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Home to 5 German Shorthaired Pointers 3 Pembroke Welsh Corgis (and 2 snowshoes) |
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Gifted Bird Dogs for Experienced Hunters and Pembroke Welsh Corgis for performance and companionship |
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I started Marshfield Kennel in 1999, shortly after purchasing my first bird dog. Like most people, I was first interested in a productive dog; one who wouldn't embarrass me. I also knew that I had to have a dog who would produce birds. It doesn't matter if you are a weekend hunter or hunt every day for a month, you need a good dog. The less time you hunt, the more important a good dog is. The more you hunt, the more you want a good dog. |
GSP Rescue of New England
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After getting involved in NAVHDA, and seeing what a well-bred and trained dog could do, my goals shifted. I wanted a "brag dog." German Shorthaired Pointers have gone from a "pet who hunts" status to an all-consuming passion for me.
I knew my Colt could become that brag dog, and as you will see on the meet the dogs page, he has done just that.
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I figure most folks get the dog they first envisioned on the third try. The first dog will be the first one they find. It's often a back-yard breeding, or puppy mill dog. In an attempt to do better the second time around, they find a show-dog breeder. These breedings are at least put together with some thought and criteria, but hunting isn't normally the primary objective of show breeders. Maybe the dog hunts, maybe it doesn't. At least the hips are tight and the pup is generally free of major genetic defects.
On the third try, folks seek out and find a hunting dog breeder. This makes all the difference in the world. I was fortunate enough to have a brother who bought the back-yard bred Labrador retriever. Hunter was squirly, nervous and had hyper-thyroidism. The dog was given away (because of his behavior and prior to the diagnosis), and the new owners spent hundreds of dollars a year on drugs to keep a free dog alive. I believe cancer claimed Hunter at an early age.
The experience was bad enough that I did my homework, skipped the second step and went straight to a hunting dog breeder. The Engelhardt's introduced me to NAVHDA, and my whole life changed. If you are looking for your first or second hunting dog, find a breeder who is using NAVHDA or AKC hunt tests in their breeding program.
You want to see your puppy's parents who have at least passed the NAVHDA Utility test, or who have earned a Master Hunter title. If you are a foot hunter, be wary of horseback field trial titles. Breeders who highlight only a Natural Ability pass or Junior Hunter title haven't done enough to prove their dog's worthiness for breeding. These tests prove some pointing instinct, nose, gun-sensitivity and NAVHDA makes them swim.
Just because they have the basic building blocks, it doesn't follow that they can put everything together and become a worthwhile hunting dog. It's rare to find a GSP breeder trumpeting only Natural Ability scores, but VERY common in some breeds. Junior hunter titles are just about worthless, but very popular with show dog breeders. I've seen a lot of dogs, and have formed opinions about what I like and don't like in the breed. My formula is Big, Bold and Beautiful. I'll take a dog with a trainability issue over one with a desire issue every time. I prefer jaw-dropping performance to consistency. If you agree, and are looking for a puppy, this is the place for you. |
E-mail Me
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This machine translation is intended to help, but is not perfect. Please forgive any mistakes the computer makes in translation.
La traduction française n'est pas tout à fait au point, mais nous y travaillons... Merci.
Copyright 2005-2010 Marshfield Kennel. All rights reserved.
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