Hunting with a champion

[finsfurfeathers]

Watched this vid and found it unappealing. Yes dog looks great. Worked amazing. Just something about it just didn't feel right to me. Could be the dog was just too mechanical. Sure there have been times working a bunch of flight birds wished had a rock solid dog but now I like my happy go lucky pals a little more.
Trials always have irked me for the reason your training your dog to impress someone else.
Thoughts?

[sabmgb]

that the point of a pointer isn't it. I have hunted behind pointers and personally don't like it, I prefer a flusher myself. My lab would just flush them then retrieve them back to me.

[finsfurfeathers]

that the point of a pointer isn't it. I have hunted behind pointers and personally don't like it, I prefer a flusher myself. My lab would just flush them then retrieve them back to me.

You are absolutely right. That would be text book pointer. Could not be better however for me too extreme end of "prefection"
Hunting with mine where no where close to perfection just the dogs seem to have a bit more joie de vie,

[ninepointer]

Love the Euro pointing style of your dog!

As for the woodcock video, I love a steady dog, but when the guy said “He’s gonna go find the bird and bring it back to the dog”, I almost spit my whisky out!

[finsfurfeathers]

Love the Euro pointing style of your dog!

As for the woodcock video, I love a steady dog, but when the guy said “He’s gonna go find the bird and bring it back to the dog”, I almost spit my whisky out!

Ya had a hard time with that. Though if its an easy find I do prefer to pick 'em up myself as esp Stella has a hard mouth.

[swampsinger]

I have mixed feelings regarding trials. I do believe they are necessary and are useful to breeding programs, the trials are a great opportunity to compare and test breeding results. To what end is the issue, are we breeding to please judges in a particular format or to maintain and improve the breed as a hunting dog.

[Sharon]

I spent many years trialing setters and have no regrets. You train your own dog (wonderful experience) and then you say , "Others should see how great this dog is." At the trial you help many new dog owners and the social life is great. The many trialers I knew also hunted.

Only thing I don't like at trials is that the dog can't relocate on its own after pointing.

You'll notice there are not many trialers posting on here. The younger generation has other things they prefer doing. The best ON. trialers who used to post on here are now either dead or gone.

[finsfurfeathers]

I have mixed feelings regarding trials. I do believe they are necessary and are useful to breeding programs, the trials are a great opportunity to compare and test breeding results. To what end is the issue, are we breeding to please judges in a particular format or to maintain and improve the breed as a hunting dog.

A trial dog is probably the best odds in getting a pup worth a dam. I grew up in the tradition of 2 hunters who had "good" dogs had a litter the pick was kept for either owner and the rest of the pups went to other hunters . Now a days hard to find a backyard breeder designed for the hunter but for the pet trade.

Only thing I don't like at trials is that the dog can't relocate on its own after pointing..

Wonder if this rule will change at least in cover dog trials. Find woodcock are becoming more apt to scurry along and don't sit a tight as they used to. A lot of "false" points are just points where the dog locked up and the bird walked another 10-15. A little cat and mouse action usually gets the bird in the bag.

[Sharon]

I do think that is allowed in Cover dog trials and NAVHDA.

Never been in a trial where woodcock were used.

Chukar, quail or pheasant were planted and these birds tend to hunker down.

[ninepointer]

To what end is the issue, are we breeding to please judges in a particular format or to maintain and improve the breed as a hunting dog.

FFF’s dog’s pointing style is a perfect example. This was once how all setters pointed (crouching). The high-head, high-tail pointing style we now typically see in setters is purely a North American construct of the field trial system.