Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:11 am Post subject: Suffolk Gundog Club puppy test (or was it an Open?)
Here is the report you've all been waiting for: The Suffolk Gundog Club Puppy test
Firstly, it was great to see Susan (Tractorgirl) and Susan's OH Fred again! I managed to introduce them to a few 'Golden' people as there were several there on the day. Fred might even be a new convert to Khaki and is now going to read a few books to learn the lingo and all about khaki activities
We had the privilege of being judged by two highly experienced judges, Nigel Mann and John Canham, who both judge the 'old fashion' way: everytime you blow your whistle, they'll knock a point off.
I was a bit exited going into this test as I felt both Adder and me were prepared as we are very privileged having access to so much different training ground plus the use of remote launchers. Another clear advantage in a puppy test is also if your dog is at the higher end of the allowed 18 months age limit and since Adder is now 17 months, we definitely fitted that category nicely.
And now for the actual tests - I hope you're all sitting down :
1) Walked-up sugar beet, 1 straight mark (approx 30 meters in front), 1 marked 'cross over' (approx 50 meters away), 2 dogs in left line and 2 dogs in right handside line: I'm pleased to say that me and little Adder had the highest score on that one getting a 20 for the straight mark and 18 on the cross over. To make things even more difficult for these PUPS the field was slightly hilly which meant that the cross over dummy landed over a hill if you were on the left or up a hill if you were on the right. A young dog will 99% at the time always mark such a fall short and Adder did mark slightly short and when he pulled a little to the left (away from the fall), I blew the whistle (twice actually as there was no response) but at the same time, Adder picked up the scent and picked the dummy. My fault which I put down to a slight touch of handler nerves which normally goes away after the first retrieve.
Many struggled and had to be handled on to the faraway cross over retrieve, a couple ran in but there were also some really nice retrieves.
2) 2 marks in sugar beet (35 meters away), marks thrown over a hedge and into the beet. You were asked to retrieve the right hand one first. There was an extra 'distraction' as apparently Mike Tallemy's dog had put up a hare which ran straight through the area Most had to do a bit of handling for the right hand dummy as the dogs picked up the scent of the hare and had to be 'pulled off' the scent and directed back to 'the job' including us so we lost 5 marks on the right dummy but did a perfect 20 for the left hand dummy with Adder working the area really well.
3) You and judge walking up with a gun ahead of you, shot fired and dummy thrown to the left which were to be 'ignored' by dog and you had to carry on walking. Then sit dog up and then go back and pick up dummy yourself. You were then asked to sent dog for a blind, in an area at the bottom of a hill (50 meters away). We lost quite a few points on the blind (as did most) because of having to handle the dog to the blind.
At this point, there was no more than 10 points between the top 5 dogs and we were still hanging in there within those 5. Then came lunch and number 4 and 5 test They kept every one in which was nice.
4) A straight mark across a ford, up a hill and onto clear ground with a distraction thrown in front of the dog as it was running back with the dummy. This one proved to be a real 'killer', many failing to pick the mark including us. Adder marked well and took a straight line and then stopped at the top of the little hill and started to hunt the bank up. Thinking about it now, I can understand why many did this as when you kneeled down all the dog could see was that the mark landed right there at the top of the little hill and not further back. We failed to pick the dummy.
5) Blind over a fence , distance to fence about 15 meters and then the blind was in the middle of the track a further 15 meters back. Fence was placed across a farm track.... Yes, folks, this is indeed still a puppy test! Adder went up to the fence and with a couple of 'get over' he jumped, then looked very lost. I told him 'back' and he ran a few steps back but had lost confidence. I finally managed to get him back but he was wrong for the wind and he shot past the dummy and I had to pip him back closer but by then Adder had lost confidence completely and I had to call him back up after him doing a detour into the marshy bit next to the track.
Needless to say that by this time many had failed - including Mike Tallemy's dog and Sara Gadd's dog) and one dog even got caught up in barb wire Adder has jumped fences before and he even jumped his first jump at the tender age of 12 months old but we certainly had never done jumping to find a blind. The jumping bit was hard enough for most as many had PUPS that had not done any jumping really, but I would personally have put a couple of dummies out so the PUP had a chance to succeed in finding a dummy or of course they could have done a straight mark.
All credit to the winner, A Mitchell (with a dog out of FT.Ch Brindlebay Jude) and Mike Jennings that came 2nd and 3rd...
What can I say? I'm debating whether to move North or South or maybe just to the 'middle' to try and find a PUPPY test and not a 'mini open test' I most certainly will have a serious think about if I will enter a test again and if so be very, very careful about which ones to choose. It's not so much that we didn't win but it's more a case of I now have to try and 'repair' my dogs confidence and instead of being able to have used these tests as a tool to move forward, we have now been put back. I started the puppy test with a very enthusiastic, young dog but went home with one very insecure one
Natasha
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WLF All the Way!!!!
"Handle every stressful situation like a dog. If you canīt eat it or hump it. **** on it and walk away..."
Oh wow Natasha - I thought the first test was pretty tough (judging by the varying rates of success that the pups achieved) - and things clearly became significantly harder. Well done for your results in the morning.
Thanks again for inviting us Natasha - it was really interesting and may have sparked off some interest in Fred (though he won't really have the time to pursue it till he retires - or so he keeps telling me ).
It was my first ever experience of a test and, I hope, won't be my last. Everyone who I was introduced to was really friendly and helpful, so it was a good introduction.
Great write up Natasha, thanks. I am hopeless at distances - can't visualise those at all, but it sounds like your boy tried jolly hard to achieve as much as he did, well done.
Makes me think the next thing I must work on is handling at a distance - with all those blinds you had I think I may have struggled with Oak at a distance.
I must say that I generally enjoy reading the different reports from people out and about as it can actually give some ideas about setting up new training scenarios there are even bits that can be used from the above test like sending your dog across a ford or a track as these often works a invisible fence/barriers for a young dog. Then there is the distraction which can be thrown either when the dog runs out to fetch a dummy or when it's on it's way back...
Adder is perking up again after having had a few 'fun' straight marks so I think we will just have an 'informal' training week this week This morning, they all had a good 'ol run and walk at the track around the big wood - nice with a bit of fun for a change
Natasha
____________
WLF All the Way!!!!
"Handle every stressful situation like a dog. If you canīt eat it or hump it. **** on it and walk away..."
I must admit at the moment I am doing the same with my lot - I have routed around the store cupboard and found the tennis ball catapult and have reignited there enthusiasm with some flying tennis ball retrieves . No handling at all!!
Well that test would have ruined a few pups progression and confidence, for the next few months.
Do you not think sometimes it is the case with some judges.
meaning, there is no novice on today so we will make the puupy tests harder, or there is no open on today so we will make the novice harder.
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Most had to do a bit of handling for the right hand dummy as the dogs picked up the scent of the hare and had to be 'pulled off' the scent and directed back to 'the job' including us so we lost 5 marks on the right dummy but did a perfect 20 for the left hand dummy with Adder working the area really well.
They kept every one in which was nice.
there are even bits that can be used from the above test like sending your dog across a ford or a track as these often works a invisible fence/barriers for a young dog. Then there is the distraction which can be thrown either when the dog runs out to fetch a dummy or when it's on it's way back...
. No handling at all!!
