be encouraging. Do not be afraid to say his name, fetch, or any other command you may have to get him moving. The goal is to simply show the dog that “find the bone” means to go locate the antler. Allowing the dog to see the placement at first maximizes the success rate and leads to positive reinforcement when he locates the antler.

The next step is to put the dog in a crate, or somewhere secure where he cannot see you place the antler in the yard. Place the antler in the yard somewhere in an open space, and do not make it hard to see or find just yet. Also, make sure that there is scent on the antler. We want to maximize the success at this point. Go get the dog, and repeat the exercise. Try to be animated and excited with the dog. You want him to think this is fun. Each time, try to hide the antler in a new place, but mostly in an open and easy to see area to start. You will notice over time that the dog will begin to deliberate-ly search the yard and pursue the antler, indicating that he is starting to understand what you want him to do. Only do a couple of repe-titions per day—it is crucial to not over-train! As the dog improves,

SETH WEBB AND HIS WEIMARANER “TRAIN” SHOW OFF THE BOUNTY OF A DAY’S WORK.


QUEBEC CITY 08/10/2014 2014-0123 Utility Preparatory Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerSILVERSHOT’S GRACEFUL POINT WM 2.34 93 None SYLVAIN L ROYUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDUCHASSEUR PETIT CHARLIE GR 2.55 172 None SERGE MIMEAULTDUCHASSEUR RACLETTE GR 8.64 184 None STEVE BRODEURDUCORBEAU MAXIMUM GS 2.76 193 II DONATE THIBAULTFLAME DE ALESSANDRO DU CLOS DE LA MUYDE BF 4.27 198 II FRANK ALFONSIGRIFFE D’AUTOMNE ZANIAH GR 3.10 156 None MARC ANDRE GAGNE

JUDGES: AARON M LANDRY, WILLIAM B BISHOP JR, DANY DULAC

MONTANA SHARPTAIL 08/08/2014 2014-0124 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerSAYRE’S TOP GUNNER GR 16.13 108 Eval FRED SAYREUtility Preparatory Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerSUPREME POINT’S DOUBLE TIME GR 1.03 100 None BRIAN GERTISERUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerHUN HILL ADA TIMBER GR 2.41 139 None DIAN A JOSEPHSONSWIFTCREEK’S DESCHUTES FAST EDDY GR 2.38 173 III THOMAS M HEALY

TEETH: MISSING 305 SWIFTCREEKS HILINE SIDESWIPE GR 5.28 204 I THOMAS M HEALY

TEETH: EXTRA 105&205 WALL CANYON WAILIN KAYLAS BIRD MAGIC N’ THE DESERT VI 4.50 199 I MARY BRIDGET NIELSEN

JUDGES: TRAVIS R MILLER, SHERYLE J TEPP

MONTANA SHARPTAIL 08/09/2014 2014-0125 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDIERENFIELD ELLIE MAE GR 7.61 66 None ERIN C RIGGSGRIFFS DUKE MADISON GW 14.48 105 II TREVOR L FERGUSONHUNGRY RIDGE BLACK JACK NEUT GS 9.42 112 I NATHAN D SCHEWEPM’S SHIVER ME TIMBERS WM 15.32 77 None LANNY R LAROCHE

OWNER PULLED DOG AT WATER TEMP: Not JudgedPRETTY PRAIRIE MOOSE V EMMETT GS 15.97 112 I CHAD DERANGERSPRUCE CREEK GRIF HUN GR 11.48 86 None JOHN A ARKINS

HANDLER DID NOT COMPLETE FIELD PORTION DUE TO GUN SENSITIVITY Gun Sensitive SPRUCE CREEK HUNNY RYE GR 11.48 112 I HANNAH J RYANSWIFTCREEKS SPRUCE TYZACK RIPPER GR 15.61 110 I JOHN A ARKINSUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerRIDGE-POINT DIXIE’S WESTWIND FLYER GS 3.66 163 None MARY BRIDGET NIELSEN

TEETH: MISSING 405 JUDGES: TRAVIS R MILLER, SHERYLE J TEPP

MONTANA SHARPTAIL 08/10/2014 2014-0126 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDJ BAR SPRIG OF TYME GW 12.00 99 II JEHNET M CARLSONFOOTHILLS BOISE BROWN PP 8.45 112 I ROBERT S FARRIS

TEETH: MISSING 107&303 NO-MARS SAGE VOM TINMAN GS 11.35 110 I LEO J MITTAGPM’S BRIAR ROSE WM 15.35 89 III DAWNA E MILLERPM’S RARE BLUE JASPER WM 7.42 91 III JOSEPH A BLAINEPM’S THE BOSS’S DAUGHTER WM 11.68 104 III DAWNA E MILLERSWIFTCREEKS ANVIL DOUBLESTRIKE BOSS GR 15.65 112 I JAMES WARRENSWIFTCREEKS DEACON T WITHERBY SLICK GR 15.65 110 I NIGEL P WATERTONSWIFTCREEKS ORSA CROSSCUT GR 15.65 98 III TOM DICKSONVON SCHONHEITS ACROSS THE PLAINS GS 8.45 94 III ROBYN H KLENK

JUDGES: TRAVIS R MILLER, SHERYLE J TEPP

MONTANA SHARPTAIL 08/11/2014 2014-0127 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerCEDARWOODS BIRD SAVVY PP 15.58 112 I CORY J SAYRESPRUCE CREEK HYALITE GR 11.55 89 None PAUL SMIDANSKYSUNNYNOOK’S ALICE LM 14.84 95 III MICHAEL J BRANDELSWIFTCREEKS DISSTON FINE FINNISH GR 15.68 112 I PATRICK FLOWERSUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerHERZCOFFS HERO SM 3.22 195 II MICHAEL WIGNOT

JUDGES: SHERYLE J TEPP, ROBERT S FARRIS

MINNESOTA 08/16/2014 2014-0128 Utility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerALDERS EDGE UMBER IVY GR 7.41 167 None ROSS H MORTENSENASPEN GLO DIAMOND GR 4.14 181 II DENEISE SWANSON

BITE: BUTT BITE AUTUMN BREEZE COOPER BJORN-SSON GS 5.51 204 I GREGORY J BRYANTCODY COOPER-SSON GS 3.58 173 III GREGORY J BRYANTOUTLANDERS KNOW IT ALL GS 4.05 175 III JAN PAAVOLA

BITE: BROSSBITE REDSTAGS OZZIE VON KING GS 5.54 181 II JAMES GUISE

TESTES: NEUTERED JUDGES: TERRANCE G PETRO, JEFF L JALBERT, DAN L PFORR

MINNESOTA 08/17/2014 2014-0129 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDEJAC’S ELVIRA GR 14.06 112 I JULIE A CARLSTROMNORTHWATER’S GLIMMERING JADE GS 6.06 112 I NICHOLAS B BERGNORTHWATERS LOCOMOTION GS 6.06 112 I TAMMY LYNN HILLSWIFTCREEKS SWEET PEAVEY PICKAROON GR 15.87 108 II SUSAN KRAGE

TEETH: EXTRA 205 Utility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerEMMA LOU COTTON GS 4.01 187 II NICHOLAS B BERGGROUSE POINT’S COMMANDER CODY GS 2.97 198 I DARRYL SOLEMKANZAKAW’S GROUSE BAY GARNET SKY GR 2.23 187 III FRANK E SMOLKE

