The Gunsteadiness Test was one of several North American Teckel Club events being held over four days in New Jersey. The natural den test was on Friday and blood tracks were worked yesterday. I postponed my departure from home as long as possible as Seiko is just coming out of heat, so I did not arrive in New Jersey until this morning.
Nine months old Seiko has not been exposed to close gunfire before. But she has a very steady temperament and has heard loud noises and distant shots so I thought I would see. I walked her down the road toward the little field where a number of dogs were being tested, one after the other, and Seiko did not show the slightest startle. By the time we got to the field, it was our turn. I let Seiko off lead but she was happy to just hang out with me. <g> Dogs must be 30 meters or so away from their handlers when shots are fired. So I found a rock, picked it up, and threw it. Seiko ran after the rock and was looking for it in the grass when the first live round of ammo was fired from the shotgun of the gunner who was Teddy Moritz. Seiko picked up her head and looked in the direction of the shot. Teddy fired again. Seiko stood there and looked at her. This, I am sure, will be the most effortless passing performance of Seiko's life.
It didn't require too much from me, either, to take off the lead and throw a rock! But it is not so simple for a dog that has issues with loud noise and the importance of this test cannot be overestimated. A gunshy dog cannot be useful for hunting. Therefore, it is a DTK requirement that prior to being entered in any hunting test, a dachshund must have passed a gunsteadiness test.
Nine months old Seiko has not been exposed to close gunfire before. But she has a very steady temperament and has heard loud noises and distant shots so I thought I would see. I walked her down the road toward the little field where a number of dogs were being tested, one after the other, and Seiko did not show the slightest startle. By the time we got to the field, it was our turn. I let Seiko off lead but she was happy to just hang out with me. <g> Dogs must be 30 meters or so away from their handlers when shots are fired. So I found a rock, picked it up, and threw it. Seiko ran after the rock and was looking for it in the grass when the first live round of ammo was fired from the shotgun of the gunner who was Teddy Moritz. Seiko picked up her head and looked in the direction of the shot. Teddy fired again. Seiko stood there and looked at her. This, I am sure, will be the most effortless passing performance of Seiko's life.
It didn't require too much from me, either, to take off the lead and throw a rock! But it is not so simple for a dog that has issues with loud noise and the importance of this test cannot be overestimated. A gunshy dog cannot be useful for hunting. Therefore, it is a DTK requirement that prior to being entered in any hunting test, a dachshund must have passed a gunsteadiness test.