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PODCAST

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast

Terry Ann Fernando

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast focuses on hunting dog events and competitions for pointing breeds and is intended to inspire and encourage other dog owners to do more with their dogs.

leisure hobbies

All Episodes

01:09:35

The Vizsla Club of America National Gun Dog...

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2026/04/08

Fellow Vizsla owner, Jessica Predom, and I recorded a two-part episode about our Vizsla national walking field trial. This episode was recorded in multiple parts over the two months leading up to the event. We discuss our preparations, expectations, and goals for this prestigious trial. Stay tuned in two weeks for a recap of how everything panned out! You can follow Jessica on Instagram at @fieldtrial_lifestyle or @ridge_thevizsla. -- The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is part of the HerUpland Podcast

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30:50

What It Takes to Train Your Dog for Different Levels

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2026/03/25

Many people get into the bird dog world with a young dog and train for beginner-level events, like the NAVHDA Natural Ability test, AKC Junior Hunter tests, or field trial puppy and derby stakes. With a well-bred bird dog and some deliberate exposure, doing well at these events shouldn't take a ton of effort. However, the jump to intermediate or advanced levels of testing is large. I find that people often underestimate the amount of time and energy it takes to get your dog ready for Senior/Master

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01:01:56

Tales of Accidental Bird Dogs: Emily Delaplain

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2026/03/11

Emily has been involved in the dog sport world for a while, starting with agility and training and eventually moving into shed hunting when she met her husband. She trained her Lab and then her first German Wirehaired Pointer for shed hunting. They even started a shed dog club in their area. Through this club, they met friends who took them chukar hunting and soon after, they were hooked. Although her first GWP didn't show a lot of interest in shed hunting, he excels as a bird dog. Emily rescued

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59:23

Burnout in Bird Dog Training

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2026/02/25

Heather Wallace and I discuss the topic of getting burnt out with your bird dog training, testing, and trialing. We talk about two main kinds of burn out. The first is the feeling of mental exhaustion that can come when your training is not going well, or you are not having a lot of success in tests or trials. The second is the fatigue from all the logistics – setting up training sessions, lining up gunners, getting birds, planning around your work schedule, not to mention all of the

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46:55

Planning Out A Hunt Test/Field Trial Season

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2026/02/11

New podcast episode! Planning Out A Hunt Test/Field Trial Season 🎙 A successful field trial or hunt test season doesn't happen by accident. If you're a planner like me, then you'll enjoy this topic. 😜 In this episode, I walk you through how to plan your season strategically instead of just signing up for every event that pops up on the calendar. We talk about starting with your goals (Earning a specific title? Gaining experience? Confidence-building?), then looking at what's

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49:31

Tips for AKC Hunting Tests for Pointing Breeds

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2026/01/21

AKC hunt tests can feel overwhelming, no matter what level you're running. After judging a test last weekend, I walked away with a long list of things handlers could do in training and at the actual test to set themselves up for more successful runs. In this episode, I'm sharing those tips and tricks to help you and your dog be more prepared and confident. -- The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is sponsored by OnX Hunt and part of the HerUpland Podcast Network.

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59:43

Tales of Accidental Bird Dogs: Jeff Beck

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2026/01/07

For the first episode of the year, I'm kicking it off with another story of someone who got a pointing dog as a pet and then decided to get into hunting later. In this episode of Tales of Accidental Bird Dogs, I sit down with Jeff Beck, whose journey into the bird dog world started with one goal: finding an active dog he could train and do fun things with. Jeff's first dog, a GSP named Jinx, was originally meant to be a versatile companion—obedience work, UKC shed dog competitions, and staying

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56:19

End of the Year 2025 Listener Questions

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2025/12/24

For the third year in a row, I'm wrapping up the year with an end-of-year listener Q&A. In this episode, I answer questions submitted by you—covering everything from how I taught my dogs whoa, to whether it makes sense to start with field trials or NAVHDA first, and how to keep making progress when you have limited access to birds. Thanks to everyone who submitted a question and thank you for listening to my podcast this year! Cheers to 2026! 🥂 -- The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is

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39:20

The Accidental Bird Dog Audiobook Teaser

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2025/12/10

This week on the podcast, I'm doing something a little different—I'm reading a few chapters from my book, The Accidental Bird Dog: My Journey with an Extraordinary Vizsla. If you've ever wondered how my story began—or if you've read the book and want to experience it in a new way—this is for you. And yes…this is a teaser, because the audiobook is officially in the works. ☺️ The paperback and ebook versions are currently available on Amazon. -- The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is part

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45:57

The Mental Side of Dog Handling

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2025/11/19

Do you feel nervous when handling your dog in competitions and events? Even after competing for 10 years, I still feel anxious every single time. In this episode, I dive into the mindset challenges that come with running your dog in tests and trials. I share my own experiences with negative self-talk, including moments when I nearly talked myself out of competing altogether. We explore what pre-performance anxiety feels like, why it's completely normal, and how to work through it so you

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01:15:07

Building Engagement to Train Skills for Hunting Dogs

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2025/10/29

In this episode, I'm joined once again by Cristina Ralph to explore how building engagement and a positive relationship with your dog sets the stage for effective training so they want to work with us. We break down how marker systems create a clear communication language, and we discuss the difference between drive and arousal—plus real-world examples of how these concepts show up in hunting dogs. If you want a dog that wants to work with you, not just goes through the motions, this episode is a

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33:37

Field Trials vs Hunt Tests vs NAVHDA: What Should I...

