A good day (for the most part) in the hunt field

[imported_Belles mom]

We went to the GLHRC Hunt test yesterday near Ionia. I took Belle, Kodi and Hoss at the Started level.

Because Belle has the title, I handled the gun and tried putting Seasoned expectations on her at the Started level. The Land portion was first, with both ducks landing about 40 yards away in shin high grass at the crest of hills. Belle broke on the second duck just as I got the "FFFFFF" of "Fetch it!" out. The judges gave me a warning and said they'd be particularily critical on the water portion. On the water, I added an "ACK!" just after the shot which nailed her little hinny to the ground and she performed flawlessly. The water portion a a nice straight forward first bird, and the second landed just beyond a penninsula, and I think every dog ran the "bank" on the way back (which was actually tall hummocks and water inbetween)

Kodi, happily "put a cork in it" and remained out of heat for the day. I think she'll be in season by next Sunday (next hunt test) but we'll see. They had a vet do the "Bitch Check" and she asked the Kodi go last. She said her stud would sniff her out she was so close. That was fine with me, but it made for a long day with Hoss running #4, Belle #12 and Kodi #35 (last)! Kodi nailed all marks, but just had to tweek it a bit and on the first land mark went right to it, nosed it and then do a "victory lap" to check for anything else that might be interesting and then picked up the duck and return. The water went well.

Hoss, was the best, and went straight out and back on all retrieves. On the second water retrieve, there was a goose family about thirty yards beyond where the duck was landing. (Hoss at this point was the #3 dog), and the geese came out to see what was going on...just for him! Fortunately, this is exactly what we work on in practice becasue there are so many goose families at work, and we have to "train around" them so to speak.

Red (my co-own) did not pass however. He went right to the land marks but would not bring them back. Joe (his owner) however does little to no training with him, and just thinks that Red will do it. "Maybe" he'll learn something from this and work on it this week. I have tried to show Joe what to do, and how to work on things, but short of my actually training Red, I am not sure it will happen. Very frustrating, because Red has the potential to go incredably far especially in the hunt test world.

Over all a very good day though. In the raffle, I won 6 decoys, two knives and a $50.00 gift certificate for a winger! Joe won 12 decoys, a starter's pistol, a knife, and something else I can not remember!

I was SOOOO tired when I got home, and still had to go to work and "do babies" (hatching pheasants and ducks)!

[georgie]

Congratulations. Sounds like a very good day.

I think when people see the labs run in these tests they think they do it naturally. They don't realize the amount of time & training that goes into making our labs look like they do it "naturally."

[SamIAm]

Congratulations! I love reading accounts of what happened at the hunt tests, especially now that I can "sort of" understand them!

Frances

[imported_2Labpups]

Karen, EXCELLENT write up!!! THANK YOU!!! ;D It sounds like you had a good time all in all. I alway forget what to do at the line. If my dog breaks do I say sit? Do I call it back and say sit? What do I do?? Then the light bulb goes on and I remember everything! ;D

Keep up with the training and the tests. BTW, congrats on winning the loot at the raffle!

[olducker]

Congratulations.