JUNE Issue of American Hunter Gun Dogs Department
by Ron Spomer Field Editor

Title: Too Hot To Handle?

Professional springer breeder/trainer Mike Wallace of Salmy Kennels in Baker, W.Va (salmykennel.com) agrees......and says he breeds his field trial dogs for biddability. "That's number one" Wallace states. "I breed for dogs that make good house pets as well as hunters, but still have the energy, nose and bird sense needed in trials". One of Wallace's springers proved this by winning the field-trial-points championship in the '94 and '95 seasons.

"You've got to have that extra high speed gear in a trial, but I look more for bird-finding ability, use of wind and retrieving. A dog doesn't have to run 100 miles an hour". Wallace notes that not every professional trainer agrees with his philosophy. Many selectively breed for speed......and pups from those bloodlines might be too hot for amateurs to handle and too hyper around the
house. "While you won't go wrong with a field trial dog as far as
bird-finding ability, you might not find it compatible with family life or even all-day hunting" Wallace notes.