Our blood tracking tests were conducted on Sunday morning and afternoon.   The Glazier’s had a 4:00 PM flight back to Montana and the Cowgill’s where leaving in the afternoon, driving, back to Washington state.  Because of the number of  Wachtelhunds present and time constraint, we did  400 yard trails waiting only about 1/2 hour from when the trail was laid and we used beef blood.   However,  the specific blood tracking test is as follows.

(1) Blood tracking work may be conducted on Versatile Utility or Hunting Ability Tests.

(2) Performance is not scored by points; it is rated simply as “Passed” or “Not Passed”.

- ¼ liter (8.45 oz) of deer blood must be used for a 400 m (437.6 yds) track that may be either dabbed or dripped;

- The track must have aged at least 2 hours; with two obtuse right angles and one wound bed at approximately half way into the track;

- The dog’s work is on a leash for the blood track;

- When a blood track is laid by means of a hoof shoe, the blood species must match that of the cloven hoofed game.  Whenever possible, hoofs and blood should originate from the same piece of game placed at the end of the track.   A maximum amount of 0.1 liter (3.38 oz) of blood may be used per track.

Kraig with Duke on his blood track.

Dahlia working her blood trail.

Chris with Diesel on his blood track.

Diesel on his blood track.

We did the fur drag on Saturday using domestic rabbits.  We started in the morning after breakfast and continued into the afternoon, finishing about 3:00 PM.   The furred game drag must be 300 m (328 yds) long with two somewhat right angles.  It should be laid mostly in a wooded area; the last two thirds of the drag must be in a wooded area.   The game is normally a 3 kilo hare (6.5 pound) or rabbit.

Retrieving requirements are the same as for the feather retrieve, except for the distance and weight requirement.   Some of our members’  Wachtelhunds had never retrieved rabbits prior to this event.   So after our mock tests, members had several hours before dinner and did more training and drag trails on their own with the used rabbits.

The day was finished off with dinner, desert, and an evening get together with discussions on Wachtelhunds, VDW testing requirements and a slide show of everyone’s pictures.

Duke Von Der Balthasarley completing his fur retrieve.

Diesel getting ready to trail a rabbit.

Diesel retrieving rabbit.

Jezebel Vom Eagle River retrieving rabbit.

On Friday afternoon and Saturday, we conducted the retrieving portion of the Versatility Hunt Tests.   The feather drag was done on Friday afternoon and consisted of a 150 meter (164 yard) drag and retrieve test.  Pheasants or ducks can be used for this test.   The dead animals are used to lay a trail with two obtuse degree turns.  Judges normally lay the trails.   The dogs, Wachtelhunds, are then brought up to the beginning of the trail and are required to accurately follow the scent, pick up and retrieve the bird to its owner.   Owners must handle their own dogs in German hunt tests.  No trainers running other person’s dogs.

The General Guidelines for Retrieve of Drag Game are as follows:

(1) The handler is to bring his own drag game to the test; he is entitled to his game being used for the drag of his dog.  If it was specified in the test announcement that handlers bring their own drag game, a handler without drag game shall not have a right that his dog be tested in the respective subjects.

(2) The drags must be laid by one judge (and one apprentice judge where applicable).  The drags must be laid for each dog under equal conditions on similar terrain.  For its major portion, the drag must be laid downwind.  For tests of all levels, the minimum distance between drags must be at 100 m (109.4 yds).

(3) All dogs are to be kept in an area from where they cannot see the drag preparations.

(4) The dragged game must be placed freely at the end of the drag (not in a depression or behind a tree).   The laying of a second piece of game near the drag layer is not permitted.   The drag layer is to walk in a straight line from the drag end and hide himself downwind in cover so that the dog working the drag cannot see him.

(5) The drag layer must be able to observe, from his cover, the dog’s behavior at the game.

(6) Judges must show the handler the starting point of the drag.   The handler may work his dog on a leash for the initial 20 m (21.9 yds) of the drag.  He then has to unleash the dog.

(7) If the dog fails to find the placed game, he may be restarted twice on the drag.   When the dog has found the placed game and leaves the area without retrieving it, or if it fails to find the game on the drag track after a total of three starts, its performance shall be rated “insufficient” = 0.

(8) It shall be noted in the test report when a dog eats or buries the game.   In this case, the work shall be rated “insufficient” = 0.

(9) The “Retrieve” is the total sum of the work:  The dog is to find the game quickly and proficiently, seize it immediately in a secure hold, deliver to the handler and release it to him correctly.   The dog shall be allowed to release heavy retrieve game briefly to get a better hold.

(10) If the dog is considerably disturbed during its work through unusual circumstances (not including fresh game scent), it shall be given another drag.

The feathered game drag must be 150 m (164 yds) long with two obtuse right angles.   The drag is to be laid on open terrain with low ground cover (grass, freshly seeded or stubble fields, or similar cover).

The day was finished off with dinner, desert, and an evening get together with hunting stories, discussions about Wachtelhunds and etc.

The drag, a pheasant.

Quito Vom Morretal (AKA Diesel) completing his retrieve.

Dave praising Kelly Vom Eagle River for her retrieve.