Training prior to the 2015 Invitational

[mmatteson56]

I'll be arriving at the invitational from the west coast on the Saturday evening before the test. I didn't realize that we can't train at Mingo until Wednesday when I booked my trip. I'm looking for opportunities to train on Sunday - Tuesday. Does anybody have any suggestions on where to train and acquire birds? I don't mind driving a few hours if I have to. Anybody want to join me?

[Duckdon]

I thought the NAVHDA Invitational was in Ohio?
Don and Crew

[Constructeur]

Your best bet is to email folks with the host chapter and get with them in regards to birds and training grounds.

[Scott Linden]

Duckdon, it is in Ohio, but much of the lodging is in WV, I'm told. We're staying there, making an episode about the Invitational.

[GWPtyler]

Your best bet is to email folks with the host chapter and get with them in regards to birds and training grounds.

Exactly.

Also check FB pages.

And do your best to keep in touch with the folks you line up! I had three or four brace/training sessions planned when I went to the innovational, and every one of them fell through at the last minute. Don't think it reflected on Remy's VC, but it sure upped my anxiety level!!

[Fun Dog]

And get some fake ducks. It took Lily some convincing that she was really supposed to pick up that rubber thing. She can barely get her mouth around it and it isn't soft and fluffy.

[GWPtyler]

And get some fake ducks. It took Lily some convincing that she was really supposed to pick up that rubber thing. She can barely get her mouth around it and it isn't soft and fluffy.

Sounds like a good piece of equipment to work into your FF routine.

[GRIFF MAN]

And get some fake ducks. It took Lily some convincing that she was really supposed to pick up that rubber thing. She can barely get her mouth around it and it isn't soft and fluffy.

Are you using the duck scent that they will be using at the invite ?

[GPBLITZ]

Word is Avery duck dummies might be used vs. Dokken since Avery is a sponsor. Avery's are made of allot harder material than Dokken's. Seen some dogs bulk a picking a Avery and have no problem picking up a Dokken dummy. Might want to pick up a few Avery's.

[GWPtyler]

Word is Avery duck dummies might be used vs. Dokken since Avery is a sponsor. Avery's are made of allot harder material than Dokken's. Seen some dogs bulk a picking a Avery and have no problem picking up a Dokken dummy. Might want to pick up a few Avery's.

Did it not specifically say in the announcement that they'd be using Dokken Dead Fowl trainers?? I swear I read that. If they do in fact use another brand, that probably needs to be communicated...

[blue04]

I would think that dogs at the Invitational level would not have much problem with picking up any type of dummy. I don't have an Invitational level dog, but I've FFd my own dogs using everything I could think of including water bottles, boat oars, solid frozen birds, etc., etc. I also intentionally use different types of bumpers (hard rubber, dokkens of various sizes, avery hexabumpers, soft canvas and firehose style bumpers) to get my dogs used to picking up anything I send them after. As a side note, the Avery hexabumpers are my favorite of all the types I've tried. They are the most durable bumpers I've found.

[GPBLITZ]

Did it not specifically say in the announcement that they'd be using Dokken Dead Fowl trainers?? I swear I read that. If they do in fact use another brand, that probably needs to be communicated...

Was handed down from a good source. This is what is printed on NAVHDA" s website ( Full-sized artificial "mallard" type dummies, injected with duck scent, will be used for the double mark retrieve and for the honor at blind ) . Avery is a event sponsor and thier product should be used. I'm sure if so international will clarify .

I would think that dogs at the Invitational level would not have much problem with picking up any type of dummy. I don't have an Invitational level dog, but I've FFd my own dogs using everything

There are those who do not FF and those that haven't put their hound through a gammet of dummies and so on. Just a little heads up . l like being on top of things.

[mmatteson56]

Word is Avery duck dummies might be used vs. Dokken since Avery is a sponsor. Avery's are made of allot harder material than Dokken's. Seen some dogs bulk a picking a Avery and have no problem picking up a Dokken dummy. Might want to pick up a few Avery's.

Did it not specifically say in the announcement that they'd be using Dokken Dead Fowl trainers?? I swear I read that. If they do in fact use another brand, that probably needs to be communicated...

It said in the email communicated to the participants that they will be Dokken. "Full-sized Mallard Dokken dummies, injected with duck scent, will be used for the double mark retrieve and for the honor at blind"

The NAVHDA facebook page just says "Full-sized artificial "mallard" type dummy injected with duck scent, will be used for the double mark retrieve and for the honor at blind".

It would suck if they changed it because I just dropped $50 on two Dokken dummies. He'll pickup anything but I would feel better dry running it before the actual test.

[mmatteson56]

I contacted members of the Buckeye NAVHDA chapter. One of them recommended Highlandtown Wildlife Area, which is about 50 miles north of Mingo Springs. I'm will find out the rules for training there and post an update. If anybody is interested in joining me, give me a holler.

[GWPtyler]

I would think that dogs at the Invitational level would not have much problem with picking up any type of dummy. I don't have an Invitational level dog, but I've FFd my own dogs using everything I could think of including water bottles, boat oars, solid frozen birds, etc., etc. I also intentionally use different types of bumpers (hard rubber, dokkens of various sizes, avery hexabumpers, soft canvas and firehose style bumpers) to get my dogs used to picking up anything I send them after. As a side note, the Avery hexabumpers are my favorite of all the types I've tried. They are the most durable bumpers I've found.

Agreed 100 percent. However, Devil's advocate: they are extra careful to communicate every aspect of the invitational (in 2013 they went out of their way to explain how the birds for the marked would come from right to left instead of left to right as in previous years...which I thought was hilarious because what dog at that level cares what direction a duck falls??) so even slight differences int he type of dummy used (hard plastic vs. foam) may be enough to cause backlash.

IMHO, with dogs at that level it shouldn't make a hill of beans difference. I'd find it way more interesting if they kept that stuff under wraps until the day of the test! But some folks' underwear is pretty well lodged up their keisters even before the invite.

Then again, screw the squeaky wheels. I'm all about majority rules.