NAVHDA Chapter Interest

[Sasquatch]

I tried a similar thread a few years ago and didn't get a great response. But with all the members who have versatile dogs now, I thought it might be worth another try.

The closest North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) chapters are in Alberta and Oregon. I contacted NAVHDA awhile back and they said if there was enough interest, they would open a chapter in BC.

If anyone is interested in joining and participating in a local NAVHDA chapter, let me know and I will collect names and contact info until we have enough members to start a chapter.
I don't mind doing the initial legwork to get this going, but would appreciate if anyone else wanted to help organize this on an ongoing basis.

NAVHDA is a great organization and they offer plenty of opportunities for attending events, training and testing for members. It's also a chance to meet and train with other versatile owners and their dogs - which is not only fun, but a great way to meet new hunting partners and find new places to hunt.

Here is a link to their website http://www.navhda.org/ have a look at it and if you are interested in joining, get in touch with me.

This is open to everyone, whether you have owned versatiles since they were invented, or you just got your first pup.

[flyfishinmidget]

i am intrested was to 2 navhada tests in washinton and 2 in origon 16 years ago would be nice if bc had a chapter i would for sure take my new pup, it is a greate organization for the guys and gals that want to see just what there pups and gun dogs have got they just judge and evaluate your pup or dog not against any others Good luck hope you can get going

[mijinkal]

I'd be interested! I've let my training slide lately and a club would definitely keep me on track. I wish there was a NAVHDA chapter around here a couple years ago when I got my pup.

[Crimson Viking]

Well If i had a dog i'd love to join in, as this is the style of gun dog i'd get. Perhaps someday there will be a griffon in my house.

Good luck . i hope u get it off the ground

[nolimits]

Well, first of all, what exactly do they mean by enough interest? How many people are needed? Did they provide a clue?

[Sasquatch]

Well, first of all, what exactly do they mean by enough interest? How many people are needed? Did they provide a clue?

Minimum 10 members to start a chapter. I would like to have a little cushion on that so it doesn't fall apart - so I'm thinking 12 or 15 would do it.

[levind]

i'd be very interested. i get my pup in 3 weeks!!!!

[xfactor]

Definitely would be something i would want to learn more about.

Interested in a WPG or a DD, currently have labs,

Wondering how working with labs would be accepted?

[Sasquatch]

Definitely would be something i would want to learn more about.

Interested in a WPG or a DD, currently have labs,

Wondering how working with labs would be accepted?

I think one of the requirements is pointing -

Here is a list of recognized breeds taken from the NAVHDA website -


BI Bracco Italiano
BA Braque D’auvergneBB Braque Du BourbonnaisBF Braque FrancaisBS BrittanyCF Cesky FousekDP Drentsche PatrijshondES English SetterFP French SpanielGL German Longhaired PointerGS German Shorthaired PointerGW German Wirehaired PointerGO Gordon SetterIR Irish Red & White SetterIS Irish SetterLM Large MunsterlanderPS Picardy SpanielPT PointerPO Portuguese PointerPP PudelpointerSH Slovakian Wirehaired PointerSM Small MunsterlanderSP SpinoneST StichelhaarVI VizslaWM WeimaranerGR Wirehaired Pointing GriffonWV Wirehaired Vizsla

[Iron Glove]

Oh well, guess that leaves me and my Duck Toller out. :(

[300WinMag]

I am interested

[kelmore]

I'm interested too

[yamadirt 426]

Well you might be getting close to number you need. I would be interested as long as the costs weren't too much. Do you know what to expect ?

[Sasquatch]

Well you might be getting close to number you need. I would be interested as long as the costs weren't too much. Do you know what to expect ?

Yes, we are getting closer to the number we need- I think the basic NAVHDA membership is in the $50 range. There would then be small fees paid for events and get togethers.

[yamadirt 426]

I think that is reasonable. You can add me to the list of potentials . Thx sasquatch. I wouldn't likely be one of the organizer aids though. Not for a few yrs anyhow. As the kids get older.

