[Ken Guthrie]

Where is everyone at?
Does it have to do with age?
Do the tests and judging bother you too much?
Is it fun?

Or do you just think the game is a bunch of BS overall?

 

[achiro]

I guess I'd have to say none of the above. I will say that I have seen some real crappy actions by people involved in field trials. I will also say that people are what make field trials somewhat fun day to day.
My thing is that the dogs are the reason I do it. I love training dogs(although less and less time available for that as well). I also will always be involved because I will always have dogs.
I've just decided that it's time to start having more fun with the whole thing. I am going to start running more hunt tests and hunting will be a priority. I will run FT as well, just not going to do near as much travelling for them. Lower the pressure and enjoy it more.

 

[Ken Guthrie]

I'm with you Russ.

Recently, I have decided to relax with the whole thing. There was a time I would spend my last dollar to get to a trial. Now, I really can't get too excited about the whole deal.

As someone who had a dog with a pro mainly, I now enjoy having my dog at home with me full time. I do enjoy the training for the most part. But like you Russ, time is getting more valuable.

With the recent heat and my new son at home, weekends are very hard to get motivated to go train.

Of coarse, I want to achieve a goal I have for my dog......and thats a title. I think it would give me some sense of accomplishment. But then again, is this for me? :wink:

And I agree Russ, there are some folks in this game that need some serious help. :shock: But, there are a few that I will remain friends with for life.

Bottom line, it ain't as much fun as when I first started. Having friends that have gotten out for different reasons may be the main factor. I don't know. But right now I'm trying to pump myself up for this Fall. But with my son, hunting, and just relaxing.......it's hard.

 

[Franco]

I didn't vote cause I don't do polls and never believe them anyhoot. :wink:

Both of y'all have young'ens at home so I can understand wanting to stick closer to home and how retrievers become less important than one's kids. I stepped away from the game in the early 80's in the same situation as you two. Now that my child is 26, I'm back with a vengence! :lol:

I don't think there were too many days from 1983 to 2000 that I didn't think about having a competitve dog. Field Trailing is the only retriever game that interest me, cause I'm that nuts.

And, I don't let my dogs get in the way of work, hunting, fishing, beer drinking or chasing young women! :wink:

 

[john fallon]

What Booty said just about sums it up for a lot of young HT/FTers.

john

 

[Brian Cockfield]

I guess I'd have to say none of the above. I will say that I have seen some real crappy actions by people involved in field trials. I will also say that people are what make field trials somewhat fun day to day.
My thing is that the dogs are the reason I do it. I love training dogs(although less and less time available for that as well). I also will always be involved because I will always have dogs.
I've just decided that it's time to start having more fun with the whole thing. I am going to start running more hunt tests and hunting will be a priority. I will run FT as well, just not going to do near as much travelling for them. Lower the pressure and enjoy it more.

Double ditto there Russ. I'm pretty much doing what you've said here. I've decided to relax a little and run more HT like I did six years ago when I got into this sport. I will continue to judge and run FT but just not take them so seriously. Like Ken, I've got a daughter due in September which is going to slow my activities down significantly. Good poll Ken, I'm curious to see where athers stand in regards to the game. I guess I might be more enthusiastic if I had a superstar dog but I've just got some ok dogs now (but I enjoy them and that's what's important).

 

[Shayne Mehringer]

I'm just in it for the chicks.

SM

 

[Ken Guthrie]

I'm just in it for the chicks.

SM

Dude, trust me, there are much better arena's if that's your motive. :lol:

 

[captdan]

SM,

From the looks of your avatar photos, you may be in it for the has been chicks. That may sugest your level of interest!!!

Dan Rice[/b]

 

[Shayne Mehringer]

SM,

From the looks of your avatar photos, you may be in it for the has been chicks. That may sugest your level of interest!!!

Dan Rice

I know you ain't callin the greatness of Anna a "has been". The only thing she has been is HOT... and still is.

SM

 

[EdA]

I know you ain't callin the greatness of Anna a "has been".

Nope she's no "has been", as a tennis player she's a NEVER WAS :lol:

 

[Alec Sparks]

I'm going to start running trials again after 7 years off. I wanna run under Shayne and see if I can get him to tell me to pick my dog up.

 

[Trevor Toberny]

.

Hey Guthrie there are some hunt test coming up if you just want to get a title.Dozer should slam the junior test to get his title....lolololol

 

[AmiableLabs]

To quote LVL, "It depends."

I am increasingly amazed by the transient nature of this game relative to time. That is to say in the scheme of life, it is so very unimportant. There are so very many great people and great dogs that for the most part are lost to time. Look at the thread about the vintage book. There you have a successful retriever person Clare Wildner, who even wrote a book, yet no one here knew him right off. So what I am trying to say is in the grand scheme of things, yeah, it is a bunch of BS.

But if anyone of us are playing this game in order to be remembered or make a mark in history, there are easier ways. I know I am not like the rest of you in a lot of ways, but I do this because of the dogs. I love the dogs and I love to watch them work. That is not BS. FTs and HTs are a great place to watch dog work.

And then there is my dog in particular. She makes me feel as if she loves me unconditionally, and so I want to reward her. And she never ceases to amaze me with how well she learns and how much she can do. She makes training her a fun recreational thing. So I feel obligated to take her as far as she and I can go. Does she care if she is titled? Of course not. But there is something inside of me that tells me it will be an injustice if she isn't. Is that BS? Yes and no. I think it is my peculiar human condition. At least she makes it fun.

 

[Shayne Mehringer]

But if anyone of us are playing this game in order to be remembered or make a mark in history, there are easier ways.

Boy ain't that the truth. I knew i would never be famous for my accomplishments with a dog.... so i invented talking smack on the internet.

SM

 

[EdA]

Re: .

Hey Guthrie there are some hunt test coming up if you just want to get a title.Dozer should slam the junior test to get his title....lolololol

He already has THAT ONE, look up his record on the AKC web site

Bull Dozer Runnin' JH

 

[Ken Guthrie]

Re: .

Hey Guthrie there are some hunt test coming up if you just want to get a title.Dozer should slam the junior test to get his title....lolololol

He already has THAT ONE, look up his record on the AKC web site

Bull Dozer Runnin' JH

Hell ya.

Didn't you all know.

Bull Dozer Runnin' JH for stud. Better get in line for this dude. :lol:
Sadly, I never witnessed a Hunt Test. It was all done while I was sweating my corn nuts off slaving in the bullpen.

 

[Ken Guthrie]

Re: .

Hey Guthrie there are some hunt test coming up if you just want to get a title.Dozer should slam the junior test to get his title....lolololol

He already has THAT ONE, look up his record on the AKC web site

Bull Dozer Runnin' JH

Hey Ed, where did you find that info. on the AKC website?

By the way, you have a PM.

 

[Andy Symons]

SM,

From the looks of your avatar photos, you may be in it for the has been chicks. That may sugest your level of interest!!!

Dan Rice

I know you ain't callin the greatness of Anna a "has been". The only thing she has been is HOT... and still is.

SM

Guess I'm with Shayne on this one. I have the cover photo from FHM September 2001 in my desk drawer at work. I look at it before I start work each day. Like to start my day on a positive cause it only goes downhill from there.

Still Smokin Regards,

 

[W Knight]

What the heck does FLASH IN THE PAN mean.

Chris, If ken gets out of the game can he still post on RTF ?

White Knight