Thread: Pointer and Setter Trials

Worthy of a thread I thought given there are some mad keen dog people here .I am just starting up Trialing again after many years of being absent for various lame excuses .
I am like many I am sure with pointing dogs in that they offer me a great form of relaxation watching them work naturally
after several months of teaching that animal what you desire him to do for you .
It is however quite funny to see what happens on the big day though once a brace or a single dog is released and the handler is suppressed from asserting his full will over an animal as it runs brilliantly or self hunts in a world of gleeful selfishness .
Anyone have thoughts on what they have seen over the last few years with our trial dogs and the politics of the trial scene -always good to discuss !

Originally Posted by el borracho

Worthy of a thread I thought given there are some mad keen dog people here .I am just starting up Trialing again after many years of being absent for various lame excuses .
I am like many I am sure with pointing dogs in that they offer me a great form of relaxation watching them work naturally
after several months of teaching that animal what you desire him to do for you .
It is however quite funny to see what happens on the big day though once a brace or a single dog is released and the handler is suppressed from asserting his full will over an animal as it runs brilliantly or self hunts in a world of gleeful selfishness .
Anyone have thoughts on what they have seen over the last few years with our trial dogs and the politics of the trial scene -always good to discuss !

Haha, I can picture just that ElB! Worded very well. I know nothing - planning on spying on some trials and seeing if a bird dog can win me over and change my mind about a BSD being the next puppy.

Very important Dougie to get the right dog as some are far harder than others to train and some are naturally harder headed .
Get an English Setter or Pointer as these are specialist dogs breed for birds .Whilst the continentals are extremely good I believe the other two breeds will take you further in the sport of Gentleman and Woman -Im such a dog snob

Tweed it up man, tweed it up.

As I have said somewhere on here before, I'd be keen to step out of the croud and train up a Malinois for general awesomeness (that won't be hard) but also tracking deer. I have never gone after birds before other than sniping the stupid ducks eating all my chicken feed...those duckies were yummy! so I don't know if I want to commit to a bird dog as such yet. It's a little sad that my boy isn't switched on enough to do any nose work. Silly thing doesn't realise that he could potentially find animals way easier than me!

Whats a Malinois

My favorite dog of all time.... type of Belgian Shepherd Dog.

Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Smaller than a GSD, only have a short coated variety. Used for the same stuff - military, police, SAR and security work.

Originally Posted by el borracho

Anyone have thoughts on what they have seen over the last few years with our trial dogs and the politics of the trial scene -always good to discuss !

Haha be careful! Lot of people read these forums without joining...

I'll never pass comment on another mans dog (or womans dog as it may be, since women are right at the top in all of our gundog trials) but I will say I have found the regulars nothing but friendly and supportive of newcomers. A better scene than the Aussie trials where a the few I attended a certain bunch that were in the gallery of every trial passed negative comments on everything. A much better vibe here

Pointer's sentiments echo my own. It is also what I've found at Spaniel Live Game Trials. It is certainly comforting to be taken aside by one of the senior members (fellow trialist or judge) and have the layout of the day explained, what their expectations are etc, to try and make you more at ease.

I have found kiwi trialers to be 1st class even though some mumble about the most competitive of them - my tweed hats off to them!

Dougie you cant use that in a dog trial!lol

Even if I wear tweed?

Originally Posted by el borracho

Dougie you cant use that in a dog trial!lol

No El B but you have to admit it could do well in a pampered mutt competition.

Originally Posted by Rushy

No El B but you have to admit it could do well in a pampered mutt competition.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaa? Mutt?? Hell no man, I am already saving up to buy one in two years... gotta be some good working blood. And plus, I could ask her to bite your face off for saying that!

Originally Posted by el borracho

I have found kiwi trialers to be 1st class even though some mumble about the most competitive of them - my tweed hats off to them!

End of the day, in any sport, if you are winning, there will always be the detractors. One of the prices of success.

Dougie, don't to El B or Rushy. I'm sure your dog would round up Belgians just fine

I like the most competitive people as they bring such a high skill set into the arena to make their mark .If there was groaning in the trial scene it would always be about these type of individuals who keep succeeding. One will note the ones that fail to do well consistently have a more laid back attitude to it all and that will often show through in the results over long term .

One must remember these are contest to "prove" both man -woman and animal and if comments are said of any competitor on a forum or to their face as long as not said in a vicious negative manner and constantly to put down someone they are worth hearing for ones growth and for others growth -otherwise some people don't recognize they live in fairy land .

Mind you some are also there for the social side of it for themselves and there dogs which is just fine too
Dougie , lovely animal no doubt about that but if you are interested in Bird dogging I would suggest you get a bird dog or a continental for mutli purpose task including hunting and ripping faces off LOL

If you wore Tweed you could get a special pass to run your sheep herder on birds -maybe

Originally Posted by el borracho

Dougie , lovely animal no doubt about that but if you are interested in Bird dogging I would suggest you get a bird dog or a continental for mutli purpose task including hunting and ripping faces off LOL

Read my first post muppet - going to spy on some trials to see if I do want to get into bird hunting (and get probably a Vizsla as that's what the hubby likes) otherwise I will stick with a Mali and take on the challenge of training it on deer.