JUDGES: TERRANCE G PETRO, JEFF L JALBERT, DAN L PFORR

MIDWEST TRI STATE 08/15/2014 2014-0130 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBLACK STAR’S VK SAGE VOM WINDSWEPT GW 7.61 104 III TOM WILCOXCRABTREE’S KELSY GRACE SM 15.52 93 III MARISSA HANLEY

TEETH: MISALIGNED 102, 103,402 & 403 PRETTY PRAIRIE’S FREYA RAGN GS 8.19 88 III JACK FELKYUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerGRIFFS DOUBLE LL HERE FOUR THE PARTY GW 3.20 195 I MICHAEL L GARRIOTTMARZOLF X-FRESH START-IVY GS 2.25 192 II JASON J MARZOLFXENA VOM WIREDHAUS GW 1.25 191 II JOHN S MUELLER

COAT HAS NO FURNISHINGS JUDGES: JASON C MEYER, LEO O BOMAN, EDWARD A HARRINGTON

MIDWEST TRI STATE 08/16/2014 2014-0131 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerGRIFFS DUKE CAPONE PRETTY LADY GW 7.16 88 III PATRICK K JOYCEGRIFFS DUKE OF LUNN THE BANDIT GW 7.16 112 I ROBERT J LUNNPM’S KIRUNA POLAR NIGHT WM 11.68 90 II DAWNA E MILLER

Gun Sensitive PM’S PRAIRIESTORM ICY COLD WM 11.68 82 III DANIELLE L GREANYAUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerGRIFFS VIKING EVALINA GW 2.26 186 II DAVID E LYONPM’S BLUE RIVER FIRST GUINNESS WM 2.31 165 III DAWNA E MILLER

JUDGES: MICHAEL L GARRIOTT, LEO O BOMAN, EDWARD A HARRINGTON

MIDWEST TRI STATE 08/17/2014 2014-0132 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerMARTINSEN’S MAGNUM RUGER VI 9.42 94 III JOHN P SONDERMANPM’S CASCADE POLAR EXPRESS WM 11.71 93 III PATRICIA EDDY

TEETH: MISALIGNED 303 Utility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerCATERINA V.D. BRANDENBURG GW 3.59 204 I RODNEY W BRANDENBURGERPM’S HOT TOTTIE VI 3.02 183 III JADE MILLERVITUS VOM WIREDHAUS GW 2.84 199 I CLARENCE H BELITZ

TEETH: EXTRA 205 & TESTES: NEUTERED XENA VOM WIREDHAUS GW 1.25 180 II JOHN S MUELLER

COAT HAS NO FURNISHINGS JUDGES: MICHAEL L GARRIOTT, LEO O BOMAN, EDWARD A HARRINGTON

EASTERN QUEBEC 08/15/2014 2014-0133 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerABBEY DES RIVES DU BOURGROYAL GR 6.61 112 I JEAN FRANCOIS TREMBLAYBAIKAL DU NORDET FS 15.39 112 I LOUKY L MICHELETBOURG ROYAL’S JC JAEGERMEISTER GW 5.94 87 III RENEE FORTIERGANGO DES ISLETS DU BOURG ROYAL GR 7.71 112 I CHRISTIAN DUBEGRIFFE D’AUTOMNE SPARKY GR 14.32 112 I LOUIS MAQUIGNAZHUNTER DES RIVES DU BOURGROYAL GR 6.61 100 III DENIS GINGRASUtility Preparatory Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerFORTIS DES SONNAILLES DU HAUT DAVY GR 3.65 99 None GILBERT TREMBLAY

JUDGES: FRANCES S MOORE, JULIE K TOWERS, DIANE CALANDRA

EASTERN QUEBEC 08/16/2014 2014-0134 Utility Preparatory Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerSILVERSHOT’S GRACEFUL POINT WM 2.36 99 None SYLVAIN L ROY

TEMP: SensitiveUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBOURG ROYAL’S FS CHUCK GR 2.19 181 None MANON GRENIERDE BELBOURG SCOTT 2E GS 2.53 172 II STEPHANE LEVESQUEEL DUCHASSEUR THALIE GR 4.44 184 III STEEVE VALLIERES

TEETH: EXTRA 105 FORTIS DES SONNAILLES DU HAUT DAVY GR 3.65 169 None GILBERT TREMBLAY

TEETH: EXTRA 204 GIFT Z CZARNEGO DWORU GS 6.07 189 II ANDREW BOCZKOWSKI


continued on page 20...

NAVHDA Test Resultscontinued from page 13...


Just Starting Outby Chris PopeConcord, New Hampshire

Most bucket lists are intended for those who are trying to catch up on the fun things in life that

they have wanted to do but didn’t have time prior to “checking out”. I have no immediate plans to depart, however, and over a 37-year career in public safety, I had accumulated a long bucket list of items. Those items were written down in my hunting journals, which I have been keeping since the 1980’s. So, on January 6, 2013, I stepped down from my position as New Hampshire Governor Lynch’s Homeland Security Advisor and Director of Emergency Management. With my wife, Kristine, and her encouragement, I decided to take a couple of years off and implement the “bucket list” while she continued to solve computer problems in the IT department at St. Paul’s School.

Kristine and I had always been Labra-dor people—flushing dog people. Labs had always fit our psyche and lifestyle. They were family dogs, good with kids,

loved to be outdoors, liked road trips (our first black lab actually came with us on our honeymoon) and especially loved to hunt. While Kristine does not hunt, she did grow up in a family of hunters and dogs and really enjoys the training, being outside, and walking along during the hunting season.

Over the years, we have been blessed with phenomenal upland and waterfowl dogs. But we always had that “pointing dog itch”. For almost ten years I had tak-en a week-long trip to South Dakota with several buddies, hunting pheasant over all sorts of dogs: GSPs, Weimaraners, Vizs-las, Pointing Labs, and a little dog I had never even heard of called a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. Wow, did those Griffs impress me in the field!

The ones I hunted over were bred and trained by John Arkins of Spruce Creek Kennels in Laurel, Montana. John and I became friends, and during a fly fishing trip with him on the Big Horn River

(bucket list item # 26) in the summer of 2012, he suggested I drive back out to Montana from New Hampshire the following spring, do a little more fishing, and take home a Griff pup.

So, in March of last year, another retired hunting buddy and I got into a Toyota Prius with our fishing gear and drove 2200 miles to Laurel, Montana to fish for a week and bring home mine and Kristine’s new family member, Spruce Creek’s Gunny.

Gunny immediately brought immense joy to our home. But we knew absolutely nothing about training pointing breeds. John Arkins, who is a board member of the Montana Sharptail Chapter of NAVHDA, made two suggestions. He told us to use Joan Bailey’s book, How to Help Gun Dogs Train Themselves: Taking Advantage of Early Conditioned Learning, and to join our local NAVHDA chapter. Kristine and I attended our first Merrimack Valley Chapter training day

Item #32 on the bucket list was “Train Pointing Dog”


in spring of 2013, and we are so happy that we did. Like most new NAVHDA members, we really began to learn how to partner with a versatile bird dog and, most importantly, we made new friends and had fun. We even participated in last fall’s Natural Ability Test. Gunny, in spite of his rookie handler, did well for a nine-month-old, and passed his NA test in September.

