Before I begin this presentation, a few comments on the current thinking on genetics, mutations, and the swiftness with which they occur, as well as species survival in nature are in order. Scientists count human generations at about 20 years; generations are counted at 2 years. There are two schools of thought on how fast mutations and/or adaptations to a changed environment occur. Some say that it only takes a generation or two to adapt to a changed environment so that a species can survive. Some say that it takes many generations.

In any case, those species that can adapt readily to a changed environment survive, thrive, and evolve with nature doing some pretty severe selecting.

According to the latest archaeological information, wolf types have been around for 400,000 years or more.

Wolf and early man remains have been found in close proximity for around 100,000 years. Nobody yet knows exactly when the wolf-dog/early man relationship became a fact, but man and dog may have been “partners” as far back as 14,000 years ago, and maybe more, as evidenced by the most recent archaeological discoveries of ceremonially buried with their masters. The relationship may have started much earlier with wolf pups figuring out that the garbage dumps of early man, or the remains of their kills, constituted an easy meal.

As younger wolves developed the habit of hanging around human habitations, kids and dogs being what they are, the children of early man and these pups may have become playmates. The smaller, less aggressive wolf pups would have been easily assimilated into early man’s clan life as man’s and wolves’ social order is very similar in both structure and size. Younger, smaller wolves would have been fairly easily tamed as they would be used to being submissive in the wolf pack order.

In due course, man figured out that wolves/dogs could be helpful in hunting, as the wolf/dog pack’s methods of hunting were similar to the methods used by early man, or vice versa. Not to mention the fact that alerting early man to danger approaching his camp, and helping to keep humans warm, probably followed very soon as the wolf/dogs became part of early man’s “pack”. From there, over the years and centuries man and dog’s relationship progressed to herding, guarding, and a myriad of other “jobs” as agriculture, instead of hunting/gathering, became the norm at about 14,000 years ago and the science of animal husbandry was born.

Also according to the latest research, as attested to by the fact that there are over 400 distinct dog breeds in the world today, wolf and dog DNA is, for all intents and purposes, indistinguishable there being slightly more than 1% difference in their DNA profiles. Wolf/dog DNA also seems to be very malleable as evidenced by

Russian experiments with breeding silver foxes to be more tame therefore more easily manageable to raise for fur. It was discovered that, within a very few generations of selective breeding for only one trait, tameness, most characteristics of our modern day dogs showed up. Ears that tended to be floppy instead of upright, tails that were held higher rather than lower, more rounded heads and shortened muzzles, as well as large areas of white, all evidenced themselves in just 2 or 3 generations. Modern day dogs are “puppies”, retaining many of the characteristics of young, immature wolf pups into adulthood.

As the knowledge and practice of animal husbandry advanced, the selective breeding of dogs for specific traits also proliferated. For instance, almost all wild canids will hesitate before pouncing on their prey. It wasn’t all that hard to develop that instinct to hesitate into a full-blown point. Wild canids also sometimes carry the remains of their prey long distances back to dens to feed young pups and/or other members of the pack, so the retrieving instinct was equally fairly easy to imprint. The instinct to hunt a certain kind of prey over another was another trait selected for. Over the centuries, many breeds of dogs were developed from a few prototypes – types, sighthound types, types, types, etc.

With the recent addition of the Spinone Italiano to the sporting group, there are now 28 breeds and varieties in this group. Roughly, they are divided into 3 main groups: the , the and the pointing and continental pointing breeds. Since I know the most about pointing breeds, I will concentrate on those tonight.

