NAVHDA UT field steadiness

[mountaindogs]

I have been reading through the NAVHDA UT test aims, and though it defines each steadiness level is does not give scoring or preference for which. If a dog is solidly steady until the shot (I believe they would define this -- per the NAVHDA description -- as steady to wing) would they be able to score a prize on the UT test? Or Must they be steady to release in the pointing work?

[to the point]

They have to be steay through flush, wing, shot and fall. Meaning they have to stay put until you send them for the retrieve.

[phermes1]

From what I've seen, NAVHDA judges will give you 'mulligans', though. They evaluate the entire body of work and won't let one mistake prevent you from prizing. If the dog works most of his birds fine but has a brainfart on one, it can still be prize I-worthy.

[mountaindogs]

Does this mean that the only difference between the UT work in the field and the VC test in the field is the honor?

[adogslife]

The VC has a brace and the dogs run for 1 hour.

[to the point]

They also have to back the bracemate and honor its retrieve.

[mountaindogs]

Can you speak to them to remind them to honor the retrieve or must you remain silent?

[Dave Quindt]

From what I've seen, NAVHDA judges will give you 'mulligans', though. They evaluate the entire body of work and won't let one mistake prevent you from prizing. If the dog works most of his birds fine but has a brainfart on one, it can still be prize I-worthy.

The NAVHDA standard is that 75% is good enough for a Prize 1. Stay broke on 4 out of 5 finds, and you should still be in contention for a prize I. There are times where I've seen this standard applied, and others where it hasn't been. All depends on the judges and the situations.

Mountaindogs wrote:

Does this mean that the only difference between the UT work in the field and the VC test in the field is the honor?

The only differences between the two, in the written standard, is the honoring and the length of the brace. I would say that generally the overall standards for field work at the VC level are higher than the UT level. Also, at the VC they will often shoot all stop to flush birds where possible; sometimes you don't see that at a Utility test. I've not been involved in NAVHDA in the last few years, but the folks I know who are tell me that this hasn't changed. There is always variation in how each judging team will want things done.

Can you speak to them to remind them to honor the retrieve or must you remain silent?

It's a broke dog stake, just like AKC MH or AKC Gundog or AF Shooting dog stakes. Broke dog stakes are fundamentally exactly the same; the expectation is that the dog will do everything naturally and don't need to be whoa'ed, whether around birds or around an honoring situation. Now there's a lot of variety in how judges in the various formats will focus on some things and ignore other things, but they are really all the same. The expectation is that the dog will honor on his own, with no help from the handler. Generally, the expectation is that the only commands you need to give to a dog in a UT/VC field test is fetch, here, out, a turn command in the field and whoa or heel.

From what I've seen, the biggest problem newbies have with NAVHDA tests is that they parse every phrase in the rulebook, trying to figure out what exactly they can say or do to get a prize I. They then train their dogs with this in mind, and get flustered and/or upset when the judges ask them to do something different, or don't score things in the way they expected. Whether you are wrong or right, you can NEVER win an argument with a NAVHDA judge. Show the a judging crew the same situation 5 times, and you'll get at least 5 interpretations of what went on. It's just the way it is.

If you train your dog to be a highly polished broke dog, you will do just fine regardless of whether it's NAVHDA or AKC MH or AF Shooting Dog. If you try to "train for the test" you will often get burned.

As I've said before, the best thing you can do to ready your dog for UT is to go run MH first.

JMO,
Dave

[Ruffshooter]

I second Dave: Train for the absolute best. In addition have your dog at its best and bring in dogs that are horrible and maintain your dogs polish. Put your dog in different situations and place and conditions. Prepare for the worst and you will most always be in good shape.