Puppy training: what’s better than that?

Our three males out of CH Woodville’s Yukon Cornelius x Northwoods Redbreast, Beech, Roy and Jack, basically share point on a pigeon in a releaser.

Timing, as the saying goes, is everything. This year, Jerry and I are not only fortunate to have 10 puppies from two setter litters and one pointer litter, but all are at exactly the perfect age to begin training. We introduce them to the bird field, take them on walks and expose them to other aspects for their future as bird dogs.

PUPPY FIRST POINTS
These are no-pressure walks in the bird field to bring out a puppy’s pointing instincts in a natural manner through bird contact. We want the puppy to become confident, bold and accustomed to gunfire.

PUPPY WALKS
On a warm afternoon last weekend, Jerry and I took our six four-month-old puppies (CH Woodville’s Yukon Cornelius x Northwoods Redbreast) for a walk on a nearby pasture. The buttercups and orange hawkweed were blooming, the ponds were full and butterflies provided fun things to chase. Yet even on this seemingly simple walk, the puppies learned.

They learned to turn on a whistle, run to the front and go with us. The puppies found water independently and all six not only drank but splashed in far enough so they swam. They were also reinforced on the “HERE” command several times.

TIME ON A STAKEOUT CHAIN
When our puppies are eight weeks old, we always put brightly colored collars on them. When they became comfortable with their collars, we clipped them to a stakeout chain. They all struggled at first—some more than others—but they all learned to give in, to be comfortable with restraint and ultimately to relax. 

Front to back: setters Chestnut and Foxglove (May’s Pond Hank x Northwoods Stardust) and pointers Peony and Dahlia (CH Miller’s Upgraded Version x Northwoods Comet).

Front to back: Our six puppies out of CH Woodville’s Yukon Cornelius x Northwoods Redbreast: Daffodil, Roy, Beech, Violet, Jack and Miley.

RETRIEVING
Puppies are eager to please which makes retrieving an easy exercise at a young age. Jerry and I always start with tossing a tennis ball or retrieving dummy in the kennel office. But soon, Daffodil (CH Woodville’s Yukon Cornelius x Northwoods Redbreast), below, progressed to retrieving a freshly killed quail in the field.

Our winter training on a bobwhite quail plantation

Ten-month-old Cupid shows beautiful, high-headed style when she accurately points a covey on a chopper trail at the edge of a block.

After spending two brutal winters in Minnesota, Betsy and I decided to go back to the bobwhite quail plantations of the Red Hills region of the Southeast. We missed not only the mild weather but the training opportunities on wild birds and the friendships we had formed at several of the plantations.

So in mid-November, we made lists and packed up everything we’d need for five months. Besides 16 dogs of various ages (12 years to seven months) and two crates of pigeons, the lists included training equipment, office files and supplies, books, clothes and boots. Some 1,500 miles later, we landed at our home for the winter, Meander Plantation in Monticello, Fla.

*****

When it comes to finding and pointing birds on the wild bobwhite plantations of southwestern Georgia/northern Florida, it’s not about the dog’s range but rather how thoroughly it hunts the ground. This is in stark contrast to most suppositions about big running quail dogs.

Backing—or honoring another dog on point—can be confusing. It sure looks like Sweep (in front on the chopper trail) was first to the birds with the others backing. But Sweep pointed where the birds had been while Cupid (in center) had the birds accurately pointed. Either way, Queen had a nice back.

The key is the maintenance of these many-thousand-acre plantations. They are meticulously groomed in a checkerboard pattern with six-foot-wide mowed strips separating 24’ x 24’ blocks of quail cover. These blocks hold quail, often at mind-boggling densities of eight coveys per hour.

But when the conditions are tough or the birds aren’t moving, the coveys can be extremely difficult for a dog to find; and this is precisely when experienced grouse dogs shine. These dogs hunt every step and exhibit a naturally forward, quartering pattern. They hunt the blocks of cover at the ideal range of about 100 yards on either side of the hunting course.

All are ready and waiting for Jerry at the breakaway: Lyon, on left, Stardust and Strut, Jerry’s horse.

The winter was ideal for working dogs—and not only because the temperatures were the coolest we’d experienced in 10 years. Our puppies learned how to find and point bobwhites early in the season when the birds were more plentiful and less spooky. They had gained proficiency by January and February when the birds started to run or flush wild.

