Edward D. Bailey of Eden Mills, Ontario, thinks it’s their temperament.
Mr. Bailey is one of the founders of NAVHDA – the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association.
In this article (pdf) from the Illinois NAVHDA chapter’s website, he talks a little bit about why he believes today’s field trials are turning out dogs with the wrong temperaments.
It’s a interesting and quick read that I’m sure has stirred up a lot of controversy in NAVHDA and field trial circles.
Some interesting quotes::
“Every dog’s particular temperament comes pre-packaged with the dog. It cannot be created as an afterthought.”
and
“So again, do field trials really improve breeds? For the field trials, yes, but for the average hunting dog, they are probably detrimental.”
And here’s a photo of my high-strung field dog. This is Puck, an English Pointer out of Elhew lines.
