Senior Hunter (SH)

Argus passed his last Senior Hunt Test on Sunday at the Southern Berkshires Golden Retriever Club test at Nod Brook in Avon, CT.  

He did great.  

Here's a write up of the test

Nancy Wolston was a judge - she's a member of the LRCGB and we have done tests together before.  We even hunted at Addieville together and done pickup duty. 

Land

Go bird - flyer, up a hill about 100 yards.  Argus' bird was excellent, out in open, alot of feathers flying.  Some others we not as lucky, the wind was blowing in the face of the gunners and sometimes the birds circled back.  Several no birds.  Argus got within 5 feet of bird, smelled it, hooked a left and returned.  He jumped over the small gully/ditch on the way back.  Judges said he wins the award for most graceful jumping!!!  Several labs with alot of gas in their tanks actually tumbled on the way out, not seeing the ditch.

Memory bird - short bird to left, through some silhouette geese decoys - no problem.  Returned to holding blind while they were planting blind.

Blind - off to the right, about 75 yards.  To the left of a tree (where the blind planter was hiding).  Lined Argus up, he took good line to left, whistled him stop, back right, but he was too fast and I was too slow to whistle stop before he got behind tree to visit the blind planter.  Whistle come in, he appears to right of tree.  Whistle stop, left over, whistle stop, back left - on top of blind.   

The day before was a Master test and they used this area for flyer, blinds, so there was alot of suction to right of tree.  Many dogs who got right, had a very very difficult time getting back over left. 

Note, my pro was also running dog at #1 spot.  So great to see him run so I could pattern my handling after him.  He said one of my problems is slow whistle - need to work on it.

15 of 18 starters called back.

Water

Flyer - over land into water.  Dogs could not see splash, or anything where the bird landed - they were blocked by tall reeds, etc.  So, Argus gets on land, hunts a bit, then looks back to me - saying "Dad, where is it."  I glare back - "This is a mark stupid, you have to find it."  He understands, turns around and goes straight to the bird.  Comes backs, pauses on land looking at us and the gallery - basically saying "Dad, I got it, but it should have been on land.  Tell the shooters to put it there next time."

Memory Bird - along shore.  He swam about 15 yards to shore, beached, then did the I'll keep my feet wet and won't go all the way out - so Dad won't be mad - and go to the bird.  He pinned the bird, comes back same route.

Blind - a slot/key hole blind.  He failed a senior test last year on this very same blind. Many people think this blind is of Master caliber, but with limited land, seems like judges just love to set it up here.  The day before the Master test did same blind except the bird was planted about 10 feet up on shore. 

Well, angled entry - Argus ignores and runs land for about 10 ft, then in.  Hits right land.  Blast stop whistle.  Loud left over - he does that well, but I am slow so he gets on left land.  Blast stop whistle.  Back right which he takes and gets to blind.  not pretty, but the let us honor off lead. 

10 out of 18 starters passes.

Another poodle Senior Hunter.