Welcome to Standing Stone Kennels! In this episode, we break down the most recent NAVHDA Utility Test held at Alta Soul Ranch, running three dogs (Doc, Thunder, and East) through every phase of the scorecard. East made history with a Utility Prize I and completed his Master Hunter title in Texas the same weekend. Thunder posted a near-perfect 200 Prize II with fours across the board, held back only by duck search. Doc had one of his most unusual testing days on record.We walk through the full utility scorecard structure, including duck search indexing, multipliers, field search, steadiness phases, remain by blind, drag, and water work, and we explain what each score means for prize eligibility. We also get into the practical training lessons: the marble theory of handling at tests, how time and distance erode control, why duck search independence is the hardest skill to build, and how handler decisions in the moment can be the difference between a Prize I and a Prize II.If you're training for NAVHDA Utility or just want to understand what it takes to compete at the highest level, this episode is packed with real field insight from a trainer who has put dogs over 200 points in Utility.Chapters0:00 Intro & East's Big Announcement1:40 Breaking Down the Utility Scorecard8:20 Doc's Test Recap — Duck Search Score & Weird Day29:00 Remain by Blind Explained & Doc's Handling Situation33:00 The Marble Theory — Time, Distance & Eroding Control45:00 Thunder's Test Recap — 200 Prize II With One Issue55:00 East's Test Recap — Utility Prize I & 201 Score57:00 Duck Retrieve Decision-Making in the Moment1:01:00 Training Plans Going Forward & Closing ThoughtsSend Us Mail5919 W Pleasant Valley RdPretty Prairie, KS 67570LinksStep-By-Step Dog Training Course: https://www.standingstonesupply.com/coursesJoin our Patreon Community - https://bit.ly/SSK-PatreonOur Store - https://bit.ly/SSK-StoreSocial MediaFacebook: www.facebook.com/StandingStoneKennelsInstagram: www.instagram.com/standingstonekennels/Website: www.standingstonekennels.comEthan and Kat Pippitt are the proud owners of Standing Stone Kennels. They breed German Shorthaired pointers and train all types of dogs for the hunt and the home. Their training strategies are easy to follow and are flexible to meet the needs of individual dogs. They are avid outdoorsmen and when they aren't training dogs they spend their free time hunting all kinds of game across the United States.We use affiliate links to help support the channel. If you would like to support Standing Stone content, we appreciate you using the links in the description of this video.Subscribe to our channel here: http://bit.ly/2Dyy9DW

Welcome to Standing Stone Kennels! We're sitting down with the El Tesoro crew for a full season recap. We're covering everything from wild quail numbers and dog performance to some genuinely wild stories from the field. We break down what the Cocker Spaniels and German Shorthairs did well, where they fell short, and what's on the training agenda heading into the off-season.Topics include:0:00 Intro & Season Overview1:17 How the Season Differed from Years Past2:50 Wild Quail Conditions and Bird Movement4:30 Cocker Spaniel Breakdown: Trip, Dorothy, Hatchet, Bella6:40 Retrieving Problems: Switching, Diversion Birds, and Shopping9:00 E-Collar Jump Settings for Multi-Dog Handling11:30 Field Handling and Heel Consistency Near Birds17:00 Steadiness and Chase Issues at the Ranch23:00 Breeding Discussion: Trip x Bella Cross28:00 Balance vs. Drive: What We're Looking For in a Litter32:00 Trip's Eye Injuries — A Wild Story from the Field39:30 Dog Goggles and Eye Protection (Rex Specs)44:00 Dorothy's Bird-in-a-Tree Moment47:00 Naming the New Cocker Puppy (Comment Below!)48:30 Short Hair Season Breakdown50:00 Flushing Anticipation and Steadiness Observations54:00 Vale's Improved Natural Backing55:30 Decompression Debate: Does It Help or Hurt?59:00 Wild Quail Numbers: 70 Coveys Moved1:03:00 Young Dog String vs. the Geriatric Crew1:06:00 Spring Training Goals: