Practical J-Regs: When a Dog Is Eye-Wiped — What Happens Next?

Welcome to Article 3 in our Practical J-Regs series — where we apply the Kennel Club's Field Trial Regulations to real scenarios, helping judges and handlers understand what really happens on the trial ground.

This article looks at a critical turning point in many trials: the eye wipe — what it means, how it happens, and what the J Regulations require from judges.

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🐕 Scenario: A Dog Is Eye-Wiped on a Retrieve

You’re judging a Novice Retriever Field Trial. A bird is shot and falls across a shallow gully to the right. The handler of Dog 2 is instructed to send their dog for the retrieve. The dog goes out, hunts the area but fails to locate the bird and is called up.

Dog 3 is then tried for the same bird. It takes a good line, hunts with purpose, and retrieves the bird with minimal handling.

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🧑‍⚖️ Step-by-Step: How the J Regs Apply

📌 1. Did the First Dog Fail the Retrieve?

J(A)4.e: “If the dogs tried fail to complete the retrieve, the Judges should search the area of fall... The dogs tried, save in exceptional circumstances, will be eliminated.”

✅ Yes. Dog 2 was given a fair opportunity to retrieve a known fall and failed. This constitutes a retrieving failure under the regulations.

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📌 2. What Is an Eye Wipe?

An eye wipe occurs when another dog successfully retrieves a bird after a previous dog (or dogs) has failed to do so.

While not defined in a single regulation line, the process is embedded in J(A)4.e and J(B)5: A dog that fails a retrieve and is then followed by another dog that successfully retrieves the same bird is considered to have been eye-wiped — and is eliminated.

This is not discretionary — if the bird was there, and another dog picks it cleanly, the previous dog has failed the test.

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📌 3. Is Elimination Mandatory?

J(A)4.g: “Judges must eliminate dogs for eliminating faults at the time of the fault occurring.”

✅ Yes. Eye wipes are eliminating events in field trials. The judges must mark Dog 2 as eliminated.

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📌 4. Should Dog 3 Be Rewarded?

Definitely.

Dog 3 has:

• Proved game-finding ability
• Responded to handling (if required)
• Picked a previously missed bird

That success may place it above other dogs on equal work or serve as a tie-breaker if performance is otherwise close.

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📝 Judges’ Book Example

• Dog 2 – "Failed marked retrieve — bird still present — eye-wiped by Dog 3 — eliminated"
• Dog 3 – "Successful retrieve on failed bird — eye wipe"

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🧑‍🏫 Handler Takeaway

Even if your dog works hard, if it fails to find the bird and another dog succeeds on the same retrieve, your dog is out. This isn’t about effort — it’s about results and game-finding.

Tips to avoid eye wipes:

• Ensure your dog marks clearly
• Practise retrieves in cover and over obstacles
• Improve the dog's hunting pattern and re-directability

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🧾 Summary Table

Situation	Outcome
Dog fails to find bird and is recalled	⚠️ At risk of elimination
Second dog successfully retrieves the same bird	❌ First dog is eye-wiped and eliminated
Bird is not found by any dog	⚠️ Judges may withhold judgment or re-evaluate conditions
First dog picks a different bird	❌ Wrong retrieve — also a major or eliminating fault

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📚 Further Reading

• Kennel Club Field Trial J Regulations (Mini Guide 2025)
• Beginner’s Guide to the J Regs
• Practical J-Regs Article 2: Dog Runs In