Lambs Don't Come Out Of Lions ! Or Do They ?

[whitefeet4190 1,729]

Just wondering what people think how important the breeding behind your chosen pup is ? If the parents are doing the job then so should the pups ?

[dogmad riley 1,351]

The breeding helps but it's no guarantee. The way you enter them helps.

 

You have to put 100% in and hope for the best.

 

You can lead a horse to water but you can't force it to drink

[morton 5,369]

Breeding is the most important part of the equation in the production of a working mutt.At times a good-un will surface from a litter of dross,Hancock is proof of that,yet there is far more litter wastage from pups with little working pedigree,than from pups bred from far more honest stock.Hybrid vigour often makes a mockery of many a thoughtless litter.Id be reluctant to put the time and effort into a pup bred with a luck factor.

[billhardy 2,343]

Good topic my thoughts breeding for said given traits does and will take time in types and line breeding .lots a culling etc ,breeding for runners game typesgenes are random but with the influence of tested stock over generations will help one to produce more even stock for said given traits , the reason behind family types and f1s his one usually has a better chance of getting the desired expected results ,of course no guarantees but that can be said of any type atb bunnys

[neil b 2,504]

At the end of the day you can only put opportunities in front of the dog it's then out of your hands, you can't do much more

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

Something loads of people seem to overlook is that what an animal actually does between birth and being mated doesn't matter a dot. Wether it worked every day for 7 years or never left the sofa. The dogs experiences aren't being passed on to the pups.

 

Granted you won't know if the dog was ever gonna do the job if you don't test it. But there's a good chance most of Hancocks stock would do the job if tested, which is why it's not a surprise that he produces grafters, he just can't afford to graft them to find out.

 

Edited to add - I personally wouldn't have a pup out of anything other than parents that I had seen doing the job and I knew they excelled at what I wanted to do. But as said above I can see why people buy from the likes of Hancock and why they work out.

[Fieldsporthunter 1,864]

IMO a dog with the right nurture and experience has the potential to be handy even if its not from workers but if that dog had been from genuine working parents you would have NATURE, nurture and experience tipping the odds in your favour of getting a working animal.

Saying that I would not want a dog from non workers and will alway choose a one with a working background and by that I mean not just a handy dog here and there I look for parents, grandparents and great grandparents where possible.

Atb

[morton 5,369]

At the end of the day you can only put opportunities in front of the dog it's then out of your hands, you can't do much more

Source a mutt bred with a lineage of dealing with the opportunities the breeding encounters swings the balance in the owners favour,two hunters sourcing mutts from kennels at the opposite end of the spectrum will often have a different appreciation of their charges capabilities,most of the time.

[morton 5,369]

Something loads of people seem to overlook is that what an animal actually does between birth and being mated doesn't matter a dot. Wether it worked every day for 7 years or never left the sofa. The dogs experiences aren't being passed on to the pups.

 

Granted you won't know if the dog was ever gonna do the job if you don't test it. But there's a good chance most of Hancocks stock would do the job if tested, which is why it's not a surprise that he produces grafters, he just can't afford to graft them to find out.

 

Edited to add - I personally wouldn't have a pup out of anything other than parents that I had seen doing the job and I knew they excelled at what I wanted to do. But as said above I can see why people buy from the likes of Hancock and why they work out.

Ive lost count of the amount of times a sapling as done something in the field that it was never introduced to,yet,that its parents and grand-parents did.Its uncanny at times when a sapling instinctively does something its never been taught but its breeding did.

[terryd 8,955]

My dog is keen as mustard and lots of drive too much if I am honest and the rest of the litter are the same as far as I know. Both parents workers. But he needed no input off me in any shape or fashion to work

[morton 5,369]

My dog is keen as mustard and lots of drive too much if I am honest and the rest of the litter are the same as far as I know. Both parents workers. But he needed no input off me in any shape or fashion to work

They need feeding,housing,meds,cleaning,walking,educating,training etc.etc.etc.Ill warrant it needed more input than you may realise.They need shaping and fashioning long before they are suited to work.

[terryd 8,955]

 

My dog is keen as mustard and lots of drive too much if I am honest and the rest of the litter are the same as far as I know. Both parents workers. But he needed no input off me in any shape or fashion to work

They need feeding,housing,meds,cleaning,walking,educating,training etc.etc.etc.Ill warrant it needed more input than you may realise.They need shaping and fashioning long before they are suited to work.

 

 

What I meant was from the word go he wanted to hunt and hunt well. His a natural due to his breeding I guess. Obviously you need to mould things to what you require

[morton 5,369]

 

 

My dog is keen as mustard and lots of drive too much if I am honest and the rest of the litter are the same as far as I know. Both parents workers. But he needed no input off me in any shape or fashion to work

They need feeding,housing,meds,cleaning,walking,educating,training etc.etc.etc.Ill warrant it needed more input than you may realise.They need shaping and fashioning long before they are suited to work.

 

 

What I meant was from the word go he wanted to hunt and hunt well. His a natural due to his breeding I guess. Obviously you need to mould things to what you require

 

I knew what you meant,i believed you needed reminding about the input you had on the mutts capability once entered.

[roybo 2,873]

I think it's a combination of both factors ,

Breeding and bringing on.

But you have to start with the breeding.

Or at least 2 dogs that do a decent job.

Then put it in front of them.

So as the title says lambs don't come from lions ,but cubs have to learn to be lions .

I suppose the odd lamb can grow to be more than a sheep,

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

 

 

 

 

 

 

My dog is keen as mustard and lots of drive too much if I am honest and the rest of the litter are the same as far as I know. Both parents workers. But he needed no input off me in any shape or fashion to work

They need feeding,housing,meds,cleaning,walking,educating,training etc.etc.etc.Ill warrant it needed more input than you may realise.They need shaping and fashioning long before they are suited to work.

What I meant was from the word go he wanted to hunt and hunt well. His a natural due to his breeding I guess. Obviously you need to mould things to what you require

I knew what you meant,i believed you needed reminding about the input you had on the mutts capability once entered.

I agree with this. You're selling yourself short Terry. He might have been born with hunting instinct but that alone didn't make him the dog he is today. You did that fella ?