Good stock men/women know their dogs/hounds inside out. They know at a glance if an animal is well or not. They know to look for the brightness in a dog's eyes, its general behaviour. It's not just about how the dog is physically. Is it happy? Is it performing well in the field? If not, why not: the good stock man gets to the bottom of any problems, doesn't just leave things to chance. The good stock man knows all about the possible tensions in a pack (if we're talking about packs) or tries to find a reason for a dog failing to perform to its potential. The good stock man puts the time into pu