The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast

Have you ever had to put a testing or trialing goal on hold, or give up on it altogether? In this episode, I talk about my recent experience pulling Lanka from the NAVHDA Gun Dog Test, despite the fact that I had been training for it all summer. Sometimes you have to give up on your goals and that's okay. I give some other examples of this and also discuss the importance of not comparing yourself to other people. -- The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is part of the HerUpland Podcast Network.

As part of the HerUpland family since the beginning of this podcast in 2023, it was fun to have a conversation with Brandy Elrod, a HerUpland Board Member, Co-Chair for Partnerships, Communications Chair, and wingshooting instructor! We primarily chatted about HerUpland's dog training camps and how they offer both new and experienced handlers ways to progress their training. Attending one of these camps is more than just training your dog. There's plenty of opportunity to meet other like-minded women, learn about safely shooting a shotgun, and feel comfortable asking even the "dumb" questions! After listening to this, if you'd like to attend one of HerUpland's dog training camps, the 2027 schedule will be announced after the beginning of the year. You reach Brandy directly at [email protected] or for general inquiries, email [email protected].  The hunting information website I mentioned at the beginning of the episode is huntintel.info.  ---- The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is part of the HerUpland Podcast Network. 

What do bird dog people do when it's too hot for much of anything and there's no bird dog events? Keep training! In this episode, Jessica Predom and I bring you three updates we recorded throughout the summer, in May, July, and the end of August, to talk about what we've been working on with our dogs, what's gone well, and what's challenged us along the way. We discuss retrieve training, heeling, steadiness, and conformation. One of the interesting discoveries this summer was how much stacking for the conformation ring can actually complement steadiness training. I've also been working on retrieving and heeling with Lanka, with plenty of progress (and a few bumps in the road) along the way. This episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how our training evolved over several months and how we adjusted as we went. If you're wondering what you can work on with your bird dog when it's too hot to run them outside, this episode has plenty of ideas.  You can find Jessica on Instagram at @ridge_thevizsla.  -- The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is part of the HerUpland Podcast Network. 

  Ashley talks with me about her journey from originally getting a Braque Francais for agility to becoming fully immersed in the bird dog world. Like many of us, she didn't grow up hunting. She currently has two dogs: Peaks, her 5 year old Braque, and Valley, her 1 year old German Shorthaired Pointer. She is currently involved in with NAVHDA, AKC hunt tests, AKC field trials, and is now an avid wild hunter.    You can follow Ashley on Instagram at @trail_feather. -- The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is part of the HerUpland Podcast Network and is sponsored by onX Hunt.

Gear for you and your bird dog. What do you actually need versus what is a "nice to have"? In this episode I cover the essentials for bird dog training, as well as running field trials, hunt tests, or wild bird hunting. In the intro, I mentioned AKC's new retrieve test for pointing breed field trials. The full rules can be accessed at https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Communication-Stand-Alone-Ret-Test-in-PBFT.pdf. -- The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is sponsored by OnX Hunt and part of the HerUpland Podcast Network.