Testing Times

Chatsworth Car Park on a very grey spring day

In the spring of 2009 (see this blog April-May 09) The Bestest Gundog in all the World and I ventured off into the Gundog Working Test Arena with great expectations and mixed results.
Six years on and we're doing it again - only now with Bugler, son of Gunner, and the not-so-Norty Jaunty. The overnight switch to British Summer Time notwithstanding, we left home at 6 a.m. on Sunday bound for Chatsworth in the beautiful Peak District.
"Ah well - need an excuse to do some sightseeing" I said to The Big Boss as we sallied forth. But soon it started to rain...... hmmmm
Meeting up with the organiser in the car park some two and a half hours later we collected schedules and numbers.
"You're on first" she said jauntily... appropriately as it turned out: I soon realised that not only was I drawn first - but with Jaunty!  I'd have felt more relaxed had it been Bugler but he was drawn 23rd out of a total of 34 assorted Springer and Cocker spaniels.
Eventually when all the contenders had arrived and we'd received our welcome & instructions we departed the car park for the woods. The rain, which had been quite heavy, abated somewhat. Foolishly a number of us commented that maybe the weather was going to be kind to us after all.
As Jaunty and I moved forward to take up our starting position the heavy rain returned - and did not let up until we - people and dogs, drenched and bedraggled - finished for lunch several hours later.
What happens in a test is:
           There is a Listed judge(on the right) and an unlisted judge (on the left) of the 'path' across the terrain being used for the test. The odd-numbered entrants 'run' in front of the senior judge and the even-numbered in front of the other. If entrant numbers have been restricted (usually to 16 or 20) all dogs get to 'run' in front of both judges. Otherwise, all are given a first run after which those not up to 'standard' are eliminated whilst the others go on to a second run.
The second run may result in the judges agreeing on a clear winner. If not, it is necessary to complete a further test (a retrieve from water on Sunday - in view of the weather though, extra water was maybe a little unnecessary!!!)) before the final decision is made. Judges may award positions from 1 to 3 and certificates of Merit. On Sunday there was also a trophy for the winning junior handler.
During the first run the dog is expected to hunt with a good 'pattern' (think windscreen wiper) in close proximity to the handler with the minimum amount of whistle/voice control. Whilst hunting, shots are fired at which the dog is expected to sit immediately. The first shot is accompanied by a 'marked' (theoretically seen by the dog) retrieve and the second by a 'blind' (i.e. the dog has no idea of where it is) retrieve. The dog should not move till sent and should fetch with minimum 'help' from the handler, returning promptly and giving the dummy up cleanly to said handler.
If the dog goes through to the second run the shot is accompanied by a dummy thrown on the other dog's territory. Similarly, the other dog's retrieve lands in front of your dog - who is expected not to move. In any case, a dog who does not automatically sit to shot, or runs in to retrieve without sitting or before being given the instruction by the handler, is immediately eliminated.

Bugler & Jauty drying off

Apart from the obvious - lovely smell-laden woodland - there are lots of distractions to throw the dog off his stride: the gallery (think golf), the judge & his assistant(s), the chaps with guns/dummies, the other dog 'running' at the same time - with accompanying entourage..... not exactly a normal working day situation (which it is supposed to emulate). This was Bugler & Jaunty's first ever test so they had a great deal to take in and deal with, not least being expected to behave as 'normal'. A tall order I think! The fact that Jaunty (along with No.2) was first to go meant he had to cope with my nerves as well - it's amazing that any dog does anything! (see Gunner's experience referred to at the beginning!!!)
I worried about how Jaunty would handle things; he has a somewhat independent mind and doesn't always think prompt delivery of dummies is essential. However, whilst his hunting pattern was more boomerang than windscreen wiper, he was on the whistle, sat promptly and paid attention to instruction. I was well pleased with him - not least because he didn't b...... off on the trail of an interesting scent! He had a little difficulty 'seeing' me amongst the group when he returned with his dummies -hardly surprising when we were all dressed much the same & sodden wet! But he didn't mess about and will have learned a lot from the experience.

Sadly he didn't make the cut for a second run. Of the 34 dogs only 8 did. Bugler was one of those so I was overjoyed with his performance. Particularly since he didn't show himself at his best. The pressure affected his normally smooth hunting pattern but he was sharp on his retrieves - all of which were 'blind' because he looked at me when the shot was fired rather than the shot itself - so missed seeing where the dummies went! I was impressed, however, that he got straight on with the job after having to wait patiently in the rain until his turn.  It was a good first performance. There's lots to work on before our next Test ......... No Certificates of Merit were awarded so he was no worse than the other unplaced 2nd-runners.

Onwards and upwards therefore.

Gunner totally disinterested in what the others have been up to

Gunner, meanwhile, was totally unphased by the morning's activities even refusing to get out of the car when invited by the Big Boss to go for a walk whilst the rest of us were 'away playing'. I'll bet he remembered how he felt 6 years ago...... "Not letting myself in for that game again" I'll bet he said to himself.....

The sun came out as we drove home lending a somewhat ethereal atmosphere to my reflections of the morning.......

Finally out of the mud????

At last we have had a run of fine dry windy days and the pigs' quarters are beginning to look 'normal' again.
Throughout the worst wet winter months they tend to resemble something more like I imagine the battlefields of the Somme might have looked. Yet the pigs don't complain or show any signs of 'minding'. We have the odd grumble and 'noisy night' if we omit to check that their arks have plenty of dry flooring - I'll go out last thing and hear a lot of loud grumbling as the one at the bottom of the pecking order gets shuffled along to the draughtiest or dampest spot!

That's a sure way to secure some fresh straw the next morning! Which, in turn, is guaranteed to cheer pigs up on a cold wet winter's day - they just love tossing it around and making a cosy nest. We could just give them all some clean straw each day but we've found they don't like too much - they just push or carry it back outside!
A continued wet spell is our worst scenario. As the pigs wander in and out of the ark all day long they each 'drag' gooey mud in on their trotters which can quickly turn the cleanest bed into a soggy mess. Of course, lots of rain makes everything else gooey too so we find ourselves slip sliding around with feed, vegetable and water containers - all of which get well clatted up with mud - much of which ends up all over us. There is no way of staying clean when the pigs think nothing of jumping up against the fencing and welcoming us with a shake of their curly heads! Add to that the fact that our little tractor and trailer become unusable in really wet slippy conditions and it is no surprise to learn that we become exceedingly good-humoured when "dry" is the adjective that most readily springs to mind.....