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.

Tracking Jackrabbits in the Desert

We took Artus out a couple of times this week. He's learning to adjust his search patterns based on the terrain we are working in. In the trees he sticks closer to me and when we are out on the desert he ranges out farther. Nothing I've done has taught him this, he just picks it up on his own as he gets more exposure.

One part of the VJP (the spring test for Drahthaars) is the hare track. In it, your dog is judged on how well it tracks a rabbit. We took Artus out yesterday and luckily found several. This was his first time tracking them specifically and he did good. It's fun to watch him work the track out and when he hits the scent he really takes off. It was about 75 degrees and a wind was blowing but he tracked well despite that. We'll work on ranging out farther as we continue to train. He was overheating by the time we were done but would still get up and go when I asked him to. I admire the drive in this dog.

It's hard to get good pics of him with my cell phone camera but here are a few. I'm also posting links to several videos from when we worked in the water last week.
I haven't figured out how to correctly post links from my Photobucket account to my blog using my phone yet so for now, the three boxes with question marks in them will have to do. They are the video links.















Here's a few of him just being a puppy around the house.

Introduction to Water

We live on a ranch with frontage along the Snake River. Lately the river has been running high with the spring runoff and flooding in areas. Kaci and I took the dogs down to play in the water and see if we could get Artus to go for a swim. The kids came along too and everyone had a great time. Once Artus figured out the water wasn't going to hurt him he was a natural. I forgot to bring training bumpers so I used sticks. I just threw the sticks farther each time and eventually he started swimming for them. Also, there were several times he caught the scent of something and it was like a switch was turned on. He started tracking and was all business. He followed some raccoon tracks for a while too. I have some pictures to go with it. Enjoy.









He's in this pic! He's the black dot way out in the water!














Aili played in the water too:

Pigeons, Roadkill, and Controlled Hunts

We've moved now and Artus is having a good time learning to live on the farm. It's nice to have access to a field out back to let the dogs run. We've added another dog to the pack. Kaci's Shiloh Shepherd has come to live with us. She was being kept in Utah with a friend while we were living in an apartment. She and Artus get along pretty good, meaning she puts up with his puppy antics.

I have some roller pigeons that have been at my in-laws' house and they will be coming out to the farm this week. Today I took one and braided it's wings and put it out in the yard for Artus to find it. I put Artus on a long lead and when he found it I made him "whoa" until he held a point and didn't just rush in. Then I let him get the bird and bring it to me. We did it a couple of times. He didn't really want to give the pigeon up but eventually he did. He acted like light bulbs were going off in his head. He loved having a bird in his mouth. This is a great thing.

Another thing we've worked on is drags with wings or animals. We found a squirrel that had been hit in the road the other day so we tied a string on it and drug it through the yard and had Artus look for it. He is doing a decent job with that too.

He is getting much better at coming when called and heeling. Lots of people recognize him and give him lots of attention when we go to town.

On another note, I put in for controlled hunts (I got lucky and was just in time for the deadline.) I'm hoping to get my first deer this year. I made sure I applied for a late hunt so I could hunt deer after my layoff for the winter.

Unfortunately I don't have many pics this time so these will have to do.

Alleviating Boredom

We have been very busy remodeling a house that we're moving into and as a result, Artus has been very bored lately. I have been feeling bad about not doing much with him so today I took him with me to the farm and took him out to the fields. He had a nice point on a couple of doves (ignored a couple that flushed right next to him too). He also flushed several ducks and pointed them after they flew. It's pretty amazing to watch him learn to use his nose. I took some pics while we were out. It will be nice when we're all moved in and I can just walk outside and run him in the field where we live.

Shooting Clay Pigeons and Moving to the Farm

Just a short update this week. We have been working on cleaning and remodeling a house we're going to move into on a farm in Firth and haven't had lots of time to get Artus out on hikes. He's been learning to get along with the dogs on the farm and stay away from cows.

I went with some friends to shoot clay pigeons this morning and the boys came with me because Kaci was working. They're pretty tough kids because it was cold and windy but they would rather watch from the tailgate of a truck than sit in the Jeep. We had a great time and I didn't do too shabby shooting clay pigeons.

Here's some pics from today along with a video link of Artus playing with some of his chew toys at home.





Link to Artus video: