The Deutscher Teckelklub water test consists of two shots being fired from a shotgun nearby, a dead duck being thrown 26 meters (85 feet) into deep water, and a determined dachshund swimming out, retrieving the duck, and bringing it back to his handler. It also fulfills DTK requirements as a test for gun steadiness.

Today, Nexus passed the water test for the 4th time. He did a nice job!

MACH2 Nutmeg v Dorndorf L CD RN CG (8 years), Sage v Dorndorf L (13 months), and Cadium Aurinkosoturi (5 months today), all passed the DTK test for steadiness to gun at the NATC-sponsored event in Roscoe, Illinois. This is an important accomplishment, for the Deutscher Teckelklub specifies "a dog may only participate in a hunting test or test of innate ability if he has proven he is not gun shy." Thus Nutmeg, Sage, and Viljo may now participate in such tests.

Nutmeg and Sage are owned by Maxine Brinker of Illinois. This was Maxine's first time attending NATC events. Said she had a lot of fun!

I made the following video of Viljo during the test. The first of two gunshots has just gone off and the video starts with Viljo running back to me. However, he is running back happily, in no way appearing to be fearful or terrified in the manner of a gunshy dog. (We have learned that this test does require some judgement on the part of the judges.)

The dog is to be off lead and approx. 30 meters away from the handler when the shots are fired. With a dog that tends to stay closer to the handler, one way to accomplish the distance is for the handler to back up while the dog is moving forward. This works to increase distance - until the dog notices and comes running back!

You will hear judge Larry Gohlke call "wait" to gunner Cheri Faust as Viljo returns to me a couple of times. When he gets far enough away again, the second shot is fired. Viljo's reaction is quite sound, (pardon the pun), then he happily runs back once more. I believe that is Carrie Hamilton, the other judge, chuckling in the background. Good boy, Viljo!