East Arkansas HRC

[GearOut]

VII. A diversionary bird can be thrown after the walkup, blind, or last retrieve of a double mark. If a Seasoned Hunting Retriever switches to the diversionary bird, it will not fail but will be scored lower by the Judge. The hunting retriever shall retrieve the diversionary bird.

VIII. The Seasoned Hunting Retriever can be cast from the retrieving line a maximum of two (2) times. If a Seasoned Hunting Retriever is unproductive after a second attempt, the Judge will instruct the Handler to pick up their hunting retriever and that the test is failed.

what exactly do these rules mean?

[chopper30]

VII means there will be a diversion bird throw in one of the series. It is usually thrown when you dog is on the way back from the memory bird. It should be thrown where the dog can see it but not in a position that the dog has a reason to switch. Meaning, it will be thrown where the dog makes the decision to switch and go get it. It shouldn't hit the dog in the head although I've heard it's happened.

VIII means you can recast you dog on a mark or blind. Example and this happened to me last fall at Southern Flight. Dog takes horrible line on the water blind and doesn't want to get wet. I try to cast her in the water, but she stays dry. Toot toot, call her back and recast her. She takes water, takes casts, picks up the bird and we got an HR bath that afternoon. I would say after the judges/handlers seminar Glenn presented that if you have to recast on multiple birds in the same day, I might not be expecting to get a ribbon.

[S Turn 2]

Planning on making the trip!! Long as I can get that little pup of Candace's ready in time.
Candace say's she is going to be there with or without me.

[GearOut]

VII means there will be a diversion bird throw in one of the series. It is usually thrown when you dog is on the way back from the memory bird. It should be thrown where the dog can see it but not in a position that the dog has a reason to switch. Meaning, it will be thrown where the dog makes the decision to switch and go get it. It shouldn't hit the dog in the head although I've heard it's happened.

still confused. 2 marks are shot. Dog gets both. On the way back from mark #2, a diversion bird is thrown. Good dog is supposed to come straight back and leave that mark alone completely. But then the dog has to go back and get that diversion bird after delivering bird #2 to handler?

[Doc & Nash]

Correct, they should. Typically in seasoned the diversion is thrown on the opposite side from the currently returning line of the dog, not always but typically. Personally I like to throw it on the way back from the blind that way there is no chance of the dog coming back in the "line of fire" but that is me....

[matt]

I cant let you go by your self chopper

[GearOut]

Correct, they should. Typically in seasoned the diversion is thrown on the opposite side from the currently returning line of the dog, not always but typically. Personally I like to throw it on the way back from the blind that way there is no chance of the dog coming back in the "line of fire" but that is me....

two questions. the dog is judged on his ability to not stop his retrieval and switch to pickup another fall AND his ability to mark that diversion bird while holding and running with another retrieven bird?

and if your dog starts to to break his line towards bringing you back the correct bird because of the diversion. Is it okay to whistle stop. then whistle in?

[GearOut]

sorry... i dont mean to hijack this thread.. its about the hunt test, so i guess rules discussion is okay.

[Doc & Nash]

The dog is only judged on wether or not he switches. and I think ( I will have to refresh myself) that it is not an immeadate failure but only a mark down. Know that does not mean they can't fail the dog for switching but they can pass the dog if they switch.

The dog does not have to mark the diversion, you can handle for free but keep in mind once you start handling, you have to maintain control. Most of the time in Seasoned, the diversion bird is hand tossed from the retrieving line and in plain sight. If you have a bunch of cast refusals on the diversion then it would also count down. But there is no judging on marking for the diversion.

[GearOut]

and stopping a dog that begins to divert with a whistle then whistling him back in hurts your score or not?

[chance]

The diversion bird is thrown to test the retriever for control. The expectation is for the dog to complete his retrieve without dropping the first bird. After delivering the first bird to the handler, the dog will be sent to pick up the diversion bird. This diversion bird is not judged as a mark. Handling to the bird is OK as long as the dog takes the casts. Excessive cast refusals, while handling to pick up the diversion bird, could be grounds for failure.
In HRC, a switch is defined as the retriever dropping one bird to pick up another. In seasoned, a switch is a markdown for control, not immediate failure. In finished, a switch is cause for failure.
The diversion bird should be thrown in clear view of the retriever but not in its immediate path. The diversion bird should be thrown to test the dog for control, not as an enticement to see if the dog will switch. The diversion bird can be thrown after the last retrieve in the marking series, after the blind or after the walkup. It should never be thrown in the middle of the marking series or as the dog is being cast from the line. Both of these scenarios used to be allowed, called wipe out birds.

[GearOut]

thanks. i can picture the diversion. Pretty much same as AKC as i remember it.

But say the dog is coming in just perfect. then BOOM diversion bird. And then perhaps the dog starts to veer off a perfect path back and take the diversion, ie run towards that fall. I assume if the test is about control it is okay to stop the dog from veering with a stop whistle and then by bringing them back in using the right tract with the right bird in with another set of whistles.

[goosebruce]

And remember, no shots or calls in the field... dog needs to swing with gun. You can talk to your dog (here and heel), and the judges do not call dog or take the bird from ya. The # they give you in the morning is your dog number... it is NOT the number you run in. They'll line dogs up as they appear at the stake, with a lot of multi stake handlers getting bumped in when they show up. Dont let them put you up front saturday morning, just tell them you want to watch and see whats going on, and that travis is gonna walk you thru it when he gets there. Anyone with the clip board will be willing to put you in back of the line with that explnation, they're gonna want to put multistake handlers up front anyway. I drive an ultra sexy f250, with a 5 hole aniley box in it... you'll see/hear me whenever I pull up, and you can ask anybody they'll point me out. bout at 75% chance they'll be happy about it.... bwhahahahaha. If this is the dog you got a sh in your signature, you'll be fine in seasoned, if you know whats going on.

Work your dog with an 870, and pratice setting it down with the action open, and the safety on. Seems elementary, but if you got to think about the gun, the dogs knows your distracted and wellllll... so get slick swinging and shooting the gun, and making it safe. travis

[chance]

toot toot toot is fine to keep the dog coming to you. Wanting to go for the diversion bird is OK. Preventing him from getting it, with proper commands is OK, dropping the bird he has and picking up the diversion bird is not OK.

[GearOut]

And remember, no shots or calls in the field... dog needs to swing with gun. You can talk to your dog (here and heel), and the judges do not call dog or take the bird from ya. The # they give you in the morning is your dog number... it is NOT the number you run in. They'll line dogs up as they appear at the stake, with a lot of multi stake handlers getting bumped in when they show up. Dont let them put you up front saturday morning, just tell them you want to watch and see whats going on, and that travis is gonna walk you thru it when he gets there. Anyone with the clip board will be willing to put you in back of the line with that explnation, they're gonna want to put multistake handlers up front anyway. I drive an ultra sexy f250, with a 5 hole aniley box in it... you'll see/hear me whenever I pull up, and you can ask anybody they'll point me out. bout at 75% chance they'll be happy about it.... bwhahahahaha. If this is the dog you got a sh in your signature, you'll be fine in seasoned, if you know whats going on.

Work your dog with an 870, and pratice setting it down with the action open, and the safety on. Seems elementary, but if you got to think about the gun, the dogs knows your distracted and wellllll... so get slick swinging and shooting the gun, and making it safe. travis

thanks alot. I am pumped. Last time i ran my dog was a AKC Master test in Spring 2008. So i can't wait to get back out there! Look forward to meeting some of y'all out there. What time should i be there?