Field Trial Question

[DonF]

Sharon -

Based on your description of the events, I would not have asked to have the dog picked up...BUT

I would have a big question mark in my mind as to just exactly what happened and I would not be favorably inclined, because the most likely scenario is a dog diving in, trapping and grabbing the bird. True...you can't judge what you can't see...but experience tells me that what happened was probably not good.

I would be watching that dog like a hawk for the rest of the brace and I would have a hard time placing it over dogs with clean work.

RayG

With a derby it's a simole answer. Call the dog back for a point! The judge doesn't see what happened or is not sure the call back can sort things out right quick. I never ran derby's, never cared to turn one loose and risk it picking up bad habit's. Rather it got it's feet wet in a broke dog stake!

[larue]

first off, a blank shot does not have to be fired in a akc derby to give the dog credit for a find. A dog who is seen with bird contact may be called back to see if it will point,so in my eyes a dog who retrieves a bird has had bird contact.
The simple part is this,what did the pup do the rest of the 30 minutes? if he ran a great brace,went the right places,had drive,speed,style,gait and application I will certainly look at him hard,even if his bird contact was a dead bird.
it is called judging for a reason.