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Versatile Hunting - Pointing Dog Lessons, Testing, and Photography (Spirit Lake, IA)
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Do you have testing or trialing dreams, but don't know what that entails or the training your dog needs?
Would you enjoy lessons where someone else supplies the equipment, the birds, and the land--and you just show up?
I recently moved to the Spirit Lake area of NW Iowa. My history includes 19 years of active NAVHDA membership, breeding, showing, testing, and trialing German Shorthaired Pointers...along with loads of hunting. Along the way, I've earned different titles in AKC and NAVHDA and helped others in their training journey to do the same. I am also a sporting dog photographer, having photographed the same tests and trials, including 9 NAVHDA Invitationals, 2 Bracco Italiano National Specialties, 2 Epagneul Breton National Conclaves, an episode of Wing Shooting USA and other events. I will not teach beyond my level of experience...but I've seen a few things, learned a few things, and am respected by my peers. I can provide references.
I do not currently have kennels to keep dogs for in-house training, but would love to offer lessons. I have 10 groomed acres, 2 public dog training areas nearby, as well as multiple public hunting fields with both water and prairie. I have launchers, homing pigeons, game bird availability, and all of the necessary equipment to get the job done. My expertise is with pointing breeds. I can help with gun and bird intro with flushing breeds, but would not be automatically equipped to give higher level training or test advice for flushers.
I train almost daily during the Spring, Summer, and Fall. I tested 3 of my own dogs for NAVHDA's Natural Ability Test, NAVHDA's Gundog Test, and AKC Senior Hunter in 2025. I received a Prize 1 score of 110 (out of 112) with my NA puppy, a Prize 2 score 156 (out of 168) GDT with one dog, and a Prize 1 score 165 (out of 168) GDT along with 4 AKC Senior Hunter passes with another dog.
Cost is $35 per lesson. Lessons are typically 30 minutes to an hour in length. Testing services are also available.
Sporting dog photography is also available and please check out my website at: https://deniseheathphotography.smugmug.com/browse/