We're in Count-down Mode

[TuMicks]

Four more days until our first Senior. I have been in Phoenix for the last 10 days and left Ram Jet Rocket Dog at the pro's so that she could continue to get worked. Of course, that doesn't help our chemistry or make me a better handler... but we will try to muddle along.

I drove back from Phoenix last night, (12 hours) but met the group out on the Feather River early this morning where we set up a blind spread on a channel. It was like one long channel swim (to the right) over some points and areas of weeds, and then to the left we had three down the shore. The long channel swim she was golden.

She is certainly not a really finished dog at this point and so the long angled entry wasn't happening. She bails right into the water. But by the last one, we got most of it. After we got the first down the shore blind, she seemed to be flairing to the other side of the channel. I think this just wasn't something she's done much of (note to self... do more of these). I think she figured... hey! We got the one on the left bank, so the next one HAS TO BE on the right. So the blinds that were further away were pretty hacky. The good news is that she answered up immediately on the whistle and she took my casts... (or at least most of them, she'd carry for a ways, then peel back.)

Tomorrow we'll be doing marks. We'll see how it goes.

This Senior that's coming up... there are 16 dogs. Five of them are from our training group. We'll all feel right at home.

[Labradorks]

Best of luck! Nice to have your group with you for support.

[barry581]

Good luck!!!!!!!

[POPTOP]

Good luck and most of all, the both of you have fun.

[JackK]

Good luck with the test!

[Anna Scott]

I'm sure with all the hard work you have put in that RD will be fine. You know your dog well and will control the test excitement. They just seem to know that it is different than training. I am hoping to run a couple of senior here in Canada but am a little concerned with the quartering part of the test. It can cause problems with those straight line FT blinds. Wish they would drop it from the test as the AKC has done.
Good luck with your test.

[TuMicks]

Oh... did not realize they still did that in Canada. But there are FT dogs that hunt during hunting season and they get the context.

She got a little loose on the line today. We re-ran the same marks we did yesterday. What an awful double... very, very tight and a long way to the water. She squared it instead of taking the angle. But corrected herself in the water and ended up in the right place. And she drove hard for the super long land single. I was glad to see that. Her lack of confidence yesterday concerned me.

Oh, me. I'll be a nervous wreck. MUCH more likely I'll screw up than the dog. I'll try not to let the gun barrel sweep the judges or the gallery. Wait for my number. Heck... I'll have to write down a "REMEMBER THIS" list to review in the holding blind.

[Scoutpout]

Wow, good luck! i'm sure both you and she will do better than you expect!

a couple of folks that have been doing it for a while said, while you're out training, write down how you do EVERYTHING (maybe have a friend do this). Then sit down in the evening after training, have a beer (they were guys- i'd substitute wine or a cider or cooler), close your eyes, and PICTURE how you do everything while you're out training. Now read your list, and add/edit as necessary. Now, have another beer, and work with your list, visualizing everything how you do it and when you do it. Take the list to the trial, sit in your truck, and again, read and visualize it before you get your dog out. They swear it helps...

[Anna Scott]

The upland, sit to flush is still part of our tests and it is so poorly handled it makes me cringe. The setting and judging of these test is all over the map. With the senior the dog simple has to quarter ( in many cases run around and stumble over a dead bird). If the handlers have any idea where the birds are planted then it becomes a handling test . If you get a judge that pheasant hunts then you get a good sit to flush test (the best judges for this are from Quebec) but too many of our judges don't hunt and don't understand that you quarter into the wind. When we are judging master I always lay a trail down so the dog picks up scent and then can begin its quarter but to just start cold makes it a handling test. The last master I ran totally ignored all hunting safety rules. They had us quartering a short distance down a pathway right towards a picnic table. I know these are only simulations but they are called "hunt" test so there should be some element of safe hunting practices preserved. As you might have guessed this is one of my major peeves. If you are going to do it then make it consistent and correct.

[TuMicks]

Oooo... gun safety is very, very big out here. Handlers will totally be tossed if they point the gun at someone (or any other violation). I would imagine the HT Committee would hear about a test set up inconsistent with safety and the AKC Retriever Advisory Board would probably look into it. Big, big deal.