The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast

Tales of Accidental Bird Dogs: Ashley Hisey

  Ashley talks with me about her journey from originally getting a Braque Francais for agility to becoming fully immersed in the bird dog world. Like many of us, she didn

Gear for Training, Testing, Trialing, and Hunting

Gear for you and your bird dog. What do you actually need versus what is a "nice to have"? In this episode I cover the essentials for bird dog training, as well as runnin

Getting Started in Bird Dog Training

This one is for people who are brand new to bird dog training! In this episode, I walk through everything you need to know before your first training day—from what to wea

Tales of Accidental Bird Dogs: Charlotte Bryant

  In this episode, I'm joined by Charlotte, who shares how adopting a reactive rescue Weimaraner eventually led her into the world of NAVHDA and bird dog training. When J

The Puppy Foundation Behind a National Champion

  What does it take to raise a field trial puppy that develops into a National Champion?   In this episode, I sit down with amateur field trialer John Bacik to discuss th

Breeding Bird Dogs

Experienced Vizsla breeder Michelle Dowd of Broad Run Vizslas joins me to talk about her journey into breeding and the important things to consider when breeding dogs for

How to Start Training for Hunt Tests/Field Trials

Are you interested in learning how to start hunting with your bird dog? Do you have a young, energy-filled Pointer, German Shorthair, Vizsla, Brittany, etc. and you're cu

The Vizsla Club of America National Gun Dog Championship: Post-Event Recap

  Jessica Predom joins me again for part 2 discussing the Vizsla national walking field trial last month. We go into the details of how each of our dog's runs went and wh

The Vizsla Club of America National Gun Dog Championship: Preparing for the Event

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

What It Takes to Train Your Dog for Different Levels

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 tria

Tales of Accidental Bird Dogs: Emily Delaplain

  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 tra

Burnout in Bird Dog Training

  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

Planning Out A Hunt Test/Field Trial Season

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,

Tips for AKC Hunting Tests for Pointing Breeds

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 i

Tales of Accidental Bird Dogs: Jeff Beck

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

End of the Year 2025 Listener Questions

  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 ho

The Accidental Bird Dog Audiobook Teaser

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

The Mental Side of Dog Handling

  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

Building Engagement to Train Skills for Hunting Dogs

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 trainin

Field Trials vs Hunt Tests vs NAVHDA: What Should I Do With My Dog?

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