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Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda

4K views 35 replies 25 participants last post by  LAwaterfowler 
#1 ·
Just wanting to get some stories form your guys on some of your dogs that you think could have made a showing in the trial circuit but was never used for those reasons. Maybe he/she was just a hunting dog or a pet but you know deep down that from their characteristics they would have been good at it. Or from the overwhelming drove in the duck blind you are certain you could have beaten some of the so-called field trial dogs out there. Just wondering. Cant wait to here some of your stories
 
#2 ·
Just wanting to get some stories form your guys on some of your dogs that you think could have made a showing in the trial circuit but was never used for those reasons. Maybe he/she was just a hunting dog or a pet but you know deep down that from their characteristics they would have been good at it. Or from the overwhelming drove in the duck blind you are certain you could have beaten some of the so-called field trial dogs out there. Just wondering. Cant wait to here some of your stories
Just what is a "so called field trial dog?" Sounds like you're trying to pick a fight.:cool:

Unless someone has run field trials, how could they make the comparison?:eek:

kg
 
#4 ·
I had a Super Tanker daughter, littermate, to NAFC Rams dam. She was to go south with a well known trainer and the day before they were to leave I got a call from him saying he had a big bucks client that wanted to send a second dog, would i clear a spot on the truck. He didn't take her and she really never caught up to where she might have been.
 
#5 ·
Just doing it for fun to hear some stories about dogs who were great friends, companions, and hunters. We all want top dogs with high drive and the competiton ability. Just wanted to hear about the "other" dogs you own or have owned. That were like i said great friends and hunters that were the best at their own jobs. Being a good dog, getting birds, or just laying around the yard
 
#6 ·
By the way you never know if the dog can be a field trial dog. Anyone can enter a dog in a licensed trial, but it's not really a Field Trial dog until yoou have a chance at picking up places. I hear a lot of people saying there dog should have beenin trials he retrieves every dummy I throw and never wants to quit.
 
#7 ·
Uh... I have had some wonderful dogs. I don't think that any of them would have made it in field trials. Field trial dogs have to be able to count. Old Jim Bob who is sure his dog is better than those so called field trial dogs don't know what the hell he's flappin his jibs about. (if your name is Jim Bob no offense)

I have had some of the greatest dogs anybody could ever want. Field trial material? I just don't think so unless you spend the money and get the pedigree. I have one now with the pedigree and I think he's got the juice. I think he's missing out on the trainer (me) , but we'll see.
 
#10 ·
My current dog absolutely could have been a player except for one problem.....me.

Chris if I may paraphrase a statement you made in another post, "My dog has been home schooled", but by a "parent" that never went to school themself;););)
 
#11 ·
I have a 7 yr old dog that has his AFTCH title here in Canada.
I have had other dogs that may have done well in field trials but did not get a chance in the All-age stake because of my personal choices.
I've hunted them all and trained them myself.
If I had to chose between either of them, for an extra 5 yrs together it would make for a very tough decision. Titles aren't everything.
 
#12 · (Edited)
When I was about 20 yrs old (30+ yrs ago now) I decided I was tired of rowing my small fiberglass boat around to pick up the ducks I shot on Presque Isle Bay (on Lake Erie). I had seen a few guys hunting with retrievers out on the bay and all I knew was that when I saw those black dogs picking up ducks on the bay, it looked pretty cool. Alot better than me rowing around that was for sure. I decided I needed a duck hunting dog.

I bought a little black pup from a fella in town that had a litter. I think I paid $150 for the little guy. Named him Jackson. I then got a book about training retrievers . "Training Your Retriever" by James Lamb Free, followed some of the stuff in the book to train Jack to be my hunting partner.

Jack turned out to be a duck and pheasant hunting machine. Everyone wanted to hunt with Jack. One day I was looking at the names of the big time retrievers listed in the back of that book and thought I recognized a dogs name. Dug out Jack's pedigree and found that he was a grandson of 1972 - 1975 NAFC, FC, CNFC River Oaks Corky. Corky had 174 AKC Ameteur Points, and 289.5 AKC Open Points.

Looking through the pedigree he also had Dual Ch. AFC Alpine Rocket, CFTC Bakers Jerry; FC, AFC Cimaroc Tang; 1961 & 1963 Nat'l Ch., 1966 Can.Nat'l. Ch., FTC, AFC, AFTC Del-Tone Colvin; FC, CFTC Duxbak Scooter; FC Martens' Mr. Nifty: FC Nassau and Royal of Garfield blood in him. I still have that book today with Jackson's family members highlighted.

That little guy deserved more training than I could ever give him. He was nothing more than a meat dog, but he had the lineage and desire to be much, much more. Jack lived to be 13 yrs old, then cancer struck him down. Was with me through the birth of my son, thru a divoroce , beginings of a second marriage and family. Jack instilled me the love I have today for the retrieving breeds. I wish I could have given him more. His only limitation was me. I still miss that little black dog. All 55 lbs of him. One day we'll hunt together again.
 
