Summer 2010 Trainer's Report
Summer 2010 in Pennsylvania so far can be described in a
word. That word is HOT. It has been hard getting all the dogs
worked, but myself, Art Bruno, Ron Neifert and our newest staff
member, Lisa Price, have been getting it done! Several young
dogs are impressing us with stylish birdwork- coming
derbies, Attitudes White Ash , owned by Scott Turner and David
Boone, Lookout's Primetime, owned by J.R. Williams, Hold'em
Molly, owned by Larry Craig and a setter named Ace's Wired owned
by Dennis Beauford look to be outstanding prospects. We have
had several visitors to the kennel this summer including Paul
Ober of Celtic red setters, Pedrag Kazic and Chris Rarich both
from the empire state, and Rich Warters from north Carolina
along with the Romeo family also from the tarheel state. Our
summer wild bird training will commence on or about the first of
August. We again this summer will be fortunate to have access
to the Murphy farm which has a ample supply of grouse and
woodcock. Our game plan is to have about a dozen coverdogs
ready for the fall season with a lengthy trip to Michigan for
the three coverdog championships. Hope everyone has a productive
and safe summer as we look forward to the first trials. Good
luck to all.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Ecker Jr.
Midnight Kennel
Tip from a
Pro
Published in The Flushing Whip, (official newsletter of the
National Red Setter Field Trial Magazine.)
I'll answer your question on shooting birds over
trial dogs. I feel it
is a matter of the individual dog. I seldom shoot or kill
birds over young dogs that I am developing for trials. I
feel it is just another reason that they will want to break.
If they are allowed to fetch birds and break when they are
young, it makes it harder to break them. I do get a lot
of young dogs in for trials that have been gunned over and it
isn't the end of the world. In fact, these dogs
often have tremendous drive and bird finding abilities, but the
fact is these dogs will always remember having birds in their
mouths. That is also why "bad training birds" with a young
dog is also a big disaster. You should try to avoid using
weak flying birds that a dog can catch. There are
occasions that killing birds over dogs can be used to fix
different problems. Shooting birds on the ground in
front of a dog can be used as a cure for flagging. It
isn't 100%, but I've seen it work with quite a few dogs.
Also some dogs that are not real intense can be "fired" up on
birds by bringing back a shot bird or allowed to mouth a bird or
two. Each dog should be interpreted individually in all
aspects of training, but for the most part a well bred dog
probably will not need to have birds shot over it to be
developed into a field trial contender. Finally a polished
well broke trial dog can certainly make a great gunning dog too,
if just not allowed to break and retrieve. I hunt all my
trial dogs, I simply don't allow them to break or mouth birds.
