This is the story of our trip to Canada for the working certificate. The tests were held by the Golden Retriever Club of Toronto in Cambridge, which is about a hour west of Toronto. My husband Terry and 8 yr. old dog Jessie came with us for moral support. I was running 4 yr. old Kelly and 1 1/2 yr. old Robin in the tests.

The Canadian system is slightly different than ours. For starters, unlike the AKC, the CKC officially recognizes working certificates as a suffix to a retriever's name. In fact, they have set up definitive rules for three levels of tests. Their guidelines are designed for all retrievers, Irish Water Spaniels and (get this) STANDARD POODLES! (There was 1 SP entered in the WCI test) The Canadian WC consists of back-to-back singles on land and water (land approx. 50-75 yds.; water 25-40). Dogs do not need to be steady but must deliver to hand. In the WCI there is a land double 75 yds. Dogs must honor on the land test. Water consists of a double 40-50 yds. with one bird in cover and decoys are used. Dogs must be steady and deliver to hand. WCX test has a 15 yd. walk-up for both working and honoring dog. Land/water double 50-100 yds. Water double in swimming or wading water with light cover and decoys. There is a 50 yd. land and water blind. Obviously the dog must be steady and deliver to hand. Your dog must be registered with CKC or eligible to be registered. Dogs not registered are subject to a $2.50 listing fee, however, in order to receive your certificate from the CKC, your dog must be registered before they will send it.

The day of the test dawned sunny with an expected high of 72 degrees. (perfect) Thunderstorms were expected late afternoon and evening. (just missed them) The test site was 30 minutes from the hotel at the Valens Conservation Area. There were 37 dogs entered in our WC test. (7-Labs, 2-Flat Coats, 1-Chessie, 2-Tollers, 25-Goldens) The land test cover was about mid-calf high, not real dense, but had clumps of bushes and trees. The gunners were visible. Kelly was dog #25 and Robin #29. After about half the dogs ran, there was a change of gunners and throwers and Terry volunteered to throw. It was finally Kelly's turn and I walked her (rather , she walked me) up to the line. We weren't allowed to use collars so I used the leash around her neck for control. (HA!) I turned to mark #1 and signaled the judges (there were 2) that we were ready. We had a no bird. I dragged her back to the waiting area and then turned around and walked back to the line. No bird #2. (I won't mention any names but the thrower's initials were TM!) The judges then told me to wait a couple of dogs before we went again. As I came to the line again, by this time I was staring bullets at thrower #1, I signaled and got a good throw. Kelly exploded off the line, nailed her bird and came in to deliver. No problem. Turned to mark #2, no bird! By this time, it became sort of a joke as I walked her off the line and came back. Finally, a good throw and she went out, found the bird and made a perfect delivery. Robin's turn came next. Mark #1 went off fine (except she went over and said hello to the thrower - guess who). Mark #2 she over ran, but used her nose and found the bird and delivered. 28 of the dogs passed land and went on to water.

The water test was held in a cove surrounded by reeds. It was also a mosquito feeding area. The 1st gunner was about 10 feet to the dog's left with the duck being thrown about 25 yds. in front of the dog. Mark #2 was about 40 yds. to the right. A canoe was used for the gunner and thrower. The duck was thrown at the base of a clump of reeds. The wind would not help the dogs, but the smell of the ducks were very strong. Mark #2 looked very hard to me, but off we went.

Kelly brought me to the line and I signaled we were ready. Gun #1 was only 10 feet away and my ears really rang. Kelly dove in and got her duck and was coming back when she saw this rock on the shoreline and then decided she really didn't want to go past this rock. (she didn't drop her bird through all this) Finally she sniffed the rock and came up and delivered her bird. (brat!) We were ready for #2; the bird was thrown and off Kelly went. From where I was standing the duck was pretty hard to see. Then it drifted behind a clump of reeds and I lost sight of it completely. That didn't seem to bother Kelly as she went behind the reeds, nailed her bird and started back. Now Kelly is the type of dog that goes out like a shot to the birds in water, but she likes the water so much she takes her sweet time coming in. She finally came in to shore (didn't even look at the rock) and made her delivery. (the judges asked if she was a handful to train - Yes!)

Robin's run came next. She sailed out to her first bird and the way she grabbed her duck, her one eye was covered by the wing. She came out and made her delivery. With mark #2, I was nervous with Robin because she has the attention span of a doorknob and I was worried that when she didn't see her duck in the water, she would quit on me and come back in. Did she fool me; I'll never doubt her again! She went out like a seasoned veteran and got her bird behind the reeds and came right back in. The judges had been standing behind the person on line and taking the ducks as the dogs came out. The judges weren't behind me as Robin brought in her 2nd duck, so after she delivered to hand, I put it on the ground as I slipped the lead on her. The judge then came up behind her and said "I'm sorry." I said "What do you mean you're sorry!", thinking he had failed Robin. Then he said, "No, I'm sorry I wasn't here to get the duck, not that your dog failed." Even the other judge thought he meant that he had failed Robin and was about to tell him off. Whew!

All together 15 dogs passed the WC. Kelly is now officially: Can. CH., U-CDX, Woodhaven's Amber Silk, Am. CD, WC, Can. CDX, WC! Robin is now: Woodhaven's Silk-N-Silver, Can. WC! We had a great time. The people were very friendly. I'd recommend going to Canada to anyone looking for something different to do with their dogs.

© 1989 - LRM

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