However, I want to make a few comments about the retrievers and spaniels. The 6 Retrievers (Goldens, Labs,

Curly Coats, Flat Coats, Chesapeakes and Irish Water Spaniels) were water specialists used mainly for hunting waterfowl but also used to retrieve behind the pointers on upland game birds. They are less independent and therefore more easily trained to sit in blinds or cover waiting to be sent out to retrieve ducks, geese and other waterfowl when the hunter shoots and downs them. Spaniels (the , the

Clumber, the 3 varieties of American , the English Cocker, the English Springer, the Field

Spaniel, the , and the ) are also less independent, and rather than going out some distance away from the hunter, hunt rather closely in a windshield wiper pattern, “hup” or sit when the bird is scented, leaping or rushing forward to flush the bird when given the command, and then retrieving, on land or water, when the bird is downed. They are used for both upland birds and waterfowl. Pointing breeds are much more independent and can range as much as a half-mile or more in search of birds, and therefore the pointing instinct needed to be developed so that the hunter could get within gun range before the dog flushed the birds so that the opportunity to shoot them wasn’t lost.

The 3 , Irish, English, and Gordon, were developed respectively in Ireland, England and Scotland to hunt only upland game birds: partridge, grouse, pheasant, quail, woodcock, etc. Originally they would go “on set”.

That is, they would sort of crouch down, so the hunter could throw a net over both the dog and the birds.

The , the “Cadillac” of pointing breeds, the performance level of which is the basis for all pointing breed field trial and hunt test rules, and whose “style” on point is the criteria for all other pointing breeds, was developed in England but refined into the dog you see today in the US. Here, they were used to hunt large open areas of southern plantations. They were specialists, hunting only upland game birds, and wagons with retrievers usually followed the hunting parties to retrieve the birds. Pointers to this day, usually do not retrieve, only point.

The rest of the pointing breeds, the , the German Shorthaired Pointer, German Wirehaired Pointer,

Spinone Italiano, Viszla, , and Wirehaired Pointing are all part of a sub group known as the continental pointing breeds. These breeds were not specialists like the pointer and setters, but rather developed to hunt both fur and feather on land or water as well as track larger wounded game. They came into being when the kingdoms and city-states of most European areas were consolidated into countries or nations. At which time the huge kennels that were kept by most European royalty and noblemen, which contained several specialist breeds for different kinds of hunting, were disbanded, and the search was on for breeds that could do it all.

When these breeds were introduced to the US, the AKC didn’t have a slot for dogs that hunted both fur and feather (feather being the domain of the sporting breeds, fur being the domain of the hound breeds), so, since they all pointed; they were lumped in with the sporting pointing breeds.

Three of the breeds – the German Shorthaired Pointer, German Wirehaired Pointer and Weimaraner were developed in Germany; the Brittany and Wirehaired Pointing Griffon were developed in France; the Spinone in

Italy; and the Viszla in Hungary. Arguably, and depending on which breed experts you read or listen to, and given the fact that several of these breeds look very similar; these breeds were most likely not developed from 2 or 3 common ancestors although almost all are thought to have different percentages of an ancient mastiff type for size and substance, an ancient sighthound type for swiftness, probably an ancient hound type for nose or scenting ability, as well as a touch of some sort of spaniel here and there for willingness to work in water.

When the AKC was started back in the 1800’s by a group of wealthy sportsmen, some of the first competitions were sporting field events. My huntin’ dog is better than your huntin’ dog! In fact, you will notice that the

AKC logo has a pointer on it.

Field trials and, more recently, hunt tests are a stylized way of proving a ’s ability. Field trials are judged dog performance versus dog performance, hunt tests against a standard of performance. Kind of like the difference between conformation and obedience. A side note: to be really competitive in field trials, it often requires a huge investment of time and money not to mention knowledge of training methods. Either the owner has to have the time, especially in the more urbanized areas of this country, to take his dog out to a suitable area for training and conditioning 3 to 4 days a week, or pay a professional handler anywhere from $350 to $500 a month not including travel expenses or entry fees; has to own a horse and horse trailer and all the accouterments and expenses that go with that, and often has to be able to travel long distances from late August to late April on the west coast, or August to November and March to May in the Midwest and on the east coast, to compete, as pointing breed field trials require at least 5 square miles of land with appropriate cover and these areas aren’t found down the street.

