GunDog Garage

03/23/2026

Facts have been announced… news has been delivered.

Public service announcement. If the system you picked to teach your retrieve does not come with a built in way, or method to stop mouthing when it occurs, you did not train a retrieve. You just did some stuff. Think about that before you decide to do one of these elaborate retrieve systems. Make sure there is a method to stop a dog from mouthing. A method that not only teaches the dog not to mouth , but also teaches the dog what happens if it does mouth. And make sure it does not only include yelling “hold” louder. Or clamping the dogs muzzle shut with your hands and yelling hold louder…….. which never worked for anyone 🤣And fyi, in one of my systems I do use the word hold. By teaching them what hold means. Teaching them. With reward and consequence. And the consequence is not clamping my hands around the muzzle lol.

02/16/2026

GunDog Garage & Houston DogWorks client Ward with Skipper looking VERY mature and standing his birds through shot and fall then delivering to hand at only 14 months old!

SPECIAL EVENT THIS SATURDAY!

*UNOFFICIAL HANDLER/TEST CLINIC*

WHEN: Saturday February 21 @ 7:30am

WHY: Walk in the gallery behind 1-2 dogs (already covered) at each of the 3 testing levels to better learn WHAT, HOW, and WHY dogs and handler teams are evaluated in the NAVHDA testing system. This is a great opportunity to see all three local testing levels at once and understand the progressive criteria from Natural Ability through the new Gun Dog Test, and to a finished Utility dog.

This will also help newer members better understand how to volunteer to run stations at tests as well as bring more value at training days. You can’t hit the target goal if you don’t know what the goal looks like.

WHERE: Holth Ranch 647 County Road 316, Caldwell, Texas 77836

REGISTRATION: Closes midnight Wednesday 2/18. Link was emailed to active chapter members last night.

OTHER: There will be a $25 registration fee to cover supplies, lunch, land rental, and a handout with practice score cards to be paid via Venmo or Zelle.

A final details email will go out to attendees Thursday or Friday.

Look forward to seeing you Saturday.

12/27/2025

Replace “horses” with “retrievers” or “pointing dogs”.

The math doesn’t make sense and it’s why the dogs ultimately pay the price.

12/25/2025

From ours to yours, Merry Christmas!

12/22/2025

SKIPPER SUNDAY!!

Blaise wasn’t the only dog that trains with us to max prize a test at the Lone Star NAVHDA test earlier this month.

Skipper, handled by his owner Ward, had a great day and earned a max score 112/112 Prize 1 in his Natural Ability test. Not bad for these sensitive French city dogs…

We’ve been working with Ward and Skipper for a number of months both in obedience and the foundational work for steadiness. He is also 90% of the way through his trained retrieve.

On to the GDT in 2026!

Skipper was bred by High Draw Gun Dogs.

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12/08/2025

Blaise Makes History

Over the weekend, earned his second Utility Prize at the Lone Star Chapter test, this time maxing out with a 204 Prize 1.

This is the first 204 in the United States, and second ever in the history of the breed according to the NAVHDA database.

09/01/2025

Happy Labor Day & Dove Opener.

Please don’t fest stroke that dog that’s been laying in the AC all summer.

06/16/2025

Excellent article on how to teach and build tracking.

While this is specifically for blood tracking, you can easily transfer the principles to the NAVHDA NA track and GDT/UT Retrieve by Drag.

Overwhelmingly people don’t TEACH tracking and just expect the dog to “get it” via exposing them to opportunities to track. Tracking is a skill that can be taught to any dog, and should be if you expect consistent results whether in a testing or real world scenario.

Expert tracking trainer Sondra Rolison shares how to train a precise, reliable blood tracking dog from start to finish.

03/24/2025

Have trouble with your retrieve this last season?

Planning to run tests in the fall?

The time is NOW to get to work. Don’t wait until the month of dove or teal opener and think you’re going to clean up your problems.

Have problems but don’t know what to do? We can help develop a plan for you to achieve your goals.

02/19/2025

Spent some time cleaning delivery positions and returns to heel this morning with some of the retrievers.

02/03/2025

At the 2025 NAVHDA International Meeting, Director of Judge Development, Mark Whalen, introduced the new Gun Dog Test (GDT), replacing the UPT.

The GDT criteria are posted on the NAVDHA website, new score cards are being printed and the changes are effective 1 Feb 2025.

Summary of changes (UPT to GDT)
• Duck Search removed
• Decoys added at water
• Clarifying language for retrieves

Judges should reach out to the J&T committee or the central office with questions.

https://www.navhda.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Gun-Dog-Test-Aims-Rules.pdf