# Field work photos 2016



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

With all the depressing things in the news lately, how about some puppy field work photos? Riot is having a lot of fun so far. He's all of 9 months old now. Lucy is still a pistol at 4 years old, she will always keep me guessing. We've been very fortunate to have some really good photographers at our events. So I've been supporting them by buying their photos. If we don't buy their photos, they won't come back!

Feel free to add your own fun photos from this year.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Those are great! We had a pro photographer at the very first hunt test we did - and I was blown away by her pics of Shala. (I bought them all!). The one down side to training/handling is that you can never take your own pics of your pup running a test!


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## ArchersMom (May 22, 2013)

I love the one of Riot running into the water. I can read his mind just looking at it. "OMG I'm gonna get da bird!"


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## Keven (Feb 22, 2015)

Awesome photos, ladies! I can't wait to break my camera out and practice with it when the weather cools off a bit in Texas. The most recent one I have of my girl, Ruby, was her second birthday party last month in her selfie with Mr. Hillman.


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## smp (Apr 27, 2016)

Alaska7133 said:


> With all the depressing things in the news lately, how about some puppy field work photos? Riot is having a lot of fun so far. He's all of 9 months old now. Lucy is still a pistol at 4 years old, she will always keep me guessing. We've been very fortunate to have some really good photographers at our events. So I've been supporting them by buying their photos. If we don't buy their photos, they won't come back!
> 
> Feel free to add your own fun photos from this year.


These are such great photos! I don't know much about field work, but there is something majestic about seeing goldens working in nature doing the thing they were bred to do.

I live in a pretty suburban area and we just welcomed an 8 wk old puppy to our family. How much time/training is required for field work? Is it something that is difficult to do living in the suburbs with just a couple hours a week to really dedicate exclusively to dog training? Any recommendations for where to find more information or watch some field work near Philadelphia?


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## Keven (Feb 22, 2015)

Oh goodness, what a cutie, smp!


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

all the pics in this thread are awesome!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

smp said:


> These are such great photos! I don't know much about field work, but *there is something majestic about seeing goldens working in nature doing the thing they were bred to do.*
> 
> I live in a pretty suburban area and we just welcomed an 8 wk old puppy to our family. How much time/training is required for field work? Is it something that is difficult to do living in the suburbs with just a couple hours a week to really dedicate exclusively to dog training? Any recommendations for where to find more information or watch some field work near Philadelphia?


That is pretty much the best part of it. 

In answer to your question: I live I downtown Toronto, in a townhouse, with no yard. I do weekly training classes with a trainer and a group, year round, about one hour from my home. I can do part of our training in the parks, but it's not ideal. I generally drive 30-60 minutes from home to train. Hard during the week, but on days off, I try to train. I love it, and would train everyday if I could. But that will have to wait until I retire. We are true weekend warriors during the winter. I ramp up training in the spring and summer and take a big chunk of time off in the summer, primarily to train and compete. (This summer's been a bust as I broke my foot in early July). We make a lot more progress when we train several days a week during that time. But we can only do that for a couple of months a year. It means we are progressing more slowly (We only started when my dog was one year old. She is 3 and has all 3 of her junior level titles (JH, WC, SHR) and one intermediate (WCI) - but it will be at least another year or two before we are ready to test at the Senior Hunter level). That's much slower progress than people who can train daily. I'm in no rush - I just love getting out with my group, or the one or two people from my group I particularly like to train and hang with. If it takes me years to get to Senior, so be it. To me, there is nothing better than spending 4-5 hours out in a field or by a pond working with the dogs. It's addicting. I have really missed it these past few weeks. 

So - all that to say - if you WANT to do it, you can - no matter where you live. You may have to drive a ways to do it, but it's worth it. How much success you have will definitely depend on how much time you spend on it. For sure, it's easier if you live in a rural area, but even city folks can make it work! You'll meet great people and learn so much. I highly recommend it. That's some perspective from a relative newbie! I'm sure others will add their experiences...


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I try to train every day. But you have to define training. I consider part of our puppy training: sit, here, heel. Those 3 things will get you far in field work. They must be solid. Best thing to do is find a local retriever club. They often have classes or people who can help you get started. The younger that you start on the basics: sit, here, heel, the farther ahead you will be later. 

So when I say I've trained today, maybe it was just taking the pup out to the parking lot at work and working on heeling with all the parking lot distractions. Maybe it was sitting the pup and walking 25 yards away and coming back. 

Obedience is super important in field work. so work on obedience right away in very small doses several times a day.


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