Coyote Hill GSPs

11/21/2023

06/19/2022

A fellow NAVHDA members, Gwen Van Der Zyppe had a bad accident yesterday.

I post these photos with her permission...
THIS IS WHY YOU CRATE YOUR DOGS WHILE DRIVING! everyone walked away in one piece...

Please, crate your dogs while driving.

03/06/2022

I am a tough person to have as a client when training bird dogs.

I have expectations but I refuse to conform to a rigid method of training BECAUSE, simply, it repulses me. Over the past year I have learned to be comfortable with who I am, even defend who and what I am and now I have trainer that respects that, is willing to make me think, even if he suspects I will throw rocks him and even growl at him. It's because of him and my dog Sierra, I have learned patience, honed my dog reading skills and taken myself to the next level with their help.

If you want structure, Jeremy will give that to you... if you need to tip toe, he will stand next to you.

As long as you don't quit and keep trying, he will teach you.

A big hug, a few tears and big thanks to Sierra and Jeremy Lucien Cormier

Gary Bradshaw

12/31/2021

I hope everyone is taking advantage of the mild weather and working those dogs and hiking.

12/31/2021

2021 could not have ended any better for me personally. Today, working Sierra everything clicked for me. It's always been there for her, but she put so much faith into me, that the result was not what I wanted because I was failing... she only mirrored my actions and my energy.

She is freakishly level headed for a 12 month old pup, and today, she showed me what a team player she truly is...

Thank you Sierra...

And please, I know I over verbalized... it's a learning curve and we are in a different place mentally now.

She didn't need any correction except verbal. This is a dream GSP in the making.

12/28/2021

Okay so for some, this is no big deal. But for my boy Renegade, this is huge.

5 year old male GSP that refused to sit on command WILLINGLY . Prior to this fall, he acted defeated and humiliated, simply crushed.

Honestly, this would always p**s me off and he would walk away head low, and go curl up and hide. Totally dead look.

Then, Jeremy got in the picture, and I noticed Renegade would sit on the heel during water work. Then my husband was cooking dinner making Renegade sit , treat given, all while stirring sauce.

Then, I decided to start up again. BOOM...sit in front, sit on my left, sit and whoa for dinner.

Tonight, heel and sit whoa for bumper work involving 2 bumpers and fetch command.

I wish I had a video... his retrieve is comical as he comes to heel bouncing around like a clown, then sits with WAGGING TAIL.

gotta be a fluke...

Nope... get in the house, tell him heel sit and his tail is VIOLENTLY wagging...over and over and over.

THAT is happy dog.

Big thank you thank you to my husband and Jeremy, the estrogen free duo. You gave me a happy dog!

12/26/2021

Some training photos from today.

12/26/2021

What does it mean to you to own a working dog, and to be specific, a pointing breed?
Does it mean ribbons in the field and ring, does it mean bragging rights at your sporting club, or can it mean that you , instead of your dog, are broken down to pieces and rebuilt? Does it mean finding the missing pieces and putting yourself back together again? Does it mean asking more of yourself than your dog?

To me, it means exposing my soul, breaking down, falling to my knees and being strong enough to look up into their brown eyes, humbled and allowing THEM to rebuild me instead of the other way around.

It is realizing that until you understand yourself and committ, you cannot ask a dog to do the same.

Before Christmas, due to an online training class thanks to the lawyer I work for, not even remotely related to dogs, I learned something about myself that hurt, shocked and brought me to my knees. And in that moment, after I thanked my boss and understood myself a little bit more, I went home and begged my dogs for forgiveness .

And, I stepped through a doorway I previously ignored.

I shared that insight with my trainer too. Because I am lucky and I can... from sharing, he will demand more from me instead of my dogs.

On December 16, 2020, Tina's last pup was born OUTSIDE during a blizzard. When that pup landed in my hand, a voice whispered, "This is the one."

I thought I knew why, and for a year I doubted my choice. I cried, too, with regret.
But, my trainer, my husband and several fellow NAVHDA members kept me from loosing my temper, and simply loosing any hope.
And today, because I finally found another piece of what it means to be me, my dogs gifted me a great training day, with my husband at my side. Finding another piece of your soul is the greatest gift.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thank you to those who gave me strength when I needed it most.
Video: Coyote Hill Wings off the Sierra (AFC/AKC FC Wolf Plain Brook Captain Jack x GRCH Coyotehill Deerhaven Kaia's Renegade Aria JH)

12/24/2021

Coyote Hill wishes everyone Happy Holidays and blessings for a spectacular new year.

Don't hesitate to spend time in the field with your dog this winter... it's good for both of you!

12/21/2021

Memories of Tina and her crazy nursing pose

12/21/2021

Winter Eve... first real cold, and it's time to snuggle

12/15/2021

Over the past nine years, I have enjoyed time with my dogs at dog shows, hunt tests, field trials, hunting and on the couch.

This has been the time of my life, from puppy p**p pick up to Westminster. I have done it all.

What breaks my heart, is our sport is dieing. Sporting dog venues against each other, competitors against each other, no one working together. It hurts to hear people not in the sport "hate" the activities I do because of the perception we competitors create.

So, I want to share with you, a dog named Henry that I bred and that is owned by my best friend. Henry is her love and they do everything I just talked about.

Including these ridiculous costumes that melt my heart.

Henry is a Grand Champion has many titles, loves field work and couch time.

This is show dog and hunting dog and a best friend...