BIG SKY NAVHDA
MARCH 1, 2010
NEWSLETTER

As I sit at the computer to write this, we have not seen the sun in four days. It's Superbowl Sunday, and
everywhere I look the frost has built onto the trees and kennels, buildings, windbreaks, everywhere! It doesn't
seem like winter is ever going to end. I have a new pup that I'm starting, and he keeps dragging his junk in the snow drifts when we are out in the field. I'm thinking ice buildup on my peepee would not be good, and shiver in sympathy for him. So for now we are working in the areas that are somewhat free of snow and concentrating on things that will make the training easier for him and I later. People often ask me "What can I do to train a new puppy in the winter"? Well, let's see. One of the things I teach in the house is come. I do this with treats for a new puppy. I teach our new paragon his/her name by repeating the name and giving a treat when he comes to me. I work on crate training by saying "kennel" and tossing a tidbit in the kennel. When they go in, I give a treat to them in the box also. Pretty quick when they come in the house they run into the kennel waiting for the treat. Then we start telling them to kennel without throwing a treat inside, only giving the treat when they go in and wait. We also start to give them a treat every other time and start to phase out the treat everytime. I also start my retrieve work in the house, tossing a wadded up sock or toy, if he brings it back I give him all the praise in the world, making he knows that he's the best. I'm just holding him and praising him, then I lift him up and he usually drops what is in his mouth while saying "drop". If he does not give it up, reach back to his flank and the little piece of skin between belly and leg just lift gently while saying "drop". When he does give him a tidbit and more praise. I keep the time short, 3-4 retrieves is plenty. REMEMBER, this is a game! If he does not develop a retrieve, or is slow in picking it up there is NO PRESSURE! If he runs around you with the toy, move the sessions to a hallway, or build a lane by laying some chairs on their side so he has to come by you to get out. If your pup is bigger than the chairs, put a light line on him and gently reel him in, giving him tons of praise before you try to take his toy. You can also start on deep water retrieves using the bathtub, but that is a whole nother chapter and takes a very understanding wife...
The Big Sky NAVHDA group held it's annual meeting on Jan 16th at Perkins restaurant in Missoula to kick off the new year. Attendance was good, with about 20 members showing up. Sheri Garcelon started the meeting calling those in attendance to order. We had no old business to go over. The treasurer reported we had $1283 in the kitty, and that dues were due for the year. We then had elections, and the results are as follows:
President Scott Henry Vice President Tom Healy
Secretary/Treas Gary Whitman Test Secretary Leslie Lowe
Dir of Training Phil Parsneau Cooking Dir Gerry Good
Board of Directors Dawna Miller, Rae Brown, Randy Bakker,Tom Healy, Scott Henry
Promotional Committee: Dawna Miller, Rae Brown, Greg Curtis
On a personal note I wish to express our gratitude and appreciation from the Big Sky Chapter to our outgoing President/ Test Secretary Sherie Garcelon, Vice President Gerry Good, and their spouses Jerry Garcelon and Terri Good. Without your efforts in the past years the Chapter would not still be here, and we as a chapter know and appreciate all of your hard work and dedication. We Thank You and will strive to continue to grow and prosper as a chapter because of your leadership.

Dates for training days were set and are as follows:
March 13, 27 April 10, 24 May 8, 22 June 12, 26 July 10, 24 Aug 7, 28
Locations will be posted on the website, bigskynavhda.com, and also bigskynavhda.blogspot.com.
We will be training at several locations in the state, and hopefully will make it easier for people to attend. We will be starting training days at 9:00. We will have birds for sale at the training grounds but will not have any crates to lend, so if you want birds to take home bring a box or crate. We will be selling pigeons for $4.00, chukar for $10.00, and ducks for $10.00. We will also send out a questionnaire pertaining to what you would like to work on at the training days, and will ask those of you interested to fill it out and bring with you on your first training day. Our goal as a chapter is to help you with your training needs, and to work to bring out your hunting partner's full potential as a versatile hunter.
The Big Sky Chapter will be hosting 2 tests this year, one in the spring and one in the fall. The spring test will be held May 29, 30, 31. This will be strictly an NA Test. We will have openings for a total of 30 NA pups, split into three days of testing. We will be holding the test on Dave and Sissy Girtman's grounds in Vaugn, about 12 miles north of Great Falls.
Our fall test will be held on Sept 4, 5, 6. This will be a full test featuring NA, UPT, and Utility. We will be holding this test by Conrad, MT. We are anticipating this will fill early, so if you are considering entering your dog or pup, don't wait till the last minute. We are already getting applications for both tests!
Our entry fees this year are:
NA Chapter Members $125 Non Members $150
UPT Chapter Memebers $150 Non Members $175
UT Chapter Memebers $150 Non Members $175
One more thought on testing, we try to accomadate people that are coming in from out of state, region, and country first in their requests of days to be tested, and fill in the rest with people of a more local nature. We try to work with people, and the test secretary has a busy time ahead. With this in mind, please get your applications with your fees in to Leslie as soon as possible to guarantee your spot in the tests. It is not too early to be thinking about the fall UT test NOW. We will refund your deposit if you withdraw up to thirty days before the test, after that it will be refunded if we can fill the spot, if not your fee will be forfeit.
I will be bringing our newest arrival to the training days starting next month, PM Shocks Most Rikki Tik, (call name Mick) and you can follow what is happening with him. We started with his retrieves in the house, advanced to outside on a sash cord, and he is reliably retrieving anything I toss for him. Again we are keeping the sessions short, and quitting with him wanting more. We have also pulled the flight feathers from a few pigeons and tossed those for him on the sash cord and he is retrieving them back to hand. We are only doing this about once a week, so we don't have any issues with him refusing a bumper, anticipating a live bird. Our next issue is to get him pointing his birds and not just jumping in and grabbing them, so stay tuned....