I will tell you from 30 years experience raising dogs that a top performing, prepotent male dog that consistently produces dogs that are as good or better then he is, is as scarce as hens teeth......and a female that fits the above is even harder to find.
And gentlemen thats a fact that NO true dog breeder will ever deny........
I am always looking for a top male cur dog to breed to, have hunted with dozens and 99% of the time I am dissapointed in what other guys "think" are really good dogs. Problem as I see it is, they have no idea what a good dog really is. Of course, my opinion is different than many I am sure, but I want a dog that will hunt, find, bay and keep bayed a hog by himself, with NO help and do it consistently. Its amazing how few dogs there are out there (percentage wise) that can do that....let alone produce it!
I couldn’t agree more Cracker..
If a man gets to own just one in his lifetime of as you say “ top performing, proponent male dog that consistently produces dogs that are as good or better then he is “ he can count his lucky stars. That combination of talent and ability in the woods and breeding shed is truly rare. My family and I have been consistently using, hunting and raising cur dogs for nearly 40 years and I can basically count on one hand the one’s I have seen. But you know what, that same principle is true with many animals, Race horses, using horses even show cattle. That is just the way it is. As well bred as they may be, as well as a man may plan it, I am of the opinion when it dose happen; they are freaks they are so rare.
That problem of folks definition of “Good” is something I am very aware of and have brought up many times, it truly is all over the board. If interested in a man’s statement for some reason or for his own use, it’s dang wise to investigate the man making the statement as to his knowledge, ability, honesty and motive. I mean, If I am interested for some reason, want a pup or want to breed to a dog, let me see his definition of good at work, see if works for me.
Cracker, I see nothing wrong with a man selling pups or dogs.. It just depends on the man, his motive and the situation. A man doing what you say you are, I totally understand it. It’s when the small or large puppy mill folks, snake oil salesmen with all the false claim, lies, deception and promises about a pup come into play is when I have a problem with it. I haven’t ever sold pups but if I did and even with the ones I give away, I tell them, I don’t know if that pup with be worth a flip or not. He could or should be at least decent if given the opportunity. His mom and dad are, (we don’t breed unproven dogs) But a man don’t really even know till he sees the finished product. I tell them we get some culls and one of our own pups could be culled any time along the way to becoming a finished dog for any number of reasons. I also tell them to forget about the 9 month old “super dog” because contrary to what many say, they aren’t gona be finished at 1 ½ or 2 years old, not a hog dog or cow dog anyway. You just have to know what you are looking at when you see it and judge accordingly all along the way. You have to hunt them and expose them consistently; there are no short cuts. Best thing, when you go to the woods with one, don’t see and concentrate on the 2 good things you see, watch, see and acknowledge the 20 bad things you see, expect them, react to them and deal with them.
If a man wants to know if he probably has a good dog, I totally agree with a statement you made and it is something we do with every dog at some point. The final test is… send him by himself, go see if he can consistently find, track, stop, bay and hold a hog by himself… Key word is consistently. Till then I call him decent or pack dogs if they made it that far.
Just my opinion
