Thread: Bracco Italiano

Originally Posted by Pointer

Sorry Mikee. I just miss the old show vs. work chestnut

Yeah 20 years my wife used to work for a lady who bred terriers (she had 30 of the little fuckers , boarders and JRs ) My wife used to say that the breeder was only interested in winning the "I am great look at me" certificates,

Originally Posted by Pointer

Mortensen mentions it in his book as the single biggest health issue he faced with his setters.

I missed that, interesting.

Originally Posted by mikee

Yeah 20 years my wife used to work for a lady who bred terriers (she had 30 of the little fuckers , boarders and JRs ) My wife used to say that the breeder was only interested in winning the "I am great look at me" certificates,

Those types of breeders, the glory hunters, are in working dogs too.

Originally Posted by Pointer

Those types of breeders, the glory hunters, are in working dogs too.

And every Trial dog must be placed in a show before it is bred from,

You're a page too late ducdog

that would kill off the working dogs and lines.

Originally Posted by Pointer

You're a page too late ducdog

LOL It was meant to be on an earlier page but somehow ended up here

Originally Posted by kawhia

that would kill off the working dogs and lines.

Why ? I agree some show dogs couldn't do the job they were bred to do, but others do their job extremely well and surely if a "show" dog was expected to win at a trial before it could be bred from, then the reverse would be true as well, a trial dog must win at a show before it was bred from, like Crufts, they have a game keepers class ( Labradors ) to be honest I think some people who breed strictly working dogs with no regard to breed type do that breed a disservice, form and function , not only do I want a dog to work but I also want the dog to look like the breed it is meant to be.

pass the pop corn...the two will never meet.

Relax, I'd be surprised if gundog trials survive another decade or two so it doesn't really matter

Originally Posted by Ducdog

Why ? I agree some show dogs couldn't do the job they were bred to do, but others do their job extremely well and surely if a "show" dog was expected to win at a trial before it could be bred from, then the reverse would be true as well, a trial dog must win at a show before it was bred from, like Crufts, they have a game keepers class ( Labradors ) to be honest I think some people who breed strictly working dogs with no regard to breed type do that breed a disservice, form and function , not only do I want a dog to work but I also want the dog to look like the breed it is meant to be.

You've got a bit backwards there mate. The "look" of the dog was obtained by breeding for purpose. The standards are applied later and is when the breed begins to deteriorate. If bred for purpose, it will look like a dog bred for that purpose. You do not need a standard to maintain type, good breeding for purpose will always prioritize that!

Originally Posted by Pointer

Relax, I'd be surprised if gundog trials survive another decade or two so it doesn't really matter

Not so. Trials, internationally, have a much no longer life expectancy, and while our current trialling models in New Zealand are extremely fallible it is highly possible a new format to test dogs for NZ conditions could easily become popular if handled well.

A format where hunters can still have fun with their dogs, like it used to be, would still work. We just have to get away from the current influences.

Originally Posted by Pointer

I've always secretly fancied a sequin jacket

@Pointer, what have you done with your hair ...