Moderator: Peter Butterfield
Gareth wrote:The biggest issue is to have the dog understand not to swithc as in higher stakes judges put on runs to encourage switching hence popping in this situation can be an advantage.
Pat wrote:What is popping? Is it where the dog props (stops) when he sees the double fall bird get thrown?
goldy wrote:Popping is the expression ....
Kirsty wrote:P.S. I have to be careful when I'm typing "popping" as I've accidentally typed "pooping" instead a couple of times - and that's a whole different issue
goldy wrote:I assume, though, that most judges would give a dog who was stopped on the whistle less points than a dog that marked the double fall without assistance. Do you agree?
annie wrote:i agree in principal with what you say Pat however thought you were a little harsh in point 2.
to stop the dog and draw it's attention to the 2nd bird tends to depend very much on the line out the dog has taken, and in fact at times has depended on the judges perception of where a dogs eyes are located!!
annie wrote:how would you then score a run where the dog has not acknowledged 2nd bird, goes straight to 1st bird and is then given a nice little hand signel to the 2nd bird.....this dog/handler have also not really shown the judge that they can handle the excersize as there was no temptation for the dog to retrieve the wrong bird.
Pat wrote:One must be fair to the competitors who got it right.
goldy wrote:I don't have a problem with handler stopping his dog in order to ensure the dog gets a good look at the double fall bird.
As Annie said, where the double fall is thrown depends on where the judge believes the dogs eyes are. Not stopping the dog to view the double fall and then hoping he sees it anyway is like playing the pokies. Maybe he will see it but then maybe he won't. And then you've turned what should be a clear mark into a blind. That's just silly.
goldy wrote:My job as a handler is to maximise the dog's ability to view all marks clearly - whether that is making sure he is focussing in the correct direction at the firing point or stopping him when the two bird or double fall is thrown so that he can mark them effectively. If the dog is going to switch birds he will do so just as readily if he is stopped with the whistle. Trust me, I own a dog who switches and it makes no difference.
goldy wrote:To me, if I was hunting, I would want to make sure I get all of my birds at the end of the day.
goldy wrote:Of course, if I was judging, I would score a dog maximum points if he wasn't stopped to view the double fall but nailed it anyway when sent.
goldy wrote:But I would also penalise a handler heavily if the dog wasn't stopped and then had to be handled to the double fall when sent. I would score the dog who was stopped with the whistle somewhere in the middle.
Again, I would say that a "competitor gets it right" when he maximises his dog's opportunity to mark the fall. Saying nothing and hoping for the best has certainly won many a trial but its also given many a dog and handler an early ride home.
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