| Master Hunting Retriever - MHR |
Master Hunting Retriever Title
Senior Hunt Test
The Senior test takes an Intermediate dog and adds a lot of training and experience. A Senior
Dog by definition is a finished hunting retriever. Senior dogs should be under complete control
at all times and steady under all conditions. They should handle sharply and mark precisely.
They should be able to ignore diversions while returning from marks and handle off "poison
birds" on blinds. They are the elite of all hunting dogs and should show it. They are the dogs that
any of us would be proud to own and hunt with anywhere in the country. These dogs should be
able to work cover and water, run multiple marked retrieves and blind retrieves on water and
land and be steady to shot and fall. All that you have read about the Started and Intermediate
dog is now carried on to the Senior dog. Here his work must be carried out with precision and
control. You are looking for a finished dog. You must ask yourself while watching a Senior dog
work, "Would I like this dog in the blind or field with me? Would I want to hunt with it?"
Testing Guidelines
for Senior level tests - MHR
NOTE: The passages enclosed in parentheses are additional guidelines for judges.
SECTION 1: A Senior Field Test shall consist of six (6) tests which shall include the following- a
triple marked water retrieve; a triple marked land retrieve; an upland hunting test (which shall
not be considered a marked retrieve); trailing; a water blind retrieve and a land blind retrieve, at
least one of which shall be incorporated within one of the required multiple marked retrieves.
(The Senior Hunting Retriever Field Test is for the finished dog. The Senior Field Test must
consist of serious tests worthy of the hunter's retriever. The making of a Master Hunting
Retriever (MHR) is a serious responsibility. Dogs should be tested on their natural ability and
training accomplishments. A Senior dog should be under control at all times.)
SECTION 2: A dog shall be steady at the point of origin (see subparagraph c of this Section). (For
marks, the point of origin is the point at which the dog is located at the time the first bird
becomes visible.)
a. Moderate commands shall be allowed to steady a dog at the point of origin.
b. A dog shall not be touched or patted at the point of origin.
c. A controlled break in the marking test shall not fail a dog, but it shall be considered a serious
fault. (As soon as the dog leaves the point of origin and manifests an intent to make the retrieve
without being so ordered, it must be stopped. See Section 12.h below for controlled breaks in
upland hunting.)
SECTION 3: A dog shall deliver all birds to hand. (The dog shall return to the handler without
delay.)
SECTION 4: A dog may be handled on marked retrieves with voice/whistle/hand signals, if, in
the opinion of the handler, the dog can't find or has missed the mark. (The dog is being tested for
its marking ability and memory, not handling; however, a crisp cast is preferable to a long hunt.
Repeated evidence of lack of memory, marking ability or lack of control may be grounds for
elimination.)
SECTION 5: A dog shall be cast from the point of origin, by its handler, only once. (See Chapter II,
Section 17 for "no-goes.")
SECTION 6: The handler may be required to handle an empty shotgun with both hands on the
firearm and in the firing position.
SECTION 7: Maximum test distance for land or water marks shall not exceed one hundred (100)
yards.
SECTION 8: Marking tests for this event shall consist of triple marks on both land and water.
a. Quadruple marks shall not be used.
b. The order and sequence ("selection") of marked retrieves shall not be determined by the
judges.
c. Dogs may be required to be placed at a point of origin at a distance from the handler.
d. Simultaneous falls of birds shall not be used.
e. Delayed marks or falls may be used.
f. Dogs may be required to honor another dog.
g. Each mark is to have a separate and clearly defined area. (General Procedures, Chapter II,
Section 26 shall be in effect.)
h. Trails off marked retrieves shall not be used.
SECTION 9: Dry shots may be fired. (A dry shot is defined as a shot for which no bird is thrown or
appears.) Game calls and additional birds with or without shots may also be used as diversions
as a dog returns from a retrieve. (A dog that drops and leaves its bird ("switches birds") and
retrieves the diversion bird shall be failed.)
SECTION 10: Walk ups to simulate jump shooting may be used in this event. The dog shall be
brought to an area designated as the point of origin at heel or under control within ten (10) feet
of its handler. Section 2c shall be in effect. The judges may signal for the bird while the handler
and dog are walking.
SECTION 11: Blind retrieves on water and land shall be used. Maximum test distances shall not
exceed one hundred (100) yards. (Handling in these tests must be done with precision. The dog
must stop on whistle and take a cast. Failing to stop on whistle or to take a cast is a serious
infraction. The judges must decide on the seriousness of the refusal by taking into account the
conditions and situation at hand.)
a. At least one of the blinds shall be incorporated within one of the required triple marked
retrieves.
b. Both blind retrieves may be incorporated with the required triple marked retrieves.
c. Trails off blind retrieves shall not be used.