#21 ·
When I was about 20 yrs old (30+ yrs ago now) I decided I was tired of rowing my small fiberglass boat around to pick up the ducks I shot on Presque Isle Bay (on Lake Erie). I had seen a few guys hunting with retrievers out on the bay and all I knew was that when I saw those black dogs picking up ducks on the bay, it looked pretty cool. Alot better than me rowing around that was for sure. I decided I needed a duck hunting dog.

I bought a little black pup from a fella in town that had a litter. I think I paid $150 for the little guy. Named him Jackson. I then got a book about training retrievers . "Training Your Retriever" by James Lamb Free, followed some of the stuff in the book to train Jack to be my hunting partner.

Jack turned out to be a duck and pheasant hunting machine. Everyone wanted to hunt with Jack. One day I was looking at the names of the big time retrievers listed in the back of that book and thought I recognized a dogs name. Dug out Jack's pedigree and found that he was a grandson of 1972 - 1975 NAFC, FC, CNFC River Oaks Corky. Corky had 174 AKC Ameteur Points, and 289.5 AKC Open Points.


That little guy deserved more training than I could ever give him. He was nothing more than a meat dog, but he had the lineage and desire to be much, much more. Jack lived to be 13 yrs old, then cancer struck him down. Was with me through the birth of my son, thru a divoroce , beginings of a second marriage and family. Jack instilled me the love I have today for the retrieving breeds. I wish I could have given him more. His only limitation was me. I still miss that little black dog. All 55 lbs of him. One day we'll hunt together again.

Now there is a guy who gets it!!
It's the journey, not the destination.

What a GREAT post!!
 
#13 · (Edited)
Interesting topic. I actually made the move this weekend to put my young dog on a pro truck. Her pedigree is off the charts, she has a ton of talent, and really wants to do it (and of course, she has a couple of issues ;) . While I would love to be around her more, I just feel like I owe it to her to develop whatever potential she has. These high rollers want to work, that's their gig, their deal. We are gonna give it a good run...if she can do it, then we'll keep going, and if she can't then I will never have to say "woulda, coulda, shoulda"
 
#14 ·
I have a male here that I wish I could do more with (ie send out)....He will never run all-age stakes....but hopefully with continued training he will be able to run a Q by the time he is 7 yrs old.... LOL

Juli
 
#15 ·
Shoot, I've been "shoulda, coulda, woulda"ing all weekend about running my young coyote in a local HRC's Finished tests. Just wasn't confident he wouldn't get a whiff of something too good to resist and go hunting on the blinds, but now that I've seen the tests, I wish I'd run him.

'Course, if we ran and he blew up, I'd be "shouldn'ta, couldn'ta and wouldn'ta"ing...
 
#16 ·
Shoot, I've been "shoulda, coulda, woulda"ing all weekend about running my young coyote in a local HRC's Finished tests. Just wasn't confident he wouldn't get a whiff of something too good to resist and go hunting on the blinds, but now that I've seen the tests, I wish I'd run him.

'Course, if we ran and he blew up, I'd be "shouldn'ta, couldn'ta and wouldn'ta"ing...
Hey there Rick,

Nick Mike told me in an email the other day that he sure misses keeping in touch with his best buddy from college! (sorry if I typed that to you already within the past few weeks...I know I've been meaning to and don't think I"ve done it yet)
 
#17 ·
With our last dog I decided I did not want to put her through the ordeal of going to "camp" for months with training methods that would change her forever. I felt I'd been around enough and learned enough to teach her myself. The problem with that is, according to Jim Gonia,(paraphrase) "A dog needs to see a 1000 marks and run a 1000 blinds before the will win a trial" something like that. Maybe its 10 times that and the quality of the task and dog. I could never find, the place, the help or time to train every day. At 6 years old Lucy is a great companion and hunting partner who is a lot of fun to train and play with. No separation anxiety and always ready to go. I love field trials, I'm just not sure of I want to put my dogs through the training they require to win anymore.
www.alaskadognews.com
 
#19 ·
I think if I have any regrets they are mine and not my dogs they are happy to just pick up birds. They don't really care if it's FT,HT,Training or hunting that there doing they are just happy being out doing what they love and being with me they have no idea what a title is.
Scott
 
#20 ·
I had a great a dog once. She would dive for cripples, found ducks we didn't shoot on the way out, would tree squirrels and retrieve them, did a hunt test or two, a marking machine and decent on blinds.

Oh yeah, she would kick a field trial dogs arse if it got to close to me. Hey they all have faults and hers was jealousy. Damn I miss her.

Tim
 
#22 ·
Interesting topic. I actually made the move this weekend to put my young dog on a pro truck. Her pedigree is off the charts, she has a ton of talent, and really wants to do it (and of course, she has a couple of issues . While I would love to be around her more, I just feel like I owe it to her to develop whatever potential she has. These high rollers want to work, that's their gig, their deal. We are gonna give it a good run...if she can do it, then we'll keep going, and if she can't then I will never have to say "woulda, coulda, shoulda"

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Last edited by junfan68 : Today at 11:10 AM.

