I have been to a local game fair today and there was a few of us in our party with spaniels. The dogs work work during the gaming season beating. All of the "lads" decided today to run the dogs in the scurry for the first time just to see how they tried out and it wasn't too bad. I have a spaniel pup 8 months old who I wish to trial and have started my basic training.
The question I have is does the training differ from trialling a dog to using them for working out in the field as all of the usually immaculate behaved spaniels in our party today struggled a little compared to the people there who to me clearly trial all the time and do not use their dogs out in the field. One of our spaniels for example when commanded to "go back" did for a bit but then was straight in the brackens hunting doing what he knows best. Tell me I'm a banana for asking but I am new to all this
wow. well theres no short & definitive answer to your question. All I can say is that I have trialling dogs and a lot of them struggle with the scurries, not the scurries themselves, but being in such a different environment with loads of people leaning over the fence, watching you, some of my dogs got a bit daunted by it all. They were like ' who are all these people.. ..' They're different dogs when trialling season comes. Chalk & cheese reallly. One is on dummies & the other is on game.
So I wouldnt take that as a difinitive answer as to whether your dogs good or not at trialling.
you need to go to a 1-2-1 trainer or a gundog class and see how your dog fairs against others of the standard you'll be competing against. you can then make a decision.
Too many Springers, and Roxie the black cocker.
"You dont own Cockers, you wear them!"
- Another cocker owner.
"There is no Elevator to success. You have to take the Stairs"
- Unknown
The only real way is to go and watch a trial. You will see what's required and can ask questions to handlers, judges etc. Its also worth reading the J regs http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/2886
One of our spaniels for example when commanded to "go back" did for a bit but then was straight in the brackens hunting doing what he knows best.
If you've sent your dog on a retrieve then that's what it should do. Could you stop the dog and redirect it back on to the retrieve?
I have been to a local game fair today and there was a few of us in our party with spaniels. The dogs work work during the gaming season beating. All of the "lads" decided today to run the dogs in the scurry for the first time just to see how they tried out and it wasn't too bad. I have a spaniel pup 8 months old who I wish to trial and have started my basic training.
The question I have is does the training differ from trialling a dog to using them for working out in the field as all of the usually immaculate behaved spaniels in our party today struggled a little compared to the people there who to me clearly trial all the time and do not use their dogs out in the field. One of our spaniels for example when commanded to "go back" did for a bit but then was straight in the brackens hunting doing what he knows best. Tell me I'm a banana for asking but I am new to all this
You and me both I had to withdraw my boy as he wouldn't go back far enough either today
And I have had a 4th before with him the guy running asked if I
worked him and yes he is a blinding beating dog steady as rock with 1000 birds at the flushing point will pick up
All day on land and water but for some reason he didn't like the set up today
There are plenty of people who train just for scurries and game fair working tests. There's money to be made and with re-entry allowed they can run their dogs all day to get the best time (and for their dog to learn where the "blind" is) compared to trialling when one squeak / foot wrong and you're out. I enjoy scurrying with mine as well as working them. They seem to know the difference and perform well in both. I've had a number of wins on the scurries (including one on Sunday) but my ESS for example doesn't perform as well on the longer retrieves normally which is fine as I've worked really hard to keep him close. It is very different IMO from trialling and working and even the small days attract what are the "big" names from the scurry circuit. I prefer to view them as more of a "have-a-go" event. The scenarios tend to be very similar wherever you go but few simulate shoot conditions and as such many quality shooting dogs that clearly go all day in the line or picking up do tend to struggle.
I agree with the last comment so much. If you have a bottomless pit you could go all day and maybe even my 8 month old could have done well cus he's fast and responsive .There were maybe 6 people that kept re-entering their dogs over and over all day and you could definitely tell the guys who's dogs did this all the time, one who I know has won the commercial stuff last year and the year before at several fairs but credit it to him if he can afford it. All said an experience neverless. Maybe I should join a club. Are they any locally in the Staffordshire area that people know about?
who are all these people.. 
..' They're different dogs when trialling season comes. Chalk & cheese reallly. One is on dummies & the other is on game.
