My pup passed her first hunt test....!

Lured In · 05-19-2003, 08:35 AM

Yesterday I finally took my 13 month old choc lab out for her first hunt test. The Salem Retriever Trial Club (SRTC) had one down at St. Louis Ponds.

She did as good as I could have hoped considering that I am not a pro, nor do I plan I making her into a "super hunt test dog".

For the Junior Hunter series they had to do 2 land marks (one about 80 and the other about 90 yards) and 2 water marks. She did really well on the land marks, and we almost lost it on the water. The first mark was across a 20 yard piece of water and about 15 yards back into the grass on the other side of the water. She marked the bird well and headed out across the water. About 2/3 of the way across, a "tweetie" bird flew out in front of her face and she took off swimming after it. I was thinking to myself, arghhh! [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

I was hoping she would give up on it and go back to the mark, but not dice. In training we have been working on her T work, so she has had a little bit of handling experience, but none in the water. I tried to stop her twice, and she refused. So I gave her the comeback wistle and she turned around. I then gave her a left over, and she took it!

She got up on the land on the other side of the water and hunted up the bird and brought it back to hand. [img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img] She then did great on the next mark and that was it.

I thought for sure, becuase she went after the tweetie bird, we wouldn't pass. As it worked out, between the handling and the rest of her performance, she managed to pass!(thank you judges)

I have to admit, running the dog was a lot more nerve racking and exciting than I would have anticipated. (The land series was a blurr because I was so nervous. I am glad my pup wasn't though).

I wanted to send out a big thanks to Tilla for encouraging me to get involved.

I had a great time and it was a super fun event.

If you have been thinking about getting into one of these, it is really a lot of fun.

ColdSteel · 05-19-2003, 10:01 AM

Congrats on the hunt test Lured!!

I have been thinking about doing these test with my dog but don't know much about them. My pup is 10 months and is my first hunting dog. I'm really interested in finding out more about these types of tests. Does the Salem Retriver Club have a web site that I could check out to find out more about them?

skein · 05-19-2003, 11:37 PM

Congrats, Lured, for you and your pup. Anything that lets a man spend more time with his dog is alright by me. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Skein

James in Idaho · 05-20-2003, 07:04 AM

Hey, way to go! About 75% of the fun in judging the junior stake comes from watching you newbies forget to breath. Had one a time back who I thought was going to pass out, ha! She's now handling open all age dogs (very well at that), but she still laughs remembering running Bubba in the junior.

And don't sell those "super hunt test dogs" short, I've got one of those stinky chessies in my back yard who is heck on wheels to hunt over, and is also a master hunter. GO FOR IT! The down side is they spoil you, and you know the time it takes to get there.

Keep hanging with Tilla, he'll show you the way. (and he's a pretty fair judge himself, as is his wife)

Labsforme · 05-20-2003, 08:22 AM

Not bad for a brown dog.

I'll be gunning Monday(probably master) at OHRC test on Sauvie Island.Just remember all of the skills you build into your dog will make it a better hunting companion.Tilla still can't do more than 30 yard sprints and he's not force fetched. :grin: