[Pipe_Dream]

To tell the truth Fiddle, he never had any hunting training. My wife and I show our dogs (both Labs) in obedience trials, and when he was 5 or 6 years old I made plans to go to an AKC hunt "test" to observe and see what was required of dog and handler. The folks presiding over it encouraged me to bring him, and I did, although with no small amount of trepidation. Long story short, he passed his Working Dog test that day. I couldn't have been more amazed. I believe that day was a testiment to his breeding (his dad was quite a hunter). While he did well in obedience (he has 4 titles), never in the obedience ring did he exhibit the enthusiasm that he did and does in the field. Makes me feel bad that I can't take him more often, because he gets such a charge out of the days when I do. Now I'm not saying he would win any hunting test prizes, because he's not really disciplined in it to the degree that those dogs are -- but he and I are simply in it to have a good time and enjoy the day. ;)