Tuesdays With Tag - Hunt Tests At Dempsy Ranch...

Hi, Everybody!

This week, my blog post is about the hunt tests Mom, Dad and I went to at

Okeechobee's Dempsy Ranch over the weekend. Mom was nice enough to let

me be the one to tell you all about it. I'm tellin' you, I mostly had a great time!

We were guests of Mike and Joann Sommers of Sommers Fine Sporting

Dogs in Jupiter, Florida. Mr. Mike was my trainer when I was just a pup.

 

So, Mom, Dad and I drove over to Jupiter on Friday night and stayed

with Mr. Mike and his wife for the weekend so we could go to the event.

 

I spent a lot of time watchin' the other fetchin' dogs doin' their work.

I have to tell you, I was pretty impressed. Those dogs could run!

Here's my personal trainer and Mom and Dad's good friend,  Mr. Mike.

He trained and handled a number of dogs at the tests and worked with

them toward earnin' their Junior, Senior or Master Hunter titles. 

This black Labrador is "River". He was a nice dog and did a great job.

Here's Mr. Mike comin' back after a successful workout with River.

Then, there was this talented yellow Labrador named "Buckwheat".

His owner have another Labrador named "Barley". Clever, hey?

Buckwheat did a good job, too. He was focused on his tests so there

was no time to pay attention to me. We didn't even get to sniff noses.

This yellow Labrador is referred to as "fox red" by some breeders, 'cuz his

coat is so dark and well, red. His name is "Bueno", which is good because I

think that name suited him to a "T". He was "un perro muy bueno". (That's 

Spanish for "He was a very good dog." You're impressed now, aren't you?)

This guy is "Geronimo". He's actually a German Shorthair Pointer. He's 

bilingual, too! He competes in pointin' competitions where he's required

to stand steady and point at birds - and then he also competes in retrievin' 

events, where he can't point. He has to actually find and retrieve the birds. 

It takes some serious talent to be able to adapt to either huntin' situation.

Here he is deliverin' a duck back to Mr. Mike. Way to go, Geronimo!

Mom took lots of pictures of other dogs that Mr. Mike worked,

but I especially wanted to make sure that I wrote about this girl.

Her name is "Mabel", and let's just say we didn't hit it off at all!

She's Mr. Mike's dog and she lives in their house when she's not

workin'. She was at the tests to earn her Master Hunter title.

We got back to their house on Saturday night and Mom was 

helpin' make dinner in the kitchen. When Mabel came into the 

room, I sauntered over to say "hello". I'm friendly like that.

I thought we were gonna be pals, when the next thing I know,

Mabel is all over me growlin' and bein' all guard dog. WHOA!

I called out for Mom who pulled her off me and gave me time to

get up and run away. I had a few things to say about that whole

turn of events - and believe me, I took the looonng way around

her for the rest of the weekend! That was a definite first for me.

Everybody usually finds me irresistible. Well, except for Mabel.

More than once, I found myself contemplatin' those tests over

the weekend. I'm just sure I could have been a contender, too.

(Dad said I'm a "legend in my own mind". pfffftttt!!!!)

Well, maybe next time they'll let me give it a try. A guy can

dream right? I'm gonna go read up on the subject for now.

I'll be sure to let you know when I sign up. Gotta run for now.

I'll see you again next week. 'til then...

"Bark Like Ya Mean It!"