Belated Intro

[Brian McMillan]

Hi all;

I registered several weeks ago and even posted several times. I like it when people introduce themselves to the board; it gives the reader of subsequent posts an idea of who we are and where we are coming from. I learned about this website from another websiite and decided to check it out. I liked it right off and decided to hang around. At this stage in my training, I have more questions than answers so I tend to read more than I post.

My name is Brian McMillan and I live in Macclenny, a small town in Northeast Florida, USA. Nearly three years ago, I picked up a little chocolate lab puppy with the idea that he was going to be the familly pet. We wanted to train him to be a good citizen and with that in mind, a friend of my wife's gave her a book called Water Dog to aid in our training. There is a section in that book on basic obedience; but what caught my eye was how the man trained his dog to retireve. I wondered if I could train mine to do it too. So using that book as a quide, we started. I don't duck hunt and had no idea that such things as hunt tests and field trials existed or were available to me. I just wanted a good activity to keep my dog physically and mentaly active.

As one could imagine, armed with an outdated training manual, and a few bumpers, we struggled and made some mistakes. But we were having fun and learned despite ourselves. I feel like the best thing that happened to us is that I found an experienced amatuer trainer in my area who sort of took me under her wing and helped us. We meet together once a week to train. She introduced me to hunt tests and convinced me that my dog had it in him to do it. Two years ago this March we entered our first test got a pass the first day and eliminated ourselves the next day. (long story) We run several tests a year and now have two legs towards a Hunting Retriever Champion title. We need two more legs.

[Teresa Parkinson]

A belated welcome then Brian! Glad to have you on board - the more the merrier!

From other forums I see that there are quite a few chocolate labs around the traps in the States. They are a definite minority at trials here in Australia - only one currently being campaigned that I am aware of. I believe Charlie Ball had one many moons ago called Cocoa but that was well before my time.

As you've probably guessed, our trials are pretty much an amateur thing.

Thanks for painting a picture for us. It sounds as though you're doing pretty well with your boy even if he is your first dog and bought to be "just a pet". I suspect there are a few people out there who have started out that way. Amazing how once that bug bites you, there's just no stopping!

I've been around trials for more years than I choose to remember, mainly in a supporting role for my husband who has titled a couple of dogs. I've dabbled in the lower stakes off and on, always having a go but never seriously trying. My current dog is coming along well and for the first time, I've approached it seriously so hope to have more of a go with him. Time will tell I suppose.

Teresap

[Brian McMillan]

From other forums I see that there are quite a few chocolate labs around the traps in the States. They are a definite minority at trials here in Australia - only one currently being campaigned that I am aware of. I believe Charlie Ball had one many moons ago called Cocoa but that was well before my time.

It seems like Chocolates enjoy an reputation of being somewhat crazy. At least that is what I have gleaned from coments I've heard. But I do see quite a few choco's at tests, and some that do quite well. Stereotypes die hard. It could be that chocolates down under have the same rep.

Brian.

[Maureen Cooper]

Hi Brian

Welcome to the site! As Teresa has just said, chocolates are few and far between in trials here, there was one in NSW a few years back and at present we have Swampy in Victoria ( come on Mark, did you find a difference between a yellow and a choco.!) Several have trialled in Queensland with varying degrees of success.

My latest is an 'accidental' chocolate ie I expected an all black litter and got four chocs from my yellow bitch with the chocolate dog six generations away and myself unaware of carrying the gene. She is very different in personality to my yellows and yes, she is a bit mad! Over the top I think it is called! The doves have left the back lawn due to her harassment and she is obsessed with my pet rabbit ( mind, so is her mother) She seems bright enough just ill mannered! Could be that I have spoilt her?! She is called Kahla,a shortened version of her registered name of Kahlua, the chocolate drink of course. She is doing well in the show ring too and begins her trialling career in March.

Kind Regards
Maureen

[Brian McMillan]

Maureen;

So you are one of the chosen few Aussie Choclolate owners that field trial. That's wonderful. I'm afraid my boy is a little, well maybe a lot spoiled, too. His name is Bosco. Bosco is a chocolate drink mix whose manufacturer has long gone out of Business. I don't know if they had that drink in Austrailia, but if you happened to be a kid growing up in the States in the 50's, you loved Bosco.

Bosco maybe a little touched, but that is balanced by the fact that his very laid back. When we started out in hunt tests, he would do things retrieving that just made me laugh, even at the line in front of a judge.

We were destined to have a chocloate lab. Our first one was given to us by a neighbor who moved back to the city and did not want to take the dog with him. He captured our hearts in no time at all. We did not have him three months when he tragically died. My wife felt responsible for it and nothing else would do for her except get another chocolate male with the same breeding as Bear. She contacted the breeder and he had a litter on the way. Bosco turned out to be the only chocolate male in the litter, so he was ours, for better or worse. It's all been good.

For a dog that wasn't bred to be a hunting retriever, he turned out pretty good, IMHO. If we competed In Oz, he would probably be in All Age. At least he has the skills to compete there. Wether he would have been good enough to get any wins in restricted, I don't know. But at least he can do
the work of an All age dog.

Good luck with yours and I hope you enjoy a much a I have mine.

Brian

[Kirsty Blair]

Hi Brian,

If your boy is capable of completing All Age runs I don't think he'd have any problems winning Restricted stakes.

Having any thoughts about coming out and visiting us?

Kirsty

[Brian McMillan]

Hi Kirsty;

I have always dreamt of visiting two countries, Russia and Australia; but unless there is a rich uncle I don't know about, visiting either of these two will remain in dreamland. But it's fun to think about running my dog down there.

I probably should have said that on paper, at least, he would compete in the All Age bracket. Certainly he would have a little adjusting to do to get use to the cover and terain, not to mention fetching rabbits and pigeons. We are competing in the 'Finished' category of HRC hunt tests. When a dog is titled there, it is considered a finished gun dog. HRC tests are similar to your trials in that they try to set up realistic hunting set ups to test our dogs. In fact the HRC motto is 'conceived by hunters, for hunters' and they try to remain true to that. The distances of our tests and trials in the Finished/All Age are also similar. The handler also shoots the gun from the line, as do you. One thing we don't have here is 'double rises'; I would love to try my dog one one of those. In fact, we may do it one day just for fun and see what happens.