Retrieving trials

RETRIEVING TRIALS, POINTING DOGS, GROUP 7

«Jaktprøveregler for stående fuglehunder 4.2.2-4.2.3, NKK» er oversatt av Ragnhild Landheim, ©Raseklubben for Italiensk Spinone og Bracco Italiano.

General information:
All the exercises are with dogs off leash and no collars/harness is allowed. The handler will need to take care of the bird, before, during and after the exercises. The birds should be in bags marked with class and name of the dog.
NB: Participants from outside Norway must buy game at the retrieving trial due to restrictions concerning game and import.

4.2.2. Retrieving trial for pointing dogs in group 7
Water retrieving, Land retrieving and track retrieving: In these disciplines the dogs are tested individually. At the invitation for trial, it must be stated which species of game is used as a fetch object. Huntable bird species are used as fetch items (i.e whole birds that are fresh thawed and dried). Birds that can be used: Caipercaillie, Black Grouse, Ptarmigans, Pheasants, Partridge, Duck, Woodcock and Hazel Grouse. In water retrival dummy with wings covering 90% of body can be used. In all exercises the dog can start over up to three times.
Water retrieval: The dog’s passion for water and its ability to cooperate with the handler to locate the game and retrieving it from the water is tested. At the stand, the judge must inform the handler where he and the dog must stand when the bird is thrown and where the handover is to take place. This must be at least 5 meters from the water’s edge so that the dog has good opportunity to see the bird being thrown. The handler must stay here while the dog works. The dog must only be directed with signs, calls or whistles. Aids such as extra shots, stone throwing etc. is not allowed. The dog must be free and at rest at the handler’s feet until the retrieve order given after a sign from the judge. The judge decides when testing a dog must end.
Comment: By «at the handler’s foot» is meant: The dog must sit freely and calmly at the handler’s foot and the handler takes one step behind and to the side for the dog.

Youth class (UK) ( 9 months – up to 24months)
Water retrieval in the UK is carried out by retrieving a bird that is thrown from the water’s edge into deep water.
The dog must show swimming skills in order to be awarded. No shots are fired.

Open class (AK)(24 months and up)
Water retrieval in AK is carried out by retrieving a bird which immediately after the shot is thrown from the boat/land at least 50 meters from the stand. On the way to the bird, the dog must cross a wetland area. The part of the distance the dog must swim over must be in relation to the nature of the test area, so that the overall degree of difficulty is as similar as possible from test to test.
If a boat is used, it must be placed in a straight line from stand and bird after shot and throw. Distance must be at least 20 meters from the retrieving object. Behavior in the boat must be specified, it must take place without disturbing the dog being tested, i.e. be quiet and calm.

Rules for hunting tests for pointing dogs.
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Tracking retrieval (only applies to AK):
The dog’s ability to track down and retrieve a wounded bird will be tested. The track is laid in 3 different angle directions, usually like a big S in the terrain. It should go partly through open ground and partly through terrain rich in vegetation, and on safe distance from previously laid tracks. The start and the course of the track are marked. At the end, the game is laid, possibly a different one than what has been dragged, but of the same species. The individual who drags the game through the track must, with the dragged bird, position themselves by taking into account the wind and terrain at the tracks end. The handler is given the starting location and track direction («shooting point» and «escape direction»).
The track in AK must be at least 200 meters long and have at least 3 angle changes in direction. The dog can be lead to the starting point leashed. There the dog must be released from the leash. The dog must independently find the track, which must be marked with two sticks and start at least 20 meters away starting point. The first track marking must be visible from the starting point, and must stand approx. 50 meters from the track beginning. The handler must stay at the starting point as long as the dog is being tested. Finding the game, the dog must seize it without a special command and quickly be brought back to the hand of the handler. The dog can be directed up to the first mark and from the same mark to return. In principle, a new track must be drawn for each dog, but if a dog never finds the track, the judge may consider offering the same track to the next dog.

Land retrieval
The dog’s ability to locate and retrieve an injured bird that has not left a trace will be tested. To ensure the most equal conditions possible with regard to the odor picture during the test, a minimum of four dogs and handlers walk across the terrain in question. The game is laid out in the terrain so that it is not visible from the stand, and without the handler or dog being able to observe
the position. Furthermore, the dispersing must take place in such a way that the dog does not use the dispersers’ track to help locating the game. The judge indicates the «flight direction» and the place where the start and delivery must take place, and where the handler must stay while the dog is being tested. On command, the dog must use the wind to scan the designated terrain, locate the game which is seized and immediately brought back to the starting point where it is handed over to the handler. Handler can direct the dog by sign, call or whistle. The judge decides when testing the dog is to end.

Special for UK:
The distance from the stand to the game should be a good shotgun range of 30 to 50 meters guided by topography. The test area must be clear, open ground, and extra efforts must be taken so
the game is placed so that the wind is as good as possible for the dog, taking the conditions into account.

Special for AK:
2 birds will be placed for a blind retrieval. The distance from the stand to the retrieval object must be
at least 50 meters, and the distance between them at least 10 meters. The test area must partly be open ground, partly denser vegetation. In order to be approved, the dog must bring both fetch objects to the starting point where they are handed over to the handler. Dogs we are sure detects the game, and then leaves this without taking it with him shall be disqualified. This applies when the dog detects game for the first time, and not whether the dog puts down the game on the way in and then picks it up again with or without command. It is specified that this only applies in AK. In both of these situations, the dog does not get any more attempts.

Comment: At the fetch tests, the handler has the opportunity to use his own bird that is to be approved by judge. All legally huntable bird species are permitted on all retrieve trials.
It is important that used game is stored and placed so that it does not have a disturbing effect on the dog being tested. The handler should be made aware of the game’s location. There must be good control of the pick-up of game. This is to uncover sloppy pick-up, chewing, hesitation and
dog leaving the game.
Disrespectful commanding, yelling and screaming can detract points.
It can be judged as commanding even if the referee has not asked for it. In such cases, the participant must be made aware of this while the trial is in progress.

Rules for hunting tests for pointing dogs.
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Wind direction is not decisive for the placement of the game in any of the exercises. During practical hunting wind direction is not considered before sending the dog out to retrieve shot or injured game.
Especially for Norwegian-registered dogs of continental breeds: Results from retrieval trials in Norway can be used for field tests in Sweden in the same year, for all classes. AK retrieval from Norway can also be used to start in the elite class in Sweden. This only applies for the breed clubs that have made an agreement with the breed clubs in Sweden. If the breeds don’t have a breed club, this rule does not apply.

4.2.3. Premiere
In retrieving trials, one may earn either the 1st., 2nd. or 3 rd prize. For each discipline, written criticism is given and grade on a scale from 0-10 with 10 as the best result. Dog that has not achieved at least 4 in each exercise, cannot be awarded.
To get 1st. prize retrieval requires at least 8 points in each discipline.
To get 2nd. prize retrieval requires at least 6 points in each discipline.
To get 3rd. prize retrieval requires at least 4 points in each discipline.
Prizes only from retrieval trials do not qualify for a start in VK (working class) at a show or hunting trial.