Ann Left, and Dan Pointing. 8 Weeks old. Pointing a Pigeon. Their Story will be told after the video of their Puppy Test!
The Sire of Dan & Little Ann: FC Snips Spot-On Shooter SH
The Dam of Dan & Little Ann: Price Creek's Tessa
Coefficient of Inbreeding: 12.29 %
5 Generation Pedigree of Dan and Little Ann. 21 Dual Champions, 8 Master Hunters, 11 Senior Hunters, 1 Versatile Champion, 12 National Shoot To Retrieve Champions, 4 Field Champions, and 5 Hall of Fame. A Dual Champion is a show and field Champion.
Dan and Ann's Grandfather on Sire's Side.
Dan and Ann's Grandmother of Sire's Side.
Dan and Little Ann's Grandfather on Dam's Side.
Dan and Little Ann's Grandmother on the Dam's Side.
The Puppy Test of Dan and Little Ann. 8 Weeks Old.
This is the story of Dan and Little Ann. It had been about 7 years since I bought any dogs for our breeding program. We have added a few dogs but they were given to us, like Scout, Tonya, and Holly. I was asked by Rick Hopkins of Walnut Hill Kennel why I needed these two dogs with all the dogs we already had? The truth is I did not need any additional dogs for our breeding program. With our dogs and dogs of friends I had all the breeding stock, and future breeding stock I needed.
I wanted to raise a puppy from Walnut Hill, and Odyssey Kennels because they are Nationally respected Kennels, and I wanted first hand knowledge for a future book. Even though we were in the process of downsizing, we decided to get a puppy. The opportunity presented itself with the availability of the pups, from the correct breeder, at a price that allowed us not to get one pup, but 2 pups.
An add on Facebook showed up and Nick Reed of Ohio had a little of pups for sale at $700.00 a pup. There were 2 girls and 4 boys. I not being a huge fan of white dogs, just missed out on getting liver colored pups. That said I believe I got the two best pups in the littler. Because Nick was thinking of keeping this girl Ann, and his statement that the boy was also his top pick.
I had just sent 3 pups east by plane, and 4 dogs, and 3 pups east by ground, and was delivering dogs and pups north to California and Washington when I seen the add. My son Jeffrey went with me to Washington and we had just watched Where the Red Furn Grows, and thus the name of the pups Dan and little Ann.
I made the trip to Ohio to pick up the pups, and visit with Nick, and meet the pups mother. The total trip was approx. 7000 miles, and I went through 22 states.
Nick Reed is a knowledgeable breeder who knows exactly what he is looking for in a dog. For the most part he was into the bigger running field trial dogs but found they were not really to his liking for hunting dogs. Being a hunter at heart he wanted a dog more suitable to hunting. However he wanted to continue field trials so opted for the foot type trialing dog, vs. the horse back trialing dog. His end goal is to produce a Dual Champion, both a Champion in the show ring and a Champion in the field. Nick's thinking in this breeding was to produce such a dog. Nick's female and the mother to Dan and Ann is Price Creek's Tessa. Even though she is the daughter of DC Gamble's Benny the Jet, it was the Odyssey lines that he really desired. His girl Tessa was close to what he wanted, a very pretty liver roan who was gorgeous overall with the exception that her bite was off somewhat by an accident when she was young. She ran into a 2x4. The bite looked good to me, but Nick said that the show ring handler told him she would not be able to get her show championship because of it. Tessa was ball crazy, good in the water, and a very natural versatile hunting dog who was very good on grouse. I love a good grouse dog. Grouse are Nick's love of hunting.
The reason I liked the Walnut Hill breeding program is the dogs versatility. The kennel did not produce only field trial dogs, but were good in the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association format, and thus a more versatile hunting dog. It should also be noted that many of the foundation dogs for this kennel are National Shoot to Retrieve Champions, and also very important the Field and Dual Champions do not come from the Mosgaard, Rusty, Clown lines of field trial champions that in my opinion are not as versatile, lacking a love of water, natural retrieve, and working to far out, and often but not always higher strung.
With that in mind I picked up Dan and Little Ann. They were a little shy and uncertain of their new change. I figured the long ride from Ohio to Arizona would take care of this and build both a strong bond, and help with socialization. I fixed up a crate where they could stay in and also allowed them to come out and go directly into the front seat next to me. This worked wonderfully. In no time they were staying close when I let them out to exercise. They both proved to be great travelers and easy keepers.
After we got home we added Frann to their small pack. Frann a solid black female who is 100 percent German Deutsch-Kurzhaar Shorthiar, out of Buck and Sophie. I want to raise two more pups with Dan and Little Ann for comparison.
After getting back to Az. I once more made a trip to Northern California, this time with Jack our older A team dog, and Dan, Little Ann, and Frann. This proved to be wonderful socialization, with a bunch of grandkids, and kids baseball games. These pups were hauled around, loved on, and fussed over by a load of adoring kids. Dozens of vehicle rides, trips to stores etc. The pups learned to deal with constant activity, they learned to love their crate and learned about the leash, and everyday I would work on their retrieving.
Back home the pups continue to grow bold and confident and are very comfortable in their surroundings. They have been introduced to birds, and water. They come and go inside and outside the house. They hang out with many older stable pack members. They are learning their place at Desert Point Kennel. Often the 3 pups sleep with me, or in a bed next to me, or on the floor next to me, where ever they want. They hang out around me or the other dogs during the day. They check in often, coming around to be loved on, or just hang out by me. Ann has found she likes me to pick her up and hold her like a baby and get her belly rubbed. She likes the laundry basket in the Toy Hauler that has clean cloths. Dan likes his ears rubbed and seems to like me picking him up and holding him. Frann loves food and comes the fasted when called. They have learned to climb up on the heater, to get up on the bed. So far so good, they are off to a wonderful start.
