We are all familiar with the phrase “quality over quantity”. But do we actually apply this in real life; especially when it comes to our hounds or sporting dogs?
You see for sale ads all over social media, kennels downsizing, people adding dogs to their bench or strings. But, is it worth it? We all have this fantasy to own a dog for every event or enough to hunt an entire week without rotating dogs. Or is that just me?
I’ve personally come to the realization that having 3-4 solid well trained dogs on the string is much more effective then having 6 or more half witted dogs.
So what factors should you be keeping an eye out for when building a quality pack of a few rather than shooting for a pack with a large quantity of dogs?
There are several factors in my book that I strive for in a dog. First is genetics, and how well bred that dog is. Structure is key. Second is willingness to learn and biddability, I want a dog that is willing to put in the work but confident enough to carry out the task in the field without hesitation. The final and most important to me is drive.
Genetics
Essentially it’s the key factor in any well bred animal. The market is flooded with over bred and consequently ill-bred dogs. Dogs that in due time will develop health issues or may lack what they were originally bred for, such as a keen nose, biting ability, their barking habits, and more. Not only are these natural bred abilities important but so is structure. I wouldn’t expect a shallow chested, short nosed, poor quality Shorthair to run a 4-5 day hunt out west. Nor would I expect a Labrador with poor hips and poor coat quality to sit through the frigid mornings on a foggy duck pond retrieving mallards. Look for a breeder that is breeding original key traits into their stock. Look for blocky build labs with a natural desire to retrieve; deep chested, high holding pointers; and in turn - independent, self sufficient, strong nosed hounds.
Willingness
Secondly I want a dog that is biddable - or demonstrates the willingness to please, whether that be for the handler or the dog itself. Sporting dogs and hounds are handled very differently. Most sporting dogs please and perform for their handler/owner. Hounds tend to be the opposite as they need to navigate their terrain on their own and trust their noses, treeing their quarry for the sole purpose of their own pleasure. But both worlds need to have a desire and willingness to please. A biddable dog is an unstoppable dog when afield! It’s almost as if it’s an art form within nature itself.
Drive
Lastly is drive, and this isn't trait that is taught. This is something I’ve learned the hard way and is what has led me to this article. Over the last several months I’ve been downsizing my string of upland dogs due to the simple fact of drive. I was carrying a conversation with a gentleman who raises and trains Pointers from the big skies of Montana all the way down to the rocky and unforgiving terrain of South Texas. I simply asked him about the genetic makeup and pedigree of a lemon Pointer I was interested in. He simply laughed and said papers have nothing to do with this breed. He stated it was about drive. That I needed to be able to hunt this particular dog and any pointer for that matter for 5-6 days straight at a full day’s hunt. Then rest for 1-2 days and repeat. He said if that dog was willing to be collared up, hit the terrain, and stick birds then he would be worth keeping on the string. You can condition hounds and sporting dogs 24/7 365 but if they don’t have the desire or the drive to make it happen then why let them perform?
As I stated previously I’ve been going through a phase of major transition in my kennels. I’ve taken Genetics, Willingness to Learn, and Drive into account when selling and buying dogs for my program. This has led to the thought of “is too many, too much?”. As a breeder, I have to also realize that this needs to be done for the particular breed at hand and not for myself or the revenue that follows. If you’re struggling to decide if that dog is right for your lifestyle, make a checklist that includes those three items and put them at the top of your list. Plus, we all know your spouse/significant other will likely thank you for downsizing your pack!
As always, I will leave you with this quote:
“When a man is proud of his dog and shows it, I like him; When a dog’s proud of him and shows it, I deeply respect him”
Jacob Shipley
Full Flight Kennels
