“Do not under estimate the difficulty of the toll”
Being a newcomer to Tollers, when the US Toller Specialty was
scheduled to be practically in my backyard, I couldn't help to try and
participate in as many activities as possible.
The area that has really been grabbing my attention of late is
the field events. I was especially interested in the Working Certificates
because after all, the dogs are bred to perform these acts and it should just be
"natural" for them.
The Working Certificate (WC) is the beginner level of testing of
the dogs natural abilities to retrieve on the land and in the water. It also has
a Tolling exercise with is breed specific. Never having been to this type of event, I was not sure what to expect. Reading the rules and regulations
did not clear up any of my questions.
There were 19 of us entered. We had begun building our friendships with each other on both sides of the US and Canadian border of the
last couple of years. These relationships only got stronger as each day of the Specialty continued.
As we arrived at the test site on Sunday morning, there was a layer of ground fog holding about 3 feet above the ground. There was a damp hush
in the testing area as the judges, field marshals, and crew set up for the 4 different specialty tests offered.
The judges call for the WC Handlers to attend the handlers' meeting where general instructions and objectives were discussed. We are going
to follow the "Test Dog and Handler" out to the test site and see how this WC exercise is to be done.
We stood shoulder to shoulder taking in the view. The sun was just beginning to burn through the cloud cover over the tops of the trees. The
bird stations are set and ready to toss out the birds. There is a cloth wall or blind set up to hide the hunter from the birds, a drying rack for the soon to be
wet ducks and a couple of chairs for our judges. All of this is set on both sides of a waterway wide and deep enough to encourage our dogs to swim as they
retrieve.
On the judge's signal, the handler calmly approaches the blind closest to the water and crouches down with her dog. The handler removes the
leash and then tosses a bumper out about 20 feet from the blind. The dog, being a Toller, joyfully bounds out of the blind, picks up the bumper and tosses into
the air as she playfully brings it back to the handler. The handler plays a back and forth feigning game with her hunting partner and again, tosses out the
bumper, the dog returning in a romping, enthusiastic manner begging for more play. This continues for a total of four (4) Tolls.
Most of us nod and smile, relax and comment that our dogs do that all of the time - at home. No Problem here.
The test dog successfully is sent on the first watermark and brings the bird back to the handler on the shoreline. It is not a requirement to
return the bird to hand. This is why I am so sure that I will be successful. Now, the dog and handler have to return to the blind and cast another 4 tolls.
The test dog is up and happy and willingly complies. The second water retrieve is up as the dog and handler are facing directly into the rising sun that is
burning through the still present cloud cover. This is more challenging with the additional glare off of the water. Again, the dog is sent and is successful on
the retrieve and the return of the bird to hand. It was a calm and easy exercise.
It is now time to go back and bring our own dogs, with 3 objects of our choice for the Tolling portion of the exercise to the holding area and
move to the holding blinds. As we walk back across the fields to our vehicles and dogs, a few of the more experience handlers remind us new
folks - "do not under estimate the difficulty of the Toll", "It is not as easy as she made it look". Still, we all confidently think this will be easy - we toss and play
with bumpers all of the time.
Well, I am about in the middle of the lineup. I plan on watching a couple of the dogs to see how it all comes together. I banter with the
gentleman with the "pickup" dog who is there incase our dogs will not do the water retrieve or there is a "No Bird" do over. I am dumbfounded
when the first dog to the line ignores his handler and races up and down the water in excitement. I am relieved when he returns to his handler
and the handler tosses out a bumper, the dog races out of the blind... past the bumper and bounds through the tall grasses alongside the
water way. The handler, after some time gets control of his dog, put him back on a leash, gathers his bumpers and starts the long walk back to the parking area.
I follow to get my dog and prepare for my turn at the line. As I make the walk back, I hear the words with new meaning – “do not under estimate
the difficulty of the toll”. I have read the rules and know that I can take 3 objects to be used in the tolling exercise to the line with me. I think that I
am going to be a "purest" and use only training bumpers for tolling. I select 3 different bumpers I know my dog has been retrieving. I hesitate and pick up a
Dokken, a ball with a fleece tail, and "The Yellow Ball". I can do the math, I know this is more than 3, but I cannot leave the Yellow ball and the other
objects in the van as I gather my dog and his lead and start my trek across the field.
On my journey, I am stopped by a mentor. He asks what do I have here and lets me know that I cannot take out the Dokken. He returns it to my
vehicle. I go to the first staging area and pass a handler that has some pep to his step and a relaxed expression. The next 2 handlers, are not as
happy, no eye contact and a bit defeated. I sense they might not have been successful. As my turn approaches, I take my 5 objects to the holding
blind. The handler with the pickup dog gives me an assist by taking my excess objects away from the line of sight of my dog. I watch as the dog
before me enjoys a wonderful romp around the judges, the waterway, the bird station and everywhere other than where his handler wants him to be.
