WPG to enter field trial as a first timer?

[Dubra]

I very rarely ever post on any social media sites but I'm a regular luker and love reading other's posts on subjects such as this .....

My WPG is 4yrs old and I feel that she's now just breaking into her prime. She's been showing incredible natural abilities while out in the sage and has tons of drive to do what she has been bread for.
I saw that last season she began really teaching me how to work the birds than the other way around so this year, I decided to register her in the BC All Breed Pointer Club. There is a field trail coming up in April and would like to hear fro you all on what I would expect for her first test.

I've never been to a field trial before so I have no idea what I should do to get her ready or better yet, to get myself ready LoL.

Thanks in advance.

[jlirot]

I've been out with BCABPC a few times. You'll do fine as long as she's steady to flush. It's a lot of fun!

[jagen mit DDrs]

@Dubra
what are the requirements for the test?
Evaluate your dog for Use of Nose
Cooperation
pointing (Managing Birds)
Steadiness

Rainer

[Dubra]

So I've entered her into the amateur shooting dog stake and from my understanding, the requirements listed on the BCABPC website are ....
"Groundwork (Intelligent search, appropriate range, pace); Birdwork (Accurate and quick location and relocation, pointing, style and intensity); Training and Manners (Hunting to the course, Responding to the handler, Steadiness on wing and shot, Retrieving (where required), Backing)."

I'm really not interested in the 'competition' side of the stake; don't really care how she scores but rather for both of us to learn on how she should be handled as well as for her to learn from other experienced dogs.

I don't also want to show up to the event and "be that guy" LoL

[jagen mit DDrs]

[QUOTE=Dubra;2156933]
I'm really not interested in the 'competition' side of the stake; don't really care how she scores but rather for both of us to learn on how she should be handled as well as for her to learn from other experienced dogs.

Competitions are not Training days!!You would be better off to join a Club in order for you to learn how to handle the dog and for your dog to be worked with experienced dogs.

Rainer

[jlirot]

If she's got the basics and is steady to flush - it's a great experience. If not - I wouldn't recommend doing it. You can't do much correction in the field and the birds are dumb so the dog can catch them and learn bad habits.

My dog wasn't steady enough and she would catch the birds and bring them back to me.

As Rainer said - it's not training day. I found out the hard way.

[thehammer]

Amature Shooting dog is a broke dog stake, if you have not trained your dog to this level the odds of your dog getting through is nil. If your dog breaks and does not hold point you are out. What you are looking for is the Hunt tests and not field trials, then you enter your dog into the appropriate level of hunt test. FDJ (Not trained) up to advanced trained dogs. FDJ, FD, FDA, FDX. BCAPC holds Hunt tests, on the Friday and Field Trials on the Saturday and Sunday. BUT....it looks like it is all going to be cancelled this year because of the coronavirus.