In a recent email exchange, Steve turned me on to a great little phrase. I’d been going on about one of my favorite moments with pointing dogs – it happens once per dog and is that instant when instinct/breeding kicks in.
Me:
I love the moment the light bulb goes on. One minute the puppy is busting birds, blundering around, then you can see her get a nose full of scent, the switch gets flipped and bang! she locks up.
It is a fraught moment – an instant of ‘fit’ when the element that is the pup finds her way into the hunting partnership with a nearly audible click.
Steve:
“Moment the light bulb goes on”: called “turning wicked” by Brit longdoggers.
Now I know what to call it – repurposing the phrase isn’t too big a sin. As a bit of penance, a picture of a British gazehound from a Flickr contact. If you look at Ameerah’s face, you’ll see intense focus – she’s waiting – knows her business.
*
Saluqihounds says, “Our dog point all the time whether its to tell us there are in a particular rabbit warren or something is in a bush etc. Some, Ameerah in particular will point in a fashion whilst stalking game in open ground.”
If you were in Maine, you could (and we do) call it ‘wicked good’.
Mark is a SERIOUS longdog guy!
Pointing: my Ataika, taken out alone, works within gun range, flash points, and flushes much like a gundog– very different from her behavior with the pack.
Turning wicked is a wicked awesome moment *grin*.
I’m loving Mark’s Flickrstream – it’s given me a serious craving for braised bunny, though…