Spring Pointing Test..... Working Dogs

Ok so I've entered Oscar into a Pointing test this Saturday. Total madness as he's not really good enough due to my mobility and the resulting lack of training. But hey ho, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Has anyone else ever done one? Anyone have any tips???

Tie a straight stick to his tail?

Sorry no tips except push in some last minute training if you can...

Not something I have done, only done GWT and the Working Gundog certificate, so totally different. Good Luck

I've been to a couple and I am doing some more soon.
Basically just hunting in a pattern, holding a point, flush on command and sit to flush, I know it's easier to say than do but they won't expect perfection espcially if the dog is young it is partly to to see what natural ability the dog has. Make sure your going in to the wind, if the dog does not find a bird on it's first run it may get a second run. The dog gets a minute to settle and get off hunting before they look at grading it. Best to keep whistling etc to a minium but obviously do what you have to. They prefer you turn your body and walk the direction you want the dog to turn while it's hunting, rather than hand signals like some one told me to do and I then made a right pr*t of my self and have changed what I do.

Enjoy it and relax there is always bound to be a dog or two out of controll, judges normally give some good advice after your run if you need help (well they have done to me).

I know some of what I written is quite obvious but HTH.

Oh and take a packet of sweets or something you're going to be walking around for a while and it's nice to have something to share.

I went and had a look at one, funnily enough it was organised by the HWVA and held in Leicestershire. Dogs dont have to be KC reg which i've only just found out!

I think it's something like adult dogs only get graded on partridge so if they point a stack of pheasants but no partridge they arent taken into account!

It's not something i've thought about entering with Flynn because i've always thought his hunting was quite weak. The dogs I watched were all ranging very far out and i've always had trouble getting Flynn to go at any distance to me. If he catches a scent he's willing to go the distance but for general quartering he's too concerned about where I am. He isnt a die hard hunter anyway and doesnt really look for game, only when he winds something.

There was alot of standing about involved, that much I did learn! Take some binoculars with you as well if you want to see what the other dogs are getting up to because you wont be able to see well with the naked eye.

Thanks.

I attended a few training sessions with a FT trainer and her advice was "keep your hands in your pockets and your gob shut", good advice I think! I'm 6th in the running order so at least I'll get it over with quite quickly!

This is a grouse pointing test, but I think there are some restrictions with adults still?

Oscar's weakness is his lack of willingness to range out wide and this will be my main problem I think. HWV are quite well known for this though, so hopefully they'll be gentle. He's OK once he gets going, but this can take ten minutes sometimes! That said he is steady and will sit to the whistle so hopefully he won't get chucked for being out of control!

Wish some one had told me that before I did my first SPT

Am I right in thinking they are looking for the dogs natural ability to hunt and style, not steadiness or brilliant control? I'm sure somebody told me it doesnt really matter if they chase a hare or rabbit, as long as they dont disappear off the planet!

Let us know how you get on and good luck.

Thanks.

I think the dogs have to be under control, otherwise they aren't allowed to run?

HWVA Schedule

Ah, they are judged on their steadiness but dont get eliminated. That definately counts Flynn out then!

How'd Oscar do?

He was a nightmare!

It turns out my dog is too steady! Bloody typical! There was so much more scent than he's used to his poor nose just couldn't handle it!

So now I have to work on letting him run after things shock as he's too reliant on me apparently.

We didn't get graded, obviously, but we got a couple of runs and he had about 5 good points so it was a worthwhile day. Met some lovely people and was surrounded by Wire Vizsla's so can't complain!

Well done not all bad then, I find I learn so much from going to these sort of things, our viz has taken a whle to get going but still needs to go some more but the more he does the more he learns. I have seen one viz that literally would not leave his owners heals and was really stuck to her. My GSP was too steady as well and I was worried at the time but with a bit more expirence is now going alright at the mo not out of control (quite yet!) he was flying across the fields today and scented a cock bird from quite a distance which I was quite pleased with.

Good luck with yours sure he'll get going the more he does.