October brought hunting, hunting, and more hunting (item #27, 27, and 27 on bucket list!) Gunny and I traveled to the North Country for the first ten days of the season. Early in the morning of the first day, two hunting partners and I climbed and slid down a steep embank-ment into our favorite woodcock cover, got situated, and loaded up. I always have a chat with myself at the beginning of a hunt, reviewing safety rules and putting my abso-lute best attitude forward. After all, I would need great patience hunting with a nine-month-old pup that pointed birds. Plus, we were both new to it. I turned towards Gunny to give him some positive words of encouragement and the “hunt ‘em up” command to officially launch his new pointing dog career—something I had dreamed of doing for many, many years. How-ever, in all my romantic upland glory, I had failed to realize that Gunny was 30 feet to my left already on a rock-solid point. Wait a minute! We had barely even started, and I didn’t feel ready, but I walked

up, flushed the bird, pointed my favorite 20 gauge shotgun and, yep, missed it clean with two shots. It was really one of those simple flushes—woodcock pops straight up, gets to the top of the alders, pauses, hovers, and then gracefully flies away. Really, it was the type of flush that you read about in a hunting maga-zine. One of my hunting partners made some kind of snide comment about how the young dog seemed to do a great job, and the old dog handler was something or other.

Well, Gunny and all of his new hunting partners had a great time that opening day and had a great season. He

pointed and retrieved woodcock, snipe, grouse, and pheasant. Yes, he bumped a bunch. Yes, he chased a few. But he also pointed and held steady on way more than I would have ever hoped or expect-ed. He hunted a lot of days and was a great companion in hunting camp, on the road and in hotels. We drove together to South Dakota and hunted pheasant and ducks (bucket list item #330), which he really liked. We put on a lot of miles. We even bumped into Dave Trahan in Pittsburg, New Hampshire while he was guiding some happy bird hunters.

Kristine recently remarked, “I have never had a dog that was as affection-

ate as Gunny.” So, he is a great member of the family too and enjoys non-hunting activities like snowshoeing and trips to the beach. We must thank John Arkins who has really found some awesome Griffon genes. We must thank the Mon-tana Sharptail Chapter, and we especially want to thank the members of the Merrimack Valley Chap-ter who welcomed Kris-tine, her father George, and me, and, of course, Gunny. It is a warm and knowledgeable group that knows how to train dogs and have fun. It is really amazing how two NAVHDA chapters, 2000 miles apart, and a great dog breeder have created a new NAVHDA family.

The question at this point is, do we add another item to the bucket list - “Begin Training for UT”? We’ll see.

OPPOSITE: GUNNY IN SOUTH DAKOTA WITH A DUCK... LOOKING BACK AT MORE COMING!

RETRIEVING A ROOSTER IN SOUTH DAKOTA


EASTERN QUEBEC 08/17/2014 2014-0135 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerAZUUR IK BEN V.D. JONGBLOEDVAART FS 8.19 112 I NATHALIE BERNIERBELFEE DES ILETS DU BOURGROYAL GR 7.77 100 III MARIE FRANCE BELISLEDES HAUTS CLOCHERS DIXIE GS 13.68 112 I CAROLANE LACHANCEDES HAUTS CLOCHERS ECHO GS 8.90 108 I JEAN-FRANCOIS GARANDDES HAUTS CLOCHERS ELIE GS 8.90 112 I YVON BERNARDJOYCE DES ISLETS DU BOURG ROYAL GR 7.77 112 I CHRISTIAN HUDONJULIETTE DU CHEVALIER BLEU BA 4.77 92 III FRANCOISE RINFRET

TEETH: PUPPY TEETH LAKME DU BOURG-ROYAL GR 9.52 90 II GILBERT TREMBLAYLEKKA ELY BY FAITHFUL MIRO VI 8.13 112 I MARIE RENEE DOYON


CENTRAL DAKOTA 08/15/2014 2014-0136 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDE JAC’S GETAWAY GR 6.97 98 III JULIE A CARLSTROMDES CHIEN’S FARCEUR GR 14.16 110 I MARK V BOCKFANCY FEATHER OKK LEFTOVER GW 8.10 92 III DAVID M ABRAHAMSON

TEETH: EXTRA 105 & COAT NO FURNISHING FANCY FEATHER SALTYBEAR GW 13.06 108 I DAVID M ABRAHAMSONNORTON’S WILD IVY GW 9.68 72 III TROY SPRADLEYNORTONS FANCY GINGER GW 9.68 97 III JASON C NORTONNORTONS STERNDOG ROXIE GW 15.10 98 III JASON C NORTONWHISKEYTOWN ONE TOO MANY GR 10.00 112 I DAN DORFSCHMIDT

JUDGES: GLENN A DONALD, ERIC R ABRAHAM, STEVEN L BUCK

CENTRAL DAKOTA 08/16/2014 2014-0137 Utility Preparatory Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerKMK JAGER V GREIF GS 3.31 164 III JEFF F KIZUIKUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBRENNA VOM BRANDHERD GW 1.73 159 None BENJAMIN L SAND

COAT: NO FURNISHINGS GERTY COACH’S FAST BREAKING ZOE GS 5.94 145 None MICHAEL JEPSENHAMMER VOM ENTENMOOR GW 4.69 183 III STEVEN K RIETZ

TEETH: 305&108 SURGICALLY REMOVED WHITEWATER’S MAGIC LADY VON VANHORN GS 2.64 147 None MICHAEL JEPSEN

JUDGES: GLENN A DONALD, ERIC R ABRAHAM, STEVEN L BUCK

CENTRAL DAKOTA 08/17/2014 2014-0138 Utility Preparatory Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerKMK NORDEN TEKE V GREIF GS 4.43 172 III JEFF F KIZUIKUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBOURG-ROYALS ROUGHRIDER TEDDY GR 8.66 174 None DAN DORFSCHMIDTELEGANT THORN DU COTEAU BS 3.24 187 II HELEN I WAX

TEETH: EXTRA 205 JAGO VOM GANSEHIMMEL GS 4.52 183 II MATT D ERHARDT

TEETH: EXTRA 205 & UNDERSHOT 101&201 JESSI VOM GANSEHIMMEL GS 4.52 192 II MONTE GLASSER

TEETH: EXTRA 205 JUDGES: GLENN A DONALD, ERIC R ABRAHAM, STEVEN L BUCK

HUDSON VALLEY 08/22/2014 2014-0139 Utility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerCOSTA D’ORO SHOOT FOR THE STARS SP 5.91 140 None MICHAEL OHLSTEINRIMROCKS BLACK ELK GS 1.25 196 I PERRY L MASOTTISTONEWALL SMOKEHOUSE GW 1.96 202 I THOMAS A SNYDER

JUDGES: TRACY A HARMEYER, EDWARD A HARRINGTON, KAREN M BEYER

HUDSON VALLEY 08/23/2014 2014-0140 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerHUNTER’S GS ON POINTS DUCK COMMANDER GS 8.23 108 II JESSICA LADDHUNTER’S GS ON POINTS MY KINDA PARTY GS 8.23 105 II JUSTIN DYKEMANHUSTLEN BENELLI HIGGINS GS 11.65 97 II JOSHUA F BARNESUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBELLA CAMPO SPRINGTIME BRIA SP 6.30 204 I KAREN M BEYERFALL BROOK RUN’S DUX SM 2.45 204 I MARK BULVANOSKI

