Our day at the hunt test.....

**windycanyon** · 06-29-2008, 10:26 PM

...........was a scorcher, even by my standards, though it was still ~11F cooler over in W. WA than here in C. WA. It hit 103F here.

The judges must have read my mind. As I pulled in at 815am or so (it's a 2.25 hr drive), I saw that they had set up 2 land / water combined marks so our dogs got to get "wet" both in the morning and afternoon series. Thank doG!!!!! They did do the land bird first though, so I had to pull 20 mos old Sonya's attention away from the inviting water both times, but she did great. We now have Qualification #3. One more to go for JH title.

Mata (3.5 yo training for SH, has her Intl CH, CDX, RA, JH, and NA but competing most seriously in Agility right now..) also rode along and got a piece of the action. She was needed as a "pick up dog" to get the ducks that other dogs couldn't/wouldn't get in water. She had one rather strange request for a duck that "disappeared" on land too. Ends up it was not hit when shot, and "ran for cover". The gunners couldn't locate it after the dog was whistled in, and nor could the 2 judges. They called for a pick up dog... and we all told her to "hunt it up". Well, she went almost directly for a clump of grass and picked it up, almost as if to say "You mean this one?"

. The judges looked at one another and said, geesh, we were over that area 6 times!!!! It was very much alive, and SO amped her up! Then right after that, the gunners missed (I keep wondering if it was the same poor duck!) and it descended on water where they shot it dead this time. Again, Miss Mata went in for the retrieve-- an angle entry. She was obnoxious for the rest of the day, let me tell you! :surprise:

The best news of the day was (drumroll please): Mata's chocolate boyfriend Hudson finished his Master Hunter title today!!!!! Wooohoooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Huddy has been my chosen mate for Mata for well over a year and the breeding will likely happen in September. I am SO happy for his owner, Liz, that we won't be potentially messing w/ his training by doing this "act". We still have some hurdles to clear as Hudson is 6 yo now and hasn't been bred, so we have to check fertility still but at least the big title is done! Hud's sire was QAA, just 1 win shy of his FC until an injury forced him into retirement a few years ago. This will be a linebreeding on Mata's sire, GMHR Am/Mex/Intl CH Cook's Midnight Bandit MH, who just turned 15. I bred to Bandit twice in recent years the 2nd being Sonya's litter. How I LOVE what that dog has given me and love this opportunity to infuse a bit of the field blood back in to my lines... so yes, I'm really excited!

Sonya will likely have to wait til the Sept test now to finish as hormones are due for her any time now. When I got home tonight, her great granny went into her mom's crate and spent some time "sniffing". When I looked (I've been watching for swelling and checking for bleeding w/ both Fuji and Sonya as they are both due to come in), there were blood spots fresh from last night! So, my guess is that Sonya will cycle with her as they did last fall too. :whatever:

**Kinderwood** · 06-29-2008, 10:52 PM

WTG Sonya! Congrats! And it sounds like you had fun! Good for Huddy too!

**LabsLand** · 06-29-2008, 11:21 PM

Congratulations Sonya!! WTG!!

Mata did great too!! What a show up OFF.... even when you make it sound so easy it was a huge display of talent and training!!

Congratulations on your girls news!!! I have to confess that I don't understand what these tests consist of, but your posts make me want to know more about it.

Nestor & Henna

**CaliforniaLabLover** · 06-30-2008, 09:23 PM

Congratulations!!!

Sounds like an excellent test weekend for all involved! Can't wait to hear all about Mata and her new litter, when the time comes!!!

**windycanyon** · 07-01-2008, 02:20 AM

Originally Posted by CaliforniaLabLover

Congratulations!!!

Sounds like an excellent test weekend for all involved! Can't wait to hear all about Mata and her new litter, when the time comes!!!

Thanks, it was a great weekend-- and a great test! Nothing fancy, nothing tricky, just an old fashioned JH test... and the fact the dogs got to get wet on both series was great! I think the scariest part was the marks were short, and we don't train enough on short straightforward marks anymore! She nailed them all though.

Oh, funny thing. Sonya came into heat today too. Boy, did I fly under that radar!!!! :surprise:

Her and her mom cycled about 3 days apart last fall too.

**Bailey24** · 07-02-2008, 03:28 PM

Congrats! Sounds like it was a good time despite the heat.

**windycanyon** · 07-03-2008, 01:47 AM

Originally Posted by LuvLabsToo

Congratulations Sonya!! WTG!!

Mata did great too!! What a show up OFF.... even when you make it sound so easy it was a huge display of talent and training!!

Congratulations on your girls news!!! I have to confess that I don't understand what these tests consist of, but your posts make me want to know more about it.

Nestor & Henna

In recent years, the W. WA clubs have been inviting a photographer. Here's the link-- by scrolling thru, you can maybe get an idea of what a JH test is like. If nothing else, you can see how much fun the dogs have! http://www.petscapesphoto.com/petscapeshunt/

We went to (and passed!) all 3 tests listed there for this year, though the photographer left before Sonya got to run at the PSLRA test as it was so late in the day-- but the photos there of the others are really nice!

This is the link to Sunday's test put on by the Evergreen golden retriever club: http://petscapesphoto.com/petscapesh...RCJHA%2062908/ Click on JHA11 to see several photos of Sonya and me (you can use the slideshow button in the top right corner if desired).

Here's Sonya's sister Rion too (Rion finished her JH Sunday and is now on to SH level): http://petscapesphoto.com/petscapesh...tar/index.html

**LabsLand** · 07-04-2008, 01:57 AM

Wow Anne!

It looks like training fun with a purpose. I enjoy watching Henna chasing after sticks and swimming in the lake to catch a ball for me (she doesn't always drop it at my feet, but whe pretends it falls a couple of feet away from me) and from what I see in those amazing pictures, it seems they have lots of fun and help them stay in great shape.

I loved those pictures of Sonya and Rion's jumping into the water!! It makes you want to do the same

especially in the summer.

I started in Obedience and Conformation with Henna. We are going to all breed shows these days and she will have her CGC test on Monday. I don't think she is ready for the test since I did not want to push too hard with the conformation shows being in the middle of all this, but the test was included as part of her classes, so we'll see.

Thanks again for sharing that wonderful job !!

Nestor.

**windycanyon** · 07-04-2008, 02:13 AM

Sounds great, Nestor! Good luck on your CGC test (remember to smile, breathe.. and talk to her!).

In AKC hunt tests, the dog has to deliver to hand, so if you start conditioning Henna now to give the toys she retrieves to YOU, you'll be miles ahead!!! The youngsters really do like JH tests, and it gives them a constructive use for all that obedience we attempt to cram into them their first year or so! :educated: