Just thought I'd share this with you all, as it's still making me chuckle now :-D

I'm in a deeply silly, yet very fun obedience/heelwork to music display team and we had an event yesterday at an agricultural show.  They placed our rings next to the 'Gundog scurry', which was a judged event and there were lots of very serious folk in khakis blowing whistles, etc.  There were three marked tests; a retrieve over some hedgey things, a very long retrieve and a water retrieve. 

Well, muggins here decides after getting our groove on in the ring, I'd take my Dexter to have a go (he's a Lab after all, what could go wrong!).  So, I explain to the khaki folk that I've never done anything like this, but could I have a go just for fun.  'Of course' they say, 'he's a retriever after all...'.  So we begin with hedge/jump one... after several attempts Dexter (with a bit of help) jumps the jump, starts sniffing for the retrieve... forgets about the retrieve and has a big poo and heads back to me (I'll spare you the details of me clambering around to pick up said poo).  Anyway, a very generous judge scored us 2.5/10 for that one.

Next was the distance retrieve.  I set Dexter up, he sights the dummy, I let him go.... and he grabs the spare dummy out of the judge's hand and legs it!!!  He was scored 1/10 for initiative.

I was very confident about the water retrieve, swimming is his favourite hobby.. so what could go wrong...  So I set him up, send him out into the river... and he decides to swim to the other side, have a good old splash, and let the dummy float away.  They had to send another dog in for it.  Dexter came back when called, but as I'd had to remove his collar (health and safety!), I was too slow grabbing him... so he decided to do a lap of honour, bowing to and shaking on his less than amused audience!!!  Needless to say, he scored 0/10 on that one. 

So everyone on the team was very tickled, Dexter was delighted, and we've decided that gundog work and heelwork to music probably don't go hand in hand after all... :-D

Clare

Love it!!! Sounds just the way my lot would behave.

That reminds me of the time I put my  GSD into a gundog scurry, it was a retrieve from water and he was a huge GSD. He ran down the bank and leapt so far into the lake he landed practically on top of the dummy grabbed it and swam to shore he then rushed up the steep bank and plonked the dummy in my hand before shaking  (Semi long coat) all over the judge who was in very smart suit and tie!!. He was so fast as he cut out the swim out! that he won!!!! And as he never shook till he had given me the dummy he knocked 5 seconds off the fastest time recorded at that particular venue! My old Lab at the same event took one look at the dummy in the water and said "Nah..don't think I'll bother" !!!!
Aileen

Every good act needs a commedian and you sound like you have one. It would certainly have shown all other gundogs in a good light bet you get invited back next year!!

Sounds like he had a great time! :-D I have to say he did better than my American cocker would have done - he loves jumping, but if it's not edible there's no chance of him picking it up!

Love it.  I took my boy, also a Lab, to a hunting retriever club for a look see yesterday for the first time.  First time for both of us.  I can just imagine him performing just as your pup did and that's why we stayed to ourselves.  I am going to join though.  He seems to prefer it to agility.  They say learning new things helps keep your brain active as you age so mine should be forever young with this endeavour.  It's a whole new language.

Love it CVL, bet Dexter was thinking I'll show you gundogs just how to have fun. By GR can't even retrieve LOL so you did one better than we would of.

Love it.. :-)  Labradors just like to have fun..

I posted a few years ago on here about my Bailey.. I was bragging good style about him.. double blind retrieves at 29weeks.. blah blah blah.. you know how it is lol

We had a mock trial, I think he would be around 10months old.. and his 1st retrieve was brilliant.. his 2nd.. excellent.. his 3rd.. I should have seen it coming lol.. Shot went of, I sent him out.. he picked and returned half way.. and then it happens.. tail up, wickedness in his eye.. a playbow and 3 laps of the field before being rugby tackled to a halt :-P  exit one very embarrassed no longer bragging owner and one very happy couldn't care less, juvenile delinquent dog..  

and to make matters worse, we all recieved our certificates of attendance.. mine was miss-printed.. I became Mrs. COCK that day lol.. I think they wanted to add up, to make cock-up

such fun.. :-)

looking forward to hearing all about Melvins' foray into the gundog world soon lolol

Lovely!  Thank you so much for the laugh!  :-)

Laughing my head off at that :-)

Haha! thats great! sounds just like somthing my dog would do :-D :-D