Training, Water Work, and Meeting a Coyote

We've been doing a lot with Artus along with all the other things that keep us busy. I've been working some crazy hours lately but we still make time to do some training. Hunting season is getting close and we're just about ready for it. I just wish I could find an area with lots of wild birds to practice pointing on.

Two Saturdays ago, I went down to a VGP training day in Logan, Utah. There were three dogs there from the "A" litter vom Barenwald. They looked really good and it was a real eye opener for me to see all the work that goes into training for the VGP. The VGP is the "finished dog" test for Drahthaars and it is a pretty big deal. The guys there let me do a blood track with Artus and we showed him a (dead) fox as well. Those were new things for him. Something I notice and like about Drahthaars: We unloaded eight of them and they were all checking each other out but there was no posturing or fighting. Impressive to me. My wife and sons came down too and they had a good time shooting pellet guns and checking out the forest.

When we left there, we took the boys to Bear Lake. It's on the border of Idaho and Utah. We had fun playing in the water and Artus swam like an otter. He also did a lot of retrieves with a Frisbee I borrowed from some people there.

Yesterday, I took him just outside of Idaho Falls to look for more birds. We were walking up a hill when he disappeared fifty yards to my left. I kept walking thinking he was just ranging out farther. Then I heard him on the trail of something about fifty yards farther in a straight line from where I had last seen him. I called for him but kept hearing the "sight loud" sound. Then that stopped and I saw a dust cloud. I ran down the hill in time to see a coyote race away and Artus chasing it. I called him off after a short chase of about fifty feet. He didn't get bit or injured and wasn't scared one bit.

Today we did some retrieving work with him in the canal. He does really well. It's hard to believe he's only six months old.

First video:


Second video:

Searching for Grouse

It's been hard to update my blog the last couple of weeks. I work road construction so I've had some crazy hours and have been gone a lot.

Kaci and I took the kids to Spencer, Idaho last week and we all had a great time. We were hoping to get Artus into some grouse but no such luck. It wasn't from a lack of trying on his part though. There are some more areas with birds that I plan on taking him soon. Hopefully we can get him onto some soon. He points all birds he sees, I just want to get him into an area he can really get his nose full of them and show him what I want.

I've never gotten so many comments about a dog I've owned in the past. Everywhere we go people want to stop and talk to me about him. He really is a striking dog with a great personality. He gets along great with other people and dogs.

I started looking for a new upland bird vest a while back. I wanted it to be hydration compatible without having to carry water bottles for me or the dog. (Camelbak style) I found one through Badlands and ordered it. A friend of mine who works there gave me a great deal. It came in the mail the other day and I can't wait to get out and use it. Here's a link to the vest I bought: http://www.badlandspacks.com/index.php?go=Packs_Other02

A few pics from the hike we went on for grouse. One video too. In the video, Artus had been eating something nasty and kept trying to out his nose on Kaci. It's pretty funny. Once again, I'm not sure how else to post videos so the link is the question mark icon.