by Kerry » Mon 02 Jun 2003 10:15 pm
I have just caught up on the posts for this topic, and wonder if all of the authors actually have run a dog in an All Age trial with a Doublefall as part of a run.
When I first started in A/A I considered a doublefall the most difficult of all the runs. Difficult to accomplish by handler and dog, and extremely difficult for a judge to set up correctly and fairly.
As Kate has pointed out, so much depends on the speed of the competing dog, and if the point for release of the doublefall is dependant on the steward sighting a dog at a certain point, then often, the fast dog is well past this point when the throw occurs. I actually had this happen last weekend, and my Labrador was well past the area pointed out to us as being when the doublefall would be released. I did not, this time, whistle him to stop, and consequently he had no idea where the bird had fallen.
Yes, he did need one command to pick it up, but next time I will whistle him to stop after I hear the thrower.
I think this particular type of run could be a nightmare for a judge to score on. We have dogs who stop to shot, acknowledging the fall of the bird, then receive a back to continue on to the mark. Others barely falter in their stride, but acknowledge with a quick turn of the head; then there are the ones that run in on the D/fall.
Personally, I like a dog to acknowledge the d/fall, stopping to shot, but I cannot see any fault with a dog being whistle stopped on the throw of the d/fall.
Pat, I don't think you have read the rule regarding doublefalls. I fail to see which "test" you are referring to. The rule states in part, "While the dog is on the way out to retrieve, the second game is cast and a shot fired so the dog may mark or hear the fall of the game."
Now, obviously judges would design the run with the intention of having the dog see and mark down the fall of the d/fall. I have always seen this run as a temptation run for the dog. How well trained a dog is, is the decider in many trials, and for very quick dogs, if a whistle gets the result, then so be it. I don't think they should be penalised because of it.
As some have said, I think we must agree to disagree on this subject, but, I will definitely leave the scoring of this run up to the judges and have no inclination to state whether or not a dog stops to shot or the whistle should receive more or less in points. Every time this run is set up it is a challenge, and if it is well set, then it is a joy to watch the well trained dogs complete it.
Kerry