JUDGES: TRACY A HARMEYER, EDWARD A HARRINGTON, DANY DULAC

HUDSON VALLEY 08/24/2014 2014-0141 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBLAZE OF GLORY VOM SCHLUSSSTEIN GS 11.00 110 I ROBERT J MUSCO

TESTES: NEUTERED GEMSTONES WILLOW BEAN GS 15.26 99 II BONNIE I GINTERKIMBER VOM SCHLUSSSTEIN GS 11.00 112 I MARIE E ONOREVOLEMONTAGNIA VIA MIO BEL BOB SP 15.10 85 None MATTHEW I DEGRAWSHALLOWFORD’S HUDSON SANTANA GS 15.84 110 I CARL M SANTANA

TESTES: NEUTERED VOM WOLTJEN MEMORIES OF MADISON GW 15.23 110 I KENNETH A NIEPOKOYWET ACRES AAGNES OF DOG GR 15.42 103 II PETER A KANIAWET ACRES IT’S ALL ABOUT ME GR 15.35 110 I THOMAS MYERS

JUDGES: TRACY A HARMEYER, KAREN M BEYER, DANY DULAC

RED RIVER VALLEY 08/23/2014 2014-0142 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDAKOTAS VON FANCY FOOTE GW 13.32 96 None MATTHEW M BIESNORTONS FANCY GINGER GW 9.94 100 III JASON C NORTONTOP SHELF’S NASHVILLE NITTY GRITTY GW 15.45 104 I MIRANDA SKRAMSTAD

BITE: BUTT BITE Utility Preparatory Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerCRABTREE’S J HARLEY JANE SM 2.32 135 None KATHRYN CRABTREE-VUKONICHUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerCRABTREE’S CAESAR AUGUSTUS SM 9.71 201 I CHARLES T CONNELLY

TEETH: MISSING 301&401 JUDGES: TRAVIS R MILLER JASON C MEYER DAN L PFORR

RED RIVER VALLEY 08/24/2014 2014-0143 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBLACK STAR’S IRONWIRE SNORKS GLORY GW 15.16 92 III JEREMY D BLAZERDARK SIDES MEIN SCHOKOLADE SCHATZE GS 11.19 78 None GUY SANDERKIZMAR BOSAK SHREDDIN SUB ZERO STYLE VI 8.29 98 None CINDY R BOSAKUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerHOSSA VOM RIVERWOODS GS 2.62 178 II EDWIN J EISENBEISZ

JUDGES: TRAVIS R MILLER, JASON C MEYER, STEVEN L BUCK

MICHIGAN 08/23/2014 2014-0144 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBNJ DARK KNIGHT’S POISON GS 12.10 100 III BETHANY K DEVRIESDANCING DUKE J-BIRD REMI BI 13.45 93 III PATRICK RANKINHUNTER’S MOON CAEDON SM 14.00 112 I MATTHEW MELTONPLUM CREEK’S CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK GR 13.77 104 II JEFFREY L KAISERROCKIHEIDTS DRUMMOND ADVENTURE GS 6.74 112 I JOSEPH E SCHWENKESHARP SHOOTERS ONE OVER THE LIMIT GS 7.68 110 I CRAIG H JONESSMOKIN’ RUGER OF GREAT LAKES GUN DOGS BF 10.29 92 III ROBERT FRANK

TEETH: MISSING 405 & USED BIRD AT WATER TIMBERDOODLE TODD’S DEUTSCHE JAGER MARCO OLIVIERI WM 14.84 26 None TODD L OLIVIERI

TESTES: NEUTERED-UNABLE TO EVALUATE NOSE, SEARCH & POINTING, DOG LEFT FIELD AFTER 2ND SHOT 5 MINUTES INTO SEARCH, DOG DID NOT LEAVE HANDLER AT TRACK 5HRS AFTER SEARCH Gun Shy TEMP: ShyVON WEIDER’S GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY GS 10.52 110 I MICHAEL E SELF

JUDGES: MICHAEL L GARRIOTT, GERALD W GERTISER II, DAVID S NORDQUIST

MICHIGAN 08/24/2014 2014-0145 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDANCING DUKE JERRICO BI 13.48 99 II MATTHEW C ZAHLROCKIHEIDTS FLWRCRK JAZZ’S JUSTICE GS 6.77 91 III BETHANY K DEVRIESUtility Preparatory Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDOLLY VOM HEGE-HOF GS 6.54 170 II CRAIG H JONES

TEETH: MISSING 101,103,201& 203 Utility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerHUNTER’S MOON BRECK SM 2.44 137 None KEVIN J CROWLEYMW SOUTHPAW’S JOURNEY NORTH WM 3.32 142 None MICHAEL AMMANPRAMIE JAGERMEISTER GS 5.30 196 I JARED D HAUSEMAN

JUDGES: MICHAEL L GARRIOTT, GERALD W GERTISER II, DAVID S NORDQUIST

BREW CITY NAVHDA 08/16/2014 2014-0146 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerAFTER HOURS SHADE OF BISMARCK GW 14.65 89 III JEFFREY L BRENNERMALS-ABOUT MY LUCKY STAR SP 15.39 86 III SAMUEL M EMMONSUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerTOP GUN DODGER’S FLY BY GS 5.31 170 II PERRY S DLUGIE

TEETH: BUTT BITE JUDGES: JULIE A CARLSTROM, ROY W AMES, SCOTT C SEMRAD

BREW CITY NAVHDA 08/17/2014 2014-0147 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBLACK STAR’S SP DYNAMIC DIVA GW 7.71 98 III MATTHEW P WATCHINSKIUtility Preparatory Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerWIND RIVER ELIJAH VI 5.50 122 None SCOTT C SEMRAD

TESTES: NEUTERED Utility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerLAWLER’S LIL FOREST GS 7.27 193 I BARRY P LAWLERLAWLER’S LIL IVY GS 2.31 167 None BARRY P LAWLERSHOOTING STARR’S CHARMED ONE GS 6.58 178 II DONALD L OLSZEWSKI

JUDGES: JULIE A CARLSTROM, ROY W AMES, WALTER J RICHARDSON

CENTRAL INDIANA 08/23/2014 2014-0148 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerHOOSIER BOYS DEXTER JAMES KERSTETTER GS 12.10 95 III ROBERT T BURGESSHOOSIER BOYS MAGIC LADY GS 12.10 112 I MARK DULLYVON SCHONHEITS ANNIE OAKLEY GS 8.87 108 I TIFFANY D COMPTONUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDRUMMING WOODS A’MAJOR BS 7.47 201 I ALLEN E GLOVERHOOSIER BOYS DON’T CALL ME JUNIOR GS 2.28 123 None JOHN REEVESHOOSIER BOYS VOODOO GS 1.66 204 I MARK DULLY

JUDGES: STEPHEN D KANE, WENDY S MCINTOSH, DIANE CALANDRA

NAVHDA Test Resultscontinued from page 17...


