Monthly Archives: July 2011

Getting Ready

Posted in dog training, Hunt Test by

We entered both Thunder and Storm in an HRC Seasoned test taking place next weekend.  We figured it is about time to see how Thunder’s training has progressed.  We had already decided to enter him in a Seasoned test before he bloated, but of course had to cancel.  We returned to his regular training this week and he is still fairly solid with his marks and land blinds.

Nice Marking Thunder

His water blinds are OK and seem to improve with each training session, so why not try a test?  Storm is more advanced in her training since she has been with a trainer.  The challenge with her will be having a different handler for this test.

Yay Ducks!

In a Seasoned test you are allowed to run the entire test unlike the AKC Senior Test where they have call-backs after the morning series and it is not guaranteed that you will make it to the afternoon series.  There are other differences between a Seasoned and Senior test.  There is no honor in a Seasoned test and the handler fires the popper gun over the dog just like you were hunting.  In a Senior test, the shots are out in the field.

Storm on a Dog Stand Last Hunting Season

Another difference is that the handler may send the dog while seated on a bucket, or in a boat, or the dog may be sent from a dog stand.  Although Thunder and Storm are both used to this while hunting they have not had this set up a lot in a hunt test.  Luckily, the dog is allowed controlled breaks, (but hopefully we won’t have any of those…right Storm? :) ).

Thunder Being Sent With His Handler Seated On A Bucket

We have already started practicing sending Thunder with his handler seated on a bucket.  We were also lucky enough to get a couple of the leftover ducks which were in decent condition after the hunt test last weekend and have been using them in training this week.

Thunder Return

These pictures are from the other day where we opted to use the shady part of the field.  Unfortunately that meant there were a lot of trees and a lot of shadows.  Also, I was facing right into the sun so my pictures are not the best.  First we threw two long single marks.  Once Thunder retrieved those, we planted two long blinds.  One blind was to the right of one mark and the other blind was to the left of the other mark.  We wanted to get Thunder used to the idea that he may have a blind retrieve next to where he just picked up a mark.

We used the ducks for the marks and for the blinds.  Unfortunately they had cut all the nice longish grass in the field so there wasn’t a lot of cover.  I planted both blinds out of sight of Thunder and his handler.  Once they were placed, I called them back.  No sooner was Thunder sent to the first blind when two kids appeared out of no where and bee-lined right to that same duck.  A huge empty field and they spot a tiny duck laying out there.  Meanwhile Thunder’s handler was busy trying to handle him to that duck.  The choice was to call him back and maybe hurt all the progress we have made giving him confidence on these blinds, or muddle through.  We yelled to the kids to get away, but they were too busy saying, “Ooh how did this get here?  Look at that?  YUCK!”  I guess they couldn’t see or hear a guy blowing a whistle and gesturing a dog to head straight towards them.  It was decent training because they were a BIG distraction, and although it took a couple more casts than normal, Thunder ran over, (paying no mind to the kids hovering over the duck), scooped the duck up, and brought it back.  In this picture you can kind of make out the kids who were finally going back to playing soccer.

Good Job Thunder Despite The Distractions

The second blind retrieve was much less eventful.  Thunder pretty much lined that one.  It was fairly warm out and we were pleased with his work, so we ended the session right there.

Good Boy Thunder (Second Blind Retrieve)

We will be picking up Storm from the trainer tomorrow so we have some time to work with her before the tests.  Also one of the club’s we belong to has a training day scheduled on our trainer’s grounds tomorrow.  Great timing since we have the tests next weekend.  :)

You can read a review of hunt test elements and rules in two posts that we did last winter here and here.

Hanging At The Hunt Test

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Thunder was not running in the Hunt Test last weekend, but he got to hang out for the day.  He also got to help as a set-up dog very briefly in the morning.  When the judges are setting up a test, they will usually throw a mark or two just to make sure it will land in the area they want.  If it is thrown on land, no problem, just walk out and pick it up.  But if it is thrown in the water, then they will send the “set-up” dog to swim out and pick it up.  It was a short mark, but Thunder was happy to oblige.  :)

Unfortunately I did not get any pictures of any dogs running the morning series because there was not a good view to watch the test, let alone get a picture.  The weeds were pretty high in some areas and the test was set up in a little ravine.  There was nowhere to sit down by the test and the weeds blocked the view from where the cars were all parked.

Morning Series

I couldn’t see what was going on, but Thunder could from his crate in the back of the truck.  He couldn’t actually see the test, but he could see every single bird thrown.  He was not too pleased to be stuck in a crate.

