Thread: Interesting documentary

Do the trials here look anything like that?

Interesting. I was surprised at the amount of whistling/handling. Are the spaniel trials here that noisy? if you did that in a PS natural game trial you'd be tossed for noisy handling

Originally Posted by Wirehunt

Do the trials here look anything like that?

In what way specifically? The countryside, the handling, are you not understanding what is happening? What are you asking?

Originally Posted by RCGSP

Interesting. I was surprised at the amount of whistling/handling. Are the spaniel trials here that noisy? if you did that in a PS natural game trial you'd be tossed for noisy handling

Depends on the judge Ryan. I have seen Eric Douglas put a dog out that was breathing too loud for his liking, the same day he put four other dogs out for the noisy handling of the dogs.

I believe most spaniel handlers over whistle... but I am largely a one person minority these days.... Often you have got allow for what the condenser mics on the cameras are picking up too. The camera is usually only showing one dog, but picking up the whistles of his brace mate too. Very hard to make concrete conclusions just watching a DVD though... best to attend a few and watch while walking with an experienced handler who will field questions.

That handling thing. But you've answered that already.
I was hunting with someone using those whistles, not my cup of tea at all. To confusing.

Just to add to that, I think the prevalence of whistle is a product of trials being in very high game areas... extreme numbers. The best estates on the UK often host the big events and prep for them taking pride in the grounds and game they provide. Two things happen... dogs get great opportunities and ultimate opportunities to boil over with game under every other leaf and scent everywhere. This combined with handler nerves can put them on the whistle a lot too. You notice in NZ trials... lots more whistle on trial grounds with released pheasants than in wild country.

Indeed, most UK and Irish trials today are only about handling, steadyness and retrieving. I might exagerate a bit, but not a lot. Due to to much game, the dogs are no longer tuly tested on their game finding ability. A lot of unexperienced judges who hardly ever shoot over a dog, do not know what are the important qualities in a true shooting dog. A dog you take out were game is scarce , the ground is hard and that has to fill the bag. These judges judge the wrong qualities/faults in a dog. Handling is so important and they realy like a robotized dog. If a dog makes a step or two after a find is easy to see, but it's a lot harder to see if the dog realy hunts and not just runs to please you.
I frequently speak with some of those men and they realy love it. They think we ( the others ) are wrong, but they loose the true "hunting dog" .
In continental trials to much handling is a minus, what puts your marks down or even out.