Successful NAVHDA trainer on composure, acing the test, raising the bar and "desperate" dogs

Upland Nation · Apr 14, 2026 · 1h 1m

From the floor of the 2026 Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic, Clyde Vetter joins me for a wide-ranging talk on the value of joining those groups, and all things bird dogs.

Clyde has titled more NAVHDA Utility dogs than any other trainer, and he's glad to share some of the methods he uses. We go from why composure is so important in a dog and how to create it, to helping your dog excel in test situations, why "soft" dogs aren't all bad, a new way to teach retrieving, and raising the bar with young dogs. We also learn why a desperate dog might be a creative, "birdy" dog-in-the-making.

Thanks to…