between Brittany's and Spangles.

I have been and gone and done it!!! I have entered Chase and I in a Spring Pointing Test in April. This is basically a level up from the Natural Apptitude Test he passed last October and he will be having to demonstrate his hunting and pointing ability on live game - no shooting and no retrieving.

We are now practising hunting to my direction in a concerted manner, the only trouble is that being a VERY novice handler I don't want to overhandle him if he is on scent - Mugi is easy to see the difference of specualtive hunting and game, Chase greets life with such enthusiasm he is less easy to read.

He will have to run (once or twice) for a minimum of 10 minutes for his grading so we are building stamina as well as scope etc. Even after two sessions this week he is really improving, his sit to whistle is getting good even when in highly arousing areas, his following a turn or recall whistle is also coming on.

Thankfully I have been able to handle him onto game (something a very experienced Brittany handler has advised me to do) not to 'help' him as such but so he learns to hunt with me cos I am good as opposed to hunting for himself.

Friday sees me having some help from the FT Sec for the breed club to make sure I am on the right track, he will also get to suss out the land I am using in case we can do any club events there .

My biggest 'scare' came when a certain young mans breeder emailed me to say she was glad I was doing it (the event is held on their land) and added the tip that he needs to quarter ideally not much more than 100m either side and 30 - 40m in front of me . Yesterday I was training with my friends and their spaniels and we agreed that I will not let the spaniels see how much wider Chase is being encouraged to hunt .

Blimey

That is a big difference, I wouldn't want a springer much more then 20-25 yards out in any direction when hunting.

Good luck in the -*test*-('"), I'll be interested to hear how you get on

They are definitely more relaxed than a trial or working -*test*-('") so just enjoy yourself. I'm guessing it's on partridge?

Trick is not to overhandle him but obviously do so if he is going wrong. They are wanting to see his natural ability and bidability.

I'm sure you will be fine - you are both doing really well. Good luck and let us know how you get on!

I was hoping to do one this year with Teal but being nearly 6 months pregnant, I didn't think I could manage wandering round the moor all day while other people competed. I have been really wanting to enter a grouse one as I think partridge can be tricky for an inexperienced dog. There's always next year!

Helen

Thanks Helen, the -*test*-('") is only 5 days after I have my surgery and the only reason I have entered is cos it is the club run SPT and at Chases's breeders. She knows and I can go lie down if I need to!!!

It is on Partridge and at the moment he has only pointed rabbit and pheasant but yesterday I saw a covey of partridge on the shooting grounds as I was leaving so guess where we are heading tomorrow . As a Junior he can be graded on pheasant as well as partridge and I know there are plenty of birds down .

His full sister from the previous mating was binned last year so I can go totally relaxed as I have 'earned brownie points' with my breeder by having a go without having to prove ourselves. She knows I am a very novice handler but being a french lady with strong ideas on how the breed should be worked (and handled) I am more relaxed knowing Baileys wasn't graded last year - sad I know .

By all accounts he will still be a Junior next yr (I didn't realise they were aged like racehorses for this) so I will probably enter more next season by which time I hope to be well again.

I am not sure how Brittanys would run Grouse, I know Bill T ran Vicky (Mugi's granny) on Grouse well but without access to training land I think Grouse Pointing Tests could be a step too far for us. If he does well this year I might consider looking for training ground next year but it will mean travelling loads.

I wish you luck in the trials ......I read your post with interest....I now know just how difficult it can be to achieve a good working relationship with a spaniel

Hunting and flushing are easy but the stopping and hunting where I want them to go ...and no chasing is a work in progress and probably for a very long time too

I hope you do well...you're an inspiration and I hope the surgery is a great success too

Steve

Hope your surgery goes well!

A lot of dogs aren't graded but that is sometimes just because no game about.

The KC run grouse days seems to have been better this year so might be worth looking into those next year. I might be able to help next year - this year is out really so if you can't get sorted, give me a shout. You would be really surprised at how easy grouse are to work on. A lot of people enter a grouse SPT when they have never worked their dog on them before. If it's run in the right conditions - right time of year, weather, ground etc, the grouse sit tight and if your dog is a good game finder, he shouldn't have a problem with a different scent.

Helen