Other Options...

[KellyM87]

Hi.
I bought a puppy last June hopefully to be a field trial dog. Well, he has quite a case of drag-tail, and it doesnt look like he will be competitive. However, he is my pet and my buddy and I am not going to "move him on." so are their any other options that I can do maybe besides field trials? I am new to this so I don't really know what each format looks at. I would like to be competitive, but I guess if drag-tail is really a major issue, I could just do fun trials. Any suggestions?

Now that he wont be trialing, or atleast it doesn't look like it, he will definately be a hunting dog (grouse and pheasant). Also, I hope to have him force-broke.

Thanks for your input.

[Dave Quindt]

Kelly,

What's the breed and the age of dog in question? Also, where are you located?

Dave

[JMc]

I take it "drag-tail" means he's lazy or doesn't "run big" as the trialers say...? You might want to look at NSTRA; it would give you the competition you seek but is centered around a hunting mentality.

[KellyM87]

Sorry, I should have out that information in the first post. He is am English setter, just over 10 months old. I live in southeast Michigan. The pup is with a Coverdog trainer in Arizona right now but will be back in early march.

[KellyM87]

I take it "drag-tail" means he's lazy or doesn't "run big" as the trialers say...? You might want to look at NSTRA; it would give you the competition you seek but is centered around a hunting mentality.

No he runs fine, I was hoping to do Coverdog trials with him and range has never been an issue. By "drag- tail" I mean when he is running he literally drags his tail behind him. He doesn't crack it like a windshield wiperblade like they like in field trials.

[RayGubernat]

A dog that does not run with a merry tail will not win in cover dog stakes or most ny other American Field sanctioned stakes either. There are boatloads of dogs that do everything right AND run with a merry tail also, so you are behind the 8 ball with one that does not.

I suggest that you look into AKC trials. It should be a simple matter to cross register your English setter onto the AKC registry via open registration and compete in those trials.

If the dog does not have the ground application for trials, hunt tests are an arena where reaching ground application is not only not required, it may actually be something of a detriment.

I have a little tail draggin' gyp that would have a very hard time winning an AF shooting dog stake because of the way she runs, despite having outstanding ground pattern and killer style on point. She currently is one point away from her AKC Field Championship, having won four AKC open all age stakes and(not that it means much) last year was the #3 all age pointer for the AKC acording to the American Pointer Club. BTW, I only run her in local trials to have fun.

There are lots of ways to play with our dogs and have fun. You just have to find one that works for you and your dog.

RayG

[kninebirddog]

I take it "drag-tail" means he's lazy or doesn't "run big" as the trialers say...? You might want to look at NSTRA; it would give you the competition you seek but is centered around a hunting mentality.

Actually if the dog has total lack of style and is not competitive..NSTRA won't be the game either..If the dog has go enough and will find birds and retrieves will hold point for the count of three Tournament hunts could be the way to go as there it is about how fast you find and get birds rather then being judged on point and style plus I hear there is good money pots that go to some of the top dogs in the hunt tournament. One guy had a dog that though wasn't a good NSTRA dog put over 15,000 dollars in total winnings in his pocket over a couple years doing the hunt tournaments and he has a great time.
Another friend he went and tried a couple and won some money also Biggest thing is being a good shot as extra shots cost you time per extra shell used

[mudhunter]

Some dogs develpoe later, I wouldn't write him off just yet. Like Ray said, AKC trials don't care as much about what the tail looks like running so it shouldn't be an issue if you cross register and run in AKC trials. Also a dog will look different in cover than it will in the open. My hunting dog is very snappy, lots of pop in his tail, when we grouse hunt in the woods, but get him into the open and he drags the tail awful.

[Redfishkilla]

Get a brittany and you won't have to worry about "tail dragging". Never heard of that before this post, learn something everyday.

[ACooper]

Kelly post his picture again... the dog doesn't lack pointing style he lacks "running style"!

Why not AKC trials?

[KellyM87]

Thanks for the term, coop, that is a much better way to put it..... I will definitely run him in AKC field trials if he can, I just thought did not know if running style was a judging criteria for them too.

Every other area besides that he seems to be doing well.

[KellyM87]

Sorry, these pictures are resized, so a little easier to view.