Bird dog fellers?

[QuillGordon]

Bare or bear with me here but do u find some bird dog fellers have serious competitive issues, to the point of teetering on the obvious side of serious pathological psychosis. If so, why do u think this is other than inferiority complex? Personally, I find exaggerations and half truths to be the same as flat out lying. I have little patience with it & find it an insult to my intelligence, which is slightly above a Neanderthal, according to my wife.
Surrender yer thoughts

[gonehuntin']

If you find a person that competes in field trials competitively, that is on the road with his dog's continually, being a winner is THE most important thing in that person's life. It is greater than their family, their job, nothing can top the thrill of competition. They are competitors the same as great athletes. If you get any ribbon but blue you're simply the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th place loser. Many will never understand them but for the true competitor it's "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat". Many have been divorced, many are alcoholic's. They drive themselves as hard as they drive themselves. People mean little to them, the dogs are everything.
Few people will EVER understand them.

[Mountaineer]

Bare or bear with me here but do u find some bird dog fellers have serious competitive issues, to the point of teetering on the obvious side of serious pathological psychosis. If so, why do u think this is other than inferiority complex? Personally, I find exaggerations and half truths to be the same as flat out lying. I have little patience with it & find it an insult to my intelligence, which is slightly above a Neanderthal, according to my wife.
Surrender yer thoughts

With the term "bird dog fellers" are you meaning to imply field trial participants or bird hunters or just message board posters

My thought is that I find competition, nearly pathological emotional issues and inferiority complexes in many posts on many dog-related websites, especially birdhunting websites.....some springing up thru dense laurel in Pennsylvania's God's Country... some with quiet connections to Maine game warden dings.
As I also find that superiority issues create many threads to start with....from some people....as does age, alkehol, boredom and January.
Make it a good day.

[bustingcover]

Two reasons.

1. Most people are highly defensive about their dogs
2. Men like bragging, lying and arguing in bars and on the internet.

[shags]

Anyone can exaggerate or tell half truths about their dogs, but one thing I know, in competition formats the dogs' performance is laid out there for many eyes to see, so embellishing on it won't get anyone anywhere. Usually.

[Timewise65]

I have worked my retrievers in hunt tests for years and spent time with many pro trainers who run dogs in trials. It has been one of the most fun things I have ever done in my life. A hobby that both my wife and I enjoy. And since I am a bird hunter with two adult sons and two Grandson's comin up to hunt, it all works well for us.

Like anything I have ever done I meet all types of people. But I honestly cannot say that I find 'bird people' much different from people I have worked with, played sports with, or gone to church with. Some people talk a lot, some people are braggarts, etc. etc. but most people, if one takes time to get to know them a bit, are really good people.

So I do not agree with your basic premise, but like belly buttons we all have opinions...that's my $0.02 worth!

[ezzy333]

I used to have what I hoped was an inferiority complex but then it was discovered I was just inferior. I still wonder how people determine the difference.

[Dakotazeb]

I have worked my retrievers in hunt tests for years and spent time with many pro trainers who run dogs in trials. It has been one of the most fun things I have ever done in my life. A hobby that both my wife and I enjoy. And since I am a bird hunter with two adult sons and two Grandson's comin up to hunt, it all works well for us.

Like anything I have ever done I meet all types of people. But I honestly cannot say that I find 'bird people' much different from people I have worked with, played sports with, or gone to church with. Some people talk a lot, some people are braggarts, etc. etc. but most people, if one takes time to get to know them a bit, are really good people.

So I do not agree with your basic premise, but like belly buttons we all have opinions...that's my $0.02 worth!

+1

Not quite sure what the OP's purpose of this thread is. No matter what you do in life, or where you go, you will find all kinds of people. Mostly great people, but always a few you just don't want to associate with. I don't see "bird dog fellers" any different.

[deke]

I think its basic human function, especially men are driven to try to prove that they are better than the rest. Whether that is bird dogs, hunting, the old chevy vs ford debate; you can see it anywhere you go. It is so ingrained in our DNA that most of the time we don't even think/notice that we are even doing it. If you are ever at a bar, look at how the men act when a very good looking woman walks in; all of a sudden the guys are flexing there arm muscles and puffing out there chest while not trying to look obvious about doing so. Watch someone who is working out, if they have fifty sit-ups to do; and you keep count chances are they will stop in the mid forties and say they did fifty. Why would they do that, its no benefit to them, it only is counter productive; they do it so that they can look better in front of their peers.

[Sharon]

I used to have what I hoped was an inferiority complex but then it was discovered I was just inferior. I still wonder how people determine the difference.

LOL

Yes I find "bird dog fellers " to be annoying sometimes, but not as bad as bird dog ladies.
No matter the subject , when someone is VERY knowledgeable/ experienced others will say they are arrogant know -it-alls. Not so.

[Meller]

I used to have what I hoped was an inferiority complex but then it was discovered I was just inferior. I still wonder how people determine the difference.

Spelling!

[Shellottome]

My friend quill, competition is part of American fabric that makes us better than any other country in the world. The auto industry, restaurant industry, clothing industry etc. They all compete and that's why we have the best. I thank god for the competitive folks in the dog world. We breed to make better dogs than our counter part. This is how incredible dogs are made. I don't feel like it's an inferior complex. It's just the drive to be the best and have the best.


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[Dakotazeb]

My friend quill, competition is part of American fabric that makes us better than any other country in the world. The auto industry, restaurant industry, clothing industry etc. They all compete and that's why we have the best. I thank god for the competitive folks in the dog world. We breed to make better dogs than our counter part. This is how incredible dogs are made. I don't feel like it's an inferior complex. It's just the drive to be the best and have the best.