With both our own and client-owned seasoned dogs, we had one of our strongest hunting/guiding strings. No matter which plantation we hunted, our dogs regularly pointed as many birds as the plantation dogs and frequently out-birded the best of their kennel.

At eight years of age, Hercules has found and pointed many wild birds—both in quail country and in his home state of Montana. His polish, stance and confidence are stunning.

Our string, in mostly alphabetical order, included the following dogs.
Charlotte Bronte (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022)
Comet (HOF CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2018)
Confidante (HOF CH True Confidence x Red Sunshine)
Della (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2018)
Dixie (CH Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Carbon, 2016)
Dublin (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Nickel, 2018)
Four Roses (CH Rufus Del Fuego x Northwoods Valencia, 2021)
Hercules, Madrid and Stardust (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016, 2018, 2019)
Lyon (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Minerva, 2018)
Penny (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen 2013)
Rolls Royce (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2013)

It’s not only fun to gang run puppies, but it’s a good training tool as they learn from each other. From left: Queen, Molly and Cupid.

For part of the season, three owners sent their puppies from last year’s breeding of 2X RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly. Layla, Molly and Tinkerbell joined Queen, the female we kept, and those four had a ball together. They were fun to train, fun to run and gratifying to watch mature.

With countless bird contacts, young Eddie matured from a puppy into an outstanding derby over the winter.

Also joining us for training sessions were several very nice young dogs.
Eddie (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023)
Enni (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022)
Flirt and Hope (HOF CH True Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2021)

Rounding out our southern kennel were several puppies that Betsy and I own.
Boots (2X RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Northwoods Stardust, 2023)
Bunny (CH Ponderosa Mac x Northwoods Redbreast, 2022)
Cupid and Rudy (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023)
Sweep (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023)

Birds other than bobwhites are prevalent in the region and exciting to see. We regularly had eight pairs of cardinals at our feeder.

Littermates Queen, Molly and Tinkerbell (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly)

Northwoods Fallset Hope (HOF CH True Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2021)

Northwoods Snow Swept (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023) 

Northwoods Confidante (HOF CH True Confidence x Red Sunshine, 2022)

Like mother, like daughter

Northwoods Vixen, on left, and her pregnant daughter, Northwoods Comet, watch for rabbits.

Northwoods Vixen (CH Westfall’s Black Ice x Northwoods Prancer) and her daughter by HOF CH Rock Acre Blackhawk, Northwoods Comet, have always been house dogs.

As eight-week-old puppies, they were brought into the house where they learned to get along with our other house dogs–older setters and May, our Labrador. They were house-broken and, after sleeping in crates at night, they graduated to sleeping on dog beds alongside the older dogs.

Vixen and Comet spent days in the kennel and they received the same training as all our bird dogs. They were hunted in the grouse woods of Minnesota and in the southeastern piney woods on bobwhite quail. They’ve also both starred in Jerry’s guiding strings—whether at Bowen Lodge on the shores of Lake Winnibigoshish or at various quail plantations. Too, they hunted sharptails and Huns on the prairies of North Dakota and Montana.

Around the house, Vixen and Comet are a perfect two-some, much like a cashmere twin set. They are two beautiful, classic peas in a pod.

Northwoods Atlas, Big Big Energy and Northwoods Cedar Edge win prestigious awards

2X RU-CH Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel) is owned and handled by Greg Johnson of Superior, Wis.

Something extraordinary occurred when the Minnesota/Wisconsin Dog of the Year trophies for open shooting dogs and derbies were announced on Sunday, April 28, in Moose Junction, Wis.

A father/son duo won their respective awards.

2X RU-CH Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel) won what is officially called the Purina Pro Plan Cover Dog of the Year Award/Shooting Dog. Atlas (call name Jet) is owned and handled by Greg Johnson of Superior, Wis.

Big Big Energy (Northwoods Atlas x Clover Valley’s Millie) is owned and handled by Jordan Pharris of Brainerd, Minn.

Big Big Energy (Northwoods Atlas x Clover Valley’s Millie) won the Purina Pro Plan Dog of the Year Award/Derby. Big (call name Lotto) is owned and handled by Jordan Pharris of Brainerd, Minn. Lotto was bred by Jerry Furnish of Two Harbors, Minn. and whelped in April 2023, and so is truly a puppy.

