The leap from JH to MH tests in pointing breeds
By Sandra L. Hoesel © July 2004
Any of us who enjoy upland hunting have found a great way to combine our competitive spirit and extend our hunting season through one medium: The American Kennel Club Hunting Test for Pointing Breeds. As of this writing, there are three different levels which encompass the hunt test, each category rising in difficulty.
The Junior Hunter title is a degree attained by qualifying at 4 AKC Hunting Tests.
This level does require some training as the dog is required to point a bird long enough for a handler to get within normal gun range. The Junior dogs are typically younger and less experienced with birdwork and manners. However, the thrill of Junior dogs is watching them learn how to use their noses in different situations and make game.
My heart pounds every time I see a puppy in training go on point for the first time!
The Senior Hunter title commands the dog stand until the shot or he is sent for the retrieve. Training a dog to do this is not difficult, especially when the retrieve is the reward for waiting for the handler's command.
The dog also has to acknowledge his bracemate on point.
At this level, you are working your canine partner in more realistic hunting situations.
The pinnacle of the AKC Hunt Test is the Master Hunter title. At this level, the dog is a finished gun dog that demonstrates a strong desire to hunt, along with the intelligence to seek objectives and use the wind to his advantage. The dog
must point staunchly and hold the point until the bird is in the air, shot and sent by the handler to retrieve the bird. The dog must demonstrate absolute steadiness thru this sequence, with the handler sending the dog after the bird is down. The dog must then retrieve promptly and tenderly to hand, in addition to honoring their bracemate on point without any command from the handler when encountered.
Can you imagine the thrill of hunting or competing with a partner exhibiting these abilities?
This is why I train, handle and hunt over the pointing breeds.
You have to start somewhere. Many people get exposure to the hunt tests thru friends or their puppy's breeder at the Junior level. What a thrill to pick up your dog's first qualifying ribbon! This is usually the hook, however many people want to pursue higher levels of training and competing with their dogs, but are unsure of where and how to get this kind of information or help. People have a tendency to apologize for mistakes they've made with their dogs. This is great, but you can't be that hard on yourself. After all, you weren't born with this knowledge ... your dog was, but he doesn't know it either.
I was asked to write this article to help people gain a better understanding of making the long leap from Junior to Senior or Master levels. I have one blanket statement. Start training for Master the day the dog comes home. You say, "well ok, but I didn't know I wanted to go thru Master and he's been breaking point and chasing birds all thru training and competing at the Junior level." No problem my friend ...
Simply reset the expectation for the dog. Think about the end result of the task you want the dog to perform and how you can help him achieve that endeavor HAPPILY.
Did you teach him to wait before you set his food bowl down every morning? Great – that is a start. Employ those same techniques: behavior modification and the reward for that enhanced modified behavior. Your dog is an opportunist. Dogs quickly ascertain how to make you do what they want. You buy the dog food, therefore it's the other way around. The dog does what you want. No excuses, no beatings, no yelling needed. There's an old saying about every handler getting the dog they deserve.
Maybe I am oversimplifying the issues because I've trained many many dogs thru the Master title. However the biggest issue with dogs that have been allowed to chase is they have been allowed to do this, now you confuse them by telling them this is no longer acceptable. The dog is thinking, "but that's what you wanted me to do all along, I thought you were happy with me doing this".
Reset the expectation. Figure out what reward could be greater for the dog than chasing birds. Now a quick interjection on negative stimuli:
E-collar? Sure that's a possibility, but I can tell you that I spend lots of time (and people's money) undoing the damage done by somebody attempting to achieve a faster result without the right initiatives and ruining the dog. An e-collar is a tool, like any other piece of equipment, but the foundation must be in place first. That foundation is OBEDIENCE. Does anybody even remember the point of AKC Obedience exercises at the Novice, Open and Utility levels anymore? It was a demonstration of the dog's willingness to be a cooperative partner, however much has evolved from the field. Off-lead heeling, retrieves on the flat and over a high jump (fences), broad jump (ditch or stream), long down, directed jumping……all go back to the dog's usefulness as a hunting companion to some extent. This is what I adore about Master work. It is the exacting level of Utility, with many many more unknown variables thrown in for a good measure. Much more difficult to
train for and compete at Master than Utility. (Besides, you only need 3 qualifying legs to get a UD and probably won't have to be in a field in a snowstorm proving how good your dog is either).
Think about all the things you have taught your dog. Does he shake or roll over or dance or any other 'stupid pet tricks'? Beautiful! You obviously did something to positively encourage the dog to perform these behaviors on some command or signal…..and he wasn't born with that type of knowledge, but he does have instincts about finding birds and pointing. All dogs do. With field work we take very natural hunting behaviors and manipulate them into something we have
deemed to be much more useful. I have watched so many people make the mistake of taking the lead or check cord off the dog too soon. Do you start teaching the dog the heel command without the lead?
Probably not. Then why would you expect him to stand thru a bird flying up and away unless you have the ability to CONTROL the situation. If he moves, don't bother saying anything, simply put him back in his whoa stance in the same spot gently and tell him how wonderful he is. When he is standing absolutely still and hasn't even batted an eye when that bird goes up and he can "play statue" thru the shot, then give him the reward and send him. At that moment we don't care what kind of retrieve he can perform. We can chain that behavior up later.
Better yet, have somebody else hold the end of the lead (slack, no pressure on the collar) and YOU go retrieve the bird. My students get perturbed with me when I make them retrieve birds over and over when their dog is repeatedly breaking. I stand there smiling, holding the end of the lead and tell them what great marking and retrieving skills they have.
They all realize how quickly their dog "gets it" and puts this together, because their dog wants to be retrieving the bird, not watching the lord and master do it. To frame up how quickly a dog responds to this, most dogs with this problem respond positively within a few sequences of this exercise. Amazingly enough, they recall it the next time we work them. I typically do not see that type of quick modification and recall in dogs zapped with an e-collar.
I teach every dog each particular requirement seperately and don't put them together until the dog has demonstrated he is confident in what I expect of him at each phase.
I do not force break dogs. I teach them exactly what they need to know to retrieve anything back to my hand when I instruct them to. This goes for blind retrieves on land and water as well. I have people say to me all the time "well, you have to force break the dog or he'll decide to not retrieve one day". I emphatically state UNTRUE. Your dog is your companion, he trusts you. Don't break that trust by hurting him physically or emotionally. Who is the leader in the pseudo-pack hierarchy of your household or kennel? Dogs, children, horses all need leadership. If they don't get it from you, it will come from them.
How many times have your heard somebody complain that their dog growls at them when they try to get him off the couch. What? huh? Who makes the house payment and buys the dog food again?
All these pieces of information add up to one simple thing – be the leader, make the decisions for the dog in the beginning so it is consistently clear to him what your expectations are. Then, when it really counts, your dog will be able to make the right decision and you will bag that beautiful bird and/or qualifying ribbon. You and your dog will exhibit the kind of teamwork that it will give me great pleasure to award high scores for when I judge you at the Master level in a hunt test or award you first place in a field trial.
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