Spring 2017  Saber Tails 11    

Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Club of America

Talley-ho!!!

Hunt in texas a major success

Saber Tails Staff Report

The first PBGVCA-sanctioned Hunt Test west of the Mis-

sissippi was held Jan. 20-22, 2017 in Texas, and by all ac-

counts, it was a success not only for the 18 rabbit-chasing, 

pack hounds who did what they were bred to do, but also 

for their handlers who drove upwards to 16 hours to par-

ticipate.

“There’s an old saying among folks who hunt with dogs,” 

explained Tim Bryant of Dallas, a first-time PBGV hunter 

who also served as field marshal for the event. “You can’t 

teach a dog to hunt with his nose; they either can or they 

can’t. That was on my mind as I drove to the field where 

the PBGVCA Hunt Test was taking place.”

Tim continued: “I had seen my boy, Sam I Am, perform in 

barn hunts, and he’s chased rabbits and squirrels near my 

house, but always on a lead and usually using his sight, 

and not his nose. Sam seemed a bit lost during his first 

practice time in the field and spent most of his time hunt-

ing field mice.  But, during his second trip in the field, he 

caught the scent of a bunny, bumped it up, and chased 

him across the field yelping at the top of his lungs. That’s 

all it took for Sam to get it. 

What a wonderful thing...to watch our dogs follow instincts imprinted in their DNA

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