Quote Originally Posted by FrostyPaws View Post
When I use the word “game” I'm not using the literal meaning of the word. If that's the case, then picking a dog up in 10 minutes without anything wrong with it physically is picked up game. And that would be simply because it scratched over.

If I'm to look at it that way, then every dog I've ever picked up during schooling, that didn't quit, was picked up game. No. Not at my house, literal meaning or not. Being game means more, TO ME, than the simply willingness to continue at any juncture.
Again, I believe two things are being confused: 1) the mindset of the dog "at the time he was picked up," versus 2) the permanent state of the dog "being game," for sure.

You are trying to attribute #2 in the place of #1.

The statement "a dog was picked up game" is not #2; it relates to #1.

He was picked up and was still willing to go at that time ... it does not mean (and never was intended to mean) "the dog is a for-sure-game animal, under any circumstance."

It was merely picked up at X time, still wanting to go, in this contest.

Jack