FT dogs do you hunt with them or not?

Like other have said, it's all in the timing. once the foundation is laied and you think that he or she, is a what I like to say ( a roady ) sure thing have at it, but I have lost a good prospect. When the nose take over because to many cripples at a young age.

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Originally Posted by awclark

YESSS! They love the hunting...rules are not quite so strictly enforced, standards are ever so slightly relaxed. Off to the dove field his afternoon, ducks in the morning.

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Sure takem huntin but I think relaxing the standard or not enforcing the rules is a bad idea.

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Originally Posted by j towne

What is everyone's idea of a field trial dog?
Are you talking about a dog that runs some Derby's and Q's or a dog that runs opens and Amateurs?

Also what is your idea of hunting the dog? 3-5 times a year or 10 to 40 times a year?

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My personal answer/opinion is that a field trial dog would be a dog that does derbies and Qs when young and runs opens and amateurs when older. I'd say that for a dog to continue to be considered a field trial dog over the course of its career, it should still be running trials. Otherwise it's a dog that used to be a trial dog.

The second one, I'd say "yes". Hunting a dog anywhere from 3 to 40 times per year is still hunting the dog.

Personal goals, time available and other stuff will vary.

I have a 6.5 year old lab who runs a few trials a year and he hunts a few times a year.

My personal opinion is that there's a balance. I think that if one waits until a dog has run trials and done trial training exclusively for too long, it can be a bit of a tough adjustment to get the dog to grasp real hunting. Can it be done? Sure!

I think that if one hunts a young dog too much or allows too loose of a standard too early, it can probably create some problems with trialing down the road. These problems could probably be ongoing.

I look at developing a multi-purpose dog (hunting and trialing) just like the rest of dog training. You put together a plan, but then you adjust as needed.

At this point in my life, I can't see having a retriever that I won't hunt. I can't see having a retriever that I won't "campaign" and try to take to whatever level we can enjoy.

Chris

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Originally Posted by Chris Atkinson

My personal answer/opinion is that a field trial dog would be a dog that does derbies and Qs when young and runs opens and amateurs when older. I'd say that for a dog to continue to be considered a field trial dog over the course of its career, it should still be running trials. Otherwise it's a dog that used to be a trial dog.

The second one, I'd say "yes". Hunting a dog anywhere from 3 to 40 times per year is still hunting the dog.

Personal goals, time available and other stuff will vary.

I have a 6.5 year old lab who runs a few trials a year and he hunts a few times a year.

My personal opinion is that there's a balance. I think that if one waits until a dog has run trials and done trial training exclusively for too long, it can be a bit of a tough adjustment to get the dog to grasp real hunting. Can it be done? Sure!

I think that if one hunts a young dog too much or allows too loose of a standard too early, it can probably create some problems with trialing down the road. These problems could probably be ongoing.

I look at developing a multi-purpose dog (hunting and trialing) just like the rest of dog training. You put together a plan, but then you adjust as needed.

At this point in my life, I can't see having a retriever that I won't hunt. I can't see having a retriever that I won't "campaign" and try to take to whatever level we can enjoy.

Chris

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Not trying to be a brown-noser or anything but, That about sums up the way I feel about it, better than I could dream of saying it.

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Originally Posted by Chris Atkinson

My personal answer/opinion is that a field trial dog would be a dog that does derbies and Qs when young and runs opens and amateurs when older. I'd say that for a dog to continue to be considered a field trial dog over the course of its career, it should still be running trials. Otherwise it's a dog that used to be a trial dog.

The second one, I'd say "yes". Hunting a dog anywhere from 3 to 40 times per year is still hunting the dog.

Personal goals, time available and other stuff will vary.

I have a 6.5 year old lab who runs a few trials a year and he hunts a few times a year.

My personal opinion is that there's a balance. I think that if one waits until a dog has run trials and done trial training exclusively for too long, it can be a bit of a tough adjustment to get the dog to grasp real hunting. Can it be done? Sure!

I think that if one hunts a young dog too much or allows too loose of a standard too early, it can probably create some problems with trialing down the road. These problems could probably be ongoing.

I look at developing a multi-purpose dog (hunting and trialing) just like the rest of dog training. You put together a plan, but then you adjust as needed.

At this point in my life, I can't see having a retriever that I won't hunt. I can't see having a retriever that I won't "campaign" and try to take to whatever level we can enjoy.

Chris

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I ran some Qs with 2 of my dogs. One even placed 3rd and I would never say he is a trial dog. Both are MH's and will never run another hunt test again. They will run some Q's here and there. But as far as Im concearned they are meat dogs. They get out 20-40 times a year hunting.

If a dog runs a occasional Q or D I dont consider it a trial dog. If a dog hunts like 3 times a year I dont consider it a hunting dog either. If you play basketball with your friends 3 times a year are you a basketball player?

When I think of a trial dog I think of a legit Derby Dog competiting a lot of weekends or a Young Q dog that is on track to run Amateurs or opens and compete with the big boys and girls. The dogs that are out there competing most weekends and following the circuits are my idea of a trail dog.

My Idea of a dog that hunts is one that in addition to "retrieving fallen game", hunts upland game in a way similar to a bird dog. That is to say , it finds the game and in some fashion indicates that it has done so and perhaps "holds" it so it can be flushed and shot.

My definition of a field trial dog is one that from time to time sees a few of the water series in the AA ..........


john

I never had a trial dog that didn't hunt.

Evan

Years ago I read a book by Robert Wehle about English Pointers - some of you might remember the Elhew pointers & their numerous NC's in that venue. The guy was obviously a very talented trainer - his take was that the dog will do what the circumstances dictate if properly trained.

I got into the sport so i could have a well trained dog to hunt with. Preparing for & competing in trials was a way of keeping the dog in condition. The bonus being, your dogs actions will tell you instantly whether a field is birdy or not.

I have 4 dogs cant hunt with them all. Old guy now 10 is my gun dog when he retires the next one moves into his place. BUT to tell the truth I'd rather trial than hunt. Tired of getting up at 4 in the morning messing with all the gear and freezing my butt of just to go out and get a duck or two. Anymore I hunt more for the dogs sake than mine. Just to get the old guy out for some fun. I dont think its a crime not to hunt a dog. My dogs get 10 times more ducks training and trialing than hunting.

I hunted my FC and he had a blast.. They know the difference between training, trialing and hunting...

Angie