CENTRAL INDIANA 08/24/2014 2014-0149Utility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBRIER CREEK’S FELICE FURBA FONTANA SP 4.81 148 None VERON THOMPSON

MUTILATED DUCK ON RETRIEVE COLPO DI FULMINE AMERICA SP 3.97 187 III KAREN D THOMPSONHOOSIER BOYS DOIN IT MY WAY GS 1.66 151 None RONALD K GOODWIN

LEFT GAME ON DRAG HOOSIER BOYS SON OF CASH GS 2.28 192 I RONALD K GOODWINMORGAN RIDGE QUEEN DAISY GS 3.88 204 I RYAN S BAUMANN

JUDGES: STEPHEN D KANE, WENDY S MCINTOSH, DIANE CALANDRA

SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN 08/22/2014 2014-0150 Utility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBEEBE’S PROBIE VON STEELE WM 1.40 167 III RALPH B BEEBEBELLAEBRAVO PRICKLY PEAR SP 1.55 177 III DOUGLAS W MILLARD

TEETH: MISSING 105,107,205,207,305,306,307,405,406&407 MARSHLAND’S FOSTER KICKS PP 2.80 201 I ADAM POSTMON YOUGH RIVERS’ ARTIST GS 3.80 191 II RANDY G KEEFERSILVERSHOT’S ARTFUL DODGER WM 6.34 202 I GERALD W GERTISER IIVITTORIA COMPATRIOTA DI BONFINI BI 3.78 202 I ANTHONY G LIBERTORE

JUDGES: CHRISTOPHER J HALL, RON BOEHME, LISA PEHUR

SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN 08/23/2014 2014-0151 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerHEARTS ON FIRE CARLIE GS 14.39 64 None RICHARD REGENSBURG

USED BIRD AT WATER AND JUDGED COAT DRY KONIG’S CLEOPATRA QUEEN OF THE NILE GS 9.48 110 I LOUIE KITCOFFUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBRIGHT STAR’S HEARTLAND JAGERMEISTER GS 2.95 26 None WILLIAM R STOCKE

HANDLER PULLED DOG FROM TEST AFTER FIELD WORK FEATHER HILL’S BARON VOM KAISER GS 5.38 192 II LOUIE KITCOFFKILLBUCK’S XRATED DOUBLE HIJINX PP 2.24 204 I SCOTT SOULESHOOTER’S LIMITED EDITION GS 2.11 192 I PETER A PEHUR

TEETH: MISSING 105&205 JUDGES: CHRISTOPHER J HALL, ANTHONY G LIBERTORE, JEFFREY S RHODES

SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN 08/24/2014 2014-0152 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDAISY’S GROUSE DANCER CHASE ES 12.32 112 I ALAN KROPIEWNICKIHUNTER’S MOON CELESTE ANNIE SM 14.03 97 III JAMES R HUCKLAR CHER’S BELLE LM 14.81 112 I MICHAEL F MARSHNORTH STAR LAZY LIGHTNING GR 7.29 105 II ADAM M LUCASPOINT OF HONOR RED OAKS KAISER GW 14.39 112 I EDWARD BERCH

TEETH: BUTT BITE SHADOWPOIN’TS JETHRO GIBSON WM 15.58 75 III KEVIN B BARNES

TEETH: MISSING 405 TIMBERDOODLE ZEVA RAE WM 14.87 60 None KEVIN B BARNES

TEETH: BUTT BITE TRU POINT FY GINEVRA SM 13.42 112 I LOVIISA K PASTERNAKUtility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerCROSSWINDS TECUMSEH PULLER NORRIS MURPHY GS 1.21 160 III JOHN G CULLEN

TEETH: MISSING 305&405 JUDGES: CHRISTOPHER J HALL, ANTHONY G LIBERTORE, JEFFREY S RHODES

GREAT CENTRAL VALLEY 08/22/2014 2014-0153 Utility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDREAMWORKS ROCKY PP 4.58 200 I TOMMY D BROWN

TEETH: UNDERSHOT DREAMWORKS SMOKEY PP 3.40 198 I MARK A WESTERLUNDDREAMWORKS VEGAS PP 2.37 177 III RUSSELL W CLELANDFLATBROOK’S HEIR ABOUT HIM GR 5.56 197 II KRISTI K ROGNEYFOOTHILLS BAJA PP 3.37 188 I KEN REYNOLDSFOOTHILLS BODIE PP 3.37 176 None MARK A WESTERLUND

JUDGES: JULIE K TOWERS, RUTH A WEISS, LEO O BOMAN

GREAT CENTRAL VALLEY 08/23/2014 2014-0154 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerBUTTE VIEW’S SUMMER SHANDY GR 14.68 110 I BECKY L VAN KLEECK

TEETH: UNDERSHOT 102 & 402 & BUTT BITE DREAMWORKS V PANCHO VILLA PP 15.23 102 II JEFFREY J GRANADOS

TESTES: NEUTERED DREAMWORKS VIOLET PP 15.23 96 II MARK A WESTERLUNDDREAMWORKS WILEY RILEY PP 12.71 110 I JOHN P VLANDISDREAMWORKS XAVIER SAINT FRANCIS PP 9.71 110 I LARRY N FRANCIS

TEETH: MISSING 105 FLATBROOK WHISKEYTOWN ACE’S PINK MANHATTAN GR 9.03 94 III H RICHARD BYRNEFLATBROOKS KAYENNE GR 14.84 96 III H RICHARD BYRNEFLATBROOKS SNOWBIRD SLEEPY BEAUJO GR 12.10 75 None H RICHARD BYRNEWHISKEYTOWN ACE’S SIMON SAZERAC GR 9.03 94 III DOMINICK AMADEOWHISKEYTOWN GYPSY ROSE GR 13.35 110 I RANDI M HUFF


GREAT CENTRAL VALLEY 08/24/2014 2014-0155 Natural Ability Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDREAMWORKS V BOLTONS ACE IN HAND PP 15.26 102 III CHARLES V BOLTON III

TESTES: NEUTERED DREAMWORKS VICTORIOUS YUBAN PP 15.26 104 II MICHAEL L CHIN

TEETH: MISALIGNED 201,201&203 DREAMWORKS WISCONSIN BUCKY BADGER PP 12.74 92 III KOERT P TAKKUNEN

USED BIRD AT WATER & TESTES: NEUTERED DREAMWORKS XZENA PP 9.74 94 III MARK A WESTERLUNDWHISKEYTOWN ACE’S MAKERS MARK GR 9.06 105 II JILL REIFSCHNEIDER

TEETH: EXTRA 405 WHISKEYTOWN CHOCOLATE SHOPPE GR 13.39 27 None DAVID M DAVIS

HANDLER PULLED DOG FROM TEST AFTER FIELD WORK TEMP: Not JudgedUtility Preparatory Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerDREAMWORKS U-BET PP 2.36 171 II MARK A WESTERLUND

TEETH: EXTRA 205 Utility Test Breed Mo - Yr Pts Prz OwnerFOOTHILLS BODIE PP 3.38 191 II MARK A WESTERLUND



Veterinary Notesby Isabelle EdlingOrrs Island, Maine

Tree Fungus And Bacteria

Diagnosis: Deep Infected Bacteria and Fungi Cor-neal Ulcer. Wintertime, as far up north as New England, and tree fungus wasn’t even heard of...

until now. Over a year ago there certainly wasn’t any training that

we could do with our (at that time) one-and-a-half year-old GSP, Jesper. Instead, we were consumed with emer-gency surgeries, driving to check-ups, and feeding Jesper with pills and eye-drops for 24 hours, seven days a week.

Jesper’s eye specialist, ophthalmologist Rachel Mathes, has a very good and expressive way to explain our GSPs, “These wonderful dogs just storm through the woods, and who knows what they will run into.”

