Sharing the love of the German Shorthaired Pointers and their versatility in the dog sport world.
Moving on up!
Blaze scored a NAVHDA UPT Prize 1 at this past weekends versatile hunting test!
The test includes the following large sections:
*duck search
*steady by duck blind with retrieve
*field search/hunt
*duck drag with retrieve
There's also several smaller aspects judged:
*steadiness
*heeling
*cooperation
*obedience
*use of nose
*pointing
*desire
It's been a journey, and it continues!!!
Maggie and Blaze brace work on shooter pigeons this evening!
Weekend recap
NAVHDA training weekend, we drove the bed on wheels down state and busted out 2 long days of solid training.
Field, duck search, steady by blind and duck drag.
The main focus is on Blaze this year, but River and Thor tagged along and continue to get foundation work and for Thor general introduction to everything.
I cant thank the group down there enough, their help is tremendous and I can see it making so many changes happen this year!
In Ellies first Derby FT debut, 3rd place.
Will be her last Derby as she ages out, but she had a few bird finds and a good day!
Hunting Dog Classic Award
We have gotten a few titles and awards, but this one might be my favorite so far.
This placement doesn't go towards any title or points, but it means far more to me than that. The Hunting Dog Classic is run strictly on wild birds, in natural grouse and woodcock habitat, and is the closest to wild bird hunting you can get but still in a trial format.
We have spent ALOT of time in the woods learning how to handle wild birds, trusting the dogs to range out but still handling the change of directions and staying up front. We have had our ups and downs; Blazes derby year he was a man on mission, and most of the time that didn't include me in the picture, he over pressured birds, chased, and just was "a bit much". Over the course of the past year he has matured and its coming around for him.
Seeing the change I decided to enter him in this trial, and he blew me away. Stood steady on a 3-4 bird (woodcock) find with his bracemate backing, through multiple blank shots. It was a beautiful moment that I will remember for a lifetime, because all the hard work we have been putting in paid off in that moment! Blaze is my first bird dog, there's something so special about the "first" because he's suffered through all my learning and still shows up ❤️
Thankful for the Amateur club for offering this trial and for the beautiful placement plaque!!
Fresh Inukshuk restock!!!
NAVHDA training day, first duck search of the year, still work to be done here, but great day spent with wonderful people!!
Today was a marathon training day, lots of reps, several different dogs, and 2 different locations across Michigan.
Blaze is getting a well deserved break from the bird field for a few days, which means the girls get their turn!
Thor started swimming today...which led to developing into a baby dock diver when he followed River off the dock!
Fearless 5 month old!
Ellie has always had a ton of point, even as a puppy. We haven't done much work except for getting her to understand the word "whoa" outside of bird work.
She kind of stumbled into this bird on the wrong side of the wind, but we worked it anyways, her previous bird she pointed a mile away so this was far more tempting to move and she held it together beautifully!!!
What I mean by this is we trained her to stop moving on command, tossed bumpers and asked her to remain standing, and worked at stopping her forward movement while running, before ever asking her to do this on birds.
Transitioning to bird work this spring, in the woods on wild birds earlier and now in the field, we are seeing she is grasping the concept!
Exciting things for the girl who hasn't even turned 2 years old yet!!!
Thor got a little pigeon work too, hes learning fast!
Popping pigeons, back to some basics!
Last bird was shooter pigeon for Blaze.....I shot, twice, Blaze gave me the eye roll as it continued flying away.
AKC official: Rally Excellent title for Blaze!
We're prepping for higher level hunting tests this year, some days it's there, others it's not. Today was a good day!
Just working on consistency
NAVHDA training day!
We have some big goals this year for Blaze, he kind of took a back seat the last 2 years while I was getting River and Ellie started and through their NA tests.
This is Blazes year!
Ellie got out in the woods today, for her 1st hunting season last fall she is coming along nicely this spring! Fall season should be awesome!!
Another day, another wild bird adventure!
Things are clicking!!
