Don't really like to be wishing the time away but with the Test season now finished for the year we have so much to work on and so much enthusiasm that we (Gunner and I) can't wait to try again!
"That's got him going" remarked the judge (did I detect a slight hint of relief?)
The second run in front of the other judge was back to his usual high standard on the retrieving side of things but his hunting was now so eager that it required rather more whistle and he didn't keep as tight to me as the judge would have liked (more marks lost). In truth, I was so relieved to have him hunting that I decided it was the lesser evil to let him have his head a bit rather than control him too much and risk blunting his new found enthusiasm.
We came away with a consolation prize - a box of dog biscuits (much appreciated by him!) and a new lead (much appreciated by me, as they tend to lose themselves all too easily during a working day) - unfortunately won in the raffle rather than the competition. But 'onwards and upwards' and next year we'll show them!
The Penny finally seemed to drop yesterday and Gunner was far more at ease with the whole notion of hunting in front of strangers in a strange place.
Our Third Working Test was held in the glorious woodlands of Clumber Park and 18 assorted Novice and Open spaniels turned out to display their skills. It was a bit cool and blustery out in the open, but conditions in the mixed woods were as near perfect as anyone could have wished: acres and acres of ideal hunting ground with dense, heavily scented cover crying out for bold hunting dogs.
And there were some glorious hunting dogs out yesterday - fast (Ferraris compared to my 4X4 companion!), furious, keen and beautifully trained to their work. It was a pleasure to watch them.
The Bestest Gundog showed tremendous improvement on his previous form. We were third 'to go' so didn't have to wait long for our turn. He couldn't wait to get his nose down to the smells in the woods - eagerly to-ing and fro-ing - so much so that when the pistol (caught us unawares, used as we are to guns!) was fired and the dummy thrown he had his nose deep in a very interesting smell with the result that what was supposed to be a 'seen' retrieve was actually a 'blind' retrieve. Infuriatingly, the smells were so distracting that it took some effort to focus on finding the dummy. It didn't take too long but we'd have lost a bundle of marks for that. Then he flushed a pheasant off her nest and was so surprised (I think!) that he stood absolutely rigid when she flew off (full marks) and then went off at - for him - super speed to look for another!
The Bestest Gundog showed tremendous improvement on his previous form. We were third 'to go' so didn't have to wait long for our turn. He couldn't wait to get his nose down to the smells in the woods - eagerly to-ing and fro-ing - so much so that when the pistol (caught us unawares, used as we are to guns!) was fired and the dummy thrown he had his nose deep in a very interesting smell with the result that what was supposed to be a 'seen' retrieve was actually a 'blind' retrieve. Infuriatingly, the smells were so distracting that it took some effort to focus on finding the dummy. It didn't take too long but we'd have lost a bundle of marks for that. Then he flushed a pheasant off her nest and was so surprised (I think!) that he stood absolutely rigid when she flew off (full marks) and then went off at - for him - super speed to look for another!
"That's got him going" remarked the judge (did I detect a slight hint of relief?)
The second run in front of the other judge was back to his usual high standard on the retrieving side of things but his hunting was now so eager that it required rather more whistle and he didn't keep as tight to me as the judge would have liked (more marks lost). In truth, I was so relieved to have him hunting that I decided it was the lesser evil to let him have his head a bit rather than control him too much and risk blunting his new found enthusiasm.
We came away with a consolation prize - a box of dog biscuits (much appreciated by him!) and a new lead (much appreciated by me, as they tend to lose themselves all too easily during a working day) - unfortunately won in the raffle rather than the competition. But 'onwards and upwards' and next year we'll show them!
We may not have the speed to win but I refuse to believe that TBGiatW is not worthy of a Certificate of Merit. And for a dog who has not been trained specifically for Field Trials (as the others have) I think he's a star! 
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