Both awards, sponsored by the Minnesota Grouse Dog Assoc. and the Chippewa Valley Grouse Dog Assoc., honor a winning body of work spanning months. Beginning last fall and including this spring, points for trial placements in open and amateur stakes held in Minnesota and Wisconsin are recorded and tallied.

Jerry and I are extremely proud not only of Jet but of Greg’s handling of him. Jet is a son of Northwoods Grits—a product of Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis, one of our best nicks. Grits inherited the best from both parents and was renowned for his stamina, desire, bird finding and, yes, grit.

Jet’s dam, Northwoods Nickel, is a daughter of our most prolific producer of field trial winners, Northwoods Chardonnay. Chardonnay herself was no slouch. She was out of another of our top nicks—Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice—and won the Dog of the Year Award/Derby in 2011. Nickel’s sire was CH Shadow Oak Bo, the only setter to win back-to-back National Championships. Nickel offers intelligence, coolness and a long, strong, graceful gait.

Besides the honor of winning, Greg and Jordan received traveling trophies that I think are among the classiest in the world of cover dog field trials. Stunning pieces of etched glass slide into chunky walnut bases where the winning dogs and handlers’ names are engraved.

Minnesota-Wisconsin Amateur Dog of the Year Awards

About 10 years ago, the two clubs began similar awards for amateurs: Minnesota-Wisconsin Amateur Shooting Cover Dog of the Year and Minnesota-Wisconsin Derby Cover Dog of the Year. The trophies for both are big, beautiful, shiny cups.

Jet was a double winner that day. He also won the shooting dog award so Greg had even more hardware to bring home.

Northwoods Cedar Edge (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar) is owned by Eric and Lindsey Saetre of Holyoke, Minn.

The derby trophy was won by Northwoods Cedar Edge (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar). Edge (call name Enni) is owned by Eric and Lindsey Saetre of Holyoke, Minn., and handled by Eric.

Enni has a distinguished pedigree. Her dam is Northwoods Cedar (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon), a talented dog also owned and run in field trials by Eric and Lindsey. Even when Cedar was young, she caught our eye and we knew we wanted to breed her. Cedar is out of a breeding we repeated three times and one of our finest nicks.

When Jerry and I bred Cedar, we chose Scout, owned by Steve Snyder of Ellendale, Minn., as the sire. Scout is a champion grouse dog and Scout’s sire, 8X CH Ponderosa Mac, is the winningest dog ever in grouse trials.

Hearty congratulations to all dogs and handlers!

Two key ideas for your dog’s health: dog care and dog log

The dog cards for Royce and Vixen:  Royce (age 10) now has 12 cards stapled together and Vixen (age 12) has 15.

There will be no admonition about the importance of a healthy dog in this post. Nor will there be finger-pointing about overweight dogs, a too-common issue.

Rather this piece is about performing a simple monthly routine and keeping track of your dog’s health. You might say, “I know all that,” but when questioned, you can’t remember when your female came into heat, mumbling “Sometime last August, I think. Or maybe July.”

Truly, Jerry and I know. For no matter the number of dogs you own, it is, practically speaking, impossible to remember all pertinent information regarding your dog’s health—from something as simple as whelp date to specific issues, vaccinations, injuries, surgeries and medications.

To accomplish this, we recommend monthly Dog Care for each dog and always keep a log.

Begin monthly Dog Care
On about the same date each month, set aside about 20 minutes for what we simply call Dog Care. This is a focused time to thoroughly examine your dog—independent from petting it while you read the newspaper after a hectic day.

• Weigh, using a scale.
• Check ears, eyes, inside mouth, teeth, paws, pads, toe nails.
• Feel body for scrapes, hair mats, ticks, other bumps and bruises.
• Trim nails and dew claws as necessary.
• Administer medications (heartworm and flea/tick medication) as necessary.

Keep of log—by dog—of all pertinent information
For each dog, Jerry and I use 8” x 5” heavy-duty index cards and staple the most current card on top. Vixen (age 12) has 15 cards now and Royce (age 10) has 12. A notebook kept by the kennel or in the feeding area could work. Creating something online could also be an option.