So, nobody really knows how Jesper really got hurt, just that his cornea got scratched and, through this, bacte-ria and tree fungus deep-ly infected his eye. Jes-per had just come back in from being outside. Whatever he was doing, playing, running, or dig-ging, he was squinting terribly with his right eye when he came in. After Jesper continued to squint for another hour or two, and behaving unusually calm, I phoned our house vet. She took a good look at his eye and determined his cor-nea was scratched and he was prescribed some eye drops. A couple of

days later, the eye looked more inflamed, and he was still squinting. An area close to his pupil on the outer side was turning gray and blue. A couple of more days passed, and more drops were prescribed. The spot in his eye, however, kept growing bigger and more intense. On the tenth day after the accident, we went to Portland Veterinary Spe-cialists in Portland, Maine, and Jesper was seen by the eye specialist, ophthalmologist Rachel Mathes. She took a very quick and serious look at his eye, and Jesper was, without delay, checked into emergency surgery. Jesper was kept overnight, and the following day, he was sent back home, of course, with a big cone around his neck. We were advised to come back with Jesper the day after

for his first check-up, which was followed by many more. In surgery, Dr. Mathes removed most of the bacteria from the deep ulcer, and a conjunctival graft was attached over the hole in his eye. Due to the ulcer being very close to the inside of his eye, it was impossible to remove all the bacteria in surgery. Remain-ing bacteria was to be treated with medication. He was sent home with several kinds of drops and pills, all to be given frequently and evenly during a 24 hour span for seven days a week.

The week follow-ing his surgery, Jesper

A Dangerous Combination:

JESPER’S HEALED EYE


ANGIE, DR MATHES’ ASSISTANT, AND DR MATHES

still kept on squinting, and pressure kept on building up in his eye underneath the skin graft. Something wasn’t right. Dr. Mathes took more samples from his eye, did more testing and culturing, and it was discovered there was more in his eye than bacteria – it was infected by tree fungus as well. At this point the bacte-ria were secondary, and the major factor for his eye problem was fungus. This was an incredible discovery of Dr. Mathes’, as tree fungus wasn’t even heard of among dogs up here in New England. Fungus grows very quickly and is very harm-ful. Now it was a question of racing against the fast and intensely growing tree fungus that was actually “eating up” his eye. So, his second emergency surgery was per-formed. Again, Jesper was kept overnight with superior monitoring. The next day, Jesper was sent home with a transplanted cornea, a new conjunctival graft, and more pills and drops, and we continued, day and night, to fill Jesper with pills and drops and go outside with him, as some of the medication he was taking really triggered some major bladder movement.

The healing process took a few months, but we didn’t mind those weeks of being up with Jesper day and night. It was so rewarding to see him getting better and better after such a close call.

It’s amazing how quickly dogs can adjust and adapt. For over two months, day and night, Jesper wore a big cone around his neck. He could turn corners, avoid obstacles,

and jump with a lot of speed, without even a touch on his cone. It was almost as if he could see around the corners. We held our breaths many times, thinking he would hurt himself, but never did. He even used his cone for play, especially in the snow! He used it as a shovel, a thrower, and a drinking fountain. In June, his eye was declared almost healed, and in October, he was

considered all healthy again with full vision, including peripheral. This was fantastic.

Today, one year later, the only trace of this accident is a permanent scar in his eye, which will be there forev-er. The scar, which just looks like a red and white spot, doesn’t disturb his vision. It is certainly a miracle. What a success story!

We are so lucky to have Dr. Mathes and the clinic here in Portland, Maine. Without her, we have no idea what would or could have happened to Jesper. She is our mir-acle doctor. Dr. Mathes comes from Georgia, where tree fungus in horses is not too uncommon. Even though she had seen tree fungus in horses, she had never seen it in a dog. Only 15 cases have been reported nationwide and they are all from the south. Dr. Mathes’ professionalism and fight to find a cure, including saving his eye, can’t be praised enough. It is a living proof of an incredible veterinary specialist. We know it certainly would have been much easier to just remove his eye. Dr. Mathes is our hero.


From whelping to weaning, welcoming a new litter of puppiesrequires watchful care by a knowledg able breeder. It’s impor -tant to recognize signs indicating you may need to step in and

intervene to ensure your puppies stay healthy and full of promise. Newborn puppies depend on their mothers for survival, so a

healthy prenatal diet for the dam is essential. Purina Pro Planpuppy or all life stages formulas will provide the extra nutritionneeded by reproducing females in stages of gestation and lactation.Food consumption may vary during gestation, but generally apregnant female should be fed no more than 25 percent over hermaintenance level until the last trimester, when the amount fedshould increase somewhat. Overweight bitches will have trouble

whelping puppies and may develop dystocia and experienceproblems when giving birth. Underweight bitches may havetrouble producing enough milk for a large litter of puppies. Foodintake may double or even quadruple during lactation. After thepuppies are born, expect your dog’s diet to steadily increase overthe next 20 to 30 days as the puppies grow and nurse more.

Whelping Healthy PuppiesA temperature drop in the dam is one of the first signs of labor

and whelping. The process continues with the dam having con-tractions and ends with the birth of the puppies.

It is important to be present during whelping, especially witha young bitch having her first litter or an older bitch that mayshow disinterest in her puppies. Attending whelping may preventmortality that could occur from inattention by the dam or trauma.Another important reason to be present is that if neonates areborn small in size, you can rub them to dry them, stimulate res-piration and help keep them warm. Low birth weight frequentlyis associ ated with immature lungs, and puppies with low birthweight can become hypo thermic very quickly.

One of the most common causes of puppy mortality duringwhelping is hypoxia, or lack of oxygen. A green or greenish-black discharge from the dam indicates placental separation. Ifthis discharge appears and the puppies aren’t yet whelped, theymay not be getting enough oxygen.

A common error some breeders make is giving medicationssuch as oxytocin or ergonovine to help induce labor in cases whenthe bitch’s contractions aren’t strong. Consult your veterinarianbefore administering these medications as they could facilitatepremature placental separation, which causes hypoxia.

Lastly, in whelping healthy puppies, the whelping area shouldhave adequate heat, but not be hot, and should be a clean, quietarea without extraneous noise and stress.

Weaning the Puppies Between 6 and 8 weeks of age, the puppies are typically weaned,

but this should be done as health permits. The time will be rightwhen the puppy has reached the proper weight and matured neuro - logically. Some bitches will wean the puppies early, especially ifthe pups are developing their teeth and nursing becomes painful.It may be necessary to wean puppies earlier than six weeks insome cases; however, use of proper nutritional supplementsunder veterinary supervision, such as Purina Veterinary DietsFortiFlora, during weaning can ease the transition.

Here are some steps to help stop milk production and makethe transition as easy for the mother as possible. • On weaning day, do not give the mother any food, only water. • The next day, give her one-fourth of her prepregnancy intake;

the next day, one-half; and the next, three-fourths. • By the fifth day, she should be back to her normal diet,

though you may increase it for females that have lost weightduring pregnancy until they gain their weight back.Puppies start to nibble solid foods at 3 to 4 weeks of age.

Feed moistened Purina Pro Plan puppy or all life stages fooduntil puppies are fully weaned at about 6 to 8 weeks old. Afterweaning, food can be fed moistened or dry. It is best to developa regular feeding schedule, such as three small meals a day foryounger puppies. You can gradually reduce to one feeding inthe morning and one in the evening as puppies age. As puppiesnear adulthood, their calorie needs may drop, and your puppymay begin leaving some food in the bowl. Don't misinterpretthis as an indication of dislike for the food. Instead, begin offering less so your puppy doesn't overeat and stays in idealbody condition.

