Wow! Shows what remarkable trust the dog has in the handler to be able to perform that task.

I remember on Easter Sunday I was at a retrieving challenge and one of the retrieves involved a blind across a pasture. We were standing at the bottom of the hill and the retrieve was at the top. It didnt look that far but there was a big dip half way up the hill where the dog went out of sight and had to emerge the other side and continue running so it was actually further than it looked.

Flynn and I sat for well over an hour watching the other dogs and handlers struggle, even those in the open class, I think only a couple actually achieved the retrieve and these were experienced working dogs and experienced handlers. I was absolutely cacking myself because I knew we were going to fail miserably in front of lots of people. Anyway, I set Flynn up, sent him off with a simple "fetch" and stood and watched in astonishment as he just shot up this hill without glancing back, picked the dummy and brought it straight back to hand. When he disappeared into the dip I thought it was all going to come apart but he proved me wrong. My only theory is he'd spent so long sitting watching other dogs running up and down the hill that he sussed out what he was supposed to do!

I was on cloud nine that we'd been one of only a few dogs who'd completed the task - me who's never owned a gundog before and my dog who's never done a days work in his life! (we ended up coming 4th in the Junior class.) I was extra chuffed that we'd impressed the judge who has recently made her dog the third FTCh in the GWP breed in the UK.

Ok, not half as impressive as the dog in the link (that was some swimming!) but it's amazing when your dog learns to trust where you are sending it, no matter how far or across however many obstacles. It's such a special bond.