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2025/10/08

If you’re new to the bird dog world, one of the first big questions you’ll face is: What should I do with my dog? In this episode, I break down the main types of pointing dog events — hunt tests, field trials, and versatile dog tests — and talk about what makes each one unique. We’ll cover the organizations behind these events, what kinds of dogs are eligible, and how to decide which might be the best fit for you and your pup. I’ll also share a few things to think about when choosing where to start,

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47:27

NAVHDA's Oldest Versatile Champion

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2025/09/24

In this episode, I sit down with Geri Orta to talk about her incredible German Shorthaired Pointer, Ranger (VC TC AFC OTCH2 Sageflyer Gorta's Ranger UDX8 OGM GO VER RE MH NA CA BCAT). Ranger made history as the oldest dog to pass the NAVHDA Invitational and earn a Versatile Champion title—at an astounding 12 years and 9 months old. Geri shares how she set ambitious goals for Ranger from the very beginning, aiming for him to become the breed’s first AKC triple champion. Even after retiring him from

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01:00:24

Tales of Accidental Bird Dogs: Adrienne Barber

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2025/09/10

I interviewed Adrienne Barber in our latest installment of the Tales of Accidental Bird Dog series. Adrienne got a Spinone, Fig, as an active running and adventure companion in 2016. After a while, she noticed that Fig wouldn't stop pointing tweety birds while she was walking her in the city, so she decided to look into hunting. She got involved in NAVHDA and eventually ran Fig in the Natural Ability test for evaluation only as she was a little past the age cut-off. Since then, Adrienne started

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42:48

Rule Change: ATVs Approved for Judging AKC Field...

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2025/08/27

The AKC just made a major change to field trial rules: judges in walking stakes can now use ATVs and UTVs instead of being required to ride horses. To unpack what this means for the sport, I sit down with Paul Hermes — a Florida-based AKC field trial and hunt test judge — to talk through the impact. Paul is realistic about the situation and in an ideal world, he would prefer to have horses for judging. But he also recognizes the practical challenges: horses are increasingly hard to source, and many

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59:09

Teaching Steadiness to Your Pointing Dog

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2025/08/12

Steadiness can be one of the most challenging things to teach to your pointing dog. In this episode, I talk about the general process of teaching steadiness, regardless of the method you are using. I discuss common mistakes I see people making and those I was guilty of with Zara. I also go into detail about the process I'm using to teach Lanka to be steady on birds. Links mentioned in this episode: NAVHDA Aims, Programs, Test Rules booklet, page 44 for the steadiness diagram:

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33:05

Readiness for Testing and Trialing

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2025/07/30

How do you figure out if your dog is ready to enter a hunt test or field trial? In this episode, I break down what readiness really means. From evaluating your dog’s skills to assessing your own confidence and long-term goals, I’ll walk you through key questions to ask yourself before signing up. I also share how time constraints and mental preparedness play a role in deciding when to enter—or hold back. I hope you find this episode useful whether you are entering your very first event or an

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01:02:37

Full Time RV Life with Kelli Aitken-Thompson

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2025/07/09

In this episode, I sit down with Kelli—an Irish Setter breeder, handler, and passionate field trialer who has fully embraced the bird dog lifestyle. What sets Kelli apart is the adventurous path she and her husband have chosen: living full-time in their RV as they travel the country training, hunting, and competing with their dogs. We talk about how she first got involved with Irish Setters, what sparked her interest in field trials, and what it took to transition to life on the road

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46:51

Getting Picked Up in Field Trials

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2025/06/25

So whose dog has gotten picked up in a field trial before?! If you run field trials, it's pretty much inevitable that your dog is going to get picked up at some point, no matter how well trained they are. In this episode, I discuss different ways that can get your dog picked up in AKC field trial gun dog stakes. I also go into detail about Zara's field trial career and explain the times that she has gotten picked up. I've heard from listeners that people like to hear these personal stories and

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01:09:45

Hunting Retriever Club (HRC) Hunt Tests

The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ·

2025/06/11

In this episode, I’m joined by professional dog trainer Emily Shirey of Horizon Retrievers. Emily brings a wealth of experience running retriever hunt tests with both her German Shorthaired Pointer and her Labrador Retriever. We dive into the Hunting Retriever Club (HRC) test structure, focusing on the Started and Seasoned levels, and break down how these tests work. Emily shares insights on what handlers can expect, how HRC compares to AKC retriever tests, and why the HRC community is such a

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