PatandNickReadingwatchingGoliard.
intothehighergrowthwhererabbitsmightbefound.
WhileI'dbeentohunttestsbefore,ithadalways
beentotakephotosandobservethetestsfromthe
perspectiveofaPBGVCAofficerandboardmember.
AsaparticipantIhadalottolearn,asdidSusie.
Initiallyshedidn'tventureintothehighergrowth,
stayingonthemowedpaths.YetwhenIwalkedinto
theovergrowthandcalledhertomeshecameover,
startedsniffingwithhernosetotheground,andshe
realizedtherewassomethingtobedoneotherthan
justrunwiththeotherdogsalongthepaths.She
seemedtobehavingfun,whichisgood.Iwantherto
enjoythehunttestexperience.Ourtimeinthefield
endedalltoosoon.Norabbitswerefound,butthere's
alwaystomorrow.
Westayedovernightinanearbymotelandarrived
atthebeagleclubaround7:30Sundaymorning.We'd
drawnthesecondhunttestslot.Whenourturncame
Iwentintothefieldwiththetwojudgesandtwo
otherownerswiththeirdogs.Boththeotherownershave
vasthuntingexperienceandindeedarejudgesthemselves.
SusieandIweretheonlycompletelynewbieteam.But
muchtomysurpriseanddelight,Susiequalified,getting
"pass"gradesonsixofthesevencriteria(Endurance,Useof
Nose,UseofVoice,SearchingAbility,CooperationWith
Handler,WillingnessToGoIntoCover).Shefailedonly
PursuingAbility.Norabbitswerefound,sotherewas
nothingtopursue.However,havingpassedsixofthe
sevencriteria,SusiehadpassedherHuntingInstinctTest.
Iwasreallypleasedwithmylittlegirl,enoughtolighten
mymoodintheafternoonwhenweagainhadtoendure
veryslowtrafficasweheadednorthontheNJTurnpike.
EarlierinthemonthSusiehadqualifiedforherCanine
GoodCitizenshiptitleandTherapyDogInternational
recognitionattheGlensFallsKennelClub.Iwanther
tobeawellroundeddog,andwillcontinuetrainingher
duringthewinterandearlyspringwithagoalofhaving
herparticipateinthehunttestatthePBGVCAnational
specialtyinMay,andhopefullycompeteinsomeobedience
andrallyevents.I'mlookingforwardtothat!
I
Susieusinghernose.