Gun Dog Forum

Trekmoor, who do the people in your country register their dog's with?

Hi Don, we register with the K.C. ...The Kennel Club, an organisation with almost a complete stranglehold on dogs of all kinds that are either shown or worked or which are only sold and kept as pets.

Some years back I argued against allowing the K.C. to take control of most of our gundog tests (They have controlled trials for many years.) We were doing fine without the K.C. having a finger in the pie but people like me were ignored and the K.C. took control of even our tests .....I think the K.C. is mainly interested in getting ever more power and ever more money.

I think the only exception to this is among the border collie people who actually work their dogs on sheep etc. They did not fully trust the K.C. to maintain the standards of work and of health they believe in and insisted on having a completely separate register for their working dogs.

Bill T.

That's interesting. Almost sound's like the AKC in this country.

Bill,

My friend trains herding dogs. When AKC began to register Border Collies, some of the BC bench fanciers were excited to train and enter some AKC sanctioned herding tests. My friend had a lady come by the farm for a lesson, who quickly vacated the premises when she got an affirmative answer to her question - "What?! Are the dogs expected to herd live sheep??!!"

That was about as bad as the time I secretaried a hunt test and someone was dismayed because the dogs were expected ro run around outside off-lead and look for real birds.

shags wrote:Bill,

My friend trains herding dogs. When AKC began to register Border Collies, some of the BC bench fanciers were excited to train and enter some AKC sanctioned herding tests. My friend had a lady come by the farm for a lesson, who quickly vacated the premises when she got an affirmative answer to her question - "What?! Are the dogs expected to herd live sheep??!!"

That was about as bad as the time I secretaried a hunt test and someone was dismayed because the dogs were expected ro run around outside off-lead and look for real birds.

That is not because of AKC. The rules for both are clearly explained. Some people don't bother to read them................Cj

???

Who said AKC had anything to do with it? I don't have of much anything against AKC - it's a giant capitalist company doing what it can to make more money. My -or anyone else's - choice to participate in its sanctioned activities or not.

I've seen some examples of what Shag's described in this country while taking training classes for the Versatile breeds. I had a few people complain that I wasn't training them in tennis court sized pens with 6 foot chain link netting around the perimeter....QUOTE ...."So that I can catch my dog."

Others complained that they wanted game in plenty on the land ....and then when I organised moorland hunting for grouse for them they complained that it wasn't suitable land because sheep were grazing on it. In a relatively small country like Britain it would be hard to find any sizeable area of moorland that does not have sheep grazing on it somewhere !

Then there was the lady who called me to ask for help with her viszla . I went out with her twice for about 2 -3 hours each time and I took no fee for this 1 -2 -1 training for her show winning viszla. She knew I took all day training classes for the versatile breeds too so she came to one of those classes too. When it came to her turn to work her dog I asked her to tell her dog to sit. The lady point blank refused to do that explaining that doing this would ...."Ruin the dog's presence in the show ring !" What utter nonsense.

I blew my top which is something I could easily afford to do because I took those classes for no fee too. I told her she was wasting my time that could be better spent on dogs that would actually be worked. The lady dissolved into tears then left never to return ...... I think I was better with dogs than I was with their owners ! All the same those classes I took were very popular ....most real gundog people don't mind being told when they are wrong even if my manner of telling them could at times be somewhat blunt !

Bill T.

Part about teaching the dog to sit is funny. Years ago I had a Springer from show lines, no hunting instinct to speak of. Sent her to a pro handler in Washington to show. I got to Tri Cities in Washington the last show and found out she took third in every show. No other dog placed in every show. Her problem according to the handler was I'd taught her to sit! He'd go around the ring with her and when was called to stop, plonk, right into a sit! I never did show her again, show just wasn't my thing. She was beautiful but never got interested in hunting although she loved swimming!

These day's I generally get pup's from Amer Fld lines. Then I can be pretty sure I'm getting a field dog!

I've often wondered why Brittany people seem to be the only breed owners who are obsessed with dual championships. Doing that ensures that just about any registered Brittany will be good to go in either venue.