[Chris Rosier]

The dog in my avatar quickly and efficiently cheated the bank on a water mark at a finished test yesterday, BUT, she proceeded directly to the fall area, picked up the bird and brought it back. I even got a cheer from the well meaning gallery over it, (thanks Joe). I turned around and told my judges that she was mearly trying to speed the test up, she knew it was Sunday and didnt want everybody getting home late. She then proceeded to try and run a water blind without getting wet, again, Im sure just to hurry things along, and we fought the rest of the way to the pole.

Anywho, needless to say we went home ribbonless yesterday, but as you usually do, we learned what we need to work on.

Heading out now to run some cheating singles and angle entries on water blinds.

 

[DoubleHaul]

Personally, I would never answer the "fat" question posed to your judges. You run your dog the best you can to get thru the test and let the judges judge the work.

I wouldn't want to ask it. I may think to myself "when we get on that point, I need to send the SOB so far out to sea, he'll come back with a tattoo and a Filipino wife" but I am not going to imply to the judges that I may not be trying to challenge their blind.

 

[HNTFSH]

No offense to the OP but I'm kinda crackin' up that the rule book is the only input/statement after the original post.

Anyway - El Matavenados...what pairing of Keith's is your dog from?

 

[Eric Johnson]

I've judged a lot of Seniors. I would agree with Tom D. If asked about sending the dog fat, I won't answer directly. I will simply say that if they stand at the starting point and look at the bird placement, the most correct line is a straight line between the two points.

The reason I won't answer the question directly is that it's up to my co-judge and myself to judge the dog. If we pre-approve a dog going fat, then we have to get into a public discussion of the questions of "how fat is OK?" or "how fat is too fat?". It's far more correct to simply tell the handlers my comment on the straight line and then judge the effort.

Eric

 

[Bruce MacPherson]

Interesting discussion, my question would be why take a dog to a senior or finished level, or even Junior, that hasn't been forced in the water?

 

[Donald Flanagan]

No offense to the OP but I'm kinda crackin' up that the rule book is the only input/statement after the original post.

Anyway - El Matavenados...what pairing of Keith's is your dog from?

To your comment: none taken- I understand and agree with most of what's been written, and I appreciate the posts that explain the rule book and especially the 2 that pointed me to the sections that address the rule. I admit, it was dumb on my part to not have used the search feature in Adobe Reader to look for the info. I just thought the subject of cheating was conspicuously missing in the rule book.

And to your question: Boomer is out of the Gator x Holly Spring 2009 litter. I don't know how the rest of the litter is doing, but I'm pretty happy with mine!

 

[Pam Spears]

I've judged a lot of Seniors. I would agree with Tom D. If asked about sending the dog fat, I won't answer directly. I will simply say that if they stand at the starting point and look at the bird placement, the most correct line is a straight line between the two points.

The reason I won't answer the question directly is that it's up to my co-judge and myself to judge the dog. If we pre-approve a dog going fat, then we have to get into a public discussion of the questions of "how fat is OK?" or "how fat is too fat?". It's far more correct to simply tell the handlers my comment on the straight line and then judge the effort.

Eric

Thanks, Eric, Tom D, and other posters who addressed this issue. I'm glad it wasn't ME that asked, although our judges didn't seem to mind. I hadn't thought about it from that perspective. Still learning...