Question: Mr. Linblade, I find your comments concerning a dog that nips to be quite callous. I did not appreciate your recent article on the supposed Michigan Wildlife Protection Act. You obviously have little knowledge about bird dogs and the value of the field trials in maintaining quality dogs. Your lack of concern for the work done by the breeders of bench dogs shows your ignorance. Your disregard for the competitive events staged to show the working qualities in dogs is unforgivable.
Answer: The basis for this column is to offer opinions and methods of training that have worked for me over the last twenty-five years in my own training program. You, the reader, either write or call in with questions and I attempt to answer the questions as best I can with what information you offer. For the record, I am not anti-dog show. I may refer to them as a doggy beauty contest, but let the record show that I understand and appreciate the need for good conformation and sound bone structure for a working animal. My two males are Ryman-Hemlock-Wicksall crosses. However, if an animal lacks the desire to perform the tasks they were bred to do, it is my belief that this animal should not be bred. Breeding for confirmation only, without regard for the working qualities of that breed, is detrimental to the breed. I am not anti-field trial. Three of my Setters are heavy on field trial blood lines. Ghost Train, Tomoka, Flaming Star, Memphis Cowboy, Tricky Dick, and Grouse Ridge are all intertwined in my three bitches' bloodlines. But it is my belief that people tend to put too much stock in titles. And it is my opinion that a dog can possess too much independence. A dog that does not hunt for and with its owner, or one that sees all other dogs as a competitor and thus constantly races its brace-mate, is not an enjoyable animal to go hunting with in Michigan.
A dog who ‘nips' may not need to be put down. A dog who bites does. One bite may be a mistake or an accident. The second bite ends all discussion for me. Understand that if you allow your children to terrorize your dog, you run the risk of having the child bitten. Children should respect the power that lies within that dog's mouth. Several years ago, a member of my shooting preserve arrived for his hunt accompanied by a ten-month-old Large Munsterlander. Having spent a fair amount of time with LM's and having owned a few, I know the breed and quite a few of the breeders. The dog owner was surprised that I could tell him the type of dog he had, as well as what breeder the dog had been purchased from. This particular breeder has been known to produce aggressive dogs, to which I informed the owner.
When asking him if he had seen any aggressive tendencies in the pup, I was told never. This fellow wanted to use the dog on his hunt. Having previously introduced the dog to gunfire, he wanted to give the pup the opportunity to have some bird contact. An understandable request. During the hunt, the dog demonstrated desire for birds and pointed his first bird very nicely. After having shot the bird, the dog was sent forward for the retrieve. The pup had no trouble picking up the shot pheasant and paraded around proudly with the bird. I instructed the owner to gently call the dog to him. I explained to him that when the dog came in to gently hold the dog by the collar while praising and petting it. I told the owner not to grab the bird away from the dog but instead to take a minute to share the bird with the dog and praise him for bringing it back. The owner did as I said, gently holding the dog by the collar and praising it. When the owner went to pet the dog, the unexpected happened. The pup barred his teeth and bit the owner. The owners face went ghostly pale as he quickly released the dog. I requested the owner to step back as I spoke to the dog in friendly, quiet tones as I approached. This ten-month-old pup then snarled and charged me. My walking stick came crashing down on the pup's head as I told him to ‘stop it! Then I told the pup to ‘be nice!' and to ‘come here.'
This time the pup, did not charge, but circled me, growling. I looked at the shaken owner and told him this was a very serious reaction. I asked him if anything like this has happen before to which he said no. The dog was left with me for a two week evaluation. Never again did that pup growl or bite at me. At the end of the two week evaluation, I had the regrettable responsibility to tell the owner that the dog was a ticking time bomb and could not be trusted. The person then took the dog home and called the breeder. The breeder told the owner that I could not possibly determine that this dog was aggressive and that at ten months of age the dog was too young to be classified as a biter. Thank goodness this was a kennel dog. This dog displayed no aggressive tendencies toward me. He knew I was an Alpha. The owner discounted my warnings and sided with the breeder.
Several months later, he was back again for a hunt. Again, the dog tried to bite him. At this time, I talked with the owner's two young sons. They both told me they were afraid of the dog and that he growls at them when they are feeding and caring for the dog. I warned them to not take any chances and to keep a shovel with them when going into the kennel for self-defense. The owner disregarded his sons' complaints and informed me he would not be returning to my preserve and that I had no clue as to the temperament of this dog.
One year later, the dog attacked a nanny employed to take care of an infant in the house. She had gone to the kennel to feed the dog. As she bent down to place the food bowl in the kennel, the dog attacked, causing extensive damage to her face and arms. This did not have to happen again.
As far as events designed to show a dog's ability to do the tasks they were bred for, I think they are great. It is the humans involved that muck things up.
Charlie Linblade
Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club
Michigan Pheasant Hunting
Michigan Bird Dog Training
