Well being recognized by NAVHDA is no great thing or something I would strive for. NAVHDA papers are worthless as no other organization will let you registered a dog using them. The papers are only good for checking the test scores of your dog's ancestory, those that were tested in NAVHDA. NAVHDA has created its own little social/breeder club. It is all based on test scores and being one of the gang. I know of dogs that were from a "backyard" breeder as NAVHDA would call them who have achieved prize ones and awards from other venues. None of these dogs are even considered for breeding purposes. The owners are not NAVHDA cronies. Most NAVHDA guys are really not hunters. All one needs to do is hang around at a few training days. It becomes all too obvious that all the training is directed toward passing the test, not hunting situations.[&:]
Also I would pretty much agree with Alaska Magnum's evaluation of the other dog venues. I would ad one note of caution on the NAVHDA UT dogs. If the dog is trained by a pro to run in the test, then stay away from it. They are using all sorts of gimmicks in training, to get under achiever dogs to pass the utility tests. The only question you need to ask about the dog is, "how many WILD birds has the dog had shot over it, and what kinds?" Make sure you ask about waterflowl too. All you will get is some stumbling mumbling answer from most NAVHDA guys about how "ol Shooter" would be a great dog if we hunted this or that with him. They are pen raised bird hunting dogs, 90% of them. Cook book trained to pass the test, then bred as some great gift to the hunting dog community. Seen it, know it, have experienced it.[:'(] The NSTRA venue is for parking lot hunters, as that is what the dogs basically run in. I would not feed any Snips dog, no matter how many titles are on it.
You really aren't missing out on anything DocE. Just keep plugging along, and enjoy your dog. He points, he retrieves. He has been judged worthy of merit in several credible dog events . What else can a guy ask for? I have trained and tested next to a dog that went on to become a NAVHDA VC. I would not bring the dog home if I found it on a road wandering. Many UT NAVHDA dogs are way over rated.
