Are you ready to get your pointing dog involved in AKC Junior Hunting Tests, AKC Field Trial Puppy/Derby stakes, or the NAVHDA Natural Ability test? Or just start hunting with them? I’m excited to run another session of Field Foundations, an 8-week virtual group coaching program designed for beginners! This is the third iteration of this program.
- Who: Pointing dog owners whose dogs have zero to minimal exposure to birds or hunting and people that are new to the test/trial world
- Dates: January 12, 2026 – March 6, 2026 (8 weeks)
- Capped at 8 people for a personalized experience
- Cost: $160
Biweekly Group Coaching Calls
This is a tentative schedule. I’m open to adjusting it based on participant feedback.
- Session 1: January 14th at 8pm Eastern. Introduction, getting started, finding a place to train, people to help, and sourcing birds
- Session 2: January 28th at 8pm Eastern. Bird introductions
- Session 3: February 11th at 8pm Eastern: Test and trial information and questions, setting goals, gear and behaviors you and your dog need
- Session 4: February 25th at 8pm Eastern: Gun introductions and discuss progress
This program also includes:
- Private Facebook Group to post videos, ask questions, share successes, and get support
- One 30-minute individual coaching call with me at the end of the program
- Downloads of my Junior Hunter & Natural Ability Guides/Checklists
Outcome
After going through this program, you will have a good understanding of how to expose your dog to birds, how the lower-level bird dog events work, what is required to enter them, and have the confidence and tools to train for them. Curious about what past participants have said? Check out their testimonials below.
Registration is now closed. If you are interested in this program, send me an email at terryann@accidentalbirddog.com. I will likely be offering it again in May.
Feedback from Previous Participants:
“Terry Ann’s Field Foundations coaching calls came at the perfect time for me! As I embarked on my journey into the gundog world with my puppy, I found myself overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information available online. Securing a spot in the coaching program was a game-changer—it provided a supportive environment where I could ask questions without hesitation, even as a complete beginner. I gained valuable insights not only from Terry Ann but also from the experiences shared by others in the group. I highly recommend this program to anyone interested in field trials or hunting tests with their dog.”
– Michelle N., Vizsla owner
“I absolutely loved the Field Foundations program! It provided the perfect structure and resources to help me get started in the bird dog world. It covered all the essential information in a way that was easy to follow, and the environment was incredibly safe, accepting, and understanding—especially for a beginner like me.
If you’re looking for a welcoming, well-structured way to begin your journey in the bird dog community, I can’t recommend Field Foundations enough.”
– Miki, Vizsla owner
“The Field Foundations course is the perfect introduction to what’s what in getting started with your upland bird dog. Terry Ann does a great job of breaking down each step, what you’ll need, and what to expect, while creating a welcoming environment and providing lots of additional resources. I think that having an overview of bird dog training that took into account several perspectives and options, more of a ‘training the dog in front of you and see what works’ method, was really helpful. As I’ve been exploring this type of training, I haven’t found many trainers who agree. Knowing that that is okay and expected, that there is no one size fits all with training pointers, was really helpful.
I would recommend the Field Foundations class to anyone getting started with their bird dog.”
– Julia, Vizsla owner
“[I liked how Field Foundations really laid] out the basics for someone completely new to this world! There really isn’t anything like this out there – I feel more confident approaching these situations that I ever have. Thank you!”
– Sarah, GSP owner
“I got my dog with the intention of hunting with him. I quickly was intimidated by the terminology and different organizations and, not having a mentor, never got around to truly pursuing it. Terry Ann’s course helped demystify the sports and I now feel capable of training on my own.”
– Kourtni, GSP owner
“I really appreciated the focus on adapting hunting dog training to real-life situations (suburbs, limited bird availability etc) I also found it very reassuring that Terry Ann focused on building a relationship with your dog. The fact that she and her own Vizsla, Zara, had spent YEARS learning the process really took the pressure that I felt to work towards a ‘finish line’. My goal is to spend time with my dog doing something we both love.”
– Michelle W., Vizsla owner
About Terry Ann
Terry Ann’s 12-year-old vizsla, Zara, started out as a pet, but is now a Master Hunter, a NAVHDA Versatile Champion, and has multiple AKC field trial placements and wins. When Terry Ann was starting out, she found it really difficult to find good resources, so she is passionate about making the training process easier for others. She hosts the Accidental Bird Dog Podcast, which covers hunting dog events for pointing breeds and is an AKC hunting test judge.
Read more about Terry Ann and her dogs.
