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Thread: Picnic test

  1. #11
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Anna Scott View Post
    Picnic trials are great for introducing both dogs and handlers to the game. Just being around a group of dogs and having to wait your turn gives the dog the idea of what a test/trial is all about. We call it the hurry up a wait factor. Do they have people who set up the tests and judge, giving feed back at the end of the day? At one time clubs up here even gave out ribbons at their picnic days.
    Next weekend we are starting to work with a group getting ready for their first WC tests. We are actually going to work indoors for the first session getting the dogs familiar with birds and holding blinds and just getting the feel for birdieness. One of the things we plan is to go over what the judges will be looking for at a test when you come to the line with your dog.

    Indybindy your boy looks great and so does the concept pond behind him.
    They have a great set-up group and good equipment. The shooters weren't bad. It was run efficiently with experienced folks in the blinds. The "judge" was good. I did not get much feedback, but he was helpful. He did give feedback to people who made mistakes or had questions. All in all, I liked it. It would have been nice to have more information and to get feedback, like at an obedience match. Even if the judge just filled out a score sheet, that would be nice to have. The event was a little spendy, IMHO, and having included the score sheet would have made it completely worth it. I can't really complain though, because this is the next best thing to the actual test.

  2. #12
    Senior Dog ChoppersDad's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Labradorks View Post
    I'm sorry you could not make it! There is another one this weekend, I think Saturday, on the east side of the island. Different club. You can just go and hang out. You don't have to actively participate. It is not a formal event by any means and they encourage people with young dogs and pups to come out, socialize, get used to the scene. There was a one year old conformation Lab there who had never seen water, been in a field, heard gunshots, or been around birds. They teased her with a fresh kill, got her to pick it up from maybe five feet, let her hold onto it, praised her, then she spent the rest of the afternoon watching. They figure out really fast that gunshot = bird falls = run out and get it. It clicks in their heads before they would even know what to do if they were on the line. After the pup figured it out from watching, the owner had to tie the dog's leash around her waist to keep her from getting away from her because she was bolting each time the gun went off. Anyway, that's what these events are for!
    Nice! That scenario sounds perfect for Chopper. He has never been around gunfire or live birds to date.

  3. #13
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by indybindy View Post
    Attachment 2692

    This is my 15 month old boy, so even at this young age he doesn't look like a pointer. Anyway.....

    Anyway, just here to comment about the coat. I've had good luck with the Chilly Buddy coat. They are lighter and don't have to be wet to work, although they can be. They reflect tons of light, a great option for black dogs.
    Good looking and it's also tough to get a picture of a black lab that shows the character on their faces.

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Labradorks View Post
    Yeah, so most of the dogs at the event looked like small pointers with pitbull tails. One, a MH, was the oddest looking Lab I'd ever seen. At least 27-28" tall and I'd be surprised if he was 10" wide. He had an upright ewe neck and the gait of an Irish Wolfhound. His coat was long, but thin, with feathers like a poorly coated golden. You could count each rib and see each muscle from 20' away (he was not malnourished - just his build). I am sure that plenty of people said similar things about my dog...

    The undercoat is supposed to act as an insulator (like your house -- keeps in the heat or the cool) and help your dog regulate his temperature. From what I understand, anyway... I can't say if my dog heats up faster than field dogs. My dog is heavier. Even if he were in the same condition as the field Labs, he has way more bone. We also don't train like those dogs. The field Labs are "on" all the time and I think a lot of them would run until they couldn't run any longer. Apparently my guy is of the "work smarter not harder" camp. Or he is a true "first world dog". And yeah, those four retrieves in a row were a lot for him! He was a trooper, though. Long retrieves, the stress, difficult terrain, cow pies, about six blinds with a bunch of guys, bumpers and pigeons when he is not a bumper fan and prefers ducks, and our first 70 degree + day in over six months. He's a lot of fun and you know, he gets the job done, so can't complain.

    The coat reflects the sun and yes, you can soak it, let it drip for a few seconds (don't wring it), then put it on the dog. They do not get wet and they wear the coat much like a horse does. I'm looking forward to using the coats more this summer.
    Hey, no offense taken about field labs, and yes... some look like black Saluki's, and even though I've never experienced it with one of mine, some of them tend to be "hard keepers"... especially if they are in a kennel with other dogs and they pace.

    Believe it or not, I've seen some incredibly accomplished field labs with the best pedigrees and titles and they are just too ugly. Even I have my limits.

  5. #15
    Senior Dog Maxx&Emma's Avatar
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    Are these coats good to use for nosework and tracking training? Maxx is heavily boned and has an incredibly thick coat. Working him in temps over 55° is a challenge, he overheats very quickly. I have stopped outdoor training between May and September for the last 2 years which really sucks, especially for tracking. If a coat like this would be helpful, I would buy one in a heartbeat! TIA.
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  6. #16
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    I guess with field trial labs it is a case of handsome is as handsome does. Lean Mac was no beauty but if you look at most pedigrees now you will find him somewhere in the background. His sire High Tec was one of the most talented dogs that our friend ever ran.

  7. #17
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxx&Emma View Post
    Are these coats good to use for nosework and tracking training? Maxx is heavily boned and has an incredibly thick coat. Working him in temps over 55° is a challenge, he overheats very quickly. I have stopped outdoor training between May and September for the last 2 years which really sucks, especially for tracking. If a coat like this would be helpful, I would buy one in a heartbeat! TIA.
    I don't see why not! The coats are reflective. The Swamp Cooler Coat sops up water to help keep the dog cool without being wet. Just bring water and a bucket, re-wet when you need to. Or just use it dry and it will reflect the sun and help keep them cool. Like I said, I haven't tried it on my black dog, and I've only used it twice on the yellow, so I can't give much in the way of first-hand experience. Everyone at the obedience specialty (performance in an outdoor ring) had them on their black Labs before they went in the ring.

 



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