C
obCohencalledmeshortlyafter
readingthearticleinthelastSaberTails,
“ConditioningPuppiesforHunting.”
Heasked,“Howaboutthoseofuswithgrown
updogsthatdidn’tgetearlyconditioning?
Howcanwegetstarted?”
It’sagoodquestion,oneIavoidedwhenI
wrotethefirstarticlebecauseit’sharderto
startanovicedogthathasn’thadthebenefit
ofearlyconditioning.MyfirstwordstoBob
were,“Temperyourexpectations.”Thekeyis
togetyourdogoutinthefieldandseewhat
hecando.Findoutwhereyouarestarting
fromandthenbewillingtogiveyour
dogtimetomakeprogresswithoutbeing
frustratedifhedoesn’tpasstheHunting
InstinctTestonthefirsttry.Everyhandler
onthefieldstartedwhereyouarerightnow,
withaninexperienceddog,sodon’tworry
aboutwhatothersthink.
Isatwithabunchofexperiencedhandlers
andjudgesattheWisconsinhunt,andasked
themforideasforthisarticle.Here’swhat
theysaid.
Thefirstthingistostart.Where’sthe
closesthunttesttowhereyoulive?Make
planstogoandenteryourdog.Don’thesitate
becauseyou’venevertrieditbeforeandyou
don’tknowwhatwillhappen.Howelsewill
youbegin?JoanBurkesaystogetoutonthe
fieldand“Watcheverything!”Goouton
everyrunthatyoucanandwatchasmany
dogsasyoucan.Getafeelforwhat’sgoing
onandasklotsofquestions.Ifthereisa
practicedayatthestartofthehunt,tryyour
besttoattend.SignupforthePuppy/Novice
LearningExperienceifoneisofferedinorder
togetsomeguidedexperienceforyouand
yourdog,thenseeifyoucangooutfor
practicewithsomeexperienceddogsand
handlerstogetaheadstart.TheCarolina
PBGVClubhasfundaysfromtimetotime,
andtheMidwesthuntgroupalsohassomeorganizedfun
daysfordogsandhandlerstogetpractice.Getontheir
emaillistssoyou’llknowwhereandwhentheinformal
practicedaystakeplace.Youmightalsotrytofindalocal
Beaglerunninggroundsandseeifthereisanyoptionfor
practice.SomeBeaglershavetheirownpracticepensand
mightbewillingtoletyourtakeyourdogouttorun.That’s
I
PBGVsatWork
byMaryFluke,DVM
PhotosbyBobCohen
QCHW)QspveCfhjoofstHfuujohWpdbm*ps///
UjqtUpIfmqBoBevmuQCHWMfbsoUpIvou
10
www.pbgv.org
Winter2015
ISaberTails