GES
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Missouri
Posts: 335 |
I'll tell you all I know.......
Daniel's Big Dot was Terry's measuring stick and he considered her a top performing female and what he wanted in a dog. He told me that he wouldn't consider a male that wasn't better than her because his goal was to have as good or better dogs than Dot. He chose Dan Jr. because he was as good or better....and not just one night. Terry hunted with him more than one night and more than a single drop. Terry said Dan Jr. was 'yard dog' smart, too. He had also done some research on bloodlines at the time and Finley River dogs were popular and winning most big hunts. Of the Finley River dogs he hunted with, only Dan Jr. impressed him and was better than Dot so that is what he chose. That covers items 1-4 in my first post. When Jr. was run over and killed, he went to the sire of Dan Jr. which by that time had some age on him and was a 'proven' reproducer--see item 5. Item 6--he bought Wick's Stylish Banjo from John Wick. Banjo had produced some good pups and Wick was a well known dog man at the time so it was a logical choice for an outcross. Terry had watched Banjo, his offspring, and knew Banjo's background--Paul Gregg of Missouri/John Wick. Finally, Terry put 'Daniel's' in all of his dog's name and didn't call his dogs 'Finley River' or 'Banjo Style' etc. to 'ride somebody else's shirt tail' as he said. He made the crosses and he took the credit or the blame. Until his hearing got bad, he handled his own dogs and was a fierce competitor known for leading a pretty good dog. Once he had the genetics he wanted, then he linebred to keep them--only using the best dogs from good crosses. It's one man's story and I wish he was hear to tell you himself..... I have heard a similar philosophy from breeders like Denny Kirby (Bluetick), Dennis Steinhauser (English), Lonnie Mears (Walker), and Bill Mack (Black and Tan). Winston Aaron is a wealth of knowledge, too. Each have done it there own way, but all follow a similar path from what I have learned. I don't know half of what these guys do, but I try to practice and share what I have been told. Good luck!
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|