In the end of your post you focus on trials and testing. My experience is with walking, horseback trials, BDC type events, AKC Hunt Tests but mostly hunting dogs. I have not had the opportunity to observe NAVHDA testing. In my opinion the subjectiveness of what an individual expects from a dog, and the diversity of the venues makes your question tough to answer. It is my belief that any well bred dog given the proper time and training can be an AKC master hunter. If the dog has genetics and discipline you can reach a standard. It isn't hard; it is far more difficult to have and keep a wild bird dog steady to wing shot and fall with a trained retrieve.
When you enter the realm of judged events you have a standard to meet and then the subjectiveness of style. It is important because it is largely thought to be the measure of the x factor in the dog, all things being equal (training per se) what makes this dog that much better than that one. Some of it will be genetics, and some of it in my opinion is
how much dog is left in it? In a hunting dog we often see the same thing, I hope Sue doesn't mind but read her example of her two dogs...
Our female, Tessa, is better about keeping tabs on us, so she is rarely out of sight. Our male is apt to get himself involved in something interesting and get concentrating on it for a few minutes. But when he "comes up for air" he looks for us, and if he cannot locate us right away he can go a bit panicky and run back down the trail (we see him on the garmin) and if he really feels "lost" (has happened half a dozen times) will even let out a "puppy howl", sort of a call to us, and we'll call back then he finds us. Its pretty funny, although somewhat pathetic in the sense of his anxiety, poor dog. He's very emotional.
These dogs are clearly close to thir owners and dependent on them, it will show in their performance in the field. It won't matter at the preserve or in tight quarters, and many, many folks want their dog in sight, simply point the bird long enough to get it shot, then retrieve it and the rest is irrelevant. In my opinion this is a beautiful thing and no one has the right to decide if thats right or wrong for an individual, but it will not cut it in competition.
This is a quote from Ezzy ...
Plus they aren't going to start as early and try to finish as early since there is a feeling that the dogs that are finished later retain it better. Doing things early makes the owner feel good but doing it later makes the dog feel good.
Professionally trained dogs finish out later and it isn't always from lack of training, all training takes pressure whether we recognize it as such or not. In the end that will show up in a dog. They will be better in the house, they will behave better at Starbucks, they will make us feel better by staying in sight on the hunt, but they will be dependent. I want a performane dog to be independent and disciplined when maturation dictates it. I do not want a pointing dog that is compelled to return to my feet, or to look for direction. I want the to confidently seek objectives on their own, that is their oart of the job. This dog can live in the house or in the kennel, it can ride in the front of the truck, it can lay around the yard all day long, but for lack of a better way of saying it...it has been allowed to find itself. We didn't make it a little person from day one we let it be a hunting dog.
when i have rescue dogs its the same thing we take them with us and train often in order to rehome them since most of them come to me hyper, disruptive, sick, with little to no training/obedience..i spend alot of time with all the dogs to build trust and a relationship in order to make training more effective and easier for me to read the dogs by getting to know them each individually..ANYWAY my question comes from a few folks i know that really dont do much in the lines of "bonding" or building a relationship with their dog, they mainly hunt and train the pup or dog and kennel them due to the amount of dogs they have it seems..because i have only 6 dogs at the most at times im rescuing i am able to devote ALOT of time to each dog as its needed..we went to a preserve yesterday to discuss with the owner training on his grounds and about getting some chukar from him in the future and he has 15 dogs and LOTS of birds and we got to talking about training ect..he said jersey was really doing good in her training but its mainly because of the time put into her and if i had 15 dogs like he did it would be practically impossible..let me start by saying I AGREE that because jersey is my only hunting dog ALOT of time goes into her training BUT do you think its because of the time spent WHEN NOT TRAINING that helps with her training if that makes any sense..do any of you think that if your dog is a companion in your home it is a better hunting companion, would do better in test and trials?? i am new to tests and never even seen a trial but i wanted to ask those of you MUCH MORE experienced and who have seen alot more birddogs than i have to give some insight on how a dogs attitude, performance, behaviour, balance and confidence is effected or influenced by being in a kennel or being in the home..sorry for the long post but i want to really get some input since when i move i plan to begin a kennel and not have my dogs in the house as much and will not have as much time for one on one but i want to maintain balance for all of them...thanks so much for any input/opinions....ruth 
....ruth
