Roxie's Field training

jamie8dc · Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 6:39 pm Post subject:

That's awesome! Congrats on her doing so well.

How did you get started in all of that? I really want to get my guy into agility or field trials, and would really like to find a place here where I could bird hunt. I know you have to be thinking about it at a young age and would like to get involved with this kind of stuff. I think it'd be good for the dog and for me.

When did you start introducing Roxy to gunshots/birds? How'd you get involved in the beginning?

Congrats again and look forward to any info I can get.

ReneeV · Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 6:52 pm Post subject:

Well, I never thought I would be interested in field stuff. I've never been around hunting. I saw some other Weims doing field work and watching them point a bird was just facinating. I decided then and there, that I wanted to see my dog do what comes naturally to her.

We are members of our local Weim Club and they have monthly field training. So, I took her out for her very first time. It was my first time too and I had NO CLUE what I was supposed to do. There was some very nice people there to help me get aquainted.

Later, I had some recommendations from others on a good trainer in my area so I gave him a call and we started training a couple times a week (30 min each). Today was the first time with this trainer in the field. It was Roxie's second time in the field with a bird.

There are lots of people out there that have experience and can give you lots of tips. I suggest contacting your local Club and go from there.

jamie8dc · Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 9:27 pm Post subject:

Awesome, there are several clubs around me. I'll do that! Thanks and let us know how she's coming along in the future.

ReneeV · Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 10:41 pm Post subject:

I just read that you pick up your baby on 12/15, congratulations!!! If you really want to get into field stuff, it's never too early to introduce him to the field and to birds. Talk to Anne T, she'll tell you what she does for her pups before they even go home!

DanniGirl · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:12 pm Post subject:

Hi Renee!
Nice to see you on here. It sounds like Roxie has really come along in the past month! Are you hooked yet? Wink

ReneeV · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 1:24 pm Post subject:

For those not on the Yahoo Forums:

Well, we are back from a LONG and very tiring weekend to lovely Mendota, CA. Roxie’s test was scheduled for Saturday and she was the very last dog to run (out of 8 dogs). She did excellent in the search and point section of the test as well as the swimming part. Unfortunately, she did HORRIBLE in the tracking part. She would not track to save her life. The judges gave her as many chances as they could but she just wouldn’t do it. Finally, they called it and told me to go and help her. She finally found the scent and tracked and brought back the pheasant. Too little, too late. Those who were watching thought for sure that they would give her at least 1 point. Nope. She got a zero and did not prize L. Here were her scores:

Use of Nose = 3 (18 pts)
Search = 4 (20 pts)
Water = 4 (20 pts)
Pointing = 4 (16 pts)
Tracking = 0 (0 pts)
Desire to work = 3 (12 pts)
Cooperation = 3 (6 pts)
Total Score 92 pts no prize
As you can imagine, we were very disappointed. She did great when we practiced tracking the previous week. Perhaps the 7 tracks laid before her, the howling wind or simply the transition from hunting to tracking (they were done one right after the other) had something to do with it. Fortunately, someone had dropped out of the Sunday test so we decided to enter and try again. We figured if she passes, it saves us a trip to Oregon. Luckily we were in the RV so it didn’t cost us another night’s stay in a hotel.

Sunday, I got to sleep in since I had already heard the safety speech and Roxie was running dead last again. I went and got a “used” pheasant and dragged a couple of tracks in a nearby field and she did wonderfully. I felt pretty good about today’s test. When it came test time, it started off pretty good, but today, the judges decided they didn’t want Roxie to catch the birds as she did the day before so on her second bird they had me grab hold of her while on point and they came and scooped up the bird and took it away L. Roxie was NOT happy that they took her reward away so for the next two birds, she only pointed briefly and before I could get to her, rushed in and caught the bird. This, brought down her pointing score from a 4 on Saturday to a 3 on Sunday. Now for tracking, I was feeling good based on practice earlier in the day, but she again was all over the place. I left the field VERY disheartened and thought for sure she was going to fail again. According to those watching, she DID track from the start to the spot where the bird stopped before it ran over the berm into the ditch.

Now, for the scores…. waiting until last to hear our score was KILLING ME here it goes.

Use of Nose = 4 (24 pts)
Search = 4 (20 pts)
Water = 4 (20 pts)
Pointing = 3 (12 pts)
Tracking = 2 (4 pts)
Desire to work = 4 (16 pts)
Cooperation = 3 (6 pts)
Total Score 102 pts PRIZE II!!!!!
I was so happy and relieved, I jumped up and down and hooted and hollered. Everyone there knew what I had been through and was just as happy for me. So, staying the extra day was well worth it.

Special thanks to Jack Scullion of San Francisco Bay Weim Club for help getting Roxie in the water and learning to like swimming. Thanks also to Julie Dean and Ben Voris of Great Central Valley NAVHDA Chapter for helping me and Roxie to prepare for the test and for all the encouragement before, during and after the test.

Now, back to training with the pro to break that bad habit of chasing the bird. We have a hunt test this next weekend!

ReneeV · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 12:54 pm Post subject:

We finally did it! Roxie earned her final leg for her JH today. It was 85 degrees with little breeze and both of us were hot and exhausted. Only one bird find today, but I don't care, I'm happy to be done for now. We will start SH training in a few weeks.

She is now: Nat/Int JA Fairhaven's Blu Sky's the Limit, JH, NAVHDA II

weimdawgs · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 1:09 pm Post subject:

Wooohoooo Roxie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Talent and beauty, what more could you ask for??

Congrats, Renee.

peppernaei · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:18 pm Post subject:

Congratulations!! How wonderful. Continued success!

We are signed up for NA on May 10th. I'm excited ....and a tiny bit anxious Wink

weimdawgs · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:49 pm Post subject:

Good luck, Marvin! You are a very handsome boy!

NenaGunther · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 8:08 pm Post subject:

Congrats Renee & Roxie! Very Happy

ReneeV · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:30 pm Post subject:

Thanks Everyone! It was a fun adventure and look forward to earning the next one.

joe2mill · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:34 pm Post subject:

wow great accomplishments

Welches · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:37 pm Post subject:

Congrats! I love to see weims working like that. They seem to be at their happiest when they are in the fields.