Over the last couple weeks, Mira and I wrapped up her Junior Hunter title, JH, and earned her Working Certificate, WC, and Working Certificate Excellent, WCX, on the same day (in reverse order, ironically...they ran the Excellent test first so we passed the WCX before the WC, haha).
So she earned all four JH legs in four attempts, and passed both working certificate levels the first time either of us had ever seen a test. As a owner-trained/handled dog with no training group saddled with a first-timer on the other end of the leash.
Yeah, I am crazy proud of my dog.
For those curious as to what the tests entail:
The Junior Hunter test is a series of four singles (call, gun, bird goes down, dog is released by handler at the judge's word, dog runs straight out, finds the bird quickly without handler input, returns bird to hand), two on land and two on water, run as two sets of two (two mark series). Gotta pass the first set to go on to the second. Dogs are scored on marking ability, trainability, style, and perseverance. Four legs needed to title.
The Working Certificate Excellent test requires a quiet off-lead walkup from holding blind to line and back again after finished. The land series is a triple ending with a live flyer --- three birds go down in sequence, landing in cover, while the dog sits quietly, marking all three. On the judge's signal, the handler releases the dog who goes out and picks up the first bird, and brings it back to hand. Dog is then released to the second bird, has to remember where it is and bring it back at with the first bird. Repeat again for the third bird. Dog needs to find all birds with no handling, may not set up a hunt for one bird then go look for a different bird instead, etc.
That is followed by a water double -- same deal, but two birds down, in water, with the memory bird hidden from view.
After the working portion of the water double but before leaving, there is an off lead honor. Dog and handler sit about ten feet to the side of the new working team, dog sitting in heel position. Dog is quiet and steady through both birds dropping for the working team, the judge's cue, the handler's release, and the working dog entering the water and heading toward his first bird. Then the judge releases the honoring dog who heels off leash away from the water and ducks.
The Working Certificate test is basically the same as the WCX but simpler -- walkups are on lead, you may use a slip cord on the line for steadiness insurance if you so desire, the land series is a double, the water series is two singles, and there is no honor portion. Marks are generally a little closer, placed a little more intuitively. This is the only test in which a delivery all the way to hand is not required and decoys may not be used (both delivery and decoys are required for JH and WCX).
Da Cheese and her JH ribbons and title tab
Again with her WC/X prizes -- engraved metal duck bands, delivered by tying them onto duck toys.
I don't have any working photos of her in the field at this time -- didn't have anyone to take pictures for me -- so here she is wearing half a field, just because she's cute
So she earned all four JH legs in four attempts, and passed both working certificate levels the first time either of us had ever seen a test. As a owner-trained/handled dog with no training group saddled with a first-timer on the other end of the leash.
Yeah, I am crazy proud of my dog.
For those curious as to what the tests entail:
The Junior Hunter test is a series of four singles (call, gun, bird goes down, dog is released by handler at the judge's word, dog runs straight out, finds the bird quickly without handler input, returns bird to hand), two on land and two on water, run as two sets of two (two mark series). Gotta pass the first set to go on to the second. Dogs are scored on marking ability, trainability, style, and perseverance. Four legs needed to title.
The Working Certificate Excellent test requires a quiet off-lead walkup from holding blind to line and back again after finished. The land series is a triple ending with a live flyer --- three birds go down in sequence, landing in cover, while the dog sits quietly, marking all three. On the judge's signal, the handler releases the dog who goes out and picks up the first bird, and brings it back to hand. Dog is then released to the second bird, has to remember where it is and bring it back at with the first bird. Repeat again for the third bird. Dog needs to find all birds with no handling, may not set up a hunt for one bird then go look for a different bird instead, etc.
That is followed by a water double -- same deal, but two birds down, in water, with the memory bird hidden from view.
After the working portion of the water double but before leaving, there is an off lead honor. Dog and handler sit about ten feet to the side of the new working team, dog sitting in heel position. Dog is quiet and steady through both birds dropping for the working team, the judge's cue, the handler's release, and the working dog entering the water and heading toward his first bird. Then the judge releases the honoring dog who heels off leash away from the water and ducks.
The Working Certificate test is basically the same as the WCX but simpler -- walkups are on lead, you may use a slip cord on the line for steadiness insurance if you so desire, the land series is a double, the water series is two singles, and there is no honor portion. Marks are generally a little closer, placed a little more intuitively. This is the only test in which a delivery all the way to hand is not required and decoys may not be used (both delivery and decoys are required for JH and WCX).
Da Cheese and her JH ribbons and title tab
Again with her WC/X prizes -- engraved metal duck bands, delivered by tying them onto duck toys.
I don't have any working photos of her in the field at this time -- didn't have anyone to take pictures for me -- so here she is wearing half a field, just because she's cute