Please refer to the printed materials I’ve distributed.

Start with the definitions of stakes

Go on to definitions of hunt test levels

Go on to definitions of field trial terms.

The pointing instinct is very strong in those lines that adhere to a breeding program that strives to keep the

hunting instinct strong. Puppies are known to point, and back or honor, purely on instinct, as young as 6 weeks

when exposed to a bird with feathers pulled so it can’t fly far, or a bird wing on a fishing pole. While the noses,

or sense of smell, of most dogs is far superior to a human’s, those of the sporting group are particularly keen

along with the scent . Pointing breeds should air scent (hunt with their heads elevated), while scent

hounds should ground scent (hunt with their heads low). Well arched, tight feet with tough pads are a must for

field dogs so they are less likely to have foot injuries in rough hunting conditions. Coats on the GWP, WPG

and Spinone are very important to protect them in heavy brush. Brittanys also have somewhat of a protective

coat. The setters are all heavily coated to help protect them while hunting. The shorthaired breeds, Viszla,

Weimaraner, German Shorthaired Pointer and Pointer are much more prone to cuts and scratches while hunting

than the other breeds. That is why all but the pointer and the 3 setters have their tails docked, to protect them

from injury while hunting. The 3 setters have heavy feathering on their tails to protect them from injury.

Anyone who uses a pointer for hunting, tapes the tail from base to tip to prevent cuts and scratches. This is also

why almost all the sporting breed standards mention that “honorable scars”, those that may have been acquired

while hunting, are not to be penalized. Additionally, all the sporting breeds have their dewclaws removed to

prevent injury to those while hunting. All have pendulant ears rather than upright ears to prevent seeds and

burrs from getting into the ear canal and to help them gather in the scent. Good, and balanced, angulation. front and rear, and good muscle condition are also a must, as well as a moderately deep chest and well sprung rib cage along with a short loin to give the dog ample heart and lung room to facilitate stamina for long days in the field.

Temperament in the sporting breeds is a very important facet. Almost all of them must be able to work with

other dogs in the field and not be aggressive towards another dog. This is sometimes a problem with the

continental pointing breeds, as they were also used on large game such as stag, boar and bear in the country of origin, and therefore can tend to be aggressive towards other dogs.

Show video clips…….

Since the field trial and hunt test rules are based on the standard of performance of the Pointer, the continental pointing breeds are at somewhat of a disadvantage in both of these events. They were, for the most part, developed to be a closer working dog than the pointer because most areas of Europe don’t have the wide open spaces that we have here in the US. It is rumored that some of the continental pointing breeds were outcrossed to the pointer (notably the GSP, Brittany, GWP and Viszla) to more closely mirror the range and intensity of the

Pointer, thus increasing their competitiveness in field trials. Whether or not this is true, and whether or not this was accomplished by outcrossing to the pointer or by selective breeding for intensity and range, it is a fact that several of the continental pointing breeds have increased their range and intensity in the last 20 years or so and are much more competitive now than they used to be.

Field trial judges often have a problem with judging the different styles of hunting and range in the different breeds, particularly in all breed stakes. The doesn’t hunt like the Brittany, which doesn’t hunt like the

Viszla, which doesn’t hunt like the GSP or GWP. The WPG and Spinone are at a particular disadvantage. The

WPG being a slower, closer working , and the Spinone, whose hunting gait is a trot not a gallop. In fact, a Spinone breeder/owner told me just a few months ago, that they will concentrate on the hunt tests, walking field trials, and the NAVHDA and Shoot To Retrieve trials as a means of proving their dog’s hunting ability.

Many field trial judges put much emphasis on tail carriage while on point. Preferring the “12 o’clock tail” of a field pointer on point – that is, straight up. Setters should carry their tails straight out from, and slightly elevated from, the line of the topline. It would have been a disadvantage for the first setters to have a straight up tail as it would have fouled the net being thrown over the dog and birds. Most of the docked tail breeds should carry their tails on a level with, or slightly elevated from, the line of the topline. So they are at a disadvantage with some judges when assessing their intensity on point because their tails are not sticking straight up.

