Training Day with Hickory Run and Luna's intro to birds!

Spinone 

It's always nice spending time with like minded individuals. People who love their hunting dogs to a pseudo unhealthy level and would rather spend their weekend in the field helping both friends and strangers accomplish their sporting dog goals. Jim and I spent a good portion of our day yesterday with the fine folks from the Hickory Run Chapter of NAVHDA doing just this.

Look at that Weim face!

We trained at a state gamelands location in Foegelsville, PA which is not far from where we live. Cleo had a beneficial day getting to work birds in a new location. She stayed steady through the shot and fall on all of her birds without Jim whoaing her or saying a word. It was especially gratifying that both birds were running and she never budged. Her retrieves were less then perfect with her stopping halfway to re-adjust before delivering them to hand. So its back to the table but overall she had a nice day in the field. We brought 8 week old Luna with us as it gave her some socialization with other people. She did great with everyone holding and loving her.

Cleo on point

Retrieving a chukar

As always it was a pleasure getting to see other gun dog breeds work. I was rather surprised at the number of Griffon Hair Pointers in attendance not just in our group but the other group as well. There was also weimeraners and spinones in addition to GSP's.

A Griff at work

A lovely Weim doing her thing

After we left the training day we introduced little Luna to her first Chukar! We decided to give her a dead chukar that had been shot over her big sister earlier in the day. She loved it. She buried her nose into it, picked it up, shook it and would trot around with it in her mouth. Jim and I would take it and throw it a few feet and she would hop after it and bring it right back. A few times Jim would toss it without allowing Luna to see where it went and after a few seconds she would sniff about and go and find it. It was awesome to watch the gears turning!

A little headshake

Nom Nom Nom....

The retrieve!

We originally wanted to introduce her to quail but due to bird shortages all we could get were chukars. In the next week or so we will give her a restrained live Chukar. Here are a few pics of Luna walking through the state games lands.

Check us out and like us on facebook at Adventures of a German Shorthaired Pointer.