This photo is beautiful in its own right, reminiscent of an oil painting. Aki took the picture in early December in middle Georgia during the waning afternoon hours of a hunt test.
Larsen has come ashore after a water retrieve, the last event of the day. The broom straw and pine provide a soft, abstract background. Water from the wet dog glitters in the afternoon's light. A catchlight in Larsen's eye brings him to life and attracts you to the warm, loving look on face, despite being partly obscured by the bird. It's not unusual for a spaniel to let the bird's wing cover his nose. He gets bird scent with every breath. Larsen's eyes and tilt of his head show that he is retrieving because he loves me. The wing over his nose tells him that the bird is his. Larsen's face has a touch of grey. He will be 8 in March. This is a dog that knows what he is doing. There is a confident set in his body that belies the soft look in his face. Larsen's tail is up and cocked slightly to his right, in keeping with his trot, like a metronome. The confident gait is shown in the backward sweep of his left forefoot. His eyes may be loving, but that tail and stride displays his feeling of pride in his work.
In the upland dog world, a hunt test is a singular activity. The finding and capture of game calls forth centuries of breed characteristics. You can look at this picture and go back a 100 or more years and see another Welsh Springer in another place and time bringing a perfect end to a perfect day.
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