Nothing like opening day

[ohio mike]

To highlight a trainers deficiencies. The mutt spent time in the boat working marking drills with boat exit and entry with great success,but no blind on the boat. Got it fixed and went on to have a good day despite the owners oops.

[HNTFSH]

To highlight a trainers deficiencies. The mutt spent time in the boat working marking drills with boat exit and entry with great success,but no blind on the boat. Got it fixed and went on to have a good day despite the owners oops.

They always find a way to humble us or us them.

I've only launched a dog off a boat once. Never trained it, didn't need to, until I saw the set-up in a senior test in Michigan. Luckily it was a little john boat tucked up on shore and no one in it but the dog. In retrospect I think the set-up was to see if the handler could get their dog into the boat and sit/mark.

No blinds; sounds like I dodged a bullet and wasn't out floating around the middle of a lake.

I do love watching a good dog figure stuff out with a little help though. Frankly those are the proudest moments for me.

[ohio mike]

That's a interesting thought. With it being a( HUNT) test why wouldn't a exit/enter from a boat be included in a water test? Maybe not Junior, but Senior on up. The dog is usually sent from a remote sit in a boat and a double or blind is exceedingly difficult especially in any kind of rough water. I'd really like to hear the test guys thoughts on this.

[Dakota Creek]

Have run numerous tests out of boats or off dog stands or tree stands in water series.

Dog stands with HRC Seasoned or Finished tests and out of a boat or off a tree stand in NAHRA tests. Boats used at every testing level from Started up (but not every test!) and tree stands for water series for Intermediate and Senior tests.

Not a big deal for the dogs .... more fun to watch the panic on the handler's face when they realize they have just come up against something they have never trained for! And opens their eyes to scenarios and equipment they might just need when they actually take that dog hunting.

[ohio mike]

Interesting ,I'm only familiar with AKC and then only slightly. Glad to hear some strive for all facets of real world situations. Some on here skin would crawl to see what I allow/train my pooches to do. Thanks for the reply.

[HNTFSH]

Interesting ,I'm only familiar with AKC and then only slightly. Glad to hear some strive for all facets of real world situations. Some on here skin would crawl to see what I allow/train my pooches to do. Thanks for the reply.

You're still correct though that there are no tests that involve retrieving in open choppy water from a boat. Nor pulling a dog back into one or via dog ladder. That is all stuff hunters have to train outside of tests and some things/concepts DO conflict each other, you're correctamundo!

[Rick Hall]

Trouble I've seen with boats and tests wasn't so much the dogs' as their handlers' issues with boats on firm ground and largely toenails-on-aluminum tests. Hard to imagine approaching the level of boat blind line, OM is thinking of at any but the HRC Grand level - or even there, given the liability of unstable handlers with live-round (albeit poppers) guns...

[HNTFSH]

Trouble I've seen with boats and tests wasn't so much the dogs' as their handlers' issues with boats on firm ground and largely toenails-on-aluminum tests. Hard to imagine approaching the level of boat blind line, OM is thinking of at any but the HRC Grand level - or even there, given the liability of unstable handlers with live-round (albeit poppers) guns...

My old club has a long standing picture of a young lad's boot with a hole blown through it at the toes via popper load. When we would do dog demo's at young folk events (scouts, gun clubs, archery clubs) we'd always include a demo of a popper blowing up a water jug at xx feet away.

[Rick Hall]

Blowing up gallon jugs of water was long a handlers' meeting staple here, too.

[HNTFSH]

Blowing up gallon jugs of water was long a handlers' meeting staple here, too.

They came in handy to sneak in a few times in the Plond owner's sons guns when they were early teens. Especially when we told the kid to swat the bird 20 feet away.

[ohio mike]

A home rolled popper full of confetti and glitter is great fun when shooting backyard clays on a sunny day. Newbies are dumbfounded. .

[HNTFSH]

A home rolled popper full of confetti and glitter is great fun when shooting backyard clays on a sunny day. Newbies are dumbfounded. .

Wait a minute! You just game me a box of home rolled bismuth 16's. Now I'm wondering!