SMCNA Pedigree

NAVHDA Pedigree

NA Test Record

OFA Report

Growing up on a hunting preserve where she has been able to hunt and train on game birds year-round, Grace has had an exceptional amount of exposure to pheasants, quail, and chukar. She has hunted two full seasons and has been on hundreds of birds, mostly here at Brush Dale, but also at other locations. As with all our dogs, we have made a point of taking her to other Preserves to hunt and she has often gone to NAVHDA training days. She has had some training for the NAVHDA Utility Duck Search, and has been started on blood tracking.

In the field, she is a tireless hunter, an exceptional tracker, and a natural retriever. She uses her nose extensively, winding and tracking the birds. She earned a Prize I (112 pts) in the NAVHDA Natural Ability Test, which is a perfect score. She hunts cooperatively, as she's learned it is a team effort. Because of her youth and enthusiasm, we occasionally have to reign her in if she gets too far out, but generally she hunts well within shooting distance. She is trained to come both to a voice command and the tone signal on her Tritronic collar.

Grace has a very soft mouth, retrieving pheasants, quail, chukar, and ducks, without putting so much as a toothmark in them. If the bird is alive when she picks it up, it will still be alive when she delivers it to you. She is so soft-mouthed, that in the Spring of 2010, she retrieved a wild turkey egg to Mark - completely intact.

Although Grace has not yet completed her forced retrieve training, we've had no problem with Grace making blind retrieves. In fact, we rarely see Grace pick up the bird, since the cover at Brush Dale is so thick. Grace will bring a crippled bird to hand and a dead bird to within a step or two of her handler.

Grace has a very stylish, intense, high-tail point. If the bird holds, Grace will hold point until you flush the bird. She is beautiful and graceful in the field and a pleasure to watch work.

Grace has an extremely strong prey drive. She is always hunting something. She sits in a recliner in the living room so she can look out into the front yard, watching for anything that moves. It's easy to tell when there is a squirrel or pheasant within her view, because she'll be quivering so strongly it looks like she's having convulsions.

Grace loves the water and is a strong swimmer. She'll fetch bumpers out of the pond for as long as you're willing to throw them. She's crazy for ducks, muskrat, beaver, and any other aquatic critter and will spend hours searching for, chasing, and [she hopes] catching them. During Duck Search training, she has made some beautiful, long retrieves of wounded ducks.

Grace is well-mannered, housebroken, and has been trained to stay inside our yard's underground fence. She is accustomed to being bathed and groomed. She has been well-started with her obedience training. She walks calmly on a leash; comes when called; does not jump up on people; heels very well on-lead; and has been started heeling off-lead. Grace knows the "whoa", "wait", "collar", "kennel", "sit", "stay", "this way", "hunt dead", "off", "inside", and "outside" commands. You can carry dead birds at your side without her attempting to take them.

In the home, "Gracie" is calm, friendly, sweet, and gentle. She has passed the AKC Canine Good Citizen test. She gets along well with all members of the household, including the Siamese cat, Cleo, and miniature Daschund, Rudy. She is not a big licker, but will occassionally give you a kiss. She'll often put her head between Michelle's legs to be petted and with a little scratching, starts to melt. She likes to sleep on her pet bed on the floor at the foot of the bed. She generally comes up on the bed for a short while for a little attention, but always moves to the floor for the rest of the night, where she can stretch out and get comfortable. She is a good watch dog. Although quiet in the house, she will bark if someone pulls into our driveway or comes to the door.

Sadly, although Grace's hunting skills are outstanding, her physical conformation does not meet our Kennel's high breeding standards, so she was spayed and sold at age 2.