POINTING BREEDS
This tip is from John Mooney of L'Escarbot Kennels, 4864 215th Street East, Hampton, MN 55031; (651) 480-7841; website www.lescarbotkennels.com; e-mail jandb@lescarbotkennels.com. John has been training professionally for 15 years, training both pointing and flushing dogs. Mostly he trains gun dogs for hunters, but he also trains an occasional dog for field trials or hunt tests. He has run pointing dogs in field trials both in this country and in France. He breeds French Brittanys (Epagneul Breton).

"Pointing dogs are quite versatile," John said, "but they can't suit every hunter. For example, if you're a dedicated waterfowl specialist, you'd be better off with a retriever. However, if you hunt both upland birds and waterfowl, you'd find a pointing dog delightful in the uplands and adequate for moderate-weather water retrieving."

John doesn't recommend puppies for everyone. Certainly not for the person who can't (or won't) take time to bond with a puppy and work with it regularly. Nor for the hunter who has lost a good dog shortly before hunting season. In both cases, the person would be better off with a started or trained dog.

"Perhaps the best, and most often ignored, piece of puppy-buying advice every given," John said, "is stay away from litters until you've done all the necessary research. Puppies are so cute that few people can visit and play with a litter without buying a pup. But, until you've done your research, how can you know whether those irresistible puppies are well-bred, or even the right breed for you?"

John recommends researching the various breeds in your local library and on the internet. Both AKC and UKC have websites loaded with valuable breed information. Attending field events will allow you to see dogs of the various breeds in action. Once you've selected a breed, you must next select a breeder. Here too the internet can help you greatly. Most serious breeders have websites you can visit. But before contacting breeders, you should learn to read pedigrees in your chosen breed so you know what the various titles mean.

"A dual champion," John said, "has both field and show titles, so it is a good worker that is a good physical representative of the breed. The various titles from NAVHDA tests, Shoot-to-Retrieve trials, and hunting tests indicate different levels of working ability."

John said the entire pedigree matters, but the parents and grandparents of the sire and dam are most important. You should ask each breeder to explain the various bloodlines involved and why he selected this particular sire and dam.

"To avoid unsuitable breeders," John said, "get at least three references from each one you contact. And then check those references out."

John feels that any reputable breeder should offer you training advice and perhaps even lay out a training program for you. A breeder who is also a professional trainer can guide you through the puppy selection process and later through the training process.

"Price?" John said. "Price depends on the specific breed and the type of breeder. A rare breed puppy might cost significantly more than a popular breed puppy. Extremely popularity can drive prices way up or way down. Puppy-mill prices are quite low. Backyard breeder prices vary widely, and they frequently have to give puppies away. But serious breeders, who select their sires and dams carefully, charge respectable prices, and even so, they usually have waiting lists for their puppies."

John recommends that, after you select a litter and before you select a puppy, you visit the litter several times to become familiar with the personality of each puppy. If that isn't possible, you should rely on the judgment of the breeder to match you up with the pup that will best suit your personality and needs.

"Communication," John said, "between the buyer and the breeder during the puppy picking process is of utmost importance. A serious breeder wants to place his puppies properly, and he can determine through conversations with you which pup will suit you best."

John's final thoughts: "Choose a breeder who specializes in one breed. He will be highly knowledgeable about his breed and its training."