Helping a new litter of puppies as they develop requires abreeder to pay careful attention for signs of problems. Ensuringthe dam and her puppies receive proper nutrition will help ensure a successful litter of healthy puppies a breeder can takepride in. �

Tips from

Nurturing New Puppies

VHDmagSept2014_Layout 1 9/2/14 2:08 PM Page 1


From whelping to weaning, welcoming a new litter of puppiesrequires watchful care by a knowledg able breeder. It’s impor -tant to recognize signs indicating you may need to step in and

intervene to ensure your puppies stay healthy and full of promise. Newborn puppies depend on their mothers for survival, so a

healthy prenatal diet for the dam is essential. Purina Pro Planpuppy or all life stages formulas will provide the extra nutritionneeded by reproducing females in stages of gestation and lactation.Food consumption may vary during gestation, but generally apregnant female should be fed no more than 25 percent over hermaintenance level until the last trimester, when the amount fedshould increase somewhat. Overweight bitches will have trouble

whelping puppies and may develop dystocia and experienceproblems when giving birth. Underweight bitches may havetrouble producing enough milk for a large litter of puppies. Foodintake may double or even quadruple during lactation. After thepuppies are born, expect your dog’s diet to steadily increase overthe next 20 to 30 days as the puppies grow and nurse more.

Whelping Healthy PuppiesA temperature drop in the dam is one of the first signs of labor

and whelping. The process continues with the dam having con-tractions and ends with the birth of the puppies.

It is important to be present during whelping, especially witha young bitch having her first litter or an older bitch that mayshow disinterest in her puppies. Attending whelping may preventmortality that could occur from inattention by the dam or trauma.Another important reason to be present is that if neonates areborn small in size, you can rub them to dry them, stimulate res-piration and help keep them warm. Low birth weight frequentlyis associ ated with immature lungs, and puppies with low birthweight can become hypo thermic very quickly.

One of the most common causes of puppy mortality duringwhelping is hypoxia, or lack of oxygen. A green or greenish-black discharge from the dam indicates placental separation. Ifthis discharge appears and the puppies aren’t yet whelped, theymay not be getting enough oxygen.

A common error some breeders make is giving medicationssuch as oxytocin or ergonovine to help induce labor in cases whenthe bitch’s contractions aren’t strong. Consult your veterinarianbefore administering these medications as they could facilitatepremature placental separation, which causes hypoxia.

Lastly, in whelping healthy puppies, the whelping area shouldhave adequate heat, but not be hot, and should be a clean, quietarea without extraneous noise and stress.

Weaning the Puppies Between 6 and 8 weeks of age, the puppies are typically weaned,

but this should be done as health permits. The time will be rightwhen the puppy has reached the proper weight and matured neuro - logically. Some bitches will wean the puppies early, especially ifthe pups are developing their teeth and nursing becomes painful.It may be necessary to wean puppies earlier than six weeks insome cases; however, use of proper nutritional supplementsunder veterinary supervision, such as Purina Veterinary DietsFortiFlora, during weaning can ease the transition.

Here are some steps to help stop milk production and makethe transition as easy for the mother as possible. • On weaning day, do not give the mother any food, only water. • The next day, give her one-fourth of her prepregnancy intake;

the next day, one-half; and the next, three-fourths. • By the fifth day, she should be back to her normal diet,

though you may increase it for females that have lost weightduring pregnancy until they gain their weight back.Puppies start to nibble solid foods at 3 to 4 weeks of age.

Feed moistened Purina Pro Plan puppy or all life stages fooduntil puppies are fully weaned at about 6 to 8 weeks old. Afterweaning, food can be fed moistened or dry. It is best to developa regular feeding schedule, such as three small meals a day foryounger puppies. You can gradually reduce to one feeding inthe morning and one in the evening as puppies age. As puppiesnear adulthood, their calorie needs may drop, and your puppymay begin leaving some food in the bowl. Don't misinterpretthis as an indication of dislike for the food. Instead, begin offering less so your puppy doesn't overeat and stays in idealbody condition.

Helping a new litter of puppies as they develop requires abreeder to pay careful attention for signs of problems. Ensuringthe dam and her puppies receive proper nutrition will help ensure a successful litter of healthy puppies a breeder can takepride in. �

Tips from

Nurturing New Puppies

VHDmagSept2014_Layout 1 9/2/14 2:08 PM Page 1

“No, I won’t help you train your dog,” I said to my husband when we brought home our first German Shorthaired Pointer puppy, Ella. I thought, “Why would I waste my time doing such a thing? Where is the reward in that?” Well, it is two years and seven months later, and we have a sixteen-week-old baby and qualified our first dog for the 2015 Invitational. We are also running anoth-er dog in a Utility test this fall, my husband is a NAVHDA Appren-tice Judge, our first litter of pups is on the way, and we have an eight-week-old GSP that I am going to fully train and test myself. And guess what? I love every minute of it.

Through my husband, Jason, and his constant push for me to join him and his local NAVHDA chapter, I have grown to love training dogs. The part that amazes me the most is the family I have adopted as my own, the Mid-West Tri State NAVHDA chap-ter. Its members act as if they are fathers, brothers, mothers, and sisters to one another. I say this, versus friends, because of their amazing personalities and willingness to help one another.

I have been actively involved for over a year now, and enjoy testing and training. When we found out we were having a baby, I thought, “Well, there goes the next year of training and testing for me.” I mean, pregnant people don’t train dogs, and having a young baby will definitely impact going out and helping my

husband. Babies can’t be around dogs and shouldn’t be outside, should they? Well, at 39 weeks and five days pregnant, I was in muck boots, walking up hills and in heavy cover, training dogs. So, I thought, “I guess pregnant women can enjoy being outside, and I can enjoy training with our German Shorthaired Pointers and my best friend.” Then, our little girl came, and my thought processes on life had completely changed. I wanted her to have it all—the love for family, animals, and the outdoors. Right then I decided I would expose her to it all at a young age, so she would grow up knowing and loving the outdoors and dogs.

At three weeks old, Melody’s first gift from her dad was the best ear protection we could find, and we began involving her in our training. Melody was in her harness on my chest with her ear protection on as I was handling a dog named Jenny and my husband ran the bird launchers. At that moment, I realized that, as a family, we can have it all. We can enjoy the outdoors and all the memories that will be made training and testing with our sweet Melody. So, by involving our daughter in what her father and I love to do, we will only help strengthen her love for family, animals, and the outdoors. We are the future of the outdoors, and we must all do our part to help each other and involve the youth that are the future of our organization.

Youth Focusby Megan MarzolfCanton, South Dakota

power in FAMILY


THE FORUM Kennel Name Applications

These applications for registration of kennel names have been received by the NAVHDA Registry. Any objections must be written and submitted to Tracey Nelson, Registrar, NAVHDA, PO Box 520, Arlington Hts, IL 60006, on or before November 1, 2014. To ob-tain registration forms, write the Registrar at the above address.

And some other important stuff you really should think about reading... To all apprentices and acting senior judges, please be sure to send in your apprentice and acting senior judge reports, and when you are finished for the year, send in your year end report. If you are applying to become a judge or senior judge, please be sure to send your application in before December 1.

