The Show Spaniels Field Day

The Canouan Kennel

So we Veni, Vidi, and we didn't quite Vici but we learnt a lot. We hadn't been to the SSFD for two years. Last year the qualification had changed and neither Poppet or Ernie could run, and the year before Poppet was in season. The year before that Poppet had won the Novice Bitch Test so we had something to live up to.
We took everyone to Barholm, including the old lady Winsie (Cliffhill Cinders). Well she could not stay at home on her own, so she came along as chef d'equipe. After all she knows more about it than any of us, and bless her every time a gun was fired she sat down. We thought that it may all be a bit much for her at her age, but not so, she thoroughly enjoyed her day, and the picnic.

Poppet and Ernie were entered in the SGWT. Ernie and Kevan ran first. Ernie showed an excellent hunting style, but then Ernie loves hunting. He found and flushed his bird all to quickly for him, he prefers to hunt for longer, but sat nice and steady to flush and shot. His bird had fallen over a hedge, so it was a difficult task to push him through. We always find that spaniels are more difficult to push through obstacles to a retrieve than other more retriever type breeds. Once through the hedge he had lost his momentum and though he found his bird quickly did not retrieve to hand to the satisfaction of the judges so he did not get his ticket. Never mind, it was his first attempt and he will do more retrieving on the shoot this year.
Then it was Poppet's and my turn. Poppet set off hunting in her usual ebullient style.It seemed only seconds before she had flushed her bird. She was steady to flush (just) not her strong point being steady to flush, but nice and steady to shot. Her bird had also fallen over the hedge so she was asked to hunt up the hedge for a way. Then I sent her for her bird. Well she really would have preferred to continue hunting but found her bird quickly, marked it, and then came away. I sent her back to "fetch" which she did and retrieved nicely to hand. Unfortunately though the judges did not award her her ticket. I felt very disappointed for her, I thought that she deserved it, but then I may be just a little bit biased! However it was her first run too, and there is always next year.

On to the Novice Test. We had entered Pip and Maggie for experience. We knew that at ten months they were not at the standard required, but we were of the opinion that they knew enough to complete the test.
Pip ran first. The walk to heel was very good - I was impressed - the sit and stay excellent, I was getting more confident. The recall, she came bounding back with a big grin on her face. Then the distraction dummy. Well I have never told Pip not to retrieve a dummy so using the puppy brain she bounded after it, and retrieved it with an even bigger grin on her face, a wagging tail, and a style not unlike her mother's. I was smitten! She is just so cute. Dropped it in my hand and sat down. I told her she was just so good. Well you wouldn't tell a puppy off for doing something that it has always been told to do in the past. So off to the longer weed stuff for the hunting and seen and blind retrieve. She was so busy hunting, really using her nose, that she did not see the seen retrieve, which became a blind. We went to search it out together. She found it first, had a bit of trouble pulling it out of the weed, then bounded back and gave it to the judge! cute or what! Hunting again before the blind retrieve. Pip was beginning to miss her friend Maggie, so bounded over to the waiting competitors to see if Maggie was there, she wasn't so came bounding back again, found the dummy, retrieved it, and this time gave it to me. What a puppy, at ten months old she is showing lots of promise, and I am sure that she will give them a run for their money next year. There is not doubt about it, she just loves doing this.

Helping Pip with her blind Retrieve

Maggie's turn. Walk to heel, great, sit and stay, Kevan was worried about the distance of this, he had never asked her to sit and stay at that distance, but no problem. Then straight back to her Dad, ignored the distraction dummy. Going well. Now the hunting. Well Maggie hasn't done much hunting, and she was just a little worried by all these people watching her. She got going though, and was steady to shot, and managed her retrieve nicely with a little help from Kevan. More hunting, not her strong point yet, then her blind which she completed, again with a little help. Kevan was more than proud of her, and will work on her hunting now that the season is starting. A bit of time in a rabbit pen will help.
So tests over we had dog supper at the field and on the the Hotel for dinner. We had booked a "family" room, and ended up with a suite and a four poster bed!. Dinner over we collected the dogs from the car and took them upstairs. Put them in their baskets and gave best. When we awoke in the morning there were seven in the bed. Five "Canouan's" had taken up residence! Pip was down the covers! Ernie had the pillow, Poppet was stretched out snoring as was Winsie, Maggie was asleep on top of Kevan, and we were all very hot!
An early start back for home as we had horses to feed and a three hour drive. A great reflection on our day. Pride in our dogs. Everyone had done what we asked them to do to the best of their ability, and if we didn't quite "vici" then never mind. We are a team, we love our work, and we shall be back.

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