First dog and first hunt test.

[th3_specialist]

Well i am going to the Big D hunt test down in Tennessee Colony this weekend and cant wait. This is my first dog and this is my first test. I am pretty confident that he will pass but i was wondering if anyone could give me some examples of what to expect. I know the rule book says they can have marks out to like 70 yards on land and 60 yards on water but wasnt sure if they allways go to that distance. So if you have any advice please let me know.

[Karen Klotthor]

Just relax and have fun. Depends on the grounds and judges if they go the max. Only time I do is if I am on a golf course type of grounds. If I have a little cover I use that and do not go the max dist. Just remember once you pick up your first ribbon you are hooked for many years. My husband and I have been doing this since around March 1989.

[captainjack]

They don't always go that distance. You should be having success running 50% further and with twice the factors in training before you start testing.

[Mark L]

http://www.retrievertraining.net/for...-Test-Question

Look at some of the suggestions in this thread that is also floating around about the OP's first test coming up. There is a lot of good advise in it.

Just try to train in a manner similar to the test set up and you should do ok. I know having your dog waiting in the kennel and then at each holding blind can be the challenge more so than the marks themselves. Like Captainjack said, train for marks that are longer that you think you will get and you should do ok.

I know we just did a double header this weekend, and each day was totally different. Saturday the water marks were only 35-40 yards and the land were a little longer because of the heavier cover involved. Sunday the second water mark was about a 50-55 yard swim after they got to the water and the land marks were 80-85 yards and 55-60 yards, because the cover was no where near as heavy.

Good luck and remember to have fun and learn out there, no matter what happens.

Mark

[Trinie83]

I am glad for this question, because I am in the same boat. We have done FF, Formal Obedience, and am working on pile work, he is doing exceptional in yard work and running to the pile 80 yards or so. He holds well, etc. HOWEVER our club just did a simulated hunt test in preperation for the October hunt test and we crashed and burn in our line manners and getting up to the line. I was devastated, disappointed, and feel like I should just scratch from the test so to not encourage bad behavior. I think that was something I didn't expect because my dog has been training so well and marking so well, but the other dogs, noise, holding blinds, etc. were so unlike our normal training situation that the distractions and excitement outweighed his current training level...

He is almost 11 months old.

[Karen Klotthor]

I have one that is almost 6 yrs old. In training even with large groups her manors are great. Get to a hunt test and she is nuts. She will pull me to the holding blinds if she is on lead. Much better off lead but can't take that kind of chance at a test. You never know if she is going to sit or not for the honor. Does not matter how much we done it all goes out of her mine when she is on line. You can train for all kinds of issues but you never know which dog comes out of the truck at a hunt.

[Trinie83]

I have one that is almost 6 yrs old. In training even with large groups her manors are great. Get to a hunt test and she is nuts. She will pull me to the holding blinds if she is on lead. Much better off lead but can't take that kind of chance at a test. You never know if she is going to sit or not for the honor. Does not matter how much we done it all goes out of her mine when she is on line. You can train for all kinds of issues but you never know which dog comes out of the truck at a hunt.

The more I read, the more I see that that's not uncommon, something I need to work on, but not uncommon. My initial thought, since it's my first dog, was I must have screwed something up and was a total failure.... So there is hope!

[th3_specialist]

That is what i am really worried about. When we work at the house and all, he does great on marks and manners even in the holding blind that we set up but i am worried that when he gets to the hunt test he is gonna go ape $**t and all. I am sure i am over reacting because he really is a calm dog anyway But i am also worried that when we are out there i dont want him to get distracted and leave the mark. I am not going to say that he will or that he will not. I have only had him refuse to pick up a duck once and i am pretty sure it was because that thing stunk to high heaven. NO OFFENCE BUD.....but once we got a good duck out there he did great. I just dont want that to happen at the test. Like i said i think i am just really overthinking this way to much and that i will be fine.

[Matthew J. Ries]

Please let me know how the test goes! I wanted to attend this as my first hunt to see before we attempt a hunt test, but life got in the way :/ Good luck to you specialist! I hope you two do well

[winger]

Ah the pre test jitters. Everything that can go wrong will in your mind the. The game face goes on with "dog to the line"

Good luck