Hey When Is It My Turn?

The temperatures rose as the day wore on.  Whenever we go to a hunt test we always take a lot of stuff with us…an easy-up, crate fans, sun shades, water, chairs, ice chest, first aid kit. etc., etc.  It is quite the load!

For the serious hunt testers, they have nice rigs like this one.  They are great on a hot day because they are insulated and have ventilation systems.  This particular person came all the way to Michigan from Texas!

Nice Rig

Our set-up is not so fancy.

Our Set Up

Another View of Our Set Up

Since Jim was working the test and we did not have a dog entered, we were the last car in the line.  The afternoon series was set up in the field to the left of our truck.  At one point in the afternoon I went over to watch the test and take some pictures.  When I turned around, there were many people and dogs hanging out in the shade offered by our easy-up since it was a good spot to watch the test and wait for their turn at the test.  Thunder never barked or even acknowledged the people or the dogs.  (So much for the Chessie reputation of being protective. :lol: )  Storm would not have been that keen on all the people and dogs hanging about, but Thunder was very nonchalant about it. Thank goodness because there were people coming and going all afternoon.

Hey, Who Is That Guy Out There In The Field?

Thunder was fine with people hanging out under our easy-up, but he was really put out that he did not get to run the test.  The Marshall station was set up just in front of our truck.  One of the Marshall’s jobs is to call dogs to the line and to make sure there are dogs in line waiting so that the test moves along.  They had three holding blinds set up with easy-ups shading the blinds and water for the dogs so they were calling dogs in groups of threes.  To call the dogs, the Marshall would shout out for example, “Number 4, Number 5, Number 6″, etc. until all numbers are called and all dogs have run.  Every time Thunder heard numbers called he would get up and bang his big dog paw on his crate as if to say, “It MUST be my number by now”.  Yep he has been to a few hunt test and knows what those numbers mean.  I finally had to tell him, “Sorry pal, your number isn’t going to be called today.”  I don’t think he was at all convinced.

Really I Can Do It! Just Let Me Out Of Here!

Thunder has now been released to train normally and we have entered both Thunder and Storm in an HRC test coming up.  I’ll explain a little more about that in another post.

“Go” Didn’t Really Mean “GO”!

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Last post I signed off with “Go Storm”.  Well apparently she took it to heart because she broke on the first bird at her test on Saturday.  In a Senior test you are allowed one controlled break.  She came back when called, so it was controlled, but of course she had her back to the second mark when it was thrown and never saw it.  She then had to be  handled to that mark, which she got.  OK fine.  You are allowed one handle to a mark at a Senior test.  She made it to the afternoon water series, but got hung up on another mark.  We were not there but we were told it was not an easy mark and required the dog to swim a bit, cross some land and then get the mark in a pond behind the land.  Storm got stuck hunting on the land and had to be handled back to the mark in the pond.  Second handle=not a qualifying score.

Storm still has trouble when she has to mark and go from water to land and back to water and back to land, etc.  It is something we are still working on.  She has no problem if she is handled, but when she has to mark a fall, she will often hunt short and not drive far enough back.  She just hasn’t had many of these types of marks as they not that common in a Senior test.  Oh well, just something to work on.

The good…her handling was very nice (that has really been worked on), and her honor was good (no breaking there), and she picked up all of the birds.  If not for her missing that one mark, she might have had a ribbon.  Darn!

I have no pictures of Storm since we weren’t at the test, but we were at the Junior stake on Sunday because Jim was working a gunner station.  We saw some mighty fine Junior dogs work.  I snapped a few pictures of the dogs.

Cheeto--A young Chessie who is also being trained by Storm's trainer

Cheeto--Long Land Mark

Cheeto--Long Water Mark and a Junior pass at his very first Hunt Test

Cheeto is a year old male and a very sweet Chessie.  He also ran that test very nicely for such a young dog.  We have seen him handling and he is a real team player.  He is a great dog.

Yellow Lab

Black Lab

Another Yellow Lab

Same Yellow Lab--Water Mark

And Another Black Lab

Even though the Club putting on the test was a Golden Retriever Club, I guess I didn’t get any pictures of Golden Retrievers.  It was pretty hot in that field and I will admit that I retreated to the shade for a good part of the afternoon session.  I could still watch the test, but it was too far to get decent pictures.

We took Thunder with us since it was going to be too long a day to leave him home.  I will tell you about Thunder’s day at the test in another post.