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runningwdogs
Posts:3
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| 06/26/2010 10:16 AM |
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I am not exactly sure where to post this, but I figured that more people would see it on a general discussion page then on the breeder/performance page.
I would like to get a young dog or a puppy in the next two years. I have never gotten a dog through a breeder - in fact I work in rescue, and I figure that it will take me about that long to find a breeder that I am comfortable with. I would like to get to know the history of the breeder as well as follow some of their previous dogs before I purchase a dog from them.
I am also waiting a bit because I currently have 3 dogs - and while I often foster dogs, I am not ready for the commitment of a 4th full time. Two of mine are older and are in poor health and I do not want to subject them to that crazy puppy energy. Two of my dogs trained and competed in agility, although never titled. I have recently stared Rally with one of my dogs.
I would like to compete in agility with my next dog and will probably also do some obedience. I have loved GSPs for a while and I think that they could be awesome agility dogs, but you don't see many trialing.
I was hoping to talk to some people who train/trial in sports other than hunting with their dogs. I was also hoping for some advice on which breeders or lines I should look into and which ones I should stay away from.
Any thoughts, suggestions, advice about the breed will be greatly appreciated.
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liz
Posts:6
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| 06/27/2010 4:26 AM |
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I had a go at agility with my then 7y old recue gsp, what a laugh, he loved it, sadly he is not up for it anymore as he is not in the best of health, they can do agility but you can't start until they are at least 18mnths old. |
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zodiakgsps
NW PA
MH
Posts:1059
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| 06/27/2010 5:06 AM |
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I would personally look for a breeder that does several venues with their dogs leaning more towards trials/hunt tests/NAVHDA/obedience than anything. A dog bred to "do it all" would be an excellent choice for you IMO.
I used to do agility, but just no time for it between field trials, water tests, hunt tests, showing that I do now and plus getting into NAVHDA, but I know several of my guys would excel at it, very athletic, agile and love to learn & work with me no matter what I throw at them. Where are you located??
Liz, I am curious as to why you dont start them until 18 mnths???? I hunt my guys much younger than that & a day hunting is much more strenuous than an agility course. Especially a day in the Allegheny national forest grousee hunting, running up and down steep hills, jumping downed trees, tough terrain. (mind you I havent done agility in several years, they could have changed the age to starting it??) |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:2438
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| 06/27/2010 5:52 AM |
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| I don't do hunting or agility but I know several people don't start their dogs on the jumps and stuff till they are a little older 12 or 18 months so that growth plates are stronger. Though the way my dogs run and rough house and jump all over I don't see how it matters unless they would be huge jumps that would leave a strong landing impact. I think you would want to start obedience and basic agility right away so that the pup can learn it...they can learn so fast when they are young that you want to throw as much at them as you can... |
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http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2553
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2554 |
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runningwdogs
Posts:3
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| 06/27/2010 8:47 AM |
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Thanks guys for the thoughts. You can't start trialing in agility until 18 months, but you start the foundation work as soon as 8 weeks - hopefully the breeder has done their part with the ENS and followed by general sensory manipulations. You can start certain obstacles early like the tunnel, but you don't want to start jumps until they are closer to a year.
An interesting thing that I have learned reading up on the breeders is that they clip the dew claw on GSPs. I assume that makes it safer for hunting. They do not clip the dew claw on most agility dogs because it helps them form tighter turns and they have found that they have less tendon issues on uncliped dew claws.
I think that I will stick around the board for awhile and learn what I can about the breed, and hopefully I will find a breeder that has good agility prospects - although a smart and driven dog can do almost anything, even if he wasn't particularly bred to do it. |
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zodiakgsps
NW PA
MH
Posts:1059
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| 06/27/2010 9:09 AM |
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That is exactly why I suggested you look at a line that focuses heavily in field events (smart and driven) for this, they like a job to do no matter what it is!! I have a dog who is a Bomb and Narc dog in NY, he also competed succesfully in field trials. (:
Right now I have 2 I am working a lot on multiple marks/retrieving from water, they LOVE it, are 1 yr old and succesfully doing trip marks and retrieves & one is starting on blinds already, she lives to retrieve!!!!!
Mine are Dual Champion bred, focus is on field ability and correct structure, 4 of which are dual pointed, all owner handled and trained. Several good dual kennels out there, one may be near you, what state do you live in???
Heres a list of a couple to look into:
Crystal kennels in NY has very nice field/show breeding
Rugerheim in NM produced the most duals in history (my guys go back to them)
Odyssey Kennel produces nice duals, think they are in Ill
Walnut Hills in GA has very nice dogs & are producing some top winning duals |
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singltrak
Las Cruces, NM
MH
Posts:1051
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| 06/27/2010 10:58 AM |
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And, I would also suggest that you speak with Dave Nauer in Colorado (he's on the board and hopefully will see this post). Dave is an AKC Agility judge as well as a breeder of multi-focused perfomance dogs (Karen is an AKC conformation judge and does tracking as well. Their kennel name is Voyager Kennels. Dave can clue you in on what you may wish to look for, and what kennels to seek in an agility performance dog.
