A different finish

I walked Larsen through the field after the close of the Saturday Hunt Test in Bowman, Georgia.

The test was over, and we were not participants. I needed to pick up the flags at the end of the field and Larsen needed a chance to get out and breath in some bird scent. I had somewhat mixed feelings about what I was doing because I knew if he found a bird, Larsen would chase it to the ends of the earth and undo our steadying work. I brought him along anyway for some reason or another.

Larsen found and flushed a bird and then to the surprise of both of us, he hupped to the whistle. We watched the bird fly off, while he sat in the field.

This is where the finish could be different. I called him to me as I stood afar. Larsen broke, naturally, ran a mile over the hill, somehow trapped the bird, and retrieved it. I let him carry it with him as we walked off the field.

Here's how the finish could have been different. From afar, I let him fetch. He goes with my blessing. That way there is not that little foxy glance over the shoulder as he knows he is doing wrong.

Here's another, better finish. I give him the sit whistle as he sits. I walk toward him while occasionally (once every 3-4 seconds) pip the sit while signalling with my hand for him to sit/stay. Once I get to him, I pet him and praise him. This is an exercise we perform regularly. Then I would either loop him up and walk him off the field, or if I was absolutely sure that he was under my full control, call him to get on and continue hunting.

Either one of the alternatives would have been good, with the second being superior on all scores.

You don't only train the dog. You learn to think in real time about how to respond to the situations you are presented, many of which are not what you expect.