This is a video of Ellie and Bella when they obtained their BICP titles in France. The BICP is similar to the NAHVDA UT test in America. Ellie and Bella both received 29 points out of 32 to for a Prize II. The video has French titles as it was first made to share in France.
The BICP has a land part where the dog must show nose ability, desire and style locating a pheasant, show that it hunts with it’s master and then show steadiness and retrieve. I don’t have any of the land footage as the action takes place too far out in the field for a camera person (my husband!) to be able to follow.
There is also a water part. One part of the water test is a deep water retrieve. A dead duck is thrown fairly far out into the water after a gun shot. The dog must readily swim out and retrieve the duck. I only got Bella’s deep water retrieve on film. In the second part of the water test, a live duck is placed in the reeds without the dog seeing. The dog is brought out and must track the duck, which has usually moved around. The dog must retrieve the live duck. There may also be another proof where the shot duck is placed, a shot is fired and then the dog must retrieve to hand. I lost points on dropped ducks before it was given to hand.
I thought I would be nervous, but I found I really wasn’t. It was just like training. I had a very enjoyable day. Hunt tests aren’t as scary as they might seem. I had such a good day, getting the title was just a bonus.
