(Passages in italics are important clarifications or new items in the 1995 printing of this Rule Book.)
SECTION 1: The term "dog" herein includes males and females.
SECTION 2: Eligibility of a dog is determined by Chapter 1, Section D, not by the age of a dog.
SECTION 3: All tests shall be judged by at least two judges.
a. The judges are representatives of the NAHRA hunting retriever program and its "standards" and shall abide by the Regulations and Field Procedures and the Guidelines for Judging Hunting Retriever Field Tests.
b. The judges shall set up all tests within the prescribed guidelines set forth in these Regulations and Field Procedures and shall give paramount consideration to the simulation of actual hunting conditions
c. All tests shall be set up within the prescribed distance and cover limitations of each particular category.
d. Duck blinds, numerous decoys, boats, calls, and other hunting implements should be utilized in a manner simulating normal hunting.
e. Judges shall decide on the placement of gunners and bird boys.
f. Handlers, bird boys, gunners, judges and others shall be required to wear camouflaged or appropriate clothing. Clubs hosting licensed Field Tests should be prepared to provide an appropriate covering for participating persons who do not come to the event with such clothing.
g. Events shall utilize live or dead pheasants, pigeons, ducks or other game birds. Clubs should make every effort to supply humanely cared for birds in good condition.
h. Shackled birds shall not be used. However, live birds may be released for the trailing test.
SECTION 4: Moderate voice or whistle commands shall be allowed to steady the dog at the point of origin. However, voice or whistle commands that are excessive, in the opinion of the judges, shall be marked down. (Repeated use of excessive commands may be grounds for elimination.)
SECTION 5: A dog is to be released by the handler on the judges' command unless the handler is otherwise directed by the judges.
SECTION 6: While on the test grounds, a handler shall not possess any exposed training aid that might intimidate a dog (including, but not limited to whip, quirt, cane, prod or similar implements). No dog shall wear a collar while under judgment in the Started, Intermediate or Senior testing categories. A Started dog only may have a leash, line or slip lead around its neck or may be held by one hand to assist in achieving steadiness. No dog shall be permitted to make a retrieve wearing a collar, leash, line or similar device.
SECTION 7: The judges of a particular category or the Field Test Committee shall have the authority to expel a handler from any further participation in a category if the handler possesses any exposed training aid or if unsportsmanlike conduct is observed on the part of the handler or the handler kicks, strikes, or otherwise manhandles or intimidates a dog while on the Field Test grounds. It shall be the duty of the judges or marshall of a category to promptly report to the Field Test Committee the expulsion of a handler from a category, and the Field Test committee may then expel the handler from all other categories at that event, if in the Committee's opinion, such further action is warranted. Whenever a handler is expelled from a category or from participation at a Field Test, under this Section, the dog or dogs that he is handling may continue to be tested with another handler.
The Field Test Secretary shall submit to NAHRA a complete report of any action taken under this Section by either the Field Test Committee or the judges.
SECTION 8: Dogs requiring help from the bird boys shall be disqualified. Stone or object throwing shall not be allowed.
SECTION 9: Incidents of intentional hard-mouth resulting, in the opinion of the judges, in a bird unfit for the table, shall be grounds for failing a test. The dog should pick up a bird tenderly but firmly and without delay. (A dog shall be eliminated for hard-mouth or badly damaging game, but, before doing so, both judges should inspect the bird and be satisfied that the dog alone was responsible for the damage.)
SECTION 10: A dog unwilling to release a bird ("Sticking" or "Freezing") shall be marked down. Repeated evidence shall be grounds for elimination.
SECTION 11: Bitches in season shall not be permitted on the test grounds.
SECTION 12: All persons participating in or observing any event are expected to maintain reasonable silence and display good manners. Any person who interferes with the orderly process of any test may be obliged by the judges or the Field Test Committee to leave the test grounds.
SECTION 13: Prior to the start of each test, the judges shall explain to the handlers the hunting scenario and the object of each test and expected performance of the dogs. (NAHRA's purpose in establishing these General Regulations and Field Procedures is to discover and reward dogs that can fulfill the hunter's needs in the field while performing in a manner consistent with the demands of actual hunting conditions. Tests will be designed to simulate a day' s hunting afield. The purpose is not to confront the dog with trick problems, but rather to test the dog's natural ability and training.)
SECTION 14: A "test" shall be defined for these purposes as: The evaluation of a dog as required by the Regulations and Field Procedures and during which the dog is being scored.
SECTION 15: A judge shall not place dogs in order of finish, nor shall judges be requested to place dogs in order of finish for any purpose whatsoever.
SECTION 16: A judge shall not be requested nor required to discuss his or her judging evaluations with any participant. The decision of the judges shall be final.
