# those who have advanced to Master and beyond



## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

I think that you are experiencing the evolution of hunt tests which many of us from long ago find distasteful. These were hunt test setups, right?

Some like these and others don't. Three years ago I got to talk to one of the original hunt testers, one of the founders of NAHRA before there was AKC interest in hunt tests. He was not too happy with the current situation. BTW, he was running his Labs in a Field Trial so there was no fear of hard stuff. He just felt that a few judges have decided to make stuff harder because "the dogs are better". Personally, I didn't think that it should mean that our definition of what is required of a hunting dog should change.


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## TrailDogs (Aug 15, 2011)

I have seen all kinds of blinds in Senior. I put an SH on a dog in 2013, so fairly recently. I had an angle entry channel blind, I had a land blind very tight behind the flyer station. And two shoreline blinds. Those are just some examples. It all depends on what the judges have to work with. Do not assume the blinds will be simple. They may be shorter and judged with a little more leniency than master blinds but expect some level of challenge.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Senior is the most difficult test for Judges to set up. It is a transitional test so you don't want to make too hard, but you don't want to make it too easy either. Finding the right balance is tough. 

I have a great dislike for judges who set up a blind worthy of Qual and Master dogs who say they'll just judge more liberally because they're senior dogs. I would rather see a less technical more straight forward blind judged harshly.


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

Thanks for your feed back. No, I didn't assume they were going to be easier but this was nothing that I trained for. Mostly because I don't have a tech pool. 
I only did the easier of the two blinds on each series. 
The first one I did was about 125 yards. and about 20 degrees away from the old AOF. It went down a steep slope about 75 yards in and back up the slope. It was against a hale bale and that hay bale was between another hay bale and a tree. I managed to get her down the slope and then half way up the slope when she started fading left towards the old AOF. We fought for a bit and it was messy but finally I got her there. It was NOT pretty at all but I didn't have to leave my spot. 
The water was something else. I do not have access to a tech pond and the water is freezing right now so I haven't done much in it the last two months. So the original blind ran about 150 yards or so but I shortened it to the shoreline so about 100 yards or so. It went at an angle across the water. Over the land strip back into the water onto land and up a gradual uphill about 50 yards between a tighter tree and hay bale to another hay bale where the blind sat in front of it. I got Kat to take a straight line to the first land strip but when she got out she was shivering and fought me to go back in the water. She wasn't having it. So I met her at the landing strip and sent her. She took a straight line through the water, onto land and up to the trees and then faded left behind the trees. It wasn't bad I sat her and then angled her right back and she got the blind. 
The real problem was getting her though that second water. She also didn't want to do that on her mark either and that is NOT her at all. She wasn't trying to cheat and run back around but she just kept sitting and refusing to go in. She'd take my command and turn back but then turn right back around and sit. So I can't tell if the second water threw her off or if it was just very cold or both. She also whined while she swam and that wasn't typical either. She shivered the whole time we walked after getting out. The temps were low 50's small breeze and it was 330 pm starting to get cooler but as everyone knows its been cold. 

The good side of things were her walk ups were perfect and she did a double with two of the three master marks without first running them as singles on both series. I was happy about that. She didn't break on the splash of the water which I was worried about because she has done that before on water. 
I get it that I need to work on blinds and I get it that she might not be ready for senior, I was just freaked out on those blinds we ran today. Primarily since that was the master set up and then I was told they could be senior blinds. That is scary sheitze. Lots of people were adamant those were master but the two people that set up the series were saying those were senior. One of which judges master most of the time. They were really nice and helpful, though.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I have a Masters in English Lit. Does that count?


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

I have my newest Golden in Texas with our Pro. She will start running SH tests this spring. He has her running multiple marks doubles and triples out 200yds plus. Water marks with double water entries well over 150yds. Blinds are all now over 150yds and some are very tight to earlier marks or they have a bird boy in white standing away from the blinds. 

Our trainer has always told us do not run a hunt test until your dog is ready for the next level. Saves money, and prevents the dog learning bad habits on a test that has elements that you dog cannot compete. I am confident that when we run her on SH this spring she will nail it, regardless of the set up!

I have done hunt testing for 20+ years with my Goldens. I have ran in Ark., MO, KS, Iowa, Neb., IL, IN, ....and comparing Ark., to Neb. is day and night. Some are easier some are really hard....just depends... Prepare for the worst, and hope for the test that is well set up for SH level.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

We ran a test that your pro was at, probably about 2 years ago. They commented that the SH test was harder than the MH test that weekend, or at least that day. The second day the SH test (it was a double SH) was significantly easier than the first day.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I shadowed two judges at they set up a senior test last summer. When they were deciding on the water blind, I kept thinking that it was way tougher than what I thought a senior blind would be. I couldn't close my big mouth and made a comment and they said, "well, the dogs should show control". They ended up setting up a water blind even tougher than the one I had commented on. Many people said it was a master blind. What's weird was that their land blind was pretty easy.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

*Swampcollie




**
"I have a great dislike for judges who set up a blind worthy of Qual and Master dogs who say they'll just judge more liberally because they're senior dogs. I would rather see a less technical more straight forward blind judged harshly."

I totally agree.

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