The following was taken, with permission from the author, from the Gundog-L email List/Newgroup in 1996.
It regards the importance of breeding for dual purpose dogs.
Actually, breed splits occur from both show and field sides. When both are not policed you will get a divergence of the breed. If show judges are not properly educated about a breed, and the breed standard allows a lot of latitude, then the judge will pick what they feel best represents the breed. If enough judges do this then the show breeder will breed for what will win as that obviously is the “best” conformation. If a field person finds a dog that is a super performer they will breed or breed to it. If that animal is out of standard then the likelihood of out-of-standard pups is high.
Whenever winning a competition, be it field or show, is paramount in a breeder’s mind, they will breed to win. Unless conformation and performance are considered equally this is what you will get.
Some people will say that a dual champion is a mediocre dog. Not good enough to win big in either the ring or the field. If my dogs never win a Group 1 or best in show or never win the national gun dog championship, but they have won best of breed and several open gun dog stakes and have completed their Dual Championships with a SH (Senior Hunter) and possibly MH (Master Hunter) to boot, would I consider them mediocre? I don’t think so! Especially when big winning show champions seldom have more than a JH (Junior Hunter) and big winning field champions seldom have a SH or MH much less any wins in the ring.
I believe in putting the purity of the breed ahead of big time winning. Right or wrong, that is what I want to maintain. Of course, to have a dog that wins both the National Specialty Show and the National Championship would be nice however, I believe that only one Brittany has ever done that.
Jerry Hogan
Rainbow Ridge Brittanys
Boulder, Colorado