We record all health-related issues by date. (This should be easy because you’re now doing monthly Dog Care, right?) You can jot down weight, any issues and meds administered. Also note seemingly insignificant issues, such as vomiting or diarrhea. We also record trips to the vet, vaccinations and heat cycle dates.

Feeding amounts & weight issues (Sophie’s card)
Part of our monthly dog care includes weighing each dog. While we can usually catch weight issues—whether too thin or too heavy—by looking and feeling, weighing a dog is irrefutable evidence of a problem. If too thin, we increase amounts or feed twice per day. If too heavy, we cut back amounts or move to lower calorie food.

Trips to the vet (Sophie’s card)
For all trips to the vet, we note the diagnosis and any prescribed medications—including dosage and administration instructions. This information can be useful if the same problem occurs on the same dog or another dog.

Vaccinations (Queen’s card)
I know most people simply rely on their vet to track vaccination dates and send out reminder postcards but why not know exactly when your dog’s last Rabies vaccination was given?

Day #1 of heat cycle (Dusty’s card)
The is good information to note for short-range and long-range reasons. It’s important to get a feel for timing of your dog’s cycles and then be able to gauge when the next cycle will be. Too, since several of our females have had false pregnancies (symptoms include not eating well and swelling of mammary glands), the behavior is easily explained if it happens about nine weeks after Day #1.

Best of all….whelping dates (Comet’s card)
Jerry and I both agree that the best part of our business is whelping puppies. Even after more than 80 litters, we still are in awe when a dam whelps. It is at once miraculous, exhilarating and joyful. Log the whelp date and start a card for the litter.

Northwoods Comet (HOF CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen) with her one-day-old puppies by CH Southern Confidence (HOF CH True Confidence x Southern Songbird).

A couple final ideas!
1. Find a great vet and develop a great relationship. Bring the staff cupcakes. They are invaluable!
2. Be proactive about your dog’s health. Become familiar with recommended vaccinations, i.e., what is it really for and when does it expire. What is a “wellness exam” and does my dog really need one every spring?
3. A picture is worth a thousand words. Take a photo of a wound, injury or even a nasty stool. It could help in an emergency consultation with your vet or it could help track improvement.

In honor of Super Bowl LVIII, here’s a matchup of Dog vs. Birds

© Peanuts Worldwide LLC

© Peanuts Worldwide LLC

6X CH / 11X RU-CH True Confidence to be inducted into the Bird Dog Hall of Fame

CH True Confidence (Two Acre Bulldog x Bar P Annex)
Photo © Chris Mathan

The extraordinary pointer male, CH True Confidence (2009 – 2023), will be awarded a bird dog’s highest honor when he is inducted into the Bird Dog Hall of Fame on February 10, 2024. The prestigious event will take place in Grand Junction, Tenn., home of the National Bird Dog Museum. CH True Confidence, call name Bob, was owned by Frank and Jean LaNasa of Isanti, Minn.

Bob had a distinctive pedigree. He was sired by Two Acre Bulldog, a son of CH Funseeker’s Rebel out of Rester’s Tiny Dancer, a granddaughter of this year’s other elected Hall of Fame dog, CH House’s Rain Cloud, through his son CH House’s Rain Water.

Bob’s dam, Bar P Annex, was sired by Bar P Shadow, bred to Bar P Xena. Xena is the daughter of CH Front N’ Center (another dog Frank and Jean owned) bred to CH Hard Driving Bev, a multiple grouse champion.

In stature, Bob was stunningly handsome with a beautifully shaped head and perfect conformation. He was mostly white with dark orange ears and a distinguished mark on the right side of his muzzle. Bob’s temperament was a 10 and on point, he exuded confidence and poise. Never hardheaded or willful, Bob was, as his pro handler Luke Eisenhart mentioned, “a dog handler’s dream.”

At the breakaway of the National Championship in 2017, “Bob’s expression is loaded with intensity and determination to go hunting,” Frank said.
Photo © Jamie Evans

Perhaps, most importantly, Bob had uncanny intelligence—clearly evident in his keen, brown eyes. He adapted to all terrains and cover types and could find and point birds anywhere.