Gladwin Cover Dog Hunting Dog stake 2024
Vs
Gladwin Cover Dog puppy 2021
We brought it back to where this bird dog thing began!
It's been a long road to get here, and still a long road to go, but very proud of the work we have done and of my Blazey Boy who showed up with his head screwed on today!
Pointed a group of 3 woodcock and held through flush and shot. Most importantly....he stayed with me on course in an appropriate distance!
Fresh Inukshuk restock!!
Contact us if you're in Central/Northern Michigan and need a resupply, just in time for spring training!
We're fueled and ready!!
It's getting towards the end of spring training on wild birds and we are making progress getting dogs steady!
We were able to go out with a few other dogs today and do some brace work, River and Grace made a really nice pair of dogs!
Also got Thor to see 2 more woodcock today, this time from Ellies point!
Blaze had ants in his pants today and got himself a few corrections for flushing the bird himself, it's not training if you're not fixing mistakes, yesterday he held point at 148yards and was steady for me for flush and shot...today....different story, but I know this will help put the pieces together!
River Novice Obedience
Blaze and River Rally Excellent
Rally and Obedience trial weekend!
Friday:
Blaze finished his Rally Excellent title with his last 2 runs being a 98 and 100, super proud of my boy!!! Now we get to start playing with the big dogs in the B class and working towards RAE and maybe Masters
River earned her first 2 Rally Excellent runs just needing 1 more to finish her title. I cost her 10 points by misreading a sign, and an extra 10pts for a down instead of a sit. And then I talked to her on her sit stay to get her leash and she stood up, costing 10pts (which had she not done she may have stolen Blazes 1st place ribbon because her time may have been faster)
Ellie walked into the Rally ring with my mom for the first time this weekend and tried out intermediate class, we still need to work on getting Ellie to focus with her instead of me, but she remained the happy girl she always is!
Saturday:
River competed in her first Novice Obedience trial, she did such a wonderful job. Earning 191pts and 1st place. Just need to remember those default sits.
https://fb.watch/qWKajub9P_/?mibextid=Nif5oz
Blaze's 5 seconds of fame 🤩
We got to play on the FULL turf for the first time tonight, it was such a great time!!!
Feathers and fur today
Ellie had a beautiful point on a grouse
Blaze had a few points on woodcock
River.....chased a rabbit, got her to woah, watched the bunny continue running and then trip and start flopping around, I walked over to find its front legs moving but no back end movements.....unfortunately it met the end of my blank pistol so it didn't sit and suffer. River retrieved and now we are home learning how to dress a rabbit.
First jumps of 2024!!
First woodcock finds of 2024 and multiple grouse, great day to be in the woods!!!
We are relaxing today, but couldn't sit still all day....so we broke out the sniffy sport!
This is the first time revisiting this in almost a year, awesome to see they haven't forgotten anything!!!
49667
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when NorthCountry GSP's posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Send a message to NorthCountry GSP's:
Thor started swimming today...which led to developing into a baby dock diver when he followed River off the dock! Fearless 5 month old!
Ellie has always had a ton of point, even as a puppy. We haven't done much work except for getting her to understand the word "whoa" outside of bird work. She kind of stumbled into this bird on the wrong side of the wind, but we worked it anyways, her previous bird she pointed a mile away so this was far more tempting to move and she held it together beautifully!!! What I mean by this is we trained her to stop moving on command, tossed bumpers and asked her to remain standing, and worked at stopping her forward movement while running, before ever asking her to do this on birds. Transitioning to bird work this spring, in the woods on wild birds earlier and now in the field, we are seeing she is grasping the concept! Exciting things for the girl who hasn't even turned 2 years old yet!!! @_gspca_ @navhdainternational #michiganhuntingdog #michiganbirddogs #uplandtraining
Thor got a little pigeon work too, hes learning fast!
Ellie got out in the woods today, for her 1st hunting season last fall she is coming along nicely this spring! Fall season should be awesome!!
