CHAPTER MEETING AND DRAHTS AND BRATS

OUR CHAPTER MEETING WAS THIS WEEKEND AND SO WAS THE 7TH ANNUAL DRAHTS AND BRATS HOSTED BY GENE AND LONA KLUCK. THEY HAD ALL KINDS OF GOOD STUFF GOING ON THIS WEEKEND AS FAR AS TRAINING FOR ALL AGES OF DOGS AND HANDLERS. THE WEEKEND STARTED OFF WITH A WELCOME BBQ ON FRIDAY EVENING AND A FORCE FETCH CLINIC BY JOHN LUTRELL. THE CLINIC WAS TWO HOURS OF GREAT INFO AND GREAT TECHNIQUES. IT ALSO GAVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO MEET AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHERS EXPERIENCES. SATURDAY MORNING WAS ARMBRUSTER EVALUATIONS FOR HARE TRACK AND GUN SENSITIVITY. THIS BEING MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH BOTH I WAS A SPONGE WHEN IT CAME TO LEARNING WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF THE DOGS. THEY HAD ANOTHER BBQ AT AROUND NOON AND DID ALL SORTS OF ACTIVITIES WHEN IT CAME TO YOUNG PUPS LIKE HANK INCLUDING INTRO TO DRAGS WHICH I HAD ALREADY STARTED A FEW WEEKS AGO. SO I GUESS HANK A BIT OF AN ADVANTAGE WHEN IT CAME TO THAT. I WANTED TO MAKE IT A BIT MORE DIFFICULT ON HANK SO INSTEAD OF HIM WATCHING THEM DRAG THE RABBIT I TOOK HIM AROUND THE CORNER AND HAD THEM DRAG IT CONSIDERABLY FARTHER. HANK FOLLOWED THAT SCENT TRAIL ALL THE WAY TO THE RABBIT AND WAS IMPRESSIVE AT THAT. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE VERY EARLY IN HANKS DEVELOPMENT IT IS REWARDING TO SEE HIM USING THE NATURAL ABILITIES THAT HE HAS AND THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE WORKED ON. SATURDAY EVENING WAS THE DINNER AND AUCTION. WHAT A GOOD TIME THAT WAS. I PICKED UP A LARGE CRATE IN THE AUCTION FOR $45.00. SO NOW I HAVE ONE TO REPLACE THE SMALL ONE I WAS USING IN THE VEHICLE THAT HANK HAS PRETTY MUCH OUTGROWN. SUNDAY MORNING WAS THE BUSINESS MEETING AND LETS JUST SAY SOME VERY GOOD THINGS ARE TO COME IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR THE BREED. IT WAS NICE TO MEET SOME OF THE PEOPLE FROM OUR CHAPTER AND SEE ALL THE DOGS WORK. IT WAS MY FIRST TIME SEEING ADULTS IN HUNTING SITUATIONS SO I WAS IMPRESSED IMMENSLY AT THE PREY DRIVE THAT THESE DOGS HAVE. AS FAR AS HANK HE IS DOING WELL. HE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE CHOKE CHAIN THIS WEEKEND AND IS REALLY COMPLYING TO ALL OF THE COMMANDS THAT I HAVE STARTED HIM ON. I GUESS OBEDIENCE IS REALLY MY MAIN FOCUS AND ALSO LETTING HIM KNOW THAT HE IS NOT SECOND IN COMMAND AND ALL HUMANS ARE TO BE RESPECTED. NEXT FOR HANK IS INTRODUCTION TO LIVE PIGEONS TO BRING OUT THAT POINT INSTINCT. SORRY THE POSTS HAVE BEEN SO FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. HANK HAS KEPT ME BUSY AND MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER ARE IN TOWN SO FREE TIME IS VALUABLE! THE PIC OF HANK AND ME IS IN OUR YARD WORKING ON TRACK LAST WEEK WITH BACON GREASE AND CANNED FOOD AT THE END. THE OTHER TWO PICS ARE FROM THE AUCTION AND THE GUN SENSITIVITY TESTING FOR THE ARMBRUSTER. WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND. THE WHOLE WEEKEND WAS VERY WELL ORGANIZED THANKS TO GENE AND LONA AND JOHN AND JULIE TIEDE.