Field Trialling for Labradors | The Labrador Club

Field Trialling is a sport where handlers and dogs can compete at a level to suit their ability. It is a great opportunity to have a day in the country, and even after a bad run there is time to ponder and work out where the problem areas are and hopefully correct them by the next trial. This creates a great handler dog partnership. Not all dogs are going to be Field Trial Champions but having a good run is a great feeling, and field trial people are most encouraging and generous with their time.

Competitors at a trial are judged by a Field Trial Judge. Judges set a course according to the ability of the class they are judging and position themselves at a vantage point from where they can see the whole course. They are assisted by a steward who records points deducted. Out on the course are people manning the throwers. They are the unsung heroes of Field Trialling.

Even a small puppy has the instinct to retrieve. This is not unusual for a Labrador puppy. They are usually very keen and enthusiastic and need just a little sensible training to produce, if not a field trial champion, at least a useful shooting dog and companion.

The Labrador Retriever in The Field

For those who don’t shoot, Field Trials are an excellent alternative to utilise your Labrador’s natural retrieving instinct. For shooters, Field Trials are an excellent training ground.

There are several classes for competing in, at trials:

Puppy Class – for dogs under 12 months of age on the day of the trial.

Novice Class – a class for dogs that have not won an Open, or Limit trial.

Limit Class – a class for dogs that have not won an Open trial.

Open Class – is a class for all gundogs, without restriction. However, this is a class for the more experienced dog that has graduated through the classes.

Gundog Training

Traditional classes at trials consist of two courses.

A: Land – (usually) heel, retrieve one or two thrown birds. Shots (blanks) to be fired by a handler over the dog when a bird is in the air.

B: Water – (Usually) heel, retrieve one or two birds over water. Shots to be fired by a handler over the dog when the bird is in the air. The bird in these cases is usually a dead pigeon, projected into the air by a catapult.

Each course carries a maximum of 100 points judged on the following attributes.

1. Control – how much control the handler needs to use.

2. Speed – if the dog is wasting time or not.

3. Marking or Line of Cast – how quickly and accurately the dog runs towards the game.

4. Finding – how quickly or accurately the dog finds and picks up the game.

5. Retrieving – how straight and business-like the dog’s line of retrieve is, back to the handler.

6. Mouth – how tenderly the dog carries the game.

7. Delivery – how well the dog “gives” the game to the handler.

8. Style – did the dog do anything that is not “stylish” for their breed?

Every dog starts with 100 points and for every error, misjudgement or additional command required, points are deducted.

Training

When training a new dog, start each one of the individual parts judged during a retrieve. Concentrate on one aspect at a time for a maximum of ten minutes per day, in the hope of eventually producing the perfect retrieve.

Control

Heel your dog between two markers off the lead for maximum points. Halt your dog at the second mark, step away from your dog and fire a shot when the game is in the air. The judge will tell you when to send your dog to retrieve.

Although points will be lost by having a lead on your dog during the heel up stage, it is preferable to having a young dog learn that it can “break” on the peg (when the dog goes to retrieve before being instructed to). Even the experts will keep a young dog on a lead until they learn.

Speed

The Speed of dog from handler to bird on command should be business-like and instinctive. Speed of return should be the same speed, and direct. Train your dog in open areas where he can form good habits of running out and returning to you quickly.

Marking

Labradors are probably the best marking gundogs. If you are lucky enough to have your own thrower (catapult) use it for training. If not, a “human friend” can be made into a very good thrower. Position the thrower so the game – a dummy used in training, will land ahead of the dog at the required distance, and will be clearly visible while in the air. The dog should remain at the heel of the handler until sent to retrieve. Use short grass at first to enable the dog to see the game and

mark it. (Gradually increase the distance between dog and thrower (to 45 - 55 metres minimum, 100 metres maximum). Do not always command your dog to fetch marked game as he may become uninterested and refuse to mark or look altogether. Steadily progress into longer grass or throw game behind a bush or into cover. A dog should be able to mark within one metre of thrown game. Good marking enables a dog to retrieve more quickly in the field – advantageous when game is wounded. Line of cast is for blind retrieves and refers to the line that is shown to the dog by the handler, and how well the dog follows it. Blind retrieves are generally only tested in the Open class.

Finding

This element is closely related to marking – although it enables the dog to use his nose as well as his eyes. Plant game (out of sight of dog) in cover at usual retrieving distance. Heel from marker to marker and send dog out under command fetch or seek. The dog should be able to find game with his nose. If this fails, walk to hidden game with dog and put him onto it with a fetch command. Never send your dog out to find game if there is nothing there. A shot may be fired before sending the dog out.

Mouth

It is important that the dog’s mouth is gentle, i.e. he carries the game in such a way that he does not damage it. The only movement the dog should make to his hold on the game is a slight adjustment when entering the water. Some dogs can be deemed “hard in the mouth” which means that they may be more inclined to damage game. There are many ideas as to what you can do to prevent this, and what works for one dog may not necessarily work for the next. If you are presented with this problem, you may need to be creative to find the solution. Some suggestions are: don’t allow your dog to play with tennis balls as it encourages mouthing, train with dummies, train only with top quality game, train with frozen game. The list goes on.