Another problem is that the approval to judge hunt tests was originally given to any field trial judge that requested to be approved to judge hunt tests. So the hunt tests were originally judged on the same criteria as field trials disregarding that handlers must walk in hunt tests to more closely approximate an actual hunting situation, whereas in field trials walking is an option (and mostly frowned upon as slowing down the competition as horseback handlers must accommodate their pace to that of the walking handler), but the different breed’s styles of hunting are still usually disregarded.

Today, judges that apply to judge hunt tests, must attend a seminar on the rules and procedures of judging hunt tests and, I believe, are admonished to be cognizant of the different breed’s hunting styles. A dog handled by a walking handler will not range as far as, generally speaking, a dog handled by a person on horseback. A side note: handlers at pointer trials will often take 4 horses to a 2 day field trial. The range and speed of the pointers is such that, even a well-conditioned horse cannot last through more than half a day of competition. I have heard many old time trainers also tell the story that pointer handlers used to take 500 or so pointer puppies up to the Canadian plains in the summer, and return at the end of the summer with about 50. The rest were shot where they stood because they were not good enough. A very severe form of selection! But also why the pointer is considered the “Cadillac” of the pointing breeds.

Given the fact that only about 2% of purebred dogs registered today are involved in competition of some sort, and that most of the rest of them are family pets, the number of dogs competing in field trials doesn’t come anywhere near the number of dogs in show competition. However, breed appropriate performance competition is experiencing a sort of revival as evidenced by not only field trials for the sporting breeds, but lure coursing for the sighthounds, earth dog trials for the short-legged terriers and dachshunds, herding trials for the herding breeds, coonhound trials, beagle trials, coaching trials for Dalmatians, etc. The age-old argument between show enthusiasts and performance enthusiasts is still in full hue and cry. Show people accuse the performance people of disregarding the “beauty” of the breed, while the performance enthusiasts accuse the show people of breeding for nothing but beauty without the brains or instinct to do what the breed was originally intended to do.

The only breeds that don’t really get involved with this argument are the Toy breeds and many of the Non-

Sporting breeds. The Toy breeds because their “job” was and is to be a companion, and many of the Non-

Sporting breeds because their “jobs” are no longer relevant in today’s world.

By the way, dual champions, those dogs that have completed the requirements for both field and show championships, in many of the sporting breeds, are non-existent. Brittanys are in the lead for pointing breeds with the most dual champions, with GSPs a close second. More and more Viszlas are becoming dual champions. have finished an average of one Dual Ch. a year since AKC recognition of the breed although we are experiencing a resurgence of interest in the dual dog. For the rest of the pointing breeds dual champions, for all practical purposes, don’t exist. Field pointers and show pointers, field and show Irish setters, field and show English setters have diverged into two distinct types of dogs. Gordon setters, WPGs, GWPs have too few registrations every year to even be in the running; and the Spinones have a long way to go.

In the retrievers and spaniels, there are also greatly divergent types between field and show especially in the more popular breeds. Field springers and show springers are two distinct types; field and show Labs are two distinct types, etc. Someone told me a few months ago, that the last recorded dual champion was in 1932. And again, some of the lesser known spaniels and retrievers – American Water

Spaniels, Field spaniels, Sussex spaniels do not have enough registered every year, as well as bucking the performance system that was designed for Springer spaniels, to be in the running. American Cocker spaniels have developed way too much coat to compete, and the English Cocker spaniels are in fairly short supply. Labs are the Cadillac of the retrievers, Goldens have become America’s family pet, and Curly Coats, Flat Coats,

Chesapeakes, and Irish Water Spaniels are in short supply. So hunt tests, and parent club field tests are the way most of these breeds choose to prove their dog’s field abilities.

Questions…….