Hand Signals, Utility Prep, and Riot1:09:14 OutroWe also talk through a scary recurring eye injury with one of the Cockers, the debut of three new GSPs at the ranch, a Dorothy highlight reel moment, and what dogs are being prepped for utility testing and NAVHDA this spring.If you're training a versatile bird dog, a flushing spaniel, or building a breeding program, this one covers a lot of ground.Send Us Mail5919 W Pleasant Valley RdPretty Prairie, KS 67570LinksStep-By-Step Dog Training Course: https://www.standingstonesupply.com/coursesJoin our Patreon Community - https://bit.ly/SSK-PatreonOur Store - https://bit.ly/SSK-StoreSocial MediaFacebook: www.facebook.com/StandingStoneKennelsInstagram: www.instagram.com/standingstonekennels/Website: www.standingstonekennels.comEthan and Kat Pippitt are the proud owners of Standing Stone Kennels. They breed German Shorthaired pointers and train all types of dogs for the hunt and the home. Their training strategies are easy to follow and are flexible to meet the needs of individual dogs. They are avid outdoorsmen and when they aren't training dogs they spend their free time hunting all kinds of game across the United States.We use affiliate links to help support the channel. If you would like to support Standing Stone content we appreciate you using the links in the description of this video.Subscribe to our channel here: http://bit.ly/2Dyy9DW

Welcome to Standing Stone Kennels! In this episode of the Standing Stone Podcast, Ethan sits down with Tessa, the kennel's full-time trainer and puppy development specialist, to break down exactly what puppy development looks like from day one through six months old.Whether you're bringing home your first German Shorthaired Pointer or your fifth, this conversation is packed with real-world insight from someone who has raised and trained multiple puppies and works with dogs seven days a week.Topics covered in this episode:0:00 Introduction — Puppy Development with Tessa2:07 The 1-to-1 Ratio and Why It Matters for Puppy Raising4:13 Overnight Crate Training and Potty Training at Night7:02 How Long Does Potty Training Actually Take?11:41 Breaking Bad Habits vs. Building Good Ones13:54 When to Start Clicker Training (Day One)19:07 The 12–16 Week Developmental Shift22:30 Collar Conditioning and What Changes at 16 Weeks25:23 Adventures, Socialization, and Public Outings27:31 Tessa's #1 Pro Tip for Taking Puppies in Public29:03 It's Not Your Right to Pet Every Dog33:41 What Dogs Should Know Before Coming to the Kennel at 6 Months34:41 Puppy You Raised vs. New Dog at 6 Months — Compare and Contrast37:34 "Learning to Learn" — What It Means and Why It Matters43:26 Tethering as a Bonding and Settling Tool45:26 Does Raising from 8 Weeks Make a Difference?50:00 Wrap-Up and What's Coming Next for TessaIf you're working through puppy development at home and want step-by-step guidance, check out our Versatile Dog or Retriever online training courses, or join our dog training community on Patreon for personalized support.Send Us Mail5919 W Pleasant Valley RdPretty Prairie, KS 67570LinksStep-By-Step Dog Training Course: https://www.standingstonesupply.com/coursesJoin our Patreon Community - https://bit.ly/SSK-PatreonOur Store - https://bit.ly/SSK-StoreSocial MediaFacebook: www.facebook.com/StandingStoneKennelsInstagram: www.instagram.com/standingstonekennels/Website: www.standingstonekennels.comEthan and Kat Pippitt are the proud owners of Standing Stone Kennels. They breed German Shorthaired pointers and train all types of dogs for the hunt and the home. Their training strategies are easy to follow and are flexible to meet the needs of individual dogs. They are avid outdoorsmen and when they aren't training dogs they spend their free time hunting all kinds of game across the United States.We use affiliate links to help support the channel. If you would like to support Standing Stone content we appreciate you using the links in the description of this video.Subscribe to our channel here: http://bit.ly/2Dyy9DW