Training
Resources & Opportunities
The Big Chapter of NAVHDA is committed to helping our members get the most out of their relationship with their versatile hunting dog by providing structured exposure and obedience training learning opportunities.
We start our training season around March as weather permits and conclude in August. We generally meet every 2 weeks and at times weekly. We require you to have a Big Sky membership to attend our events, but we do allow one visit without a paid membership to check us out. We start off the training season more locally in Missoula, Great Falls, and Bozeman and then start consolidating in the Helmville – Ovando area to take advantage of those excellent testing grounds.
Please always have your dog under control at our chapter’s events to maintain safety.
Nothing will ingratiate you less to other members than having your dog jump on their truck, barking incessantly, or show no recall. Obedience and manners are the foundation to hunting training and this work starts at home. There's always going to be vocal dogs, recall challenges, and an occasional dog that gets loose - which is okay but we want to be as efficient and respectful of everyone's time AND safe. Work on recall ahead of time in different situations, leash up when walking from trucks to the training field when it's your turn, and park a ways off from the main group if your pup is extra loud. If you have questions about any of this, ask for help! Training days are meant to be just that, training days, but put in some work beforehand.
Please use this link to pay for any resources you used provided by the Chapter.
Training Days
We provide opportunities to train with volunteer mentors who have varying experience. Equipment, birds (as available), property, and mentors are there to assist you in preparing for the NAVHDA testing program, but more importantly – the hunt!
Clinics
We attempt to meet the needs of our members with at least one clinic per year. This may include retrieve, steadiness, or other skills of interest.
Resources
We all learn differently. We attempt to provide training resources such as reading materials, videos, and instruction. Access an archive of training resources here.
Training Day Details
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Have your dog able to be confined or tethered out.
You will get a chance to practice what you have been working on with distractions. Remember, dogs learn best with fewer distractions and then you need to up the ante.
You will get tips from mentors that have been through the NAVHDA program and trained and helped train several other dogs. Be ready to listen and understand that training does not happen all at once, it is building blocks.
Follow along with other dogs and listen to where they are and learn to read their dog. Remember #2 above? You are actually helping others by following along and being a distraction. You will also likely hear about how to fix something you are yet to experience with your dog.
Meet other people and discuss and learn from their experiences.
Help each other out! Plant birds, set out launchers, pretend to be a judge, clean up, and much more!
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An opportunity to learn to be calm amidst excitement.
It is important to understand that dogs need to be able to be confined for times and then be ready to go. Whether it be at a training day, test, or while waiting their turn in the hunt field if there are multiple dogs on your hunt or an unfortunate accident while hunting away from home.
Start SLOW! Dogs learn incrementally. In the early days, don’t necessarily try to do multiple events in one day. Try to do one thing well and then take your notes of what to work on at home. Near the end, you will want to put it all together, but be patient early. The learning that your dog benefited from in the morning could all be lost due to a bad experience at the duck search or field later in the day if at an earlier stage of training.
Dogs learn best in smaller “chunks”. Four 5 minute sessions will always be better than one 20 minute session.
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What do I bring to training days?
Often our spring training days can include sun, rain and snow. Sometimes in the same day. If you plan to do water exposure with your dog, waders or hip boots are in order. Summer days are typically warm. Dress for all kinds of weather conditions and bring appropriate layers (including rain gear). Some form of blaze orange is required when we are training with live ammunition in the field. In addition to your dog, bring a lead and a tie out stake to confine your dog while they are not actively training. Bring plenty of water for you and your dog. Above all, bring a good attitude and have patience!
If I am volunteering, paid an annual membership, and paid for my birds, why do I need to pay a training day fee?
We have some loss of birds and other transportation costs. Also, we make annual donations to the landowners and those taking advantage of training days are responsible to help out with those costs. We also invest in equipment and those using it at times should help contribute to new purchases and maintenance.
What should we do with our dead birds?
Pigeons can be taken home and frozen for future training aids or thrown out. Game birds should be processed and eaten if you are not saving them for training aids.
Please don't discard the dead birds on the landowner's property. It's disrespectful to the landowner and makes a great mess for dogs to roll in the next training day.
The Big Sky NAVHDA Training Days are as much for you the trainer/handler as they are for the dog.
Fees: You will pay at the event. We have envelopes that can step you through the payment so please grab one at the start of the day and keep track. Please try to get your payments in by noon if not first thing in the morning. Birds are usually at cost plus a small amount for potential transportation, loss, etc. Please check in on each day as costs can change throughout the season.
Please note: Birds are usually in short supply. We appreciate any members who can help find suppliers and assist in transportation. Please reach out to a board member if you have an idea.
Other Training Opportunities
Our chapter supports multiple opportunities for training outside of official, organized training days.
Buckhouse Training - Missoula
We will have occasional opportunities for small groups to gather at Buckhouse for "unofficial" training on dates other than those listed on the official calendar.
If you are interested, please reach out to Jason, who will coordinate groups based on interest and availability. You may also be referred to another member who is organizing a group.
Dates, times, and training objectives will vary. Training day and bird fees will apply.
Please email Jason Rice at jason.rice4265@gmail.com if you plan to attend or if you have any questions.