Like Ann, I also suggest a Dual bred/focused dog but that too is preferential to us...not to mention I would crash and burn in agility! 
Good luck to you in your future search and let us know if we can help!
Phyllis and the Singltrak Furtribe |
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Look to the Past, Breed for the Future |
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zodiakgsps
NW PA
MH
Posts:1059
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| 06/27/2010 11:16 AM |
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| Aaaaah, another kennel to consider is Phyllis here, sorry for being remiss on that one Phyllis!!!! I didn't think about Dave....very good contact person. |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:6748
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| 06/27/2010 12:33 PM |
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I compete in obedience with all my dogs. They all get a CD or higher. Then I tend to specialize with my dogs from there (mostly due to time constraints).
My girl Halo (CH Madrone Heavenly Halo CD CGC) who I just bred, is focused on obedience and agility. She comes from strong DC lines. Her sire is a DC, but was also Obedience Sire of the Year this year. He is an Odyssey dog (Odyssey's Air Jordan). I bred her to a strong hunting (MH) and conformation dog (CH Southwinds American Pie MH) who also does allot of family hunt trips and is a wonderful dog. Halo's dam is a FC and only a few points off her DC, but has all the alphabet soup letters that come with the agility titles, and has good hunting/field and obedience lines in her pedigree. Halo was also HIT in obedience at the 2009 GSP Nationals in Denver. I am hoping to start competing her in agility in the Spring when she is back from maternity leave. I also hope to put her CDX on her at the same time. And if everything works out, she will be back at the Nationals in Wisconsin to see if she can defend her title and maybe compete in agility.
My oldest girl, Belle, got her CD, but really didn't like obedience (I think she was too smart). She loved to get in the ring and "improve" on the exercises. She was also not built for agility even though she loves it (I was afraid she would hurt herself). So, her new job is working as a therapy dog at which she excels. She works with severely mentally challenged kids of all ages (most have been abused as well) at the Austin State School. She is one of only a few dogs that has lasted in this setting as it is highly stressful for the dogs. Belle was my first GSP and I rescued her from a backyard breeder. At the time I didn't have any clue to her lineage as she was not AKC registered. Later when I researched her parents in the American Field Stud Book I found that she came from strong hunting lines (Dixieland's Rusty). I had no intentions of breeding her though and had her spayed.
My youngest boy, Ringo (Madrone Johnny Ringo JH CGC), is working on his CD (but he needs a bit more focus). He also has his Junior Hunter and we are working on Senior. I focus him mostly on hunt tests and obedience. I think he is actually going to make a better obedience dog than Halo (and she is top notch) once he gets more focus. His sire comes from an Odyssey/Walnut Hills dog named Gamble's Odyssey Fritz. Fritz is also a DC and was named Hunt Sire of the Year this year. Ringo has the same dam as Halo.
I am planning on keeping one of the females out of Halo's litter and hope to focus on obedience and agility, but will put a JH and her CH on her too. Who knows what we will end up ultimately working on, but I am hoping she takes after her mother a bit as I do love obedience and agility.
So, I guess the point I am trying to make here, is look at the pedigree with an eye to what you want to ultimately do with your dog. A versatile background it good, but conformation is also very important (and I am not just talking about the CH), especially if you plan on doing agility. Just because a dog is a CH, does not necessarily mean they are balanced properly for the agility ring either. And Ann, even though a dog is good in the field, it is very different from the agility ring. I would not argue that a good field dog can make a good agility dog, but not 100% of the time. It takes a really well balanced dog to make the tight turns and hit the jumps right in an agility trial and do it at the right speed to win. I have seen some great hunting dogs that I do not believe would do as well in the agility ring. If you are really interested in the "other" performance events with a shorthair there is a GSP Performance Group on Yahoo. Dave is one of the moderator's on that group and it would be a great place to ask questions. Here is the link: pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/PerformanceGSPs/
You will have to join, but they are a great group and can answer all your questions about GSPs and agility, obedience, rally, etc.
The only other thing I would add is do your homework (sounds like you already plan to), and ask lot's of questions. If you can, visit the dam and sire. Also, go and watch the pups if you can. Good luck in your quest, and as always we would love to see pictures when your find that special pup. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
     
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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runningwdogs
Posts:3
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| 06/27/2010 12:42 PM |
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THanks for the kennel names, that gives me a good start on who to start talking to. I am having some friends pull up the AKC agility and obedience lists and hopefully will get some more kennel names.
All of my past dogs have just shown up one way or another, and having to find a dog is a whole new experience for me! It's a lot of work! |
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