I made that same decisionwith mine today. I reserved a spot with WAR EAGLE RETRIEVERS and she will be going middle of May. She also has a great pediree and i am looking forward to having many enjoyable years with her in the field and duck blind. These are great stories.
 
#25 ·
Titles and recognition is nice but

That dog in my avatar picture helped make me who I am today....poor old boy. He taught me so much more than I ever could dream to have tried to teach him.
That is the deal. They have so much to teach us.

Wag stuff when you are happy
Eat when it is there
Every day is a new day
Make do with what ya got
Life is simple if you let it
Don't matter what ya got- if we got each other it's enough

There are only a few things that really matter- a full belly, a tummy scratch, a warm place to sleep and someone to love -all the rest is just stuff.

Simple is better regards

Bubba
 
#26 ·
Titles and recognition is nice but



That is the deal. They have so much to teach us.

Wag stuff when you are happy
Eat when it is there
Every day is a new day
Make do with what ya got
Life is simple if you let it
Don't matter what ya got- if we got each other it's enough

There are only a few things that really matter- a full belly, a tummy scratch, a warm place to sleep and someone to love -all the rest is just stuff.

Simple is better regards

Bubba
Damn Bubba, you nailed it. Think Ill get that tattooed on my neck.
 
#31 ·
Kobalt Kate was a phenomenal bitch that I owned and trained in the 80’s who deserved better than me.

27 derby points, half dozen or so all age points on my limited budget. She could do it all but had the one terminal fault of being a breaker. She never failed to break on the honor when she was in the lead or on the flyer of a water quad in the last series after running a spotlessly till then.

When I was a teenager there was a local pro named Jim Rogers that would have his derby dogs pivot at heal on the line while the birds where being shot. I thought it looked cool and trained Kate to move with me as a young dog on the line like that. Little did I know that with a wild child the last thing on earth you want to encourage is movement on the line. (An object in motion always tends to stay in motion) We never did get it under control.

No dog ever did it better in training and we got to train with a lot of FC’s and several NFC’s over the years.

Sit means sit regards. …..Don
 
#32 ·
The one dog that will always be the woulda, coulda shoulda is a dog I never got to see but I heard about countless times from the owner and the story is a heartbreaker.That dog is

1963 NATIONAL DERBY CHAMPION - MIRK OF DAINGERFIELD

O/H JOHN LUTHER DVM

John had Mirk and was at a field trial and staying at some two bit hotel when he let Mirk out in a field to clean out, it was at night and not lit but Mirk did not return. John frantically searched but to no avail, he even spent the better part of the next two years going to every field trial, hoping somehow that Mirk would show up on someones truck. John used to tell me that story from time to time while he trained/mentored my brother in dog training and each time the tears grew larger and the heartbreak of what could have been grew deeper and deeper.
 
#33 ·
I had a female out of Kobalt Kate that I got from Joyce Williams-she lived to retrieve and LOVED upland hunting-Always ready to give her all- gave us a fine litter Wilderness Harley was the stud-damn wish she was here to teach me more!
At a sport show she was quite in a crate most of the day after her spot in the demo-on the way out she jumped on a table and tried to retrieve a bean bag with velcro on it that was used to throw at a target she rocked and could spot a bird going down in high cover-that is when I hit one. Love you Sugar!
 
#34 ·
Back in the 70's my first dog was killed (by a neighbor!) He was a good hunting dog and I made up my mind that to get another good dog I would buy from a big name kennel. I ordered a pup from Bigstone Kennels in MN. That dog drove me crazy for three hunting seasons. Don't remember the pedigree but I recall he had 12 FC's in his background. Rocky had so much drive that he could not stay in a blind. We'd just be sitting there jawin' and staring at empty skies and he would commence to whining and shiverin' so hard the blind would shake. Wasn't long till he'd explode out the blind and just run all over the swamp with me yellin' and cussin' at him the whole time. I didn't know anything about training a dog like that (Water Dog didn't have a chapter on hi-powered FT dogs) and finally gave him away. Before I got rid of him a friend who was into dog games asked to breed his bitch to him. Three of those pups went on the derby list! I got one of the pups and he was one of the best I ever had. Rocky changed hands two times after me and disapeared on opening morning in Oakwood bottoms with the first shots of the day. Last I heard of him he was tearing off through the flooded timber headed toward where the action was! They never found him. With a competent trainer he couldda' been a contender! :D
 
#35 ·
Rocky changed hands two times after me and disapeared on opening morning in Oakwood bottoms with the first shots of the day. Last I heard of him he was tearing off through the flooded timber headed toward where the action was! They never found him. With a competent trainer he couldda' been a contender! :D
That actually breaks my heart. :-(

M
 
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