As a two-year-old, Bob won his first runner-up championship placements at the Region 19 Amateur All-Age and National Prairie Chicken Open Shooting Dog trials. His next three placements—two championships and another runner-up—were in shooting dog stakes.

At these trials, Frank handled Bob and Jean scouted. But when Bob was six years old, they decided to give him the best opportunities and, in 2015, placed him on the open all-age circuit with pro handler Luke Eisenhart.

Over the ensuing five years, Luke was phenomenally successful. Bob placed in 11 championship stakes and on five different birds—from prairie birds to bobwhite quail.

Bob’s tally of placements and honors is exceptional.

• 6 Championship wins
• 11 Runner-up placements
• 2 First Place and 2 Second Place honors in classics
• 6 consecutive years qualified for the National Championship
• Top qualifier in 2019 and 2020 Continental Championships

Bob rests in the shade of the horse trailer after a training run on the North Dakota prairie.
Photo © Chris Mathan

One of Frank’s fondest memories was Bob’s last trial. As usual, Bob was part of Frank’s string when he trained on the North Dakota prairie during late summer.

“In 2020, I decided I would run him in one last trial after he had a really good summer. I entered him in the Dr. D.E. Hawthorne Open All-Age Border Classic (held in Columbus, N.D.) and he placed first among 35 contenders at 11½ years of age,” Frank said.

Besides placements, another measure of a dog’s worth is what it produces. So far, Bob has sired eight champions with a 29-36-164 record. Jerry and I vouch for Bob’s prepotency and our progeny should soon add to those numbers. We bred Northwoods Comet (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen) to Bob in 2021 and to Bob’s son, CH Southern Confidence (call name Big), in 2023. Every puppy of both litters shows the bird-finding, style, poise, intelligence and temperament of the sires. (Interestingly, the sires of both Big and Comet, parents of the 2023 litter, are now in the Hall of Fame.)

6X CH / 11X RU-CH True Confidence
Photo © Jamie Evans

Frank and Jean retired Bob from the field trial circuit in 2021. He lived his last years in the house and even though the kennel was about 100 feet from the house, “We could never get him to get near the kennel again!” Frank said.

Congratulations to Frank and Jean on this most prestigious award for your most deserving dog, CH True Confidence.

——————————————————————————————————————–

What is the Bird Dog Hall of Fame?
Bill Brown, long-time editor of The American Field, initiated the idea for a Hall of Fame in 1953 and simple rules were announced one year later. The first year of the awards followed in 1954 when five dogs (must be deceased) and five people (living or deceased) were inducted. Since that initial year, two dogs and two people are inducted.

Gallery: Bird dog testimonials

Tork (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023)

“He’s a dream come true for me.”
~ Nik Zewers, Minnesota

Northwoods Louie (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Nickel, 2018), on left, and Junie (CH True Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2021)

“These two dogs are my greatest joy.”
~ Joey Paxman, Montana

Paco (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023)

“He’s the smartest dog I have ever had.”
~ Josh Matel, Minnesota

Ben McKean and his CH Northwoods Sir Gordon featured in Gun Dog

CH Northwoods Sir Gordon (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016), is owned and handled by Ben McKean.

In the Winter 2024 issue of Gun Dog magazine, Jeremy Moore’s column highlights Ben McKean and CH Northwoods Sir Gordon, Ben’s seven-year-old setter male out of RU-CU Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon.

Jeremy mentions Ben’s decades-long history of grouse hunting but the focus of his piece is field trials and Ben’s championship placement with Gordie in April 2023 at the Region 19 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship.

Jeremy describes several of Gordie’s attributes: “Built long, tall, and rugged…a sight to behold…evenly masked blocky, black head….a powerhouse of a dog with magnificent carriage on point.”

He also writes, “…Gordie arguably runs as well as he has in his career. Maybe better than any dog Ben’s ever owned and competed with before. Their target is on winning field trials…”

See our blog post about Ben and Gordie’s championship win. https://northwoodsbirddogs.com/region-19-has-a-new-champion-ch-northwoods-sir-gordon/

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Santa Claus and his team of nine reindeer didn’t miss a stop at our winter kennel here in the Red Hills region of southwestern Georgia/northern Florida.

All dogs received special treats in their dog dishes this morning.

From all of us at Northwoods Bird Dogs, a very Merry Christmas to you, your friends and family!