hupped instantly, his eyes scanning the field, looking for what I shot at. I knew he had learned what gunshot meant. I worked him back to the kennel. He never had any problems with gunshot after this. The way he was working was well advanced for a nine-month-old puppy. I was beginning to think that I was looking at the dog I had always hoped Spitfire would produce. Scout seemed to have limitless enthusiasm to work for me. Whenever I came into the kennels, Scout would fix his eyes on me. His whole manner was like he was begging me to let him do something for me. It was a great temptation to leave the other dogs and just take Scout out. Although I did not succumb to this temptation, normally I would take Scout out if I had a hard time with another dog during training or needed my mood lifted. It was always a joy to do any work with Scout. NFC NAFC Saighton's Scout A few years later, Jess Sekey told me that he could not resist the "look" Scout would give him. He did not have him very long before he let his other trial dogs go, as he was not interested in working them when there was Scout giving him the "look". Scout retrieved dummies with the enthusiasm that most dogs reserved for real birds. To make things more interesting, I would take four or five dummies with me when I did retrieves with Scout. I would throw them in all directions - into all sorts of cover. When I finished throwing them all, I would simply say Scout's name and let him go for whichever dummy he wanted to. As he delivered one dummy I would say his name to send him for the next one, without ever indicating a direction. I don't ever remember having to direct him to any of the dummies. From time to time, I would say to Hazel, "That puppy we called Chubby is turning into a really good dog." Hazel's previous experience with dogs was something that is tied up in a backyard, barking incessantly, and if you got too close, it was likely to try to bite you. She instantly took to the young puppies, but didn't take a lot of notice of the older dogs. On one visit, she came out to the kennels during feeding time and asked if she could do some retrieves with one of the dogs. Spitfire was pottering about the yard, so I suggested she try her. Spitfire didn't seem interested in that game, so Hazel asked if there was another dog she could try. I got Scout out. I threw a dummy and showed Hazel how to send him by saying his name. I left instructions that he was not to be sent for 15 or 20 seconds after the dummy was thrown. If Scout ever went before his name was called, the proceedings were to stop and I was to be told. I went back to the kennels and watched. Hazel was not very proficient at throwing a dummy. Her first throw went about five yards. The way Scout's eyes were popping out of his head you would have thought a live pheasant was Page 4 | Spaniel Journal | Previous Page | Next Page |