Last year, I started offering virtual coaching for people looking to get into hunt tests and field trials. It’s a niche service and I think sometimes people have trouble understanding what it is and who it is for. I thought I’d use this post to explain further.

What is bird dog coaching?

Some people have a virtual or online coach for marathon, triathlon, or fitness training. Bird dog coaching is a little like that. Through one-hour virtual (video conferencing) sessions, I provide guidance and assist people who are interested in training their own dogs for pointing dog events. I also serve as a support system. Some people are fortunate to have access to their dog’s breeder as a mentor. But not every breeder has the time to mentor or has the knowledge to help their puppy owners. For example, maybe your breeder primarily competes in conformation and you want to do hunt tests.

I educate my clients about the ins and outs of events. For example, what is running in a NAVHDA test actually like? Do you have to be there all day? What do people wear? How does the scoring system work?

One of things I do is direct people to relevant resources. They’ll likely need to be connected with local resources, whether that is a trainer, training group, place to train, or supplier to purchase birds. I’ll also identify specific podcast episodes, videos, or articles that are appropriate to where they are in their training. Some of these resources are my own (podcast, blog, or YouTube videos) and others are from bird dog trainers or publications.

Why did I start coaching?

I did not get Zara with the intention of hunting or competing with her, which is probably apparent from the name of my brand. :) Zara’s breeder helped me introduce her to birds and navigate participating in the AKC Junior Hunting Tests. However, shortly after Zara earned her JH title, we moved about four hours away from my breeder. She gave me the contact information for a few people she knew, but none of them were that close to me or available to help. Making the jump from Junior Hunter to Senior Hunter or other advanced tests/trials is pretty involved. It was not something I could do on my own. I got stuck for about a year and a half until I joined NAVHDA.

Because of that, I emphasize with people who are in the same position I was. In fact, some of them don’t have the local support of their breeder, so they’re not sure how to introduce their dogs to birds or even get started. Of course NAVHDA, HerUpland, Bird Dog Society, and other organizations exist. But it can be overwhelming to pick one or figure out the right path.

I came up with idea of virtual coaching to help guide people who are brand-new or have minimal experience in the hunting or testing world. There’s a lot of information out there in the form of podcasts, magazines, and videos on how to go about training a bird dog. But it can be hard to sort through it all and figure out what is beneficial and what is not.

I love participating in bird hunting events and dog sports. I love the process of training my dogs for these events. I want others to have this experience too, because there’s so much fulfillment going through the process of training your dog and finally achieving a goal, like passing a hunting test, for example.

Walking to the breakaway at Zara’s last Junior Hunter test with her breeder (Trailside Vizslas). I was lucky to have the support of Zara’s breeder in the beginning to get us started in hunting events. 

Who is coaching for?

I have two main types of clients. One group is people that are brand new to bird dog training and they want to work on things like learning about the different testing organizations, introducing their dog to birds, acclimating their dog to the sound of a shotgun, and getting ready for lower-level testing like the AKC Junior Hunter Test, the NAVHDA Natural Ability Test, and AKC Field Trial Puppy and Derby stakes. Some of these clients weren’t super interested in bird dog events to start, but their breeders required to run the NA test. After testing, all of them are interested in training for the next level!

The second group has done some of the beginner stuff mentioned above and these clients are looking to get to the intermediate level of testing. They need to work on tasks like retrieving, steadiness, obedience, and organization-specific skills like duck search or field trial handling.

It’s okay if you don’t know what you want to do! One of the benefits of coaching is that I help you decide on a goal and which testing organization to pursue once we talk about what the options are and what might be best for your dog.

Since the sessions are held over video conferencing software (I typically use Google Meet), I can work with anyone in the country.

What doesn’t fall under the realm of coaching?

The “tagline” of my Accidental Bird Dog brand is “Your Guide to Pointing Dog Events.” As a coach, I’m here to mentor you, provide accountability, listen to problems, and provide recommendations on how to progress your training. I cannot train your dog for you. I don’t offer in-person sessions even for local clients. I CAN help you find an in-person trainer, however. I’ve helped several of my clients find a reputable local trainer. After several sessions with me, some people may chose to work exclusively with an in-person trainer or group, which is totally fine. If that’s the case, I’ve done my job to set them on the right path!

Or they may work with the local trainer and me at the same time. A trainer might be great about helping someone work on a particular skill (like steadying up their dog), but they might not have the time or experience to answer detailed questions about events, what to expect, etc.

How do clients find me?

Clients have found me through Google searching and coming upon my Coaching page or a blog post I’ve written. They also find me on social media, either Instagram or Facebook. Others have found me through word of mouth.

Zara’s first AKC Master Hunter pass. Passing this high-level test felt pretty awesome after training for a long time.

What do the sessions cover?

It really depends on the person and their goals. In the beginning, we usually talk about the specific tests/trials and what is expected in them so people have an understanding of what they are preparing for. I recommend steps to help them get to their goal, whether that is finding someone local to help them with bird exposure, working on retrieving, or buying the right gear, for example.

In later sessions, we cover training progress and work through issues that are happening. If a test/trial is coming up, we often spend time talking about how the day will go, what to expect, what to bring, etc. This might sound basic to someone with a lot of experience, but when you’re new, it can be intimidating to show up to your first event and not know what to expect. I’ll never forget how out of place I felt at my first NAVHDA training day!

We’ll also do a debrief after an event has happened, talk about the good AND bad. As someone who regularly competes, I love rehashing details of test day, but not all of my friends want to listen to me do this. Haha. I am happy to hear all the details from my clients.

The coaching sessions are always confidential. I’m a good listener, and I want clients to ask me any question they have, no matter how silly they think it is. It can be intimidating to ask an older trainer or a public Facebook group a “dumb” question. I didn’t grow up hunting and came into this world a little later in life, so I think that makes me approachable.

What happens between sessions?

I use a software called Practice, which has an app and website version. It allows me to communicate with clients between sessions. Clients can send me videos of their training sessions and I provide feedback. I also answer questions and use it to share resources like videos or podcast episodes.

There’s no limit on the number of messages or videos clients can send me. I also check in with clients if I haven’t heard from them in a while. Part of my role is accountability. I know I’m much more motivated to do something if I have someone keeping tabs on me.

The time between sessions varies depending on what someone is working on. It could be a week or two, or a month. If an event is coming up in the near future, the sessions typically need to be more frequent.

What results have my clients gotten?

As mentioned above, I have two main types of clients. Out of the “beginner” group, I’ve had three people come to me for assistance preparing for the NAVHDA Natural Ability Test. All three of those earned passing scores with their dogs. I’ve also had three clients earn Junior Hunter titles with their dogs. The “intermediate” group is still working toward their goals right now, so they haven’t been able to earn any titles yet. But they are seeing progress in other ways, whether that is retrieving, recall, or place board work. They’ve also identified goals (specific tests or trials) that they want to work toward.

How do I plan to improve my coaching?

I’ve been up front with all of my current clients that I am still fairly new at this and I’m open to suggestions. I’m continually trying to learn to improve my own training and what I can offer others. I have plans to develop more “premade” content that covers common topics I talk about with most clients. These will be resources clients can view on their own time and I can answer questions about. Hopefully I will get to some of that later this year.

Interested in learning more?

If you think bird dog coaching is something you might be interested in, please visit my Coaching page or FAQ page for more details. Anyone can schedule a free virtual meet and greet with me to discuss where you are with your dog(s) and if my services would be a good fit for you. Got more questions? Comment below or send me an email at terryann@accidentalbirddog.com.