Montana is for young dogs
The posture of Chet (May’s Pond Hank x Northwoods Stardust, 2024) on this staunch point is impressive, especially for a six-month-old puppy.
“There comes a time when it is absolutely necessary for the breaker to go afield with his dog and do nothing but let the dog develop.”
~ C. B. Whitford, Training The Bird Dog, 1908
The key word in the quote is develop. This isn’t the time to train the dog. It’s the time to let the dog learn without interference from the handler.
Further, it’s a time specifically for a young dog. Betsy and I believe this time is crucial for a young dog to figure out its purpose, to learn from the birds, to let it make mistakes around game and to get excited about hunting and finding birds.
Rudy (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023) chases a big covey of Hungarian partridge.
In addition to developing them, though, it’s a perfect time to evaluate a young dog in all sorts of ways—from seeing how it runs the country and uses its nose, how it acts when game is scented, whether it is bold or cautious. Also, it’s time to observe gait, carriage and the dog’s ability to orient to the handler.
All of that was the focus of my trip to Montana. The eight young dogs in my string ranged in age from five to 20 months. In the trailer also were Comet and Robin, two experienced bird dogs.
The dogs gained knowledge and experience and we all had a blast.
Cupid (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023) backs her dam, Comet (HOF CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2018).
Robin (Northwoods Rolls Royce x Northwoods Minerva, 2021), on left, and her daughter, Dilly (CH Woodville’s Yukon Cornelius x Northwoods Redbreast, 2024) share point on sharptails in front of a thornapple thicket.
The views are spectacular! Rudy (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023) backs Robin (Northwoods Rolls Royce x Northwoods Minerva, 2021).
Foxy (May’s Pond Hank x Northwoods Stardust, 2024) and her littermate, Chet, made the trip. Foxy had a nice find and point on huns.
In pretty late afternoon light, two five-month-old littermates out of CH Miller’s Upgraded Version x Northwoods Comet stand on a find. Tyler, owned by Josh Matel, is backed by our puppy, Dahlia.