I've entered a retrieving trial, now what!

Waldo · I've entered a retrieving trial, now what!

Well I've done something I never imagined I would have a year or so ago, I've entered Annie and myself in a retrieving trial.
Started off by saying I would go have a look and check out the dogs and breeders with an eye on a future breeder for my next pup, then decided I may as well enter and have a go.
I have never done any retriever training with Annie, not really needed on deer and she has never shown too much interest in dummies, etc. so I never pursued it. The trial is the weekend after next, looks like I have some work to do. I believe they will be using pigeons for the retrieves so I've organised a "spare" pigeon from the next door neighbour who races them. She has retrieved a couple of ducks and a partridge for me, so hopefully she'll pick it up quickly (so I don't look like too much of a novice).
Wish me luck, any quick tips to get me started?
Cheers,
Waldo

doganjo

Can you speak to some people who have run in these trials before to find out exactly what sort of retrieves are required - e g length, blinds, seen, doubles etc There are more experience people on here who can explain the training for these but if complicated retrieves are needed you don't have much time, and I think you'll struggle with one pigeon. Laughing

Presumably you can get access to other birds to practice with and the pigeon is just so she knows she has to pick that up too. Wink

Good luck, you are braver than me - but I can't enter anything till I stop this lad chasing the birsd as they fly.

kandjt

Hi Waldo wasn't too sure about the Australian system so did a little research. Assuming you've entered a novice test you will be expected to carry out 3 retrieves, one on land, one from water and one across water. In a novice trial the distance of each retrieve is never more than 100m and a feral pigeon will be fired from a winger or similar device. I also believe that the handler 'salutes' each bird with a shot fired from a shotgun. I'm not sure where you are with Annie's training but you can see that retrieving from water and across water is a must. Pigeons have notoriously soft feathers and some dogs don't like a lot of loose feathers in their mouth and for that reason I usually start my puppies off with feral or racing pigeons which have harder feathers and even then place them inside a ladies stocking for the first couple of goes, It would be helpful to Annie if she had some experience of retrieving using a winger which are totally different from the blank fired dummy launchers we use in the UK. You will certainly need more than one pigeon.
Hope that's some help

Keith

guy

Perhaps if you treat it as a 'training' experience and learn as much as you can.

100 metres across water seems a long way for a novice dog.

Patricia

Waldo, give Bill Allen a ring, he is well used to all these " Retriever trials"...

kandjt

From what I can gather the Australian Retriever trials are meant to simulate a typical duck shooting day. I'm not sure if the 100m meant a 100m swim or a 100m retrieve with a swim in total, I do know that when I've been out wildfowling with my labs on the Dee they've been expected to do 100+m swims.

Waldo

Hi All, it's the "beginners" that we've entered into and I am pretty well just treating it as a "training" day plus the opportunity to have a look. The pegeon from next door is a racing pigeon and I was hoping to use the one bird for a few shortish sessions so I may give the stocking a try. My son is pushing to get out and try to knock a few ducks off some dams (we can do that over crop paddocks here if the farmer has a permit), a little cautious about snakes as the weather is getting quite warm but we can keep her pretty close (mmmmm pan fried duck breast fillets).
If nothing else it's a reason for a day out (even though it's around 250kms away) and something new to experience. Thanks for the advice.
Cheers,
Waldo

doganjo

Hope you and Annie and young 'un have a great day!

gundoglover

A beginners test is a good choice. It is only two marked retrieves (one land , one water) and the runs are more relaxed. You'll have a chance to look at the other events (Novice, Restricted & All Aged) and get an idea of the standard that is needed & what is permitted. You can find the rules for retrieving trials at:
www.ankc.org.au
under the About Ankc icon, go to "Rules", then download the pdf file for Retrieving Trials.
Have fun!

Waldo

Thanks GDL, an interesting read but gee I've got some work to do.
Never mind it should be a good day out anyway.
Need to spend some serious time on the weekend trying to get the retrieving thing happening, something I must admit I've ignored (haven't really needed her to do it) untill now.
Cheers,
Waldo