SECTION 12: An upland hunting test, with flush, shall be used.
a. The dog shall be required to seek birds as in upland hunting within gun range of the handler.
b. A dog may be urged to hunt or handled by moderate commands.
c. At least one bird must be located and flushed. (Birds may be dizzied and placed in the field,
released from a mechanical trap or hand thrown for the flush. Additional dead birds or scent
areas may also be used at the discretion of the judges. If located, the dog must pick up and
deliver these additional birds to hand.)
d. The use of wing clips, shackled or dead birds, for the flush, shall not be allowed.
e. Fly-awes may be used for the flush. (A shot must still be fired, see the Judging Guidelines
below.)
f. If a flushed bird is downed within a reasonable retrieving distance, the dog should be required
to locate it and deliver to hand. (The retrieve shall not be scored as a mark, but it must be
completed.)
g. A dog shall be steady to shot and fall and shall be disqualified if it is not. The handler has
until the first shot is fired or, in the opinion of the judges, should have been fired, to have the
dog under control. The dog may be sitting or may be standing with limited movement. (A dog
that is not under control at the time of the shot shall be disqualified.)
h. If the dog is steady to shot but then breaks at the fall and manifests an intent to retrieve
without being so ordered, it must be stopped. If a dog is immediately brought under control, it
shall be considered a controlled break and will be considered a minor fault.
i. A rerun shall be granted if, in the opinion of the judges, a poor flush or short fall has caused
the dog to be unfairly evaluated.
SECTION 13: A trailing test shall be used.
a. The dog shall be required to trail, locate a bird and deliver it to hand.
b. The dog shall be scored on its natural ability and the use of its nose to locate and follow the
trail.
c. It shall not matter in what manner the dog follows the trail, e.g., The dog may stay precisely on
the trail with nose down, or close quarter back and forth across the trail with head up, or run a
few yards downwind of the trail with his head held high. It is the intent of this test to have a dog
indicate scent, follow the trail and locate the bird in a natural hunting manner.
d. A dog may be urged to hunt by moderate voice or whistle commands.
e. judges may restrict entry of the handlers into the area of the trail.
f. Hand signals are inappropriate and shall not be used other than to put the dog onto the
beginning of the trail.
g. Trails off of marks or blinds shall not be used.
Senior Hunt Test
The Senior test takes an Intermediate dog and adds a lot of training and experience. A Senior
Dog by definition is a finished hunting retriever. Senior dogs should be under complete control
at all times and steady under all conditions. They should handle sharply and mark precisely.
They should be able to ignore diversions while returning from marks and handle off "poison
birds" on blinds. They are the elite of all hunting dogs and should show it. They are the dogs that
any of us would be proud to own and hunt with anywhere in the country. These dogs should be
able to work cover and water, run multiple marked retrieves and blind retrieves on water and
land and be steady to shot and fall. All that you have read about the Started and Intermediate
dog is now carried on to the Senior dog. Here his work must be carried out with precision and
control. You are looking for a finished dog. You must ask yourself while watching a Senior dog
work, "Would I like this dog in the blind or field with me? Would I want to hunt with it?"
Testing Guidelines
for Senior level tests - MHR
NOTE: The passages enclosed in parentheses are additional guidelines for judges.
SECTION 1: A Senior Field Test shall consist of six (6) tests which shall include the following- a
triple marked water retrieve; a triple marked land retrieve; an upland hunting test (which shall
not be considered a marked retrieve); trailing; a water blind retrieve and a land blind retrieve, at
least one of which shall be incorporated within one of the required multiple marked retrieves.
(The Senior Hunting Retriever Field Test is for the finished dog. The Senior Field Test must
consist of serious tests worthy of the hunter's retriever. The making of a Master Hunting
Retriever (MHR) is a serious responsibility. Dogs should be tested on their natural ability and
training accomplishments. A Senior dog should be under control at all times.)
SECTION 2: A dog shall be steady at the point of origin (see subparagraph c of this Section). (For
marks, the point of origin is the point at which the dog is located at the time the first bird
becomes visible.)
a. Moderate commands shall be allowed to steady a dog at the point of origin.
b. A dog shall not be touched or patted at the point of origin.
c. A controlled break in the marking test shall not fail a dog, but it shall be considered a serious
fault. (As soon as the dog leaves the point of origin and manifests an intent to make the retrieve
without being so ordered, it must be stopped. See Section 12.h below for controlled breaks in
upland hunting.)
SECTION 3: A dog shall deliver all birds to hand. (The dog shall return to the handler without
delay.)