I wanted to raise a puppy from Walnut Hill, and Odyssey Kennels because they are Nationally respected Kennels, and I wanted first hand knowledge for a future book. Even though we were in the process of downsizing, we decided to get a puppy. The opportunity presented itself with the availability of the pups, from the correct breeder, at a price that allowed us not to get one pup, but 2 pups.
An add on Facebook showed up and Nick Reed of Ohio had a little of pups for sale at $700.00 a pup. There were 2 girls and 4 boys. I not being a huge fan of white dogs, just missed out on getting liver colored pups. That said I believe I got the two best pups in the littler. Because Nick was thinking of keeping this girl Ann, and his statement that the boy was also his top pick.
I had just sent 3 pups east by plane, and 4 dogs, and 3 pups east by ground, and was delivering dogs and pups north to California and Washington when I seen the add. My son Jeffrey went with me to Washington and we had just watched Where the Red Furn Grows, and thus the name of the pups Dan and little Ann.
I made the trip to Ohio to pick up the pups, and visit with Nick, and meet the pups mother. The total trip was approx. 7000 miles, and I went through 22 states.
Nick Reed is a knowledgeable breeder who knows exactly what he is looking for in a dog. For the most part he was into the bigger running field trial dogs but found they were not really to his liking for hunting dogs. Being a hunter at heart he wanted a dog more suitable to hunting. However he wanted to continue field trials so opted for the foot type trialing dog, vs. the horse back trialing dog. His end goal is to produce a Dual Champion, both a Champion in the show ring and a Champion in the field. Nick's thinking in this breeding was to produce such a dog. Nick's female and the mother to Dan and Ann is Price Creek's Tessa. Even though she is the daughter of DC Gamble's Benny the Jet, it was the Odyssey lines that he really desired. His girl Tessa was close to what he wanted, a very pretty liver roan who was gorgeous overall with the exception that her bite was off somewhat by an accident when she was young. She ran into a 2x4. The bite looked good to me, but Nick said that the show ring handler told him she would not be able to get her show championship because of it. Tessa was ball crazy, good in the water, and a very natural versatile hunting dog who was very good on grouse. I love a good grouse dog. Grouse are Nick's love of hunting.
The reason I liked the Walnut Hill breeding program is the dogs versatility. The kennel did not produce only field trial dogs, but were good in the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association format, and thus a more versatile hunting dog. It should also be noted that many of the foundation dogs for this kennel are National Shoot to Retrieve Champions, and also very important the Field and Dual Champions do not come from the Mosgaard, Rusty, Clown lines of field trial champions that in my opinion are not as versatile, lacking a love of water, natural retrieve, and working to far out, and often but not always higher strung.
With that in mind I picked up Dan and Little Ann. They were a little shy and uncertain of their new change. I figured the long ride from Ohio to Arizona would take care of this and build both a strong bond, and help with socialization. I fixed up a crate where they could stay in and also allowed them to come out and go directly into the front seat next to me. This worked wonderfully. In no time they were staying close when I let them out to exercise. They both proved to be great travelers and easy keepers.
After we got home we added Frann to their small pack. Frann a solid black female who is 100 percent German Deutsch-Kurzhaar Shorthiar, out of Buck and Sophie. I want to raise two more pups with Dan and Little Ann for comparison.
After getting back to Az. I once more made a trip to Northern California, this time with Jack our older A team dog, and Dan, Little Ann, and Frann. This proved to be wonderful socialization, with a bunch of grandkids, and kids baseball games. These pups were hauled around, loved on, and fussed over by a load of adoring kids. Dozens of vehicle rides, trips to stores etc. The pups learned to deal with constant activity, they learned to love their crate and learned about the leash, and everyday I would work on their retrieving.
Back home the pups continue to grow bold and confident and are very comfortable in their surroundings. They have been introduced to birds, and water. They come and go inside and outside the house. They hang out with many older stable pack members. They are learning their place at Desert Point Kennel. Often the 3 pups sleep with me, or in a bed next to me, or on the floor next to me, where ever they want. They hang out around me or the other dogs during the day. They check in often, coming around to be loved on, or just hang out by me. Ann has found she likes me to pick her up and hold her like a baby and get her belly rubbed. She likes the laundry basket in the Toy Hauler that has clean cloths. Dan likes his ears rubbed and seems to like me picking him up and holding him. Frann loves food and comes the fasted when called. They have learned to climb up on the heater, to get up on the bed. So far so good, they are off to a wonderful start.
I have decided to train Dan, Ann, and Frann who are the same age early by using launchers and pigeons. I first introduce the pups to pigeons by letting then chase and catch them. I wanted to build a strong drive toward pigeons. I would let a pigeon or two loose in a 6 x 8 dog run that is covered. I first let the pups watch from the outside and then let them in with the pigeon to chase them around. Then I would pull the flight feathers out and let the pups catch the pigeon. After the pups had a strong desire to go after and catch pigeons I introduced them to launchers that can be a little intimidating. Then I put the two together by using a tide pigeon to the launcher. When the pigeon in launched the pigeon flies up but comes back down and flaps it's wings like crazy. This causes the pups to go crazy trying to catch it. I used the beeper on the launcher to help the pup hunt in the right direction. I then simulate a shoot to retrieve hunt. Plant a pigeon, have the pup hunt for it, and encourage pointing, release the bird, and fire a blank, and let the pup get the bird, and encourage a retrieve.