Ribbon Dog vrs Rock Dogs

[Deadly D]

Originally Posted by Spunt Drag

What is your definition of a "good dog"? I know you just described your dog, but what would be the attribute you look for when you hunt with someone else's dog? What does that dog do that makes you say "man, he/she has a real nice dog"?

My definition of a good dog is one the owner is happy with. Some I wouldn't give you 2 cents for but they are happy and does what they want them too. Just tired of rock dog talk and you have to train your dog this way to be the best so I called him out

[Spunt Drag]

Originally Posted by Deadly D

My definition of a good dog is one the owner is happy with. Some I wouldn't give you 2 cents for but they are happy and does what they want them too.

I understand but that doesn't answer my question. For example; if I saw a dog that could be "no'd" off of 2 dead birds he saw fall, floating on both sides of the pond, and run a blind in between and past them to pick up a cripple he didn't see fall (a common field trial setup called a "poison bird blind") that would make me say "man that's a nice dog". I don't care how he/she got there, if it was FF'd or not, what training methods were used, etc. I'm not judging how other people get their animals to work for them. I'm just wondering what people's opinions and expectations were.

[mallardhead]

Im agreeing with W hunted with some high dollar dogs and would work beautiful but could not finish the job because they had no nose but had titles coming out the wazoo.

[Deadly D]

Originally Posted by mallardhead

Im agreeing with W hunted with some high dollar dogs and would work beautiful but could not finish the job because they had no nose but had titles coming out the wazoo.

They must have had a coonazz training them

[kb7722]

Originally Posted by Deadly D

They must have had a coonazz training them

I do not have any problem with people sending their dogs to a trainer even though I prefer to do my own training. I do have a problem with people you think they can send their dog to a trainer and its going to come back do everything they dreamed of. The problem here is the owner needs to be trained as well. They need to learn how to communicate with the dog in a way that is consistent with what the dog has been taught. Second, owner need to do alot of research before they just shell out $_k to a "trainer". I have seen several "professional trainers" at hunt test that are an embarrassment to the profession. These same trainers probably giving trainers a bad name in the hunting blinds as well.

I have read several replies that shows the true ignorance of the poster when it comes to "ribbon dogs". Most titled dogs have earned their titles through Hunt Tests and not field trials. Real birds are thrown at hunt tests, shots are fired for every bird thrown, and there are usually decoys placed as a distraction.

Does this mean a "ribbon dog" is ready for hunting? No! The dog has many of the tools that he needs to be successful, BUT THE OWNER needs to work with the dog in the environment in which he will be performing. Trainers and test can only replicate the hunting environment to a certain degree.

All I am trying to say here is don't hold is against the dog when he doesn't perform in the field. Ribbon dogs or rock dogs are only going to perform to the level that they were trained. So blame the owner who is ultimately responsible for seeing that his dog is prepared for the situation they put them in.

[Nickt87]

Originally Posted by kb7722

I do not have any problem with people sending their dogs to a trainer even though I prefer to do my own training. I do have a problem with people you think they can send their dog to a trainer and its going to come back do everything they dreamed of. The problem here is the owner needs to be trained as well. They need to learn how to communicate with the dog in a way that is consistent with what the dog has been taught. Second, owner need to do alot of research before they just shell out $_k to a "trainer". I have seen several "professional trainers" at hunt test that are an embarrassment to the profession. These same trainers probably giving trainers a bad name in the hunting blinds as well.

I have read several replies that shows the true ignorance of the poster when it comes to "ribbon dogs". Most titled dogs have earned their titles through Hunt Tests and not field trials. Real birds are thrown at hunt tests, shots are fired for every bird thrown, and there are usually decoys placed as a distraction.

Does this mean a "ribbon dog" is ready for hunting? No! The dog has many of the tools that he needs to be successful, BUT THE OWNER needs to work with the dog in the environment in which he will be performing. Trainers and test can only replicate the hunting environment to a certain degree.

All I am trying to say here is don't hold is against the dog when he doesn't perform in the field. Ribbon dogs or rock dogs are only going to perform to the level that they were trained. So blame the owner who is ultimately responsible for seeing that his dog is prepared for the situation they put them in.

And we all say......Amen