Chapter motions are due in by November 1.

2015 Chapter insurance invoices will be mailed out on October 1 to the chapter treasurer .

Photo of the Month

“Studying the NAVHDA Bible”

Busy B’s Minerva Moodie CGC and Busy B’s Magnum B.I.

the night before their NA test. All of this studying

paid off when they both earned a Prize I.

Submitted by Marcia McGonagle, Midlothian, VA

To all members: please keep your contact and mailing information up to date. Email the international office at [email protected] with any changes.

Got something to sell? Why not advertise with us! We have online classifieds available through the NAVHDA store and also magazine classifieds and regular ad sizes. For more information, go to our web-site (www.navhda.org) under “Advertise with Us” for full details.

We are always looking for fun photos, quotes, short training tips and anything else that you’d like to share in The Forum. Please send them to [email protected].

Invitational Photographers

BOONES FARM PP GREGORY & RUTH WEISSRIVERBEND BI VALERIE KESSLERWYOWIRES GW LISA & TERRY UHRICHKILOWATT GR CARROLL KEMPWINDY HILLS GS CHRISTOPHER J. POTTS

Kennel Name Breed Owners

Q&ADo you have a question about training or the NAVHDA testing system that you would like answered? Please send your question to [email protected] and we will do our best to find someone to answer it for you.


Deutsch Kurzhaar has provided the foot hunter with a powerful versatile hunting partner, developed through a performance based testing system and breeding program that enhance the overall conformation set forth by the Deutsch Kurzhaar Verband. Visit our website at WWW.NADKC.ORG to learn more about a perfect blend of trainability, versatility and desire in your next hunting dog.

DEUTSCH KURZHAAR

The Original German Shorthair

Contact one of the many breeders in your area to discuss all the benefits of the Deutsch Kurzhaar.

Like us and follow us on Facebook at North American Deutsch Kurzhaar Club.

RuffedGrouse Society.org

JOIN TODAY 1 -888-564-6747

RGS develops this habitat utilizing scientific managementpractices, and ruffed grouse, along with a host of otherspecies, rely upon young forest habitat for their survival.

Join RGS to create healthy forests for abundant wildlifeand preserve our sporting traditions.

Over 50 Yearsof Conservation

Established in 1961, theRuffed Grouse Societyis North America’sforemost conservationorganization dedicatedto preserving oursporting traditions bycreating healthy foresthabitat for ruffed

grouse,American

woodcock andother forest wildlife.

RGS Navhda2013 Ad_Navhda 2012 Ad 4/23/2013 3:03 PM Page 1

GOT QUILLS?

WWW.QUILLJIG.COM 406-212-5767

[email protected] facebook.com/quilljig


2014 NAVHDA Testing Calendar

Date Chapter/Location Test Type Contact Telephone E-mailOct 3-5 Illowa IA NA/UPT/UT Mark Wilbers 563/672 3291 [email protected] 3-5 Southern California CA NA/UPT/UT Patricia Beaver 951/662 1934 [email protected] 4-5 Delmarva DE NA/UPT/UT Marc St Jean 302/698 5356 [email protected] 4-5 Illinois IL NA/UPT/UT Charles Petersen 630/605 9062 [email protected] 4-5 Mid-ohio OH NA/UPT/UT Andrea Spencer 614/893 6922 [email protected] 10-12 Heartland IA NA/UPT/UT John Green 515/480 5979 [email protected] 10-12 Florida Palmetto FL NA/UPT/UT Jo Ann Rogala 727/480 4942 [email protected] 11-12 Missouri Uplands MO NA/UPT/UT Matt Roth 314/724 6518 [email protected] 11-12 Appalachian Valley OH NA/UPT/UT Chris Wasserman 304/617 7601 [email protected] 11-12 Ok-navhda OK NA/UPT/UT Sandra Clendenny 405/293 6268 [email protected] 11-12 Zia NM NA/UPT/UT Keith Barr 512/818 5491 [email protected] 11-12 Southern California CA NA/UPT/UT Patricia Beaver 951/781 4627 [email protected] 11 Saskatchewan SK NA/UPT/UT Al Mckim 306/682 3083 [email protected] 18-19 Mid South TN NA/UPT/UT Jeff Lorenzini 770/251 9272 [email protected] 7-9 Rappahannock VA NA/UPT/UT Alyssa Pease 703/765 5715 [email protected] 15-16 Carolinas NC NA/UPT/UT Fred Rice 573/819 9542 [email protected] 15-16 Lone Star TX NA/UPT/UT Megan Murphy 281/989 5933 [email protected] 12-14 Grand Canyon Of Arizona AZ NA/UPT/UT Ted Hamilton 928/713 6941 [email protected] 13-14 Texas TX NA/UPT/UT Greg Kadesch 817/271 7878 [email protected]

NAVHDA 2015 Annual MeetingHosted by the Pacific Northwest Chapter

Portland, Oregon Jan. 16-18

For full information and conference registration form, see www.pnwnavhda.com/2015Or contact: Karen Graham

[email protected] 503 647-0310

Crowne Plaza Hotel – Portland Convention Center1441 NE 2nd Avenue, Portland, OR 97232

Online hotel reservations for attendeeshttps://resweb.passkey.com/go/navhda2015

Telephone reservations: 1-888-233-9527

Tell the agent “North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association”Reserve before Dec.16, 2014 for special room rates.

Classifieds must be paid for and submitted through the NAVHDA Store at www.navhdastore.org in the “Pre-Pay VHD Ads” section. All classified ads are limited to 35 words and price is $35.00 for all categories. Submission deadline for classifieds is the first of the month before the month of issue. For example: deadline for December issue is November 1st.

CLASSIFIEDS

PuppiesWEIM PUPPIES: V.Reiteralm/Camelot x Mystik, 23 Oct, 2014. Approved hunting/SAR homes only. Both are a joy at home yet also bird-finding ma-chines. Sire water retrieves. Dam UT I, UPT I, SH (goal: VC Sept, 2015), adores water/duck search. [email protected]

MiscellaneousVOM KERVINSHOF DRAHTHAARS: Bred and reg-istered to German standards of excellence. Versatil-ity on up-land game, waterfowl and bloodtracking balanced with quality coat and conformations. Pups and trained dogs available. www.vomkervinshof.com, (580)492-5338.


2015 NAVHDA Testing Calendar

Date Chapter/Location Test Type Contact Telephone E-mailMar 21-22 Carolinas NC NA/UPT/UT Fred Rice 573/819 9542 [email protected] 21-22 Carolinas NC NA/UPT/UT Fred Rice 573/819 9542 [email protected] 11-12 Great Central Valley CA NA/UPT/UT Russell Cleland 530/340 5255 [email protected] 16-17 Wisconsin River WI NA/UPT/UT Anne Zeches 608/334 5022 [email protected] 23-25 Big Sky MT NA Marcus Troyer 406/899 2214 [email protected] 29-31 Midwest Tri State SD NA/UPT/UT Anitra Balchan 520/235 5541 [email protected] 14-16 Midwest Tri State SD NA/UPT/UT Anitra Balchan 520/235 5541 [email protected]

2015 NAVHDA Special Events

Date Chapter/Location Event Contact Telephone E-mailJan 16-18 Portland, OR Annual Meeting NAVHDA Office 847/253-6488 [email protected]

The most recent versions of these calendars are available on the NAVHDA Web site at www.navhda.org.

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