If you are interested in field work with Goldens (:-)) or other types of retrievers, here's a primer (basic stuff, not intended to be super technical).
AKC TESTS: In terms of hunting abilities, AKC administers two kinds of retriever tests:
FIELD TRIALS (which require a high level of commitment and money and attract a lot of professional handlers) and
HUNTING TESTS (which are non-competitive field events that are within the reach of ordinary mortals ;-)). AKC hunting tests were introduced in the mid-1980s and are designed to reflect a typical day in the field (camouflage, duck calls, etc.). In addition, there are hunting tests run by other organizations (by NAHRA for example) and working certificate tests administered by breed-specific clubs (see GRCA below.)
BANK RUN: on a water retrieve, the dog runs along the bank (shore) before entering the water, or runs around the whole pond, doesn't even get its feet wet. Why? Well, the dog may really hate water :-( . But, any untrained dogs will bank run occasionally, given the opportunity (i.e., part way on shore brings it directly in line with the bird, requiring less swimming). So, in the beginning, throws should be straight out from shore, not at an angle, with the dog sitting close to the water.
a BLIND: the dog does not know the location of the bird (or bumper); so, hand and voice signals ("over", "back") are used in order to direct the dog to the area of the blind; then, that Golden nose takes over. Not required in WC/WCX test or in JH or derby events. BTW, the dogs learn to stop and tread water (when the whistle is blown) to take direction on water blinds. Neat. Ya gotta see!
to BLINK a bird: to refuse to pick up a bird after locating it. The dog pauses next to it or stands over it, then leaves, acting as if he or she has never seen it.
the BLIND: the place where the next dog and handler wait when they are the next to run. The idea is to keep the dog from viewing the setup ahead of time. The handler, of course, can watch, plan ahead or sweat while in the blind.
to BREAK: a dog that goes out for a bird too soon (before the judge calls its number) or fails to honor, is said to 'break'. This is considered a serious fault--so, in most tests, a breaking dog is failed automatically. BUMPERS: in most training sessions, bumpers (also called 'dummies') are used instead of birds. They are oblong, come in several lengths and are either stuffed canvas or plastic. What you want is the kind you find in dog supply catalogs, not in your local boat store.
the FALL: where the bird or bumper lands in a marking test (as opposed to a blind).
a FLYER: a live bird shot by the gunners (as opposed to a dead one thrown as a mark). If the gunners miss or the bird lands in the wrong place, that's a "NO BIRD" and the dog is taken off line and brought back a few dogs later, for another attempt.
GRCA TESTS: As an alternative to the demanding kinds of tests found in field trials, the Golden Retriever Club of America developed the WC/WCX tests (working certificate and working certificate excellent). The purpose of these tests to encourage owners and breeders to demonstrate their dog's suitability as retrievers of upland game and water fowl. This sort of natural ability and willingness to please is what makes Goldens so wonderful, so talented in many ways.
to HANDLE: to direct the dog to the bird. Handling is usually required on a blind retrieve--indeed, the purpose of such a test is determine whether a dog will take directions from its handler in order to find a bird that was put out as a 'blind'. In contrast, a dog that must be handled to a 'mark' may be penalized or disqualified, depending on the test.
the HANDLER: the person running the dog in the test.
to HONOR: to sit/stay next to your handler and watch the next dog work and do it without breaking, d*mn it.
the LINE: the handler runs the dog from this location. The dog is expected to sit until the judge tells the handler to send the dog (which is after the last bird is down) and not to BREAK (leave before being sent). But, also this term has another meaning: the path/route the dog takes to bird or bumper.
a MARK: a bird or bumper that's visible to the dog while in the air, tho not necessarily after it's landed. In a SINGLES test, only one mark is thrown before the dog is sent (allowed to retrieve). What makes a mark difficult to find is not just its distance out from the line, but what lies in-between (terrain, obstacles and other distractions) and the absence of any landmarks to help the dog determine location and distance. to MARK: as a command given to the dog, "mark" means: watch for the bird and note where it falls.
MULTIPLE MARKS: more than one mark is thrown before the dog is SENT (allowed to retrieve). For example, on a DOUBLE, the first bird down is called the 'memory bird' and is followed by a second fall ('diversion'). Almost all dogs pick up this last one first. In the WC test, the land double is quite straight-forward (as these things go ;-)): the falls are 90 degrees apart, in light cover, with the gunners wearing white; handling the dog to the mark is not allowed.
to POP: in a handling test, the dog stops, looks back at the handler (rather than continuing in the direction it was sent until stopped by a whistle). But, in terms of guns, 'to pop' means to shoot blank shells ('poppers') rather than live ammo.
RETIRED GUNS: After the bird is thrown and shots fired, while the dog is working on another mark, the gunners disappear from view. This makes the marking test a lot harder for the dogs. Not to be confused with the use of HIDDEN guns, where a typical scenario might be: duck calls, bird thrown (visible) as a shot is fired, with the gunners hidden throughout.
SINGLES: only one mark is thrown before the dog is sent to retrieve. On BACK-TO-BACK singles, after the dog has retrieved the first bird, a second bird is thrown for the dog to retrieve.
STAKES: at field trials, dogs and handlers compete against each other. Each round (series) results in progressively fewer dogs being called back and the last series determines placements (first place, second, etc.) and points towards a field champion title. Very tough to get. At informal stakes (e.g., 'fun trials'), the competition is more low- keyed. In contrast, at hunt tests, each dog is measured against a a written standard, so how the others do doesn't matter. The same holds true for GRCA's working certificate tests. to SWITCH: on multiple marks, once the dog starts hunting an area, it must stay in that vicinity. If the dog leaves to go to another mark, it is disqualified for 'switching'.
a WALKUP: the dog and handler are moving when the judge signals to the gunners (i.e., the test is not run from a fixed location). Once the signal is given, the handler usually sits the dog so it can watch the fall.
This is just for starters. Hope you plunge in, give field work a try. I want especially to thank Jackie Mertens, Doug McGuire, Ed Marrow, Jennifer Alexander (and anyone else I forgot!) for commenting on earlier drafts of this primer. If you want to download a copy, that's fine with me. Credit would be nice. Be sure to mention Helen's page and the Golden list, because both are great sources of information!