Delivery

To complete a retrieve, a dog must deliver the game cleanly to hand, sitting or standing in front of the handler. This must not be snatched from the mouth by the handler but held by the dog until commanded – and released to hand.

NB. In Field Trial conditions the handler is disqualified if he picks up game from the ground.

Style

Overall performance of dog – no training required, provided all other aspects are executed perfectly. Try to build up confidence between handler and dog.

With patience, perseverance and dedication you will be well on the way to having a useful trial and or shooting dog by following the above, and well on the way to qualifying for a Q.C.

The earlier one starts the better. A pup of eight weeks, through insecurity will have an overpowering desire to please, often overcoming his natural fear to please you. A pup of four months often has a greater reluctance to enter water. Start with a long shallow stretch, where he can walk into it gradually; get him to follow you into where his feet just leave the bottom. Swimming with an older dog will help him gain confidence.

Do not overdo it at this point. Take care not to work in an area where the ground drops away suddenly, as a sudden loss of footing at this stage could be very upsetting. Never throw a pup into the water to force him to swim. This may put him off for life.

When he has got to the point of retrieving well on land you can start water retrieves. Throw a dummy just at the water’s edge, then increase the distance each time. You don’t want him to get into the habit of dropping the dummy at the water’s edge whilst he shakes himself, so it is best not to let him start in the first place. Stand at the edge so that you can take the dummy while he is still in the water. Later, you can run backwards as he is coming out of the water, calling him, so in his excitement to reach you he forgets to stop and shake. If he is reluctant to lose his footing and swim, not going beyond chest deep, another dog can be used as encouragement. Put an experienced dog on a ”Sit Stay” nearby, and throw the dummy just beyond the pup’s depth. While he is out there thinking it over, send out the experienced dog, which will rush past the pup to collect the dummy and get the praise. So have a try – have a spare dummy to throw so that when the pup does actually swim, you can have something to throw right in front of him, as the more experienced dog will probably have reached the first dummy.

Field trials are run by Gundog Clubs under the control of the New Zealand Gundog Trial Association, which is affiliated to Dogs NZ. For competition purposes one must be a member of a Gundog Club (at a minimal subscription each year) but novices will normally be welcomed and assisted initially without any pressure to join.

A Field Trial is a wonderful opportunity for a relaxing picnic day in the country for the whole family and you will have the thrill of seeing your dog work. It is working ability and training that counts, not beauty, so it does not matter if your dog isn’t a winner in the show rin

In the hope that you will try this wonderful sport of Field Trialling here are a few hints to enable you to enjoy yourself.

Wear old clothes – at some stage of the day you will be handling a wet, muddy dog, so be prepared! If he is not wet and muddy, you will be disappointed, as it will mean he wouldn’t go in the water.
Unless it is in the middle of a drought, gumboots are probably the most practical footwear.
If it is our normal weather take a warm windbreaker or serviceable raincoat. Don’t forget that wide open spaces tend to be windier than the city – so a spare jumper can be useful.
If it is hot and sunny take your hat, sunblock, and water for yourself and your dog.
Take a towel or rug for the car, for that wet, muddy dog, though he’ll often be dry by the time you head home.
Be prepared to make a day of it – take a picnic, though tea, coffee and soft drinks are usually available. One can never be sure when your competition will be held or when it will finish. Even vagaries of the tides can affect this, where tidal creeks are involved.
Have your dog obedient in the basics of Heel, Sit, Stay mentioned earlier.
Don’t be put off if your dog is a little older – if he is bright, intelligent, and obedient, he may well pick up the idea better than a younger puppy, which naturally wants to play most of the time.
Please don’t bring your bitch to a Field Trial or a Field Training Day if she is in season, or even just before or just after. Wait until you are sure she is not attractive to dogs. This is important, more so than at shows, as dogs are working off their leads and an in-season bitch could cause fights as well as putting dogs off their work.
A dog which has distemper, parvovirus, kennel cough or other communicable diseases, or has been kennelled or kept on premises where such disease is known to exist cannot attend any field trial unless it has been fully recovered for one month.

Finally, do not despair if your dog is not perfect at his first attempt in public. Many dogs are reluctant to pick up birds at first. See if the trial organisers can give you a few wings at the end of the day which you can make into practice dummies.

FIELD TRIAL AWARDS

Field Trial Champions (FTCh) – a dog must win six challenge points under at least two separate judges to be awarded the title of Field Trial Champion. One at least of these Challenge Points must be won away from its owner’s home club.

Grand Field Trial Champion (GFTCh) – A dog gaining 20 Challenge Points.

Championship Trials – Dogs must be registered with Dogs NZ. All dogs entered in Championship Events must be purebred and registered on the Dogs NZ No 1 Register.

NEAREST GUNDOG CLUB

The NZ Dog World lists all the recognised Gundog clubs – or visit https://www.dogsnz.org.nz/clubs/club-listing/Gundog

Welcome to The Labrador Club

Field Trialling

The Labrador Retriever in The Field

Gundog Training

QUALIFYING CERTIFICATE (Q.C)

Retrievers

INTRODUCTION TO WATER RETRIEVING

HANDY HINTS FOR THE NOVICE FIELD TRIALLING

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