[britman101]

Add my name to the list as I would be interested in finding out more information, and the events that would be held.

[kelmore]

where are we at with this? anything I can do to help get the ball rolling?

[BigSlapper]

I think I could be convinced to get involved - as long as there is a strong focus on training days and experience/knowledge based events ... (my DD pup is 15 months old now)

[Sasquatch]

where are we at with this? anything I can do to help get the ball rolling?

We've got 9 or 10 "interested" which is close. I think we should have at least 12 to 15 confirmed to make this work. Don't want half a dozen people to join NAVHDA and find we don't have enough for a chapter.

If you know anyone who is definately interested, we can add them to the list.

[levind]

i'm already part of navhda and would join the vancouver chapter

[79Jimmy]

I'd be interested in a Lower Mainland chapter as well.

[kelmore]

I think that put us at 12 now

[bubba350]

I am interested for sure already a member and just waiting to pick up my new PP in the spring

[steelslinger]

I'd be in as a member of a BC chapter. Bubba, who is your breeder?

[bubba350]

Cedarwood pp and I think thats 14 now


I'd be in as a member of a BC chapter. Bubba, who is your breeder?

[mastercaster]

I'd join, as well. I have a nine month old griff.

From last week:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4357/36417383993_d9e2a66804_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Xu5BuV)IMG_0543 (https://flic.kr/p/Xu5BuV) by Brent Davy (https://www.flickr.com/photos/150607128@N03/), on Flickr

[Trojans16]

So what's going on? Did this thread get dug up by accident or is this moving forward? Did the BC chapter get started?

[604redneck]

I would be interested. Ive got a vizsla

[bubba350]

Any update on this?

[elch jager]

While I am interested in connecting with other versatile owners/dogs... finding time to participate will be an issue. Haven't even had time to register with the VDD Canada yet...

[Danny_29]

Yupp I'm in. Already a member in AB

[mastercaster]

Someone need to take this bull by the horns and get it going. LOL Wasn't there a member on this site who said they would if there was enough interest? I'd certainly attend them if and when it happened.

[Sasquatch]

Someone need to take this bull by the horns and get it going. LOL Wasn't there a member on this site who said they would if there was enough interest? I'd certainly attend them if and when it happened.

I said I would do the legwork to get it going some time ago. I tried twice and there seemed to be enough interest....until it came time to write a cheque for membership, then people became less interested for some reason.

If someone wants to go through the legwork of trying to collect the funds, I will happily help out with the rest of the process.

[mastercaster]

I said I would do the legwork to get it going some time ago. I tried twice and there seemed to be enough interest....until it came time to write a cheque for membership, then people became less interested for some reason.

If someone wants to go through the legwork of trying to collect the funds, I will happily help out with the rest of the process.

How much is the fee and what does it provide? I've never been to a NAVDHA clinic before.

[Sasquatch]

How much is the fee and what does it provide? I've never been to a NAVDHA clinic before.

It's been a while and I don't recall all the details. I think the individual membership was under $100, but there may have been some minimum requirments or extra fees for new chapters. Should all be on the website.

[bubba350]

https://www.navhda.org/sites/www.navhda.org/files/assets/newchapt.pdf

[mastercaster]

I've recently looked into joining the PNW chapter down in Washington. I'll be heading down that way once or twice a month to do some training with my griff,,,,,starts soon.

[Danny_29]

I'm also doing training out of Alberta if anyone wants to head that direction.

[jlirot]

I've recently looked into joining the PNW chapter down in Washington. I'll be heading down that way once or twice a month to do some training with my griff,,,,,starts soon.

I travel a lot for work. But, interested in going once in a while. Don't get pissed off if I can't go everytime you ask - but I'm interested so feel free to PM me.

[Danny_29]

What kind of dog you got?

[jlirot]

GWP for me.

