This past weekend we attended a 2 day clinic that was put on by Michigan Flyways Retriever Club.  Our trainer led the clinic and it took place on his grounds.  The first day was an overview of hunt tests including the various jobs that need to be done at a test and how to use all of the equipment.  We also went over what handlers should expect when running a dog at a test, including how to approach the line, when to send your dog, what is allowed during a test, and how the judge scores the dog.

This clinic was to help prepare for the hunt test that the club is putting on toward the end of May.   Many of us attending this clinic have volunteered to work the test.  Some of the volunteers are very familiar with hunt tests, but some of them have never participated or a run a test before.  Even though I have worked a few tests, I found the information very helpful.  Some of it was a review, but some of it was new information for me.

Once the morning session was over, we broke for lunch and then it was time to work the equipment.  There was a winger set up at the water’s edge and we all took turns operating it and running the dogs on water marks.  For some of the younger dogs it was their first time fetching a mark in the water.  A couple needed a bit of coaxing, but soon they realized that it was fun!  When we finished the water marks, we ran some water blinds.  Thunder did fine on both the marks and the blind.  Unfortunately, no pictures since I was helping to work the equipment and even took a turn acting as judge!

Day 2 the morning session we ran the land portion of a mock hunt test.  The mock test was set up just like a real hunt test with with holding blinds and gunner stations.

The clinic participants took turns doing all of the various jobs at the hunt test.  There was a Marshall who put the dogs in order and made sure the holding blinds were always full.  There were two gunner stations.  These stations each had two people who used duck calls to signal the mark, wingers to throw ducks, guns to fire poppers.  One of the stations was responsible for planting blinds for the Senior and Master level dogs.  There were also two judges who scored the dogs while they ran the test.  After the dog was scored we discussed the score and what kind of things a judge would take into account when scoring.  This was very interesting, especially for the newer people who have never run a test.  For me it was a good visual of exactly what kinds of things are acceptable or unacceptable to earn a passing score.

First we started with the Junior dogs.  Junior dogs got back to back land singles.  I love watching Junior dogs run.  They usually run with such joy and for some of them it was the first time they were asked to retrieve a dead duck.  I took a few of pictures of a couple of the Junior dogs.  (I included the dog’s name if I knew it.)

The Junior dogs did a great job.  After the Junior dogs ran the Senior level dogs had their turn.  The Senior level dogs got a double and then a land blind off to the left side of one of the gunner stations.  Here are a few pictures of some of the Senior level dogs.

Then it was Thunder’s turn.  That will be the subject of tomorrow’s post…..