What is a VJP and Why Should I Test My Dog?
Demystifying the Verbands-Jugend-Prüfung
What is the VJP?
Intimidating acronyms and German words aside, the VJP is a spring puppy test designed to assess the natural abilities of a young dog. It is not a test of trained subjects, obedience, or anything beyond the naturally occurring skills inside that growing puppy brain.
At its core, the test is very simple. There are three “events”: a field search, a rabbit track, and an opportunity to point a bird. That’s it. The judges will also assess other characteristics such as nose and cooperation, but that is done while the dog is completing those three subjects.
Why should I run my dog in a VJP?
The German approach to developing purpose-bred, versatile hunting dogs is to ensure consistency through performance testing. The tests provide a standard by which to measure important hunting skills that will determine the dog’s ability to effectively find and recover game. The tests are designed to mimic hunting scenarios as closely as possible.
Standardized performance testing is important before choosing which dogs will be bred, but testing matters even if you have no plans to breed. VJP scores give breeders an idea of how the breed is performing overall on key hunting skills and if a particular litter exceled in specific areas. Success in higher level tests shows that the dogs are highly trainable and easy to work with in a variety of environments.
Hunt tests are valuable for you as a hunter, too. Tests provide good milestones and goals when training in the off-season in preparation for the next hunting season. You’ll get connected with other like-minded hunters who are also working with their versatile dogs. First-timers can connect with experienced handlers for tips, advice, and perhaps a local training day. Even for those of us with text anxiety, the VJP is a fun event to complete with your dog and set a baseline for your future together.
How to prepare for a VJP
It’s been said that the hardest part of a VJP is getting into one. Especially for those of us in the Northwest, the second hardest part is getting to a test. Tests can be few and far between, often requiring long drives to neighboring states with enough of a wild rabbit population to conduct the rabbit tracking portion of the test.
While the test is meant to evaluate the natural abilities of each puppy, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t prepare your dog for it. It is important to provide your young dog with enough exposure that they’ll be comfortable with the subjects on test day. You don’t want your pup’s first encounter with a huge jackrabbit to be during the test—rather, you want them to have confidence in their own abilities to successfully use their nose to accomplish a task.
Hunting your puppy in the season leading up to the VJP is the best exposure you can offer, because they will learn that a productive field search will eventually turn up birds. Hopefully they will have plenty of opportunities to find and point birds and perhaps even track a rabbit. If they don’t get those experiences while hunting, be sure to practice by planting a few birds in a field and dragging a rabbit to leave a scent trail. Some pups may act differently in front of a small audience of strangers, too, so getting together with others to prepare for the test can help to simulate the test day environment.
As a breeder, I commit to helping each and every one of our puppy buyers get registered and prepared for a VJP and beyond. Questions about the test or the registration process? Don’t hesitate to ask.