Hunt Tests/Field Trials and real birds

[nimkii]

Ok to start I do train Abbie with wings and real birds, I kept a couple from last season in order to do this. My question though is why are real birds used in Hunt Tests and Field Trials as opposed to Dokken's or Avery style training birds. This question is purely curiosity.

[Anna Scott]

For one thing the cost of having enough Dokkens or Avery birds is prohibitive. Secondly they take weird bounces. Thirdly nothing can replace the feathers on a duck.

[AD18]

I know there has been several discussions in various places about switching to Dokkens and/or ATB's to keep PETA and the sort at bay. Everyone is fighting tooth and nail against it. The Super Retriever Series is using ATB's, but I think that is to make it more TV friendly and Avery is major sponsor. Price is also a factor, I was at Bass Pro yesterday and they wanted $38 a pop for a mallard Dokken. Use it for a 2-3 months, the head breaks/falls off, finished The $38 get you 3 real ones. Agree with previous post though, NOTHING can substitute for the real deal.

[luvmylabs]

Main reason I heard from a lot of the hunt test people was that these tests were supposedly to test a dogs hunting ability or fitness to be used as a hunting dog. How can you test that if the dog never has to pick up a duck? In field trials, main reason I heard was a) tradition b) hard for a dog to pin point some of these 400yd marks. Without a bird it would be a lot tougher and the dog deserves the reward of a bird after doing a mark like that. I have to agree with both views. what kind of a waterfowl dog are you going to have if he never is asked to pick up a bird until you take him hunting. Also if a dog goes out and steps on a long difficult triple or quad, I think he deserves to have a bird at the end of that run or swim. The attitude of the dog is better as well. Nothing happier than my girls after they are thrown a 250 or 300yd. mark and they bring that bird back, their tongues are lolling out and they bounce around like puppies.

Anne

[Kevin Hannah]

Just check on the NARHA sites or forums, any that are still around anyway.

Kevin