Would ya rather

[aylaschamp]

Have a dog that finds a few birds and handles each one perfectly?


Or



Have a dog that finds all the birds and handles each one in a proper manner according to the situation?

Would you let perfectness slide for intensity and contacts?

[Benny]

That's a tough one! I wrote my answer in a split second and then my brain caught up...
My revised answer is that I would lean towards perfection. I'm in it for the dog 80% and the other 20% is for dinner on the table. I would guess both answers balance out. A ton of birds poorly handled to average = a handful on the tailgate. A handful of birds properly handled (with a decent gunner ) = a handful on the tailgate.

[slistoe]

I guess I don't get the question. Perfectly vs proper manner. HuH?

[aylaschamp]

A ton of birds poorly handled to average = a handful on the tailgate. A handful of birds properly handled (with a decent gunner ) = a handful on the tailgate.

I'm talking about perfection compared to expected behavior. Would you want your dog to do the same thing every time or accept less than exact behavior (following walking birds, chase singles, relocate on a moving covey) for finds?

[Benny]

Oh heck no. Where's the fun in a monochromatic dog. I like a good surprise and its fun to see them thinking on their feet. No doubt it's a game, and if you play by the same strategy every time it would get pretty old.

[h.q.s]

Yeah, when my dogs got a taste of running roosters, I am talking a dog goes on point, then all of the sudden you see a rooster running up the next mountain. I loved to see them learn how to handle it, they had to be fast, and think on their feet. Where I recentely had a dog, but she is now sold, where she handled everything perfectly, but the same everytime. Didn't matter if it was running, on sight, scent, whatever.... she woulld do what was expected and did it perfectly. She was a GREAT dog to hunt with, but there was no adventure and surprise to it. Where the dogs I have now, are learning to handle different terrain differently, handinling running birds, or handling those birds that won't budge unless you basically stop on them.

I am a little confused on teh question, so I hope my answer isn't to far off base.

[aylaschamp]

Interpret the question any way you want and give your opinion. There is no right or wrong answer or single question. It's a test on how the majority of people want their dogs.

[tommyboy72]

I would rather have a dog that makes mistakes once in awhile out of intensity and drive than a robot dog who plods along and is afraid to make mistakes because they are afraid they are going to be scolded or get a buzz for it. My young pointer usually locates wild pheasant and points them from about 15 to 20 yards back and holds then when I get to her she will slowly begin to move forward to where the bird is usually because the bird has relocated and then I let her go in and flush her own birds which has not affected her in the least she still points and holds till I get there. It took her a season the get this down but this is what she does 90% of the time. She still hunts fast and bumps a bird here or there but not many. I would rather have this type of behavior than a dog who points pheasant from 15 or 20 yards back and then holds steady and makes me have to walk out in front of them and find the bird because sometimes hunting wild birds ain't like hunting released birds where the bird is going to just sit there or will walk straight out from the dog, sometimes wild birds walk left, right, or behind where the dog originally pointed it. Even if you do walk out and flush it in front of the dog you are standing in the dogs line of sight which makes it harder for the dog to mark a downed bird. So in my case I like a dog who does not do everything text book perfect but does what I like and what puts birds in the freezer as well as what is fun to watch. It is a lot more fun to hunt behind a thinking and intelligent dog than a dog that just does what it is taught or instructed to do. JMHO

[WildRose]

A dog that doesn't screw up occasionally isn't showing enough drive and desire to hold my interest for long.

[adogslife]

Are you saying that a dog that handles each bird perfectly is different than a dog handling according to the situation?
Handling a bird according to the individual situation IS handling birds perfectly.
The first dog has a poor nose and no confidence and perhaps not enough intelligence, to make split second decisons that will put birds in the bag.

[bobman]

When I quit missing birds, when I quit being lazy and not following dogs to the prize because I'm tired, when I lose another 40 lbs uh you get the picture

thats when I will expect perfection from my dogs

[BoJack]

Would rather have a dog with a few contacts that handles them perfect.I'd let perfection slide for intensity and contacts to a Certaion Point,until I know it's time for them to put the Total Picture together.And the time frame will differ with different dogs and ages and trainability.Nothing like shooting birds over a well trained finished dog,but the dog work matters to me more then shooting the birds anymore,it was the opposite when I was younger.

[Ruffshooter]

A dog handling birds according to the situation is handling birds perfectly. IMO.

[schmidty_dog]

Intense dog finding all the birds... sounds awesome to me.

[Sandy Meador]

I want to see a dog that performs to his natural ability and to the level that the trainer has achieved or desires. What I want is to see the dog having fun and enjoying himself - while having the hunters enjoy themselves also. If there are few birds and all goes well, everyone has fun. JMHO

[pstrman]

I would have to go with having a dog that can figure out each and every situation it runs into. There is nothing better than watching your dog access the situation, apply the training, then let their instincts take over and handle it. My old GSP knew the whole system, she locates, points, I flush the bird, shoot the bird and then it's retrieve time. The only problem with this was me a lot of the time. She did her part but after a few misses on my part she would look at me as "would you get with the program". You and your dog are a team and both screw up royally at times, give grace to the dog and they will have grace for you.

Bryan