A gentleman asked me whether I had trialled Osprey, a one-and-a-half-year-old male (born 24-april-2014).
The trials in Ireland and the UK are all about ELIMINATION. If you do something wrong, then you are going home. I have had trials with really experienced dogs, and gone home without getting a retrieve --- IF the dog failed his first retrieve.
So as far as I am concerned I would not compete with a dog unless I feel they had sufficient experience and training, and, on their day of trial could win. It is hard enough a sport without feeling you have not a chance even before a bird is shot.
Osprey is not there yet at 1.5 years-of-age. There is a Derby held in December, that he would be eligible for, but I rarely compete in it because I feel this: to get a young dog ready to compete at any trial, you are putting too much pressure on a young dog.
I am looking for longevity not a quick fix dog, whose wheels will start falling off beyond 3 or 4 years old. Remember, the way that I train dogs is totally different to the e.collar methodology. My dogs will work for me because they trust me! Not because they have been forced down a line they must walk. This method takes time and patience.
I saw a young dog that is so vivid in my mind. He came out at 14 months winning everything, a tremendous prospect. But, by the age of 4 he never finished another trial, consistently being eliminated. In my view his foundations were not strong enough!