SECTION 4: A dog may be handled on marked retrieves with voice/whistle/hand signals, if, in
the opinion of the handler, the dog can't find or has missed the mark. (The dog is being tested for
its marking ability and memory, not handling; however, a crisp cast is preferable to a long hunt.
Repeated evidence of lack of memory, marking ability or lack of control may be grounds for
elimination.)
SECTION 5: A dog shall be cast from the point of origin, by its handler, only once. (See Chapter II,
Section 17 for "no-goes.")
SECTION 6: The handler may be required to handle an empty shotgun with both hands on the
firearm and in the firing position.
SECTION 7: Maximum test distance for land or water marks shall not exceed one hundred (100)
yards.
SECTION 8: Marking tests for this event shall consist of triple marks on both land and water.
a. Quadruple marks shall not be used.
b. The order and sequence ("selection") of marked retrieves shall not be determined by the
judges.
c. Dogs may be required to be placed at a point of origin at a distance from the handler.
d. Simultaneous falls of birds shall not be used.
e. Delayed marks or falls may be used.
f. Dogs may be required to honor another dog.
g. Each mark is to have a separate and clearly defined area. (General Procedures, Chapter II,
Section 26 shall be in effect.)
h. Trails off marked retrieves shall not be used.
SECTION 9: Dry shots may be fired. (A dry shot is defined as a shot for which no bird is thrown or
appears.) Game calls and additional birds with or without shots may also be used as diversions
as a dog returns from a retrieve. (A dog that drops and leaves its bird ("switches birds") and
retrieves the diversion bird shall be failed.)
SECTION 10: Walk ups to simulate jump shooting may be used in this event. The dog shall be
brought to an area designated as the point of origin at heel or under control within ten (10) feet
of its handler. Section 2c shall be in effect. The judges may signal for the bird while the handler
and dog are walking.
SECTION 11: Blind retrieves on water and land shall be used. Maximum test distances shall not
exceed one hundred (100) yards. (Handling in these tests must be done with precision. The dog
must stop on whistle and take a cast. Failing to stop on whistle or to take a cast is a serious
infraction. The judges must decide on the seriousness of the refusal by taking into account the
conditions and situation at hand.)
a. At least one of the blinds shall be incorporated within one of the required triple marked
retrieves.
b. Both blind retrieves may be incorporated with the required triple marked retrieves.
c. Trails off blind retrieves shall not be used.
SECTION 12: An upland hunting test, with flush, shall be used.
a. The dog shall be required to seek birds as in upland hunting within gun range of the handler.
b. A dog may be urged to hunt or handled by moderate commands.
c. At least one bird must be located and flushed. (Birds may be dizzied and placed in the field,
released from a mechanical trap or hand thrown for the flush. Additional dead birds or scent
areas may also be used at the discretion of the judges. If located, the dog must pick up and
deliver these additional birds to hand.)
d. The use of wing clips, shackled or dead birds, for the flush, shall not be allowed.
e. Fly-awes may be used for the flush. (A shot must still be fired, see the Judging Guidelines
below.)
f. If a flushed bird is downed within a reasonable retrieving distance, the dog should be required
to locate it and deliver to hand. (The retrieve shall not be scored as a mark, but it must be
completed.)
g. A dog shall be steady to shot and fall and shall be disqualified if it is not. The handler has
until the first shot is fired or, in the opinion of the judges, should have been fired, to have the
dog under control. The dog may be sitting or may be standing with limited movement. (A dog
that is not under control at the time of the shot shall be disqualified.)
h. If the dog is steady to shot but then breaks at the fall and manifests an intent to retrieve
without being so ordered, it must be stopped. If a dog is immediately brought under control, it
shall be considered a controlled break and will be considered a minor fault.
i. A rerun shall be granted if, in the opinion of the judges, a poor flush or short fall has caused
the dog to be unfairly evaluated.
SECTION 13: A trailing test shall be used.
a. The dog shall be required to trail, locate a bird and deliver it to hand.
b. The dog shall be scored on its natural ability and the use of its nose to locate and follow the
trail.
c. It shall not matter in what manner the dog follows the trail, e.g., The dog may stay precisely on
the trail with nose down, or close quarter back and forth across the trail with head up, or run a
few yards downwind of the trail with his head held high. It is the intent of this test to have a dog
indicate scent, follow the trail and locate the bird in a natural hunting manner.
d. A dog may be urged to hunt by moderate voice or whistle commands.
e. judges may restrict entry of the handlers into the area of the trail.
f. Hand signals are inappropriate and shall not be used other than to put the dog onto the
beginning of the trail.
g. Trails off of marks or blinds shall not be used.
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