Our first hunt test

Devon and I took a road trip to Pennsylvania this weekend with our friends Beth and Reba (Golden), Janet and Zoe (Golden) and Steve and Archie (Golden). This was a test Devon and I have looked forward to since we delayed her hunt testing last fall and her injury pushed it back this spring. Let’s just say the 6 hour drive was worth it!

Devon was 11th of 31 dogs in the Junior test. Our land marks were quite simple; I told Steve and Janet we’d set up training that was harder than this (and sometimes even on purpose). The first mark was about 75 yards up hill thrown by an exposed gunner (for those non-field people that means he was not hidden behind a blind, not that he was indecent). The cover was mowed tall grass and when the duck was thrown you could see it on the ground from the line.

The second mark was 35 yards just over the crest of a small rise next to a pond. The dogs couldn’t see the fall, and there was a set of tire tracks that drew the dogs up the hill. This was probably meant to be a deceptively hard mark. Most of the Junior dogs handled it well, but I could see a hard charging Lab pounding right past that fall on up the hill. Many of the Junior dogs did over run it but came back to it.

Devon handled these marks with ease, and she walked to the line pretty well. My only unease came right before the one judge called me out of the blind to the line. He looked me over, then turned and consulted with his co-judge and the apprentice judge. Then he turned and called me from the blind. Now this made me uneasy. Clearly something about me or what I was doing wasn’t right, but I didn’t know what it was. I walked to the line and set my dog up and they didn’t say a word.

As I said, Devon looked like a pro going straight to her marks and returning to heel position each time. It was done in a snap. I turned to put on her leash, and the judge said, “We think your shirt is too light in color. It’s OK for us, but other judges wouldn’t like it.” I had nothing to say. I had a light olive t-shirt on and it was the exact same color as the shirt the judge was wearing! I told him I could pull another shirt on before water, and he said no it was OK for today but I shouldn’t wear it again. Ok, I can follow direction! The weather turned cooler during the day anyway, and I put on my black pullover for the water series.

Speaking of the water marks, they were a little more complicated than the land. First, we had to sit on a bucket as the marks went down. The first mark was straight across the pond with the duck landing in tall grass on the bank. The second mark was angled to our right with the duck splashing in the water. The second mark was very cheaty (meaning it was tempting for the dog to get out of the water on the bank near the bird and run the bank back to the handler, versus turning in the water and swimming the line back to you).

We had to walk to the line and sit on the bucket with the dog next to us. When we signaled to the judges we were ready for the bird, one judge who was next to the dog also sitting on a bucket called to the gunner with a duck call. The gunner called back with a duck call, then threw the bird and made the gun shot as the bird was in the air. Once the bird landed, the judge behind us released us (called out our number) and we could send our dog from the seated position or stand to send the dog.

Since Devon had never been sent with me in a seated position, at first I thought I’d stand before sending her. Then I realized my standing could distract her from looking at the mark, and I didn’t want that. Considering how much she loves to retrieve ducks, I decided to stay seated. I got her out of the van a little early, and I sat on the edge of the van, called her into heel position and threw a bumper a few feet from her. Devon thought it was odd that I did this, but she retrieved the bumper fine about three times. This increased my comfort level with my decision to stay seated.

I should not have worried about Devon on these water marks! She was so ready to get more ducks that I had to hold the leash with both hands as she tried to drag me to the line up. To get to the water marks, we had to go through the woods and line up in the woods. Devon and I had quite the discussion about her remaining in heel position all through the woods. Coming out of the last blind, Devon tried to drag me to the line, but I hung on and demanded she sit in heel. She was somewhat controlled going to the line, but I certainly do not have a well-mannered dog any longer! She wants her birds!!

When I walked to the line, I walked in front of the bucket and remained standing, asked her to sit, took off her leash and put it in my pocket, took her collar and then lowered myself to the bucket. I figured if I was seated and I asked her to move into heel position she would be confused and it would stress her from her job. This was the perfect strategy, because other than a head check I don’t think she even realized anything was different.

The duck call from next to her to start the mark also didn’t faze her, especially when she heard the call from across the pond. She nailed this mark, barely off the line going out by more than 1-2 feet. She also nailed the more cheaty mark and only shored up 4 feet from where she should have on line. I thought they were excellent marks! When Devon moved into “heel” to give me the second bird, she sat on my feet facing out clearly suggesting she was willing to get more ducks if someone would just throw them out there for her!

Of our group, the girls ruled the first day. Devon, Zoe and Reba all passed their test. This was Zoe’s fourth pass since she had three from last summer, so she earned her JH on Saturday. This was Reba and Devon’s debut and they both did great. Unfortunately Archie had problems on the first water mark. He was confident on land and dragged Steve to the line on water. He worked hard to find the bird, but in the end never did. None of us can figure out what happened, but we all know things happen at a test that throws the dogs. Archie is still a winner according to Devon and probably Reba. I think his sister Zoe will never change her mind that he’s a “dumb boy.”

After receiving Devon’s qualifying ribbon, we headed back to the hotel. Reba, Devon and Beth napped and I showered. I moved Devon over on the bed and she laid her head on my stomach. When we got up for dinner, I had a small drool mark on my shirt – she was really sound asleep! I brought back some of my steak from dinner as her reward, and she loved it. A very successful first day and I’m sure she was dreaming of more ducks the next day!