Gundog Club Grade Test at Fundog Gundog

Last month we held our first Gundog Club grade test at Fundog Gundog, assessed by Becky Oldfield.

What are the Gundog Club grades?

They are a set of tests designed to assess where you and your dog are at in terms of training towards gundog skills and, as such, test both obedience and retrieving from Grade One upwards. At each level new complexity is added, giving the novice handler a good idea of the direction their training should go in order to build from the foundations up.

They are non-competitive assessments, where the assessor is observing you and your dog and scoring you accordingly. They are open to all gundog breeds and cross-breeds and you do not have to be KC registered to enter, unlike formal tests and trials.

working on a stay for the test

They are divided into breed “types” so you will be tested as one of the following:

Retriever ( R) – for example, Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Flatcoat Retrievers, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers

Hunting Retriever (HR)- the spaniel breeds

Hunting, Pointing Retriever (HPR)- mostly the European breeds of gundog, for example German Shorthaired Pointers, Hungarian Vizslas et al.

What happens in a test?

At the lower levels for all breed types it’s fairly straightforward, an obedience test (heelwork, sit, stay, recall) is tested, followed by simple marked retrieves. As the levels progress this develops; for example, off lead, longer sit stays, directional retrieves, memory and blind retrieves and, for the hunting breeds, an increased emphasis on hunting skills.

Everything is explained to you by the assessor, and helpful feedback is usually given at the end of the day, when presentation of certificates and rosettes is given.

Before the test

A lot of training goes on before the test, both in the training field at Fundog Gundog, but also in daily life- I personally like the tests because it makes you focus and really get to grips with an issue that is a problem, whether it’s hand delivery of the dummy, duration and distance on your sit stay, or that on-going heelwork!

The results!

On our test day we had seven dogs and handlers taking Grade One and two intrepid dogs and their handler taking Grade Two- all passing with flying colours, with one Merit and six Distinctions at Grade One, and two Distinctions at Grade Two- I was a very proud trainer!

Congratulations to

Karen and Albert

Sacha and Mable

Fleur and Woody, and Fleur and Moss

Abigail and Winnie

Sammie and Bailey

Sophie and Murphy