Had a great day!

[Fishnfowler]

Problem is your dog was just that, a run off dog! Running big and running off are two totally different things. If a dog doesn’t handle for you, it’s useless. A dog can handle at 500-700 yards in open country, and in thick tight cover as well. Those huge running Pointers that compete in American Field All age Horseback trials have to run at Ames for 3 hours on a course that is pretty darn tight to win Nationals.  Not only that, many of those dogs are guided over on the big plantations in South Georgia off foot. My puppy that ran off and had a blast was doing exactly what I want him to do.  Building his confidence and running!  The time will come to put some handle into him, but that time is not now.

Btw.  Run off trial dogs don’t win trials. The good trial dogs handle like a dream.  I’m willing to bet that phrase was coined by someone who has never been to a trial.

I see my effort at construction was lost.  I'll bite.  If you need to get in a car to retrieve your dog, it has run off.

[jetjockey]

Problem is your dog was just that, a run off dog! Running big and running off are two totally different things. If a dog doesn’t handle for you, it’s useless. A dog can handle at 500-700 yards in open country, and in thick tight cover as well. Those huge running Pointers that compete in American Field All age Horseback trials have to run at Ames for 3 hours on a course that is pretty darn tight to win Nationals.  Not only that, many of those dogs are guided over on the big plantations in South Georgia off foot. My puppy that ran off and had a blast was doing exactly what I want him to do.  Building his confidence and running!  The time will come to put some handle into him, but that time is not now.

Btw.  Run off trial dogs don’t win trials. The good trial dogs handle like a dream.  I’m willing to bet that phrase was coined by someone who has never been to a trial.

I see my effort at construction was lost.  I'll bite.  If you need to get in a car to retrieve your dog, it has run off.

I agree 100%!  What you missed is that’s its a puppy, and that’s exactly what i want him to do.  Go have fun, and learn!  He’s also shown the trait that his grandma had though, and that was to always be able to find the front, somehow, someway.  That’s called handeling. And when it’s time, he will be trained to handle at extreme distances as well.

[merkelman]

How about them apples!  I need a drink!

[jetjockey]

You’ve obviously never had a dog that truely handled.  Go read Wildweeds post.  It’s a beautiful thing when you can simply change directions and know your dog will show up out front, even at extreme ranges.  That’s partially bred, and partially trained.

[Forks]

I personally like to see my dogs work and point. I've had big running EP's and sure I killed birds but it's was not the same only seeing half the picture being painted. Even in the prairies where i've spent 30 plus days in a row hunting on foot chasing running roosters found 300yd max is my preference. If I was on a horse I might feel different.

[Fishnfowler]

You’ve obviously never had a dog that truely handled.  Go read Wildweeds post.  It’s a beautiful thing when you can simply change directions and know your dog will show up out front, even at extreme ranges.  That’s partially bred, and partially trained.

Obviously you know nothing about me, how many dogs I've had, or trained.  Your statement about not having a dog that truly handled is dangerously close to insulting my dog, your hubris is shocking.  I'm consoling my bruised pride by thinking warm thoughts of your puppy locking on point 700 yards downhill in the chukarlands. 

[merkaba93]

Dang. So many feelings going on here.
I find if someone is doing something and I don't agree with it, but ultimaetly it's not hurting me. You do you. And move on.

Looks like you all are having fun slaying birds with your pups. You all have to be doing something right.

[jetjockey]

You’ve obviously never had a dog that truely handled.  Go read Wildweeds post.  It’s a beautiful thing when you can simply change directions and know your dog will show up out front, even at extreme ranges.  That’s partially bred, and partially trained.

Obviously you know nothing about me, how many dogs I've had, or trained.  Your statement about not having a dog that truly handled is dangerously close to insulting my dog, your hubris is shocking.  I'm consoling my bruised pride by thinking warm thoughts of your puppy locking on point 700 yards downhill in the chukarlands.

I wouldn’t send him downhill, and if he went downhill, I’d call him off.  What’s so hard to understand about that?   It’s posts like that that make me believe you’ve never had a dog that will go where you want it to go, and do what you want it to do, not where it wants to go. Ie, youve never had a dog that truely handled. That’s not insulting your dog, just making an observation.