Work ethic?? Important?

Looking for opinions on work ethic? What is the line/strain you would go to if you wanted to add work ethic? Also curious as to how y'all view the importance of work ethic? Does anyone breed for it or is it on down the list in regards to traits that are bred for? Just looking to start an interesting topic that I don't think has already been beat to death by this forum. Everybody always seems to get stuck on the more discussed traits mouth, ability, wind etc... and i haven't found much on this topic (i didn't find anything when i searched it but I may not have used the right keywords). Any and all opinions welcome.

 

X2 a dog that doesn't have a desire to push the limits will never excel regardless of the discipline. Work ethic, will and gameness all fall under the same banner in my opinion

 

Work ethic/intensity are big IMO. The more he wants to do on his own the more he can be pushed. Agree with the above posts. Plus I don't like a lazy dog! This ain't a motel, you better get up and work!! As my mom used say!!!

 

Work ethic is a must imo. Nothing worst than a lazy @$$ dog. This is a trait often sought out for. I also believe will, intensity, work ethic, & gameness all go hand in hand. Even when you have a good lazy one, its darn near impossible to get them going. They don't want to walk, forget a flirt or spring pole. Others can be playing tug-a-war, clowning, jumping, while the lazy one is just looking. That drives me crazy....Lazy until feed time lol.. I Do Not want that crap in my line, that is not what I'm breeding for. Give me the cold one if I just had to choose(don't want that crap either). Give me the busy body. As for line/strain, I would have to say individuals within a line is what you need to look for. In other words to littermates will be different, 1 lazy as can be, while the other was BUCK WILD. Seen it.. Like any other trait it probably could be thinned out with selective breeding but why start there. These are working dogs. Unless there was a super duper TRAIT I liked about the lazy dog, I would be looking for a good home for them. JMO

 

Thanks for the replies. I agree as well. To me work ethic is a must, but you don't hear it discussed very often imo. That said do any of y'all have a particular line or strain y'all have seen throw an above average % of workaholic type animals?

@thunder98 i agree to a point as I've seen litters that threw couch potatoes and workers, but surely they're are lines that are known to throw more than others.

 

Redboy jock jeep rascal or Redboy jock bolio tombstone has worked for me before I'm sure there others though. I'm still banking on the individuals I breed to make the breeding click. If I breed the lazy butts in these lines they will surely throw a couple of lazy ones. More culling, so that's why I say individuals. You get better % breeding better dogs I would think....if you have lazy dog I'm willing to bet it came from something lazy. They may have had a superior trait to boot them. So if I have a lazy dog that's a good one, and I do decide to breed them, I'm looking for a hi energy family member to trying an increase my chances of removing the laziness. Hope this makes since, I know its not about breeding.

 

Oh OK yeah i agree completely. I Def wouldn't breed to a lazy individual (even off of a hard working line) if i was trying to add work ethic either. That's why i was asking about lines known to throw hard workers with above average consistency. Better to breed or buy off of a known workaholic off a line of known workaholics if that's what your looking for. Thanks again for the insight.

 

That's always been like a #1 thing to me. Must work to earn a place.

 

It plays a big part. It's a lot harder to shape a lazy dog lol. Also as said it seems they have a little more juice in the tank when it comes to the long haul, imo prob because they tired themselves out daily and are more accustomed to the feeling

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i like a laid back dog myself and not all lazy dogs dont have the will to continue the way i see it most of the cool headed laid back lazy dogs were the cream of the crop and probly the most complete dog in the litter

 

I have notice that sum hounds love road work. Others dont, some love flirt pole , spring pole others lose interest . I have. Had a few that like it all. Some love to swim, fetch play tug a war ect. I think that its up to the ownet to find out what they enjoy. Jmo..

 

I'll agree for the most part. I like the easy to be around dogs that are laid back and intelligent. That doesn't mean that they are lazy either. I've had plenty of laid back dogs that loved to work and others that seemed to be too smart and knew what was going on and you had to be creative and find out what the dog really liked doing. I have seen lots of damn hard working dogs that were not game and I don't believe that the two are related at all.

 

Any examples of a coolheaded laid back hound which were great [] dogs? An easy going dog
outside the box but when it came down for business was a beast, ball of fire?


Thanks not trying to change the topic just trying to see both points of opinions.

 

Hank...
I wonder how the grandchampions work ethic was??? to keep it on topic,lol...
Maybe Danny B might know and share as I sure miss his posts as well as TDKs, who might be able to answer the question also...

 

I wonder what the back stories of dogs that quit on top would reveal about their work ethic leading up to the show. There may be correlation.

 

Think you can teach any dog they have to work. Takes awhile, my best dog is lazy. Does anything to please loves competition. Him I can deal with

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I've got lazy dogs that will work well when I'm working with them, but my high strung dogs work at a faster pace in my experience. I like both kinds hell the high strung ones are harder to keep over the long run. But doesn't mean lazy dogs won't work, my best dog when it comes to work that counts is a lazy dog lol

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Horror kennels Daisy's story said she would run with strays in the village but she was a monster in the box gambler's Virgil has a video of him meeting dogs for the first time n being laid back just two examples off the top of my head

 

Work ethic is great a idiot that doesn't know when to work and when to rest is not . As long as we are talking about conditioning dogs . But if the question is about the work then my money is on the calm laid back animal. Both are sure to run out of gas . If it's a 1/4 mile race no big deal but what are the odds in that .