[bubba350]

I've recently looked into joining the PNW chapter down in Washington. I'll be heading down that way once or twice a month to do some training with my griff,,,,,starts soon.

I think I am going to do the same. Maybe one day we will have our own chapter in BC.

[Danny_29]

Big fan of GWP's. The dogs I met at the last NAVHDA event performed awesome. Jaws like a vice grip haha

[Danny_29]

I think I am going to do the same. Maybe one day we will have our own chapter in BC.

This is the dream. It'll happen, versatile dogs still aren't that popular around BC compared to Alberta though. I think a BC chapter would be very successful, could have the coolest testing grounds and I'm sure lots of Americans would come up for the testing and events. Luckily we're a tourist destination as well.

[jlirot]

'vice grip' - she can get a little excited now and again... but, a damn good dog. i'm in vancouver and willing to meet for training. it's nice to run a dog for 30 minutes or so with a second pair of hands sometimes.

[Danny_29]

Vice grips is a nice problem to have, my Pudelpointer drops stuff all the time due to her soft mouth. I'm in the Kootenays :(

[jagen mit DDrs]

Vice grips is a nice problem to have, my Pudelpointer drops stuff all the time due to her soft mouth. I'm in the Kootenays :(

Better to have a soft mouth than a hard one....hearing bone crunch while retrieving is a flaw and a dog dropping retrieves has nothing to do with soft mouth but lack of discipline from dog and trainer.

[Danny_29]

This is true, her retrieve isn't where it needs to be yet, she'll run around with a stick forever without dropping it but as soon as she hears fetch she's just two gentle haha. Bit of a work in progress but it's got much better this month. I just liked them bringing back a dead bird than a live one.

[Danny_29]

There was some talk of this again on another thread. Thought I'd give it a bump to see if there is enough interest.

[bubba350]

Yes i am interested. Currently a member of PNW chapter but would love to see a local one.

[Danny_29]

Awesome! What you have for a dog?

[bubba350]

Cedarwoods Pudelpointer. How about you?

[mastercaster]

I'd love to see a chapter get started here somewhere in the lower mainland. having one would give people who own non-hunting versatiles an opportunity to get their dogs in an activity that they were originally bred to do and may spawn a few more hunters in the process.

I wish this would have gotten going before my dog was 18 months of age, though, so that she could have done the natural ability test. I think my griff would have done quite well since her prey drive is through the roof,,,, she loves the water, too, and I completed her FF training before she was a year old.

[Uglydog]

I would be open to a chapter in BC, got a 12 week old pp and could use all the help

[jagen mit DDrs]

This thread was started in 2012 and now over 6 years later nobody can get their act together to get a group going?????
Seems like everybody in this section is either waiting for "somebody else"to do the work or interest has faded before it got started.
Since I'm interested in anything related with hunting dogs and I'm already with VDD Canada I got connections with the Board of Directors of the Alberta NAVHDA I'd be willing to help getting things started.

How many of you are willing to join?
Where should it be located in BC?
Who is going to be in charge?
Who has experience training and testing dogs?

[Uglydog]

I have zero experience training and testing pretty new to hunting, but would travel to the coast or kootneys

[mastercaster]

I'm on the coast and of course I'd like to see one down here in the Fraser Valley but I'd also be willing to travel up into the Okanagan if that was a better location. Even though I've had three bird dogs (two brittany spaniels who virtually taught themselves to hunt since we hunted pheasants almost everyday of the season for over ten years back in the eighties/early nineties) I really only had to do obedience work with them. Now I have an almost two year old griff. I feel like I've done a pretty good job training her but it's only because of the information I've gotten and the videos I've watched from profession trainers.

I think the reason there has been some reluctance on getting a chapter going is because it sounds like most of us are in the same boat. We all have a hunting dog and are interested in getting the most out of our dog but since none of us has been a member of an existing NAVHDA chapter before we don't know the ins and outs of what it entails to run one or get it going.