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Right on!

[NEhomer]

The few times I've watched bid dog competitions, I've been terribly turned off by weak planted birds the shooter has to literally kick in the air or take from the mouths of their pooch who caught the "bleep" thing.

Call me when they can make it more realistic.

[cjhills]

I used to have what I hoped was an inferiority complex but then it was discovered I was just inferior. I still wonder how people determine the difference.

LOL

Yes I find "bird dog fellers " to be annoying sometimes, but not as bad as bird dog ladies.
No matter the subject , when someone is VERY knowledgeable/ experienced others will say they are arrogant know -it-alls. Not so.

You got that right. Sometimes they call you worse names. Especially hiding behind a keyboard.
I think most new comers are turned off by the attitude at trials, but they do not realize the amount of time, money and emotions that go into getting the dogs to that point.
Most winners are competitive. Some get ate up by competitiveness......Cj

[shags]

I'm sorry some of you have had bad experiences.I can't say that in 40 years of being involved in trials, that I've ever met or expereinced a big blowhard know it all in your face obnoxious feller. There was one pro who wasn't braggy, but he was fairly loud and pushy towards the ft committee, but he was the only one. And when the committee didn't bow down to him, he chose to enter elsewhere. In all this time I remember only one guy who was judging, who was pretty rude to handlers whose dogs he didn't like. I saw him at one trial, and never again. Most committees don't tolerate that.

By and large, many of the pro competitors I know are rather quiet to newcomers. They will engage if approached, and will be friendly, but they don't chase new folks around the the parking lot looking to puff themselves up. Once they are acquainted, you couldn't ask for nicer, more helpful guys. Or gals. The amateurs seem to be more initially outgoing, and by and large are great people. Even the ones who might be a little much are welcoming and helpful.

IME the American Field guys are more standoffish than the AKC people. But they have never seemed rude at any of the trials I've attended. I've been to a couple NSTRA trials just to watch, and those guys were fine too. Other formats, I have no on the grounds experience with, but knowing a few folks who participate, I can't imagine them being anything but pleasant to newbies.

[Timewise65]

From my experience with the people who run and participate in Hunt Tests, Field Trials, and also Pro Trainers is that ...if you are serious about learning how to properly train and handle your dog, you cannot find a better place or group of people that are welling to share what they know. If you really want to learn, this is a place to spend some time, run your dog in a hunt test and if you ask, you can get some great feedback and suggestions on what you might want to consider to improve your pups performance....IN THE FIELD!

They will not tell you how great they are or how great their dogs are, but usually if you ask for help or for opinions, they will gladly share what they know....

This post is a bit goofy....anyway!

[RayGubernat]

The last two posts by Shags and Timewise mirror my sentiments.

One thing, that has been previously mentioned by several folks, is that the bragging and puffery at trials and tests is, I find, actually rather minimal. I am convinced that the reason for this is the fact that the dog's performance is a matter of record, having been witnessed and judged by independent arbiters, as well as a gallery of fellow competitors.

It is easy to, shall we say...expand the truth, or shine the apple a bit, when the incident in question is only witnessed by one individual. It is much more difficult to do when the incident in question is part of a witnessed, judged and documented performance.

Nobody goes to a trial to lose and nobody goes to a test to fail. But the fact of the matter is that in any stake at any trial there is only one winner. So everyone else and everyone else's dog is a loser. That is something that is very difficult for some to deal with. Hunt tests, in the same vein, are pass or fail. If your dog passes, it passes. if it does not, it fails. End of story.

When you put yourself and your dog out there for others to see and evaluate, what you see is what you get. Not everyone deals with it in the same way.

RayG

[shags]

To expand a little bit on what Ray said above, dealing with being one of the many losers depends a lot on attitude. We all go in to win; even with a green dog with little chance of getting around clean, there is always that hope. But lots of times things don't go the way we expect. Sometimes we get robbed, and that is difficult. But for every time we get robbed, there is a time we get a gift.
Back to regular old losing...Sometimes the dog just is terrible and you wonder WTH is going on. So you give him the hook and look for a better day. But other times, there is something great to smile about even if the rest of the performance wasn't up to snuff. Folks can leave the grounds smiling if they can say, "Yeah, he blew that back but man, did you see that cast on the hill?" or "He took steps on the flush but he looked like a million bucks until then". I don't think that's boasting, but more like a positive attitude. Most successful trialers I know have it.

[fishvik]

Criticizing a mans dog is right up there with criticizing his religion and family. What has always amazed me is the criticism of dogs that aren't pedigree. If you don't have to hunt with them why do you care what makes someone else happy?

[Sharon]

I remember once when I was new- and knew no one- having a long chat with a gentlemen who was extraordinarily helpful. Later someone said to me, "Do you realize you just got an hour with George Tracy?"

I've found the more successful the handler, the more helpful they are. I have some bad stories too, but I'll leave you with that.

[ezzy333]

You normally receive what you give.

[DonF]

If you find a person that competes in field trials competitively, that is on the road with his dog's continually, being a winner is THE most important thing in that person's life. It is greater than their family, their job, nothing can top the thrill of competition. They are competitors the same as great athletes. If you get any ribbon but blue you're simply the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th place loser. Many will never understand them but for the true competitor it's "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat". Many have been divorced, many are alcoholic's. They drive themselves as hard as they drive themselves. People mean little to them, the dogs are everything.
Few people will EVER understand them.

2nd place equals, Best of Loser's!