Eventually, the dog and handler are reunited with a no pass and my turn is up.
I breathe deeply as I exit the holding blind, my field bumpers in hand. I hesitate next to the pickup handler and the yellow ball glows at me.
I exchange 2 of the bumpers for the ball with the fleece and the yellow ball.
The judges are relaxed and friendly. I calmly enter the blind - we know this part of the game. I kneel down with my dog and he looks at me
willing me to let him play. Okay, as I toss the bumper in my hand for a start up. I toss the bumper out, he bounds toward the bumper playfully,
DROPS it on the ground, tours the birds on the drying rack, visits the judges, checks out the water way, takes a parade laps for the spectators
and finally trots back in my direction. My heart has dropped and I am in shock. I don't know when I picked up the yellow ball or when I started
tossing it up in my hand, but all of a sudden I understood that 3 objects were not 3 of the same - they were 3 of your best guesses of your dogs
favorite things to play with!
He sees the yellow ball and bounces with anticipation! I do not wait for him to return to the blind but toss the ball as I would in a normal
play time. He happily returns it to me and I throw it out again - this is 2 Tolls. I now tease him in the blind so he pounces from side to side.
I relax and start to enjoy the game as I have figured out what the game is! We repeat the play with the yellow ball for the next 2 tolls.
Now we have to leave the blind for the first water mark. It is a little bit of a challenge to regain the calm for the first mark. I think I know
my dog fairly well as I stand by his side, the judge wave to the bird station and the shot and the bird is released. The judge calls the dog's
number as a release and I send him. He launches from the shoreline with great enthusiasm and air beneath him before he splashes towards
the bird and makes his retrieve. After this first bird, we have to regain some composure and return to the blind for another set Tolling. By this time,
I trust that he will stick to business and complete the tolls. My faith is with the yellow ball and I do not hesitate to use it. He embraces the
game of Tolling with the same eagerness as he does most activities. We finish off with the second water mark and have passed on to
the land series.
We were successful that day and earned our WC. I applaud all of those that participated and congratulate all that passed. We had 10 out of an
entry of 19 that earned their WC on that day.
Words to live by: "Do not under estimate the difficulty of the
Toll. It is not as easy as it looks".
Article printed by Canadian “Toller Talk” Spring 2013 – Vicki Meirns Editor
Submitted to US “Quackers” for Fall 2013 issue Dorothy Marples Editor
Both with pictures (US WC PICTS) taken by Dreamworks Photography – Tasha Marie Potter
scheduled to be practically in my backyard, I couldn't help to try and
participate in as many activities as possible.
The area that has really been grabbing my attention of late is
the field events. I was especially interested in the Working Certificates
because after all, the dogs are bred to perform these acts and it should just be
"natural" for them.
The Working Certificate (WC) is the beginner level of testing of
the dogs natural abilities to retrieve on the land and in the water. It also has
a Tolling exercise with is breed specific. Never having been to this type of event, I was not sure what to expect. Reading the rules and regulations
did not clear up any of my questions.
There were 19 of us entered. We had begun building our friendships with each other on both sides of the US and Canadian border of the
last couple of years. These relationships only got stronger as each day of the Specialty continued.
As we arrived at the test site on Sunday morning, there was a layer of ground fog holding about 3 feet above the ground. There was a damp hush
in the testing area as the judges, field marshals, and crew set up for the 4 different specialty tests offered.
The judges call for the WC Handlers to attend the handlers' meeting where general instructions and objectives were discussed. We are going
to follow the "Test Dog and Handler" out to the test site and see how this WC exercise is to be done.
We stood shoulder to shoulder taking in the view. The sun was just beginning to burn through the cloud cover over the tops of the trees. The
bird stations are set and ready to toss out the birds. There is a cloth wall or blind set up to hide the hunter from the birds, a drying rack for the soon to be
wet ducks and a couple of chairs for our judges. All of this is set on both sides of a waterway wide and deep enough to encourage our dogs to swim as they
retrieve.
On the judge's signal, the handler calmly approaches the blind closest to the water and crouches down with her dog. The handler removes the
leash and then tosses a bumper out about 20 feet from the blind. The dog, being a Toller, joyfully bounds out of the blind, picks up the bumper and tosses into
the air as she playfully brings it back to the handler. The handler plays a back and forth feigning game with her hunting partner and again, tosses out the
bumper, the dog returning in a romping, enthusiastic manner begging for more play. This continues for a total of four (4) Tolls.
Most of us nod and smile, relax and comment that our dogs do that all of the time - at home. No Problem here.
The test dog successfully is sent on the first watermark and brings the bird back to the handler on the shoreline. It is not a requirement to
return the bird to hand. This is why I am so sure that I will be successful. Now, the dog and handler have to return to the blind and cast another 4 tolls.
