AKC Hunt Test at Sauvie Island, Oregon

June 1, 2013 Sauvie Island (Portland), Oregon.

I went to Portland, Oregon with two of my hunting dogs and another Griffon to attend the AKC Hunt Test being put on by the German Shorthair Club of Oregon. The venue for the hunt test was Sauvie Island located about 12 miles northwest of downtown Portland. The island is an agricultural paradise of farms and wildlife. I am told the island is the largest interior island in the Untied States.

My Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Roughrider's Prairie Storm Budweiser SH, was attempting to pass his fifth consecutive master hunt test to become my first master hunt titled dog. My dog's call name is "Buddy". Buddy is very athletic, strong, intelligent and calm with superior hunt ability. He is a bird finding machine!!

Buddy ran his hunt test late Saturday afternoon. It was hot and humid, which makes it harder on a bird dog. Buddy was braced with a German Wirehaired Pointer from Wireswest GWPs. Buddy's brace-mate was a AKC Dual Champion & Amateur Field Champion. At the start of the hunt test, the GWP took off like a rocket. Buddy hunted strong for the conditions, was rock solid on pointing birds, retrieving and honoring of his brace-mate. After thirty minutes, Buddy earned his fifth straight MH test pass to earn his AKC Master Hunt Title. It was a lot of training and hardwork but we did it.

My eleven month old Vizsla, Ohaza's Stone Mountain Cooper JH, tackled his fourth consecutive senior hunt test to earn his hunt title. Cooper is a sweet, intelligent, birdy and calm with a super nose. Due to Cooper's young age, we put very little pressure on him in training and he performs flawlessly. Cooper earned his AKC Senior Hunt Title. A huge accomplishment for a young dog.

It was a fantastic weekend. I was even successful running a female Griffon, Brandy, in a SH for Kristi Rodney of Whiskeytown Sporting Dogs. It was the fourth SH pass for Brandy.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude and thanks to Pierre Urrutia of Diamond P gun Dogs for helping me prepare and train my two dogs to be successful in the hunt tests. Pierre is a Pro-Trainer who I refer to as the "gun-dog whisperer".