Duck Search

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averageguy
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Duck Search

Post by averageguy » Sat Jul 25, 2020 6:09 am

Setup my duck pen and drove 3 hours to get some live mallards a few days ago.

Pulled flight feathers on one wing and tossed one into the pond for the pup. 10 minutes of high pitched yipping and swimming followed. The duck could dive and swim underwater a long distance and twice the pup was able to track scent on the water to where the duck was hiding in vegetation along the bank. Around 10 minutes in, I shot the duck when it was safe to do so and the pup retrieved it to the bank and then took some coaxing to bring it to my feet. It was a good first introduction.

I then gave my adult dog the same in the heavy cover end of the pond. Thought some folks might enjoy seeing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ryC8sYINcI

art hubbard
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Re: Duck Search

Post by art hubbard » Sat Jul 25, 2020 10:12 am

Great video and great dog work.....

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Sharon
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Re: Duck Search

Post by Sharon » Sat Jul 25, 2020 12:11 pm

LOL Wasn't that great! You've got yourself some dog. :)
" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett

averageguy
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Re: Duck Search

Post by averageguy » Sun Jul 26, 2020 5:42 am

Thank You, Both. Glad you enjoyed it.

reba
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Re: Duck Search

Post by reba » Sun Jul 26, 2020 9:50 am

Spud is a keeper for sure!

AND good for you for keeping your mouth shut all that time.

Steve007
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Re: Duck Search

Post by Steve007 » Sun Jul 26, 2020 11:32 am

What does it say "comments are turned off?" Is this YouTube or you who did this? As the phrase goes, the best conservation device is a trained dog. The only stuffed bird I have in my house is a beautiful male wood duck I shot over an icy river. (I thought it was the most beautiful pheasant I ever saw until it hit the water and dived.) My wirehair dived down and chased it under water before bringing me the wounded duck. #7 1/2 shot is not a good duck load. Wish I had a video of it, but I spent big money to stuff and mount the duck.

Max2
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Re: Duck Search

Post by Max2 » Mon Jul 27, 2020 5:43 am

Very nice average guy - You best think about a name change To " Above Average Guy " Nice work ! Good stuff !

Trekmoor
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Re: Duck Search

Post by Trekmoor » Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:11 am

That is one very persistent and determined dog ! :D Is that sort of training done for use in tests or trials ? There is, I'm told, a water search done in some European versatile dog tests but it is against the law to do that sort of thing in Britain.

Bill T.

averageguy
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Re: Duck Search

Post by averageguy » Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:53 am

Thank You all for the Kind Comments.

Steve, I use Youtube as a convenient way to upload and share videos. I can do it once and share it across many different medias. I texted the link to a couple friends on my phone for example. I have to set the privacy setting to public in order to do that and so I set the privacy setting to "no comments" as I have no control as to who might choose to comment or what they might say otherwise.

Bill T, Yes that video would be essentially the same as the Duck Search element contained in the Utility Test of the NAVHDA organization.

cjhills
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Re: Duck Search

Post by cjhills » Mon Jul 27, 2020 8:03 am

The thing about the duck search is it is about the search, not about catching the duck. If the the dog swam out, caught the duck and retrieved it he would either have to do it over or get a lower score. At least that is how the rules were explained to me.......Cj

averageguy
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Re: Duck Search

Post by averageguy » Mon Jul 27, 2020 9:44 am

It would depend entirely on how long the dog has been searching before it found and caught the duck as to whether the Judges required a resend in the event the dog caught the duck.

The search in that video would receive a Max score of 4 making the dog eligible for a Prize 1 (provided the dog also mets Prize 1 minimums in all other areas of the test). Given the dog in the video did a thorough, persistent search, intelligently expanded it's search into new areas when it did not find the duck in areas already searched, and then produced the duck at 8.5 minutes he would not have been asked to be resent. If he was it would be fine as I always send the dog at least twice when training so they expect to go more than once.

I have run other of my GWPs which did produce the duck as early as 3 minutes into their first send, with the duck then retrieved to hand. In those instances the Judges did require my dogs to be resent because they want to see if the dog will search well for a longer period of time than that. The dogs went as eagerly the second time as the first time and proceeded to do Max score searches in very case. The only concern I have had while testing was if the dog would stop and come into my recall when the Judges told me to call them in.

That Spud dog earned a Prize 1 Utility at 17 months of age. The field portion requires the dog to be steady to WSF, all birds found are flushed and shot and the dog must wait to be sent and then retrieve the birds to hand to get max scores. And the dog is evaluated in Duck Search as seen in the video, and it is sent on 200 yard drag through cover with a 90 degree turn in it with one command at the start from the handler. The dog must work the drag independently out of sight of the handler and retrieve the duck to hand while the handler stands and waits. And the dog must heel through a series of gates to a blind. The dog is left at the blind while the handler walks out of sight and fires two shots. The dog must remain at the blind through those shots. The handler returns to the blind and then the handler fires, a person across the water fires, the handler fires again and duck to thrown for a about a 75 yard marked water retrieve. The dog must remain steady throughout and then complete the retrieve to hand.

There is a minimum total score required to be awarded each level of Prize (3, 2 or 1 or no prize are the possible outcomes) and there is a minimum level of score required in each area of the test for each level of prize as well. I have had dogs score way above Prize 1 requirements in their total score but missed Prize 1 minimum in steadiness and therefore were awarded a lower Prize 2 overall for example.

It is a very comprehensive test for dogs trained to hunt upland birds and waterfowl, and perform to a high standard both before and after the shot.

Here is link to an excellent document which describes all 4 tests of the NAVHDA system, each component, the objectives, scoring and awards of Prizes. https://www.navhda.org/wp-content/uploa ... v_8_18.pdf

weimdogman
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Re: Duck Search

Post by weimdogman » Mon Jul 27, 2020 10:20 am

AG those are fine dogs,well trained!

You have a excellent description of the duck search. Your assessment of the "utility " test is spot on. In my opinion a utility dog would be a great dog for most north American hunters. Yes some would want a dog for lurching hares or other game ,or track and tree,but they are rare individuals.

JONOV
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Re: Duck Search

Post by JONOV » Tue Jul 28, 2020 9:24 am

cjhills wrote:
Mon Jul 27, 2020 8:03 am
The thing about the duck search is it is about the search, not about catching the duck. If the the dog swam out, caught the duck and retrieved it he would either have to do it over or get a lower score. At least that is how the rules were explained to me.......Cj
The judges want to see a search. If the dog caught the duck in 45 seconds, he'd be expected to resend. But the tests are usually setup that the dog doesn't run into the duck right after launching.

weimdogman
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Re: Duck Search

Post by weimdogman » Tue Jul 28, 2020 12:44 pm

The tests are set up so the dogs are supposed to hunt for a period of time. Problem is a new duck is released for each dog regardless of previous dogs success. A dog doesn't have to retrieve a bird as long as the do a exhaustive thorough search. So the 3rd dog to go may encounter any of the previous birds.

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