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.

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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.”