How'd all these dog people get in my room?

Most interesting dogman? I have to say I found both Arnold Steinberg and Pat Patrick the most interesting -- but I'm sure that's only because I knew them best. I'm sure there are a number of other dogmen I'd have found as interesting if I'd known them better. Ed Crenshaw used to visit lots, and he was almost as interesting as he was talkative. Ha. Ask anyone who knew Ed Crenshaw. Ten to one they'd agree with me.

Most honest? I had and have a great respect for Gary Hammonds in that regard. I mean he had conscience to spare and a real sense of fair play. I stayed at his place that last night before my first match in Dallas, and he couldn't have been more forthright and considerate. And when, that being my first match and the crowd was murmuring over my clumsiness as a handler, I remember Gary saying out loud: "Hey, give the guy a break, it's his first match." Yeah, Gary and I corresponded quite a bit back then, and I was always struck not only by his honesty but by his generous nature. Of course we've lost touch over the years, but I hope he's well.

 

Now that's cool Frits!

 

Thanks Fritz, really nice response.
Now, which dog would you consider the best that you've personally seen (historical events of dead dogs obviously) and why is that your choice?

 

Hey fritz are you able to shed any light on gr ch bucks true breeding?

 

Welcome, Fritz, glad to have you on board.

 

Who treez?

 

Answering this is going to be fun.

Arguably, the Tater dog was the best I've ever seen. But I didn't see him at his best. Believe it or not, Tater and Adolph Torres's Rainbow was the first fight I ever saw -- and the cops broke it up twenty minutes into the match. What a fiasco. It was PP's (I sort of don't wanna mention his name here) first and only time conditioning and matching a dog -- and he was downright terrible at it. He'd brought Tater in way too fat and the game old dog was quickly running out of air! Freddie Jones was there and so was Steinberg, and they were riding poor PP so badly I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Then somebody said "The cops are here" -- and everybody was pouring out of the cellar leaving poor PP to break up two topnotch dogs all by himself. "Somebody help me separate the dogs" he kept saying, but everybody was bailing, even Torres, owner of the other dog. But it was PP's place, and there was no escaping for him.

I put the whole freaking thing in my Red Tina book. Some of you might remember it. Ha!

Truly, there are so many topnotch dogs that I never even saw fight. And had I seen them, I'm sure I'd have a hell of a time picking the best from among them. I remember seeing one that Ronnie Jackson matched, a stifle dog that was incredible to watch. He go to the stifle, and when the other dog would reach back to bite him off, he'd grab the dog's ear, give it a shake, and dive right back into the stifle. And I don't even remember the dog's name. So many great dogs, but how pick one. It's like comparing Mozart to Beethoven. When one reaches a certain level one finds only equals, no bests among them. Or so it seems to me.

P.S. No, I don't know the breeding on Gr. Ch. Buck. Even the breeding on some of my old dogs back then has become iffy for me. Again, that's nearly fifty years ago.

 

Are you familiar with Gr Ch Angus?


and what about conditioning using bikes?

 

Yes, and I could have bought Angus, as Arnie offered him to me for sale when Angus was a pup. One more reason for kicking myself in the ass. I did, however, own his sister. Truth told, she wasn't a very good dog, didn't hold a candle to her brother.

Running my dogs in front of and/or beside my bike was my primary way of conditioning. I'd take a dog out twice a week for a 25-mile run. A dog that can go that many miles at a healthy trot is in shape for any match.

 

Thanks to your stories I'm constantly findin myself lost in the movement of my dog while walking an often wondered while peddling my bike "if this is how Maff would be doing it"

 

Great stories so far, keep them coming if you don't mind! Welcome Back


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I like a bike because it is peaceful and good for both dog and master a like.
ive heard it said you have to have a mill to stand a chance. I say otherwise -
biking aint for everyone, or every dog either thought- lol

 

Welcome back Fritz

 

Yeah, I used a mill just one time and for working one dog. Whoa, I said. Too easy to overwork a dog that way. It was my Tuffy I was working, and I'd only let her go ten or fifteen minutes at a time on the mill -- in between times of walking and biking. I wanted her tired after a workout, not exhausted. The one is a building up, the other a tearing down.

 

You couldn't be more right. Why ask a dog to, say, run twenty miles every day? What's the point in having the dog do every day what he only has to be able to do once? If a dog is considered in pit shape if he can run that twenty miles in one shot -- why have him do it every day when twice a week is so much better for the rest it affords him?

Truly, some of those old-timers could have used a good strong sense of common sense rather than just doing things according to custom. Some ways are best set aside so new and better ways can take their place.

 

....good read....thing i found about bikes,ya had to be carefull they did'nt spot something they want when going down-hill....lol...thing ya hear today about con;,,is less is more/etc....but it's getting the balance right is whats important..???....y/n....good read