[vizslandobes]

Today Grady and I headed out to a Hunt trail. This was my first time ever seeing a sporting dog event, let alone hunting! I would love to work him if he has the drive!
Afterwards he got some work on birds and had a ton of fun. While he still doesn't connect the scent to FUN flying birds, he did point, flush and even retrieved one back to the trainer!

Here are some pictures from the day. The last V is his grandmother on the sire's side, and the one before her is a daughter from a different sire than my puppy's father.

http://picasaweb.google.com/amanda.baerwaldt/HuntPictures#

 

[Islander]

Love the photos.... looked like a lot of fun even though I'm not a hunter.
Dogs doing what they love, the great outdoors, learning something new!
Yep I think you had a great day. Thanks for sharing the day with all of us.

 

[gunnr]

If he pointed, flushed and retrieved, he has the instinct.
Hunt trials are difficult for young dogs, and dogs being introduced to game. There is so much scent on the ground from planted birds, foot scent of running birds, dog scent and human scent, that it can be sensory overload for them.
Given enough chances to improve his game, he'll do fine. He'll stop following unproductive scent trails, and focus on hot scent. His head will come up, and he'll get his nose off the ground following foot scent. At trials it's difficult because there isn't much air scent from planted birds.
Live quail can be kept in small numbers and take up very little space. Get a dozen, or two, quail and keep them in a chicken tractor with a recall chute to keep working him. If you have a yard, you have enough space.

 

[vizslandobes]

Thanks! I have to see what city ordinances are on this