A little of this and a little of that and everything in between…

I am still trying to catch up from my weekend of working at the hunt test.  The week before we were dressed in winter clothes but for the hunt test it was hot and sunny with temperatures in the 80′s.

I was working as the Marshall.  The Marshall’s main job is to organize the running order so that the test keeps moving.  Sometimes handlers are at other stakes or may be running multiple dogs at your stake.  Even though there is a set running order, you usually have to adjust it.  You also may have to call around to other stakes to see if a handler can break away to come and run their dog at your stake.  The Rules state that the Master test takes priority so you can request those handlers come over, but you cannot make them if they are waiting over at the Master stake to run their dogs.  Most people are very helpful and work with you so that the test doesn’t have to stop and wait for too long a time.  The pros at this test were very good at anticipating when they might need to run a dog and usually showed up just as I was starting to look for them.

This Pond Was Used For The Master Test 2011

I worked the Junior stake on Saturday and the Senior stake on Sunday.  The judges setting up these tests set up a super long walk from the parking to the test and from my Marshall station to the line.  I must have walked 100 miles over the course of the weekend.  Not really, but I was pooped.

I wanted to take some pictures of the running dogs but every time I thought to get my camera out, the judges wanted something.  The only picture that I took was the one I posted of Thunder yesterday.  The judges had asked for a “set-up” dog.  A “set-up” dog is used to retrieve practice marks.  Sometime the judges want to check where the mark is going to fall or to check the equipment.  I figured I could finally get a couple of pictures of a dog working.

Thunder “Set-up” Dog Or Not

Thunder’s handler took him all the way down to the line and the judges decided they did not need a “set-up” dog after all.  In the end all he did was eat a few blades of grass and I only got the one picture.

I was able to watch Freighter’s sister Sunny run the Junior test on Saturday.  It was a very difficult Junior test.  The first land  mark was a hand thrown dead bird.  The bird was thrown in cover and in front of a pond.  Many many dogs ended up in the pond when they blew over the mark which was in the deep cover.  The second land mark was a shot flyer and landed in a cut corn field on the other side of a road.  The dogs had to cross the road to get the bird.  Sometimes roads can be a problem for young dogs because the road may seem like a wall to them.  Most dogs seemed to have less of a problem with the second mark than they did with the first mark.

The water was also very challenging.  The wind was quite gusty.  The first water mark was a dead bird which fell behind a little island and in a dead tree.  Many dogs missed the bird and got up on the bank and ended up in the field behind the pond.  The second water mark was another dead bird.  It was thrown so that it fell at the edge of the pond.  The dogs had to exit the water, cross a little land peninsula, and re-enter the pond.  There were decoys in front of the peninsula and behind it.  Many dogs looked at that second set of decoys which took the dog’s eyes off the mark.

Senior Test Pond 2011

Sunny got so close to that last mark, but couldn’t come up with it.  She used her handle on the first mark of the day because she ended up in the pond.  Bummer.  Still for a tough test, she did OK.  I was glad we did not enter Freighter.  I am not sure how he would have done on that test. 

I did not get to see it, but the next day Sunny earned her first Junior pass.  Woohoo!  Congrats to Sunny and her trainer Darrin!  Three more to go!

Sunny From Training

We are bringing Freighter home today.  We want to work on his marking which has slid a bit as he has been learning handling.  Plus my husband would like to run him at tests, so they need to start working together.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

Freighter Getting Ready To Train

With three dogs to train we are going to be quite busy.  Long time readers probably remember that this time of year, I am always behind in reading your blogs. 

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Thunder

Once she figured out that her pups weren’t here, the next most important thing was to check out her yard.

First She Checked Out Her Kennel

Then She Sniffed Her Yard

Then She Took A Good Long Look Around To Make Sure Everything Is In Order

Storm will start back to light hunt test training.  She is out of condition and her milk is not yet all dried up so we will not run her in high cover or swim her.  We do not want any stimulation to make more milk because we would like to get her nice tuck up back as much as possible.  Friday I wrote about coats.  She is really blowing hers.  In fact she has bald in spots with no fur at all.  This is normal after pups and will probably get worse.  She won’t win any beauty pageants any time soon. 

I’m Still Cute

Welcome home Storm!