[Danny_29]

Lots of love for the PP's! I think the best bet would be to do a "season ticket drive" get people to put up 50 bucks or so that are interested and use that setup the first meeting to get the ball rolling. I'm thinking the interior is the best spot. But really ot all comes down to having somewhere to do it.

[jagen mit DDrs]

Since the majority of people just want to get their dogs in "working order"maybe they don't want a NAVHDA but instead just a club where information and training is exchanged?Like with NAVHDA and VDD,KLM or DK clubs you need the memberships to pay for testing,club fees etc. My point is that you need a healthy commitment from people to make it work.
As I said I know the Directors of the Alberta chapter and I'm sure they would be willing to help out getting things established but this is not a "one pony show".

[Danny_29]

Yupp totally agree, I think something like that would work kinda like a baby step to becoming a chapter. I'm going to look more into the chapter setup tomorrow and I'll post back with some ideas.

[jagen mit DDrs]

I'm thinking the interior is the best spot. But really ot all comes down to having somewhere to do it.

I've got access to several thousand acres of land to train any versatile hunting dog but it would be in the interior.

[Danny_29]

For reals?

[mastercaster]

I've got access to several thousand acres of land to train any versatile hunting dog but it would be in the interior.

Where abouts? I guess we'd need someone to raise birds,or at least have access to them.

[Uglydog]

A club instead of a navhda chapter might be a better, and we might get more members that way since some people may not have the breeds eligible for navhda but still want to train and learn, where abouts in the interior jagen I’m located in kelowna

[jagen mit DDrs]

30km North of Valemount BC

[jagen mit DDrs]

Just got off the phone wirh one of the directors of the Alberta chapter....in order to be a member of a chapter you also have to be a member of NAVHDA international.You will be paying 2 memberships now.

[jagen mit DDrs]

A week goes by and nobody is saying anything about getting involved in a "hunting dog club",no wonder that dogs die of old age before the get trained.

Rainer

[Uglydog]

Well I said I would be but need more then a few people to get it rolling, there is a pointing club in bc that I might go volunteer at come April to learn, side note any good trainers in the Okanagan I’ve only found someday retrieve out of kamloops

[labguy]

Well I said I would be but need more then a few people to get it rolling, there is a pointing club in bc that I might go volunteer at come April to learn, side note any good trainers in the Okanagan I’ve only found someday retrieve out of kamloops

There are only two trainers in BC that I would recommend and both are Retriever trainers. Colin McNicol of Windy River Retrievers and Kevin Hill of Belmont Gundogs....both are down south for the winter.

[Foxton Gundogs]

I whole heartedly agree with LG, I know Kevin's work personally and Colin by reputation.

[Sasquatch]

There are only two trainers in BC that I would recommend and both are Retriever trainers. Colin McNicol of Windy River Retrievers and Kevin Hill of Belmont Gundogs....both are down south for the winter.

Kevin is mostly a retriever trainer, but he did a great job training my GWP for upland. Not his specialty maybe, but he is quite capable.

Also, I tried twice to get a NAVHDA chapter going in BC over the last 10 years and there was interest until it came time to pony up some funds. There is a cost to starting, joining or belonging to any club. If you're not willing to throw a hundred or two at it, then it will not fly.

I believe there is still a pointing dog club in BC and that may be an easier route for some people.

[jagen mit DDrs]

Most of the guys here have " versatile" hunting dog breeds and to get the versatility out of your dogs it would take more than just pointing and retrieving.....it depends what everybody wants out of their "pooches"?
But,as Sasquatch rightly said as soon as people have to pay for something the interest somehow fades.In most instances with most clubs the majority of people only stay until their dogs pass a Natural ability test and then decide :good enough:and quit altogether,not realizing what a fully trained gundog is all about.
As a mentioned before I gladly help out establishing a Club,butI'm certainly not willing to do the heavy lifting on my own just to realize that people are not commited enough.