SECTION 17: A dog should be cast from the point of origin only once, however, another attempt may be granted if, in the opinion of the judges, a dog exhibits confusion at the point of origin. If "recasts" are unsuccessful, the judges shall step in and direct the handler to pick up his/her dog. If an initial misdirection is taken by a dog in the Started category and the handler immediately brings the dog back to heel, it may be given a "recast." A "recast" shall never be granted to a Started dog that goes out into the field, establishes a hunt, does not find the bird and returns to its handler. This is grounds for elimination rather than another chance. ("No-goes" should be treated as a re-cast under this section.)
SECTION 18: A "No Bird" will be determined solely by the judges of the testing category, e.g. a flyer that is unintentionally missed by the gunners, or a bird that sinks during a water test, etc.
SECTION 19: A "Rerun" may be granted, if in the opinion of the judges, an unfair or unforeseen circumstance occurs during the test.
SECTION 20: The "Point of Origin" is the area in which the dog is located when the first bird becomes visible in a marking test or upland hunt, or the area designated by the judges as the starting point for the blind retrieve or trail.
SECTION 21: A "Controlled Break" occurs as soon as a dog leaves the point of origin and manifests an intent to make the retrieve without being so ordered and is immediately stopped and brought under control. A "Controlled Break" occurs in the Senior upland hunting test when the dog has been steady to shot, but manifests an intent to retrieve after the shot. (See Chapter V, Section 12.h.)
SECTION 22: "Creeping" should not be considered as a dog manifesting an intent to retrieve. Therefore, creeping shall not be considered a break. However, if the creeping is excessive where it takes the dog out of the area of the point of origin, then it shall be considered a controlled break and the handler shall be required to control his/her dog, but the judges shall not instruct the handler to re-heel the dog.
SECTION 23: Any dog who "interferes" with the working dog while under judgment and causes him to be unfairly evaluated shall be eliminated from further testing. (This shall include but is not limited to honor dogs, brace mates in upland hunting, dogs in holding blinds and dogs in the gallery. Any dog that has been interfered with may, at the discretion of the judges, be granted a rerun.)
SECTION 24: Any dog that goes to the area of a fallen bird during a marking test and establishes a hunt, then leaves that area and establishes a hunt in the area of another fall shall be eliminated ("switches its hunt"). This applies whether the area the dog has switched to contains a bird or is an old fall where the bird has already been retrieved. Similarly, on a multiple mark, a dog that returns to an old fall from the point of origin and establishes a hunt shall be eliminated.
SECTION 25: In the Started, Intermediate and Senior categories, hidden gunners and/or bird boys shall be used in marking tests unless they are at the point of origin. When hidden gunners or bird boys are used, an attention getting attraction shot or shots shall be fired or a game call shall be blown or a verbal attraction given prior to each bird being thrown and additionally, a shot shall be fired when each bird is at the top of its arc. Marks that are in excess of normal gunning range (approximately 35 yards) should have a shot fired from the general location of the thrower. (It is the intent of these Regulations to provide the dog with adequate opportunity to focus its attention on the area of the fall and to simulate as closely as possible natural hunting conditions.) At the discretion of the judges, but not more than once in each marking test, the gunners may be visible in order to simulate specific hunting situations such as dove hunting.
SECTION 26: The handler shall not point out the location of the gunners and bird boys to the dog prior to the time the first bird is thrown. (A violation of this Section is a major infraction and may result in elimination.)
SECTION 27: No participating dog may be trained on the designated Field Test grounds within two weeks prior to the start of the Field Test and until the Field Test has been completed. However, this shall not be construed to prohibit the Field Test Committee from establishing a training clinic which may be run in conjunction with an Approved or Licensed Field Test or an exercise area being designated on the test grounds during an event.
SECTION 28: Upon receipt of an application, NAHRA may license or approve its properly affiliated clubs to hold Beginner events for all dogs. Such events shall be held in conjunction with Licensed or Approved NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests.
Entries shall not be limited and any dog may participate. NAHRA shall keep no records of the events. Judges for the Beginner event need not be certified or accredited by NAHRA.
Each club shall establish its own rules by which dogs shall be judged in this informal event. However, under no circumstances shall the rules be as restrictive as the requirements or the regulations governing the Started Hunting Retrievers, nor shall they exceed those requirements.
Dogs successfully completing a NAHRA Beginner event shall be awarded a NAHRA Certificate of Merit. Certificates of Merit will be furnished to clubs by NAHRA upon request.
SECTION 29: All participants at Field Tests are individually responsible for safe gun handling, even for safely handling mock handler's guns. This is not a responsibility of NAHRA. The Field Test Committee is responsible for selection and training of live and popper gunners and should make every effort to ensure safe gun handling by all participants. Judges have special responsibilities in setting up tests to help the club assure gun safety. Judges may remind handlers to practice safe gun handling and in extreme cases, expel a handler for un-sportsmanlike conduct for willfully un-safe gun handling. (In these cases the dog can continue with a different handler. See Section 7 above in this Chapter.)