Lone Star Chapter Events
Description of Events

 

The Lone Star Chapter stresses the practice of hunter safety. So, if you are going to be actively participating, always bring and wear your blaze/hunter-orange hat &/or vest. If you do not have either, just ask a Lone Star Chapter member if you can borrow something.

About The "NA"

• FIELD PHASE - Simulated Hunt for minimum of 20 min. over varied terrain known to contain game. At 2 random points along course one blank round will be fired by a gunner to test dog's reaction (Not gun shy, Gun sensitive, Gun shy).
• TRACKING PHASE - A flightless pheasant/chukar is released in 8 inch cover out of dog's sight. After dog is on scent, handler is to remain motionless and silent. Dog must display eagerness and perseverance on track.
• WATER PHASE - Throw Chapter/Judges dummy into swimmable water. Must have willingness to swim twice.
• PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS - Teeth, Coat, etc.
• JUDGED THROUGHOUT - Nose, Desire, Cooperation
• (No game is shot and no retrieves are required)

Utility Preparatory Test

Is a test midway between NA and UT. Intended to help trainer measure a dog's progress towards UT.
No age restriction.

About The "UPT"

• WATER SEARCH - Pond/Marsh. Dead duck is placed in marsh out of presence of handler/dog; handler/dog approach. A blank shot fired, dog can leave with the shot. Retrieve not necessary unless finds duck. (minimum of 10 min allowed).
• WALK AT HEEL - Follow master at heel, 25 yard course with a bend.
• STEADINESS BY THE BLIND - Position dog by blind. Duck is thrown, Handler fires blank at duck. After distinct time handler commands to fetch.
• RETRIEVE OF DUCK - Swim through/around decoys; pick up duck; return to within reach of handler.
• FIELD SEARCH - Hunt for minimum of 25 min. over varied terrain known to contain game. Not required to be steady to shot.
• POINTING - Begins when point established. Ends when dog is aware of handler's presence.
• STEADINESS - Steady to flush, or at least allow handler to move in front to begin flush.
• RETRIEVE SHOT BIRD - With minimum of commands retrieve and return bird to within reach of handler.
• RETRIEVE OF DRAGGED GAME - 50 yards with latter part out of sight of handler. Dog must display willingness to find and retrieve.
• JUDGED THROUGHOUT - Use of nose; Desire to work; Cooperation; Obedience.

About The "UT"

• SEARCH FOR A DUCK - Pond/Marsh, 1+ acre with hiding vegetation. Out of dog's sight, wild species of duck rendered flightless, placed in water and allowed time to swim and hide. Blank shot fired and dog sent to find duck (minimum of 10 min allowed).
• WALK AT HEEL - Follow master at heel through zig zag of 10 trees/stakes.
• REMAIN BY BLIND - 6-10 decoys in front of blind. Place and leave dog in/near blind. Handler walks to hidden spot and fires 2 blank shotgun rounds. Dog should quietly await return of handler.
• STEADINESS BY THE BLIND - Handler enters blind and leaves dog outside. Gunner and handler each fire one shot. Gunner fires second shot. Thrower, launches dead duck. With duck in the air, handler fires second shot. After distinct time handler commands to fetch.
• RETRIEVE OF DUCK - Swim through/around decoys; pick up duck; return to "hand".
• FIELD SEARCH - Hunt for minimum of 30 min. over varied terrain known to contain game.
• POINTING - Begins when point established. Ends when dog is aware of handler's presence. (not a part of "Steadiness")
• STEADINESS - Steady to flush, to wing, to shot, to fall.
• RETRIEVE SHOT BIRD - On command retrieve to hand.
• RETRIEVE OF DRAGGED GAME - 100 to 200 yards with latter part out of sight of handler. Dog must display willingness to find and retrieve without influence of handler.
• JUDGED THROUGHOUT - Use of nose; Desire to work; Stamina; Cooperation; Obedience.

Formal training and review for upcoming tests. Held one to two months prior to the test dates. Instructions will be given on training and work a hunting dog in general. And of course, most importantly, how to train for the upcoming Natural Ability Test (NA) and the Utility Test (UT). There are many chances for questions and answers. Often you and/or your dog may be selected to demonstrate different training techniques. Many different phases of the NAVHDA Tests will be used to set stage, such as NA water or tracking and UT field work or duck searches. These weekends are great for both the experienced and novice trainers/dog owners. The instructor(s) is often both a professional trainer and a NAVHDA certified judge. Here you will hear pointers on training a hunting dog. You will learn how to first start training your puppy.
Who Should Attend?

• Anyone preparing for a NAVHDA test in general, or especially for the next Lone Star Test
• Owners, Handlers &/or Breeders desiring to expand their knowledge of versatile dogs & NAVHDA
• Soon To Be First Time Owners of a "versatile" dog. You will have a chance to see many different breeds up close and in action. You will have a chance to talk with experienced trainers and dog owners. Everyone is very friendly and will probably give you information not found in many books. You will get honest answers to any type and level of questions. You will make contacts with members who will happily talk/help you throughout your dogs development. Most importantly, you will form a sound basis, which will help you and your new "best friend" develop a lasting trusting relationship.

An educational tool to help dog owners and handlers understand the testing system. The clinics are conducted by designated trained leaders; all of whom are NAVHDA Senior Judges. During the two day clinic weekend, participants experience all aspects of a Natural Ability, Utility Preparatory, and Utility Test. The first few hours of each day is devoted to informal classroom instruction. There is discussion of Test mechanics, the scoring system and NAVHDA philosophy. The group then goes out to the field to judge and score dogs being run in the actual Test process. After each dog has run and been scored, there is a discussion of performance and scoring as observed by the participants and the clinic leader. The discussion includes strengths or weaknesses of training and handling observed in the demonstrations, and how they may have affected the dog's inherited skills.
Who Should Attend?

• People with their first pup see how other dogs work and gain insight into what their pup is doing and why. This helps them to develop their pup's talents and improve performance in weak areas.
• Novice handlers learn how NAVHDA evaluates versatile dogs, and are better prepared to handle their dogs in a test.
• Experienced handlers gain a deeper, more technical knowledge, of how the team of dog and handler are judged.
• Breeders learn what to look for in their breeding stock and their progeny, and how to use NAVHDA records obtained through the Test Information Service in selective breeding.
• For aspiring NAVHDA Judges, attending a Handler Clinic is one of the first steps in our Apprentice Judge Program

Less formal training & get together, sometimes organized via the Lone Star Chapter, at other times organized by individual members. The day or weekend may be dedicated to a specific training technique or may be just a general get together dedicated to the areas that the participants wish to cover.

If you are a Lone Star member and would like to be the lead organizer of a training clinic or day, just let us know. You may have a training site already or if you need some information on training sites we can give you some ideas. Perhaps you just want to let other members know where and when you are going to be out in the field.
You just tell us what you want to do and we will post the information and help you anyway we can.