The test dog is up and happy and willingly complies. The second water retrieve is up as the dog and handler are facing directly into the rising sun that is
burning through the still present cloud cover. This is more challenging with the additional glare off of the water. Again, the dog is sent and is successful on
the retrieve and the return of the bird to hand. It was a calm and easy exercise.
It is now time to go back and bring our own dogs, with 3 objects of our choice for the Tolling portion of the exercise to the holding area and
move to the holding blinds. As we walk back across the fields to our vehicles and dogs, a few of the more experience handlers remind us new
folks - "do not under estimate the difficulty of the Toll", "It is not as easy as she made it look". Still, we all confidently think this will be easy - we toss and play
with bumpers all of the time.
Well, I am about in the middle of the lineup. I plan on watching a couple of the dogs to see how it all comes together. I banter with the
gentleman with the "pickup" dog who is there incase our dogs will not do the water retrieve or there is a "No Bird" do over. I am dumbfounded
when the first dog to the line ignores his handler and races up and down the water in excitement. I am relieved when he returns to his handler
and the handler tosses out a bumper, the dog races out of the blind... past the bumper and bounds through the tall grasses alongside the
water way. The handler, after some time gets control of his dog, put him back on a leash, gathers his bumpers and starts the long walk back to the parking area.
I follow to get my dog and prepare for my turn at the line. As I make the walk back, I hear the words with new meaning – “do not under estimate
the difficulty of the toll”. I have read the rules and know that I can take 3 objects to be used in the tolling exercise to the line with me. I think that I
am going to be a "purest" and use only training bumpers for tolling. I select 3 different bumpers I know my dog has been retrieving. I hesitate and pick up a
Dokken, a ball with a fleece tail, and "The Yellow Ball". I can do the math, I know this is more than 3, but I cannot leave the Yellow ball and the other
objects in the van as I gather my dog and his lead and start my trek across the field.
On my journey, I am stopped by a mentor. He asks what do I have here and lets me know that I cannot take out the Dokken. He returns it to my
vehicle. I go to the first staging area and pass a handler that has some pep to his step and a relaxed expression. The next 2 handlers, are not as
happy, no eye contact and a bit defeated. I sense they might not have been successful. As my turn approaches, I take my 5 objects to the holding
blind. The handler with the pickup dog gives me an assist by taking my excess objects away from the line of sight of my dog. I watch as the dog
before me enjoys a wonderful romp around the judges, the waterway, the bird station and everywhere other than where his handler wants him to be.
Eventually, the dog and handler are reunited with a no pass and my turn is up.
I breathe deeply as I exit the holding blind, my field bumpers in hand. I hesitate next to the pickup handler and the yellow ball glows at me.
I exchange 2 of the bumpers for the ball with the fleece and the yellow ball.
The judges are relaxed and friendly. I calmly enter the blind - we know this part of the game. I kneel down with my dog and he looks at me
willing me to let him play. Okay, as I toss the bumper in my hand for a start up. I toss the bumper out, he bounds toward the bumper playfully,
DROPS it on the ground, tours the birds on the drying rack, visits the judges, checks out the water way, takes a parade laps for the spectators
and finally trots back in my direction. My heart has dropped and I am in shock. I don't know when I picked up the yellow ball or when I started
tossing it up in my hand, but all of a sudden I understood that 3 objects were not 3 of the same - they were 3 of your best guesses of your dogs
favorite things to play with!
He sees the yellow ball and bounces with anticipation! I do not wait for him to return to the blind but toss the ball as I would in a normal
play time. He happily returns it to me and I throw it out again - this is 2 Tolls. I now tease him in the blind so he pounces from side to side.
I relax and start to enjoy the game as I have figured out what the game is! We repeat the play with the yellow ball for the next 2 tolls.
Now we have to leave the blind for the first water mark. It is a little bit of a challenge to regain the calm for the first mark. I think I know
my dog fairly well as I stand by his side, the judge wave to the bird station and the shot and the bird is released. The judge calls the dog's
number as a release and I send him. He launches from the shoreline with great enthusiasm and air beneath him before he splashes towards
the bird and makes his retrieve. After this first bird, we have to regain some composure and return to the blind for another set Tolling. By this time,
I trust that he will stick to business and complete the tolls. My faith is with the yellow ball and I do not hesitate to use it. He embraces the
game of Tolling with the same eagerness as he does most activities. We finish off with the second water mark and have passed on to
the land series.
We were successful that day and earned our WC. I applaud all of those that participated and congratulate all that passed. We had 10 out of an
entry of 19 that earned their WC on that day.
Words to live by: "Do not under estimate the difficulty of the
Toll. It is not as easy as it looks".
Article printed by Canadian “Toller Talk” Spring 2013 – Vicki Meirns Editor
Submitted to US “Quackers” for Fall 2013 issue Dorothy Marples Editor
Both with pictures (US WC PICTS) taken by Dreamworks Photography – Tasha Marie Potter