ROXIE’S NAVHDA TEST
(North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association_

Roxie is now: Nat/Int JA Fairhaven’s Blue Sky’s the Limit NAVHDA NAII

Recently, we attended Roxie’s NAVHDA Natural Ability test. Her test was scheduled for Saturday and she was the very last dog to run (out of 8 dogs).  She did excellent in the search and point section of the test as well as the swimming part.  Unfortunately, she did HORRIBLE in the tracking part.  She would not track to save her life.  The judges gave her as many chances as they could but she just wouldn’t do it.  Finally, they called it and told me to go and help her. She finally found the scent and tracked and brought back the pheasant.  Too little, too late.  Those who were watching thought for sure that they would give her at least 1 point.  Nope.  She got a zero and did not prize :(.  Here were her scores (4 is the max):

• Use of Nose = 3 (18 pts)
• Search = 4 (20 pts)
• Water = 4 (20 pts)
• Pointing = 4 (16 pts)
• Tracking = 0 (0 pts)
• Desire to work = 3 (12 pts)
• Cooperation = 3 (6 pts)
• Total Score 92 pts no prize

As you can imagine, we were very disappointed.  She did great when we practiced tracking the previous week.  Perhaps the 7 tracks laid before her, the howling wind or simply the transition from hunting to tracking (they were done one right after the other) had something to do with it.  Fortunately, someone had dropped out of the Sunday test so we decided to enter and try again.  We figured if she passes, it saves us a trip to Oregon.  Luckily we were in the RV so it didn’t cost us another night’s stay in a hotel.

On day 2, she did very well in all the other areas as she did the day before, but again she struggled with the tracking.  I left the field VERY disheartened and thought for sure she was going to fail again. According to those watching, she DID track from the start to the spot where the bird stopped before it ran over the berm into the ditch.  

Now, for the scores…. waiting until last to hear our score was KILLING ME here it goes.

• Use of Nose = 4 (24 pts)
• Search = 4 (20 pts)
• Water = 4 (20 pts)
• Pointing = 3 (12 pts)
• Tracking = 2 (4 pts)
• Desire to work = 4 (16 pts)
• Cooperation = 3 (6 pts)
• Total Score 102 pts PRIZE II!!!!!

I was so happy and relieved, I jumped up and down and hooted and hollered.  Everyone there knew what I had been through and was just as happy for me.  So, staying the extra day was well worth it.

Special thanks to Jack Scullion of San Francisco Bay Weim Club for help getting Roxie in the water and learning to like swimming.  Thanks also to Julie Dean and Ben Voris of Great Central Valley NAVHDA Chapter for helping me and Roxie to prepare for the test and for all the encouragement before, during and after the test. 

Now, back to training with Gar to break that bad habit of chasing the bird.   We have a hunt test this next weekend! 

More photos here: http://www.flickr.com/gp/66999112@N00/67c18h There were several people taking